Hurricane Delay - What Happens?

[WSLover]

So we are in NJ and heading to WDW next Thursday for 10 days. I know it is too early to tell but it looks like we could really be affected by Hurricane Sandy coming up the east coast early next week.

I am concerned about how the ripple affect of airport closures could affect our departure. I have been running different scenarios through my head (I'm the famly worrier). The trip has also been paid in full. We have free dining so need to check in on Thursday. What happens if air travel is disrupted and we don't check in on Thurs? If I do online check-in now will that keep our reservation intact even though we might not arrive until Friday? Will we still have free dining if we arrive after Thursday?

 

[mgb70]

I don't know, but good luck.

 

[aaarcher86]

Disney tracks the hurricane so if you are in an area being effected you can give them a call and they will work with you. Every reservation is different, so it is hard to say exactly what they'll do, but they will work with you. They know it's not your fault!

 

[bigbabyblues]

That happened to us in 2004. Disney was helpful with our options, but we ended up going two days early to get there beforee the hurricane. I don't remember what our options were now, but defi itely call as soon as you know you will be affected.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you decide that you are going to delay, CALL DISNEY. They will know if you are under a hurricane warning, and they will give you options.

 

[WSLover]

Thanks for the responses. It is good to know that Disney will work with you. I am hoping to get out next Thursday as planned. But now I am stalking the Weather Channel like I was stalking the Disney Dining website. Hope Mother Nature sends a little pixie dust our way.

 

[CraigInPA]

We went through this in 2010 with the huge snowfall in the northeast corridor. We were supposed to leave on Friday morning. Tuesday, before the first flake fell, our airline cancelled our flight. We re-booked on a different carrier for Saturday afternoon, and then called Disney. They changed our check-in date to Saturday, "no problem whatsoever". On Thursday, the new carrier cancelled our Saturday flight, still before the first flake fell. We were re-booked for a Monday flight. We called Disney, changed the check-in date, extended the vacation 2 days at the back end, and they were completely gracious about it. We called and cancelled our ADR's for Friday/Saturday/Sunday/Monday morning, and scrambled to get new ones on the newly booked 2 extra days. It started snowing on Friday afternoon (ironically, well after our original flight would have left) and didn't stop until Sunday morning. The airport closed Friday night and didn't open until Sunday night. We flew out on Monday. When we arrived, we saw a HUGE number of guests leaving. The desk people told us that many of them had been stranded by airport closures, stayed several extra days, and were headed to the airport without knowing when they'd get on a flight!

Disney is well aware of the storm coming and I'm sure they've come up with a plan to deal with people not being able to check in or out on time. You might just give them a call and ask, so that you're not worrying for the next week.

 

[nicki.momof3]

I would call now and ask what happens. We were at Universal one year (2009) and a hurrican rolled through. It was insane. Universal was amazing about it. Our flight was cancelled due to the extreme weather. They adjusted our reservation, made dinner reservations for us, arranged transportation to the airport the next day.