Hurricane Dorian and Irma

[DVC Doctor]

In 2017, I planned a family reunion at VGF in a GV and booked it 7 months in advance and was there Sept 10-11, 2017 and planned MNSSHP and guess what - Hurricane Irma hit florida, WDW was shut down, MNSSHP was cancelled, and most restaurants and services at VGF were closed.

Now in 2019, I planned the same exact family reunion, booked VGF in a GV about 7 months in advance, booked MNSSHP for Sept 2 and guess what, Hurricane Dorian is now scheduled to hit Orlando on that same dates and there is a possibility of the same thing happening again.

Why me????

 

[BillPA]

Please post any future plans so I know when NOT to go....
Just kidding, I hope all works out in your favor this time.

 

[la1037]

That big time stinks, but just to possibly help a little with the stress, Irma was a Category 5/4 bruiser. A beast of a storm. Dorian looks to just barely be a Hurricane 1 if it makes huricane strength at all. By the time it gets to Orlando it will most likely be a big rain event, but nothing to shut down the park. A rain storm sometimes keeps the crowds at bay and it could only be 2 days of rain.

Good luck.

 

[Pyotr]

It’s way too early to tell where Dorian is heading.

August and September is the peak time for hurricanes.

 

[Jennasis]

We had to cancel our trip that same year for Irma. It SUCKED.

It's still early and Dorian can shift a lot...plus as others said, it is barely a tropical storm now. I wouldn't worry. Keep an eye on the national hurricane center page. Right now it isn't a factor for Florida really. We arrive the following weekend and are watching eagerly.

 

[DVC Doctor]

FYI - I am located in South Florida and my home really got trashed from hurricane Irma when I was in WDW....seriously like a ton of damage from fallen trees.

 

[Pyotr]

FYI - I am located in South Florida and my home really got trashed from hurricane Irma when I was in WDW....seriously like a ton of damage from fallen trees.

That sucks. I’m over in the Sarasota area and we’ve been lucky.

I don’t think you have too much to worry about with Dorian. So far it’s been pretty weak.

 

[cruisin5]

Dorian is no Irma, not even close. Keep an eye on the forecast and flight changes.

Do you fly on 9/10? I do too, Dorian will be history by then.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I lost all my shingles and my pool cage with Irma. And had to replace the AC about a week afterwards. The biggest problem with Irma was the width of the storm. It covered the entire state. A massive storm. I'm on the Gulf coast where Irma made landfall and we had power restored a week before my son who lives in Miami. Avoid trips to the Gulf Coast or Atlantic coast around Labor Day. Plan your GV at the end of Sept next time.

 

[Drewferin]

The hurricane models are all over the place. Only one of the 7 to 10 lines goes to Orlando. You basically have like a 10% to 18% change of it messing up your trip. Not bad odds considering...

 

[Beachmom0317]

September is a busy month for the tropics. Thankfully this one doesn’t seem anywhere near Irma’s strength!

 

[DVC Doctor]

Irma update....it is headed directly to Orlando and estimated to hit at exactly on Sunday at 3pm when I am scheduled to check-in at VGF

 

[fiasco32]

Irma update....it is headed directly to Orlando and estimated to hit at exactly on Sunday at 3pm when I am scheduled to check-in at VGF

You mean Dorian update?

Again, Dorian isn't looking to be that big a deal just in terms of actual impact. It will barely be a tropical storm by the time it makes it to Orlando, if that. Doubt they close any of the parks down, maybe a few individual rides.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You mean Dorian update?

Again, Dorian isn't looking to be that big a deal just in terms of actual impact. It will barely be a tropical storm by the time it makes it to Orlando, if that. Doubt they close any of the parks down, maybe a few individual rides.

It will probably just rain. Like it always does during the rainy season. Tropical Storm is nothing.

 

[fiasco32]

It will probably just rain. Like it always does during the rainy season. Tropical Storm is nothing.

True. I was thinking more about the wind, but I don't think there are many rides (if any?) that shut down just for high winds (15-20 mp).

 

[Deb & Bill]

True. I was thinking more about the wind, but I don't think there are many rides (if any?) that shut down just for high winds (15-20 mp).

I would think lightning might be a bigger problem with some of the attractions. We were at WDW in 1997 with the El Nino and had heavy rainstorms all week long. I had never seen such rain before, but the parks were all open (except AK since it wasn't open yet). Some of the attractions were closed because of lightning potential.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I’m so sorry this is happening to you. Our 2017 visit was derailed by Irma too. We booked a VGF GV for Labor Day week 2017 and cut our visit short after a couple days. Our Sunday flight was cancelled Wednesday, so we rented a car and drove 20+ hours home. Got our points back for the nights we cancelled and rebooked for May to “finish” the trip.

I’m so sorry this is happening to you again. I haven’t been following Dorian closely but I hope it doesn’t impact your trip too much.

 

[jerseyduke]

I was there for Irma, and at the VGF - actually bailed out a day early from my trip to avoid it (drive back to GA)

Dorian is going to be a wet day, it wont be anything like Irma. It inst even a hurricane yet - it might be a cat 1. If you dont mind getting wet, you could have SWGE to yourself for day!

In all seriousness, I do not think it will have an effect on your trip other than 1 day or rain, and I doubt anything will be closed.

Also, hurricanes to not have lightning (typically), the winds are not going in the right direction. So I dont even think any rides will close.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

If it makes you feel any better... I was there before, during, and after Irma and it wasn’t horrible. We got stuck in WDW when flights were canceled in advance of the storm and couldn’t get out until a day or two after Irma passed. All that week before the storm, crowds were going down, down, down. The lines were so minimal that the day before the parks closed, we rode some rides a few times in a row without having to get off, because there was no one else waiting in line. I remember watching one couple posing near the Peter Pan wait time sign, because it said 5 mins. All the restaurants had open ADRs. Anastasia and Drizella in MK had no one waiting to meet them so they went for a ride on the carousel and were goofing off during the ride, catcalling a little girl dressed as Cinderella. Honestly, it was awesome except that we were worried about the impending storm. But we got through the storm just fine and in retrospect, my family was “lucky” enough to be in WDW during some of the very lowest crowd levels of the past decade. If Dorian hits, I’m assuming the crowd levels will be low again... there’s always a silver lining!

 

[jerseyduke]

I’m so sorry this is happening to you. Our 2017 visit was derailed by Irma too. We booked a VGF GV for Labor Day week 2017 and cut our visit short after a couple days. Our Sunday flight was cancelled Wednesday, so we rented a car and drove 20+ hours home. Got our points back for the nights we cancelled and rebooked for May to “finish” the trip.

I’m so sorry this is happening to you again. I haven’t been following Dorian closely but I hope it doesn’t impact your trip too much.

I was in the same building
just a shorter drive home