Hurricane Matthew Closes WDW - Reopens Saturday, October 8th

[figmentgirl]

Here's now. All parks closed after 5pm and all day tomorrow.

 

[ashleyrm]

DisneyParks Blog announcement (apologies if already shared). https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ings-closing-thursday-at-5-p-m-closed-friday/

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Messed up my Easts/Wests in my prior post. Oops. All fixed now.

 

[KateP85]

We were supposed to drive down tomorrow and arrive around 6pm. I was able to move everything yesterday out one day, so now we are supposed to drive down from TN on Saturday. I keep watching that loop and wondering if we need to cancel all together. If so, when do you think my cut off is to call?

I would really rethink that plan. I think Saturday is going to be crazy with clean up and people trying to get home. Can you postpone until next week?

 

[awalker1015]

Just saw a video on TWC app that if the eye remains just offshore, this storm could actually increase in intensity to a 5 since it won't weaken as it would if the eye passes over land. So many unknowns with this one.

 

[LauraLea]

I would really rethink that plan. I think Saturday is going to be crazy with clean up and people trying to get home. Can you postpone until next week?

The instructions officials are giving Orlando is to hunker down today by 6 PM. Do not plan on going out until given the all clear sometime on Saturday. Until storm damage can be assessed and cleaned up, they do not want people out and about. I bet Disney will even have to rethink their reopening on Saturday. If there is a real mess out there on the roadways, CMs have no business on them until workers can get them cleaned up.

Laura

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I would say if/when the parks open Saturday, including F&W, great for those on property. But anyone who is considering being a day guest from within driveable distance, stay home. No guarantee you'll even be able to successfully complete the drive.

 

[cel_disney]

Currently in MK. Very low crowds and the weather is still good. We planned to head back to Poly at 5 and eat at Captain Cooks tonight and get some black coffee and chicken fingers (or something else) from Capt Cooks to take back to our room for tomorrow. We have cereal, granola bars, chips, popcorn and water/Gatorade and enough things to occupy the kids (plus they have homework!)

We stopped at our room between parks around 2pm and pulled the deck chairs inside. We had no notices from Poly at our room.

We do have dining reservations for breakfast and dinner at Poly tomorrow - I figure we will make a real time decision on using them in the event the restaurants are open. Other CMs have told me that the Ride it out crews will make sure we have everything we need and then some, but that doesn't align with the news in this thread. If anyone gets info for Poly dining and activities please let us know!!!

Seriously - I cannot get over how hard it is to get info here (beyond watching the news and noaa which I am doing on my phone). Thanks to everyone who is posting info!!!!

Those of you that are local to the area - please stay safe!!

 

[mgpan]

So since everything is closed and the parks are not opening on Friday will Disney automatically refund the MNSSHP tickets? I don't want to call and take up a cast members time when they need to be helping with guests on property. I am sure even getting through will be a nightmare. Since we live here in Florida we were driving over tomorrow. We cancelled our hotel and now just need to cancel the party...

I agree with you, i won't even try to call until we are definitively cancelling. The agreement by WDW to waive cancellation fees should allow you to cancel up to the day of arrival by 6, like many properties do, at least i hope they will. if i have to be on hold for two hours, apparently they need to be talking to others about more serious matters than my refund. I'm sure party tickets will be refunded/exchanged under the circumstances.

 

[mjallemand]

We were supposed to drive down tomorrow and arrive around 6pm. I was able to move everything yesterday out one day, so now we are supposed to drive down from TN on Saturday. I keep watching that loop and wondering if we need to cancel all together. If so, when do you think my cut off is to call?

Honestly I'd scrap the whole trip. It's way too much money to drop for so much uncertainty.

 

[scotty s]

I just made back-up ressies at The Swan for 10/24th-30th just in case next week ( we are suppose to fly in this Monday 10th) still looks bad with either weather or destruction clean up. Will wait till Saturday to see what the situation in Fl is before I cancel and reschedule our flights.

 

[uagirl]

I doubt any of them are in this thread, but if you are staying at a resort, thank the ride out crew. They are working to keep you safe while they worry about their own families at home.

 

[jolaf408]

Yikes! I really hope everyone with conflicting reservations, tickets, ADRs, etc. can get everything sorted out and that their trips aren't impacted too negatively. Sending wishes to everyone in the area ...

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Just saw a video on TWC app that if the eye remains just offshore, this storm could actually increase in intensity to a 5 since it won't weaken as it would if the eye passes over land. So many unknowns with this one.

Yeah, but I also saw one of the hurricane experts on TWC say that as long as the barometric pressure doesn't start falling even lower, this storm is not likely to increase strength. Through the day today the pressure has been pretty steady, where last night it had been continuing to fall.

 

[nduckles]

We will all know SO MUCH MORE by Saturday morning. Everybody has different tolerances for "wait and see" vs. needing to know for sure, but it's all going to be an individual decision whether to proceed with vacations or not, based on how far away you are, how flexible vacation time is, etc etc. Disney phone lines are CRAZY. There's just not a lot to know right now. Personally, if we could easily postpone, we would. But if we cancel this vacation....and it might be that we'll need to based on what damage happens.....then it'll be a long, long time before we can plan a week in WDW, as this trip is my daughter's senior year gift. So right now we're still hoping to have at least a few days. But above all, I hope everyone stays safe.

Breathe in, breathe out.

 

[sabrecmc]

11,370 are currently reported to be without power already, most of them in Miami-Dade county. https://www.fpl.com/storm/customer-outages.html

 

[DrunkJam]

News here says 136 dead in Haiti. The pictures look horrific.

Please, everyone stay as safe as you can.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Looking at the Google Maps Traffic layer, it looks like the worst traffic in all of Florida is around WDW. I guess a lot of Floridians are planning to ride this thing out at Disney.

 

[loves to dive]

We are a few hours out of Orlando headed to Nashville and I can confirm I-75 hotels are booked up. We can't do this trip in one day and have rerouted through Alabama.

those travelling up 75 check the chains in the small towns just off 75. There are a million (that might be a slight high number) bedroom communities all up and down 75. We have two conventions going on right now in Athens but still have openings in the non-downtown hotels. We are about 1/2 off 85 going north.

 

[mjallemand]

People are being a bit too blasé about this whole thing. By no means am I the voice on authority on such things nor am I saying you would take what I say as gospel, but I feel like if you plan on arriving on Saturday with expectations for a perfect trip, I'd probably reschedule.

Heck, if I had a trip planned and I was still able to cancel accommodations I'd probably give this at least two weeks, if not more, to blow over.