My family was at WDW when Charley hit. Early Friday morning my family checked out {we were going to stay an extra day} but decied we would try and get on the road before Charley hit.
As we were putting DS and DD in the car, the sercurity guard in a van came by and asked us if we were checked out and leaving. When DH said "Yes", he advised us that I-75, I-95, and I-4 were nothing but bumper to bumper and that we should go back to our room and one of us go back to the front desk and get our room back, that we was just looking out for the best interest for the guest. So DH went back to the front desk and got our room back. While he was gone, I received a call in the room from a guy asking if I was the one the security guard told to go back to the room. When I told him "Yes" the guy told me that he shouldn't have done that, and if we wanted to leave, that the roads won't be closed til 3 of that day. To me what makes the difference what time the roads are closed. We probably would have had to find somewhere to stay, possiably a shelter.
Later I went back out to our van to get some clothes and a couple of other items before the storm hit. The same sercuitry guard came along and asked me about the van {I think he was just trying to make small talk cause some guys in ties were watching him}. I made a comment about the guys he was talking to when I came out to the van and asked him if he got in trouble for what he told us. All he said to me was that he wasn't telling anymore guests that checked out what to do. That is really poor on someone's part!! That security guy saved our lives by telling us to get our room back, that we would be alot safer staying there then being out on the roads. A lady from Tennessee and her family were thinking about doing the samething and joined in our conversion. She told me that the front desk told her that it would be best if they just stayed there cause that way they would have food, water, and electricy. Other hotels around possiably won't have that when the storm hits. The front desk told us nothing.
Disney only had Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and MGM open that day til 1 pm and cause of that was giving people an extra day to use whenever they want. When I went to the front desk and told them that we were not going to the parks, the lady made sure that we received our extra day right then, good til 2013.
Charley is something I would never want to go through again! When Charley hit, I swear this is what I looked like the whole time.......
We have thunderstorms here in Ohio that can get pretty bad, but not to the point where you can watch trees bend all the way over to the ground. I sure do have a new found respect for people who live in Flordia and put up with that crap.
We will go back to the WDW, but not during hurricane season and will be staying somewhere else besides that All star resorts. DH sure wasn't happy with the very thin walls. LOL!!!
