Hurricane Matthew Closes WDW - Reopens Saturday, October 8th

[mikedoyleblogger]

Via the above City of Orlando link, the city is holding a press conference at 2:45 PM Eastern time regarding hurricane preparations. But currently there are no voluntary evacuations, and the automated evacuation phone calls have definitely not been activated.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

GS said we needed to see the front desk, but then put me on hold to see if they could go ahead and modify. I was left on hold for too long so we are leaving MK. I can't enjoy the rest of my park time knowing we may be rushed later.

Campground has to be completely evacuated by 2 pm tomorrow.

Why don't you physically go to guest services at City Hall and see if they can help out before you leave MK? If they can, it would save you some park time at least.

(Edit) Never mind, I see you're on a boat already. I hope you get re-accommodated in a safe, potentially groovy place.

 

[RedAngie]

I would be stunned if Orlando gets evacuated

Even if an evacuation order comes, just where are Orlando residents and tourists supposed to go? Tampa, Naples, the Panhandle?

 

[HopperFan]

No rig, cabin. GS said we needed to see the front desk, but then put me on hold to see if they could go ahead and modify. I was left on hold for too long so we are leaving MK. I can't enjoy the rest of my park time knowing we may be rushed later.

Campground has to be completely evacuated by 2 pm tomorrow.

Hope you get MK resort for comparable location

 

[Geoff_M]

Good Idea on Glow Sticks.. With many people having young children safe lighting is important. Another option which is solar powered landscape lights often used in gardening. They can be charged during the day even in cloudy conditions and will easily light up a room.

I use one of these for camping and they're inexpensive, last a long time on a charge and great to use. Luci lights are around $15. They inflate and store flat. There's a solar panel on the bottom for recharging. I've seen them at Lowe's as well as camping stores. There were originally developed as a low-cost lighting option for use in developing countries:

 

[agame2323]

I feel so bad. I'm set to cancel our flight and just chalk it up. Just too many question marks. I hate to feel like we're going to be stuck in our hotel room for 24-48s. We spent months planning this trip and now I think its over. Nothing I'm hearing is making me excited to be in Florida while this is taking place. Sucks.

 

[Princesca]

Man, I'm so bummed for all you guys who are going to have to cancel your plans. I am going in November, and I know I'd be devastated if all the planning I've done got wiped out because of a hurricane. I so feel your pain... but safety is important, and I hope that some kind of silver lining presents itself for all of you.

 

[Geoff_M]

From the 2:00 PM update from NOAA:

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
At 200 PM EDT (1800 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Matthew was located
near latitude 22.1 North, longitude 75.3 West. Matthew is moving
toward the northwest near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this motion is
expected to continue during the next 24 to 48 hours. On this track,
Matthew will be moving across the Bahamas today and tomorrow, and is
expected to be very near the east coast of Florida by Thursday
evening.

Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher
gusts. Matthew is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale. Some strengthening is forecast during the
next couple of days, and Matthew is expected to remain at category 3
or stronger while it moves through the Bahamas and approaches the
east coast of Florida.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from
the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175
miles (280 km).

The minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force Hurricane
Hunter plane was 963 mb (28.44 inches).

 

[Lehuaann]

Hope you get MK resort for comparable location.

I hope so, too. We really don't want to leave FW...

 

[Lulubelle17]

We cancelled our tickets very sad but we got a full refund, no question asked. We were supposed to go to the MNSSHP on Friday, but I didn't want to drive down in that mess. So disappointed

 

[Randy Miller]

someone made fun of FOX for saying loop as FOX " can't even get real news right" well...apparently the NOAA agrees. Loop.

 

[loves to dive]

I hope so, too. We really don't want to leave FW...

could be wrong but thought I read earlier they were putting people up at AoA, maybe because they have suites? Wonder about the people with tents? If you have a RV you can move that to the parking lot but you can't pitch your tent there.

 

[Rgonzalez79]

Does anyone know what it would take to actually close the parks? If it's a tropical storm in the area of the parks, do they stay open?

Just curious

 

[Geoff_M]

View attachment 199123 someone made fun of FOX for saying loop as FOX " can't even get real news right" well...apparently the NOAA agrees. Loop.

The most you can say is that we see the "start" of what might be a loop. Most of the models seem to point to it changing direction again and heading towards Bermuda, a few show it heading back to Florida, but no one knows for sure at this point.

 

[boomgoesthemickey]

I would be stunned if Orlando gets evacuated

It'd have to be some biblical type of storm for Orlando to be evacuated right?

 

[wdw4rfam]

yea just saw an update from the weather channel and "IF" they are right based on everything right now looks like eye will be off the coast and only the coast will get tropical storm force winds....hoping they are right supposed to drive in on fri

Be careful, I don't know where you are driving in from, but we come down 95, and it goes right down the coast. We left a day early last month to avoid driving in it when the tropical storm came through. You don't want to be driving in heavy rain with those winds.

 

[Lehuaann]

FW front desk line out the door

 

[A Mickeyfan]

If you are concerned about air travel, contact your airline. If you are driving down, and expect to be on the road today on, expect to hit traffic through the Carolina's if passing that way as SC is evacuating. If you planned on taking 95 down in FL on Thursday or Friday, don't. Take 75 and come across 4 from the West.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

It'd have to be some biblical type of storm for Orlando to be evacuated right?

they wouldn't evacuate Orlando - all of the coastal evacuation routes take you to Orlando. Evacuations are issued for coasts

 

[andyman8]

It'd have to be some biblical type of storm for Orlando to be evacuated right?

Well, there's a difference between voluntary and involuntary evacs. Officials from a number of coastal counties are "strongly encouraging" citizens along the shoreline to evacuate right now, but unless this storm really shifts west, I wouldn't expect that to happen. In terms of an involuntary evacs, the situation I think would have to be unbelievably more severe. Right now, Brevard barrier islands seem to be dealing with these though. I'm no weather person, just speaking from personal experience.

Be careful, I don't know where you are driving in from, but we come down 95, and it goes right down the coast. We left a day early last month to avoid driving in it when the tropical storm came through. You don't want to be driving in heavy rain with those winds.

I've been watching the local news live stream from my hometown (WPB), and they seem really hesitant to make any declaratory statements like TWC apparently did. It seems like there is still some uncertainty exactly how far off the coast this will be, but if it makes it to coast, it will be in Brevard County, right along that area of I-95. Also, keep in mind, you're probably going to encounter more traffic than normal, even though you're headed "towards" the storm. Lots of people will try to leave or come back at the last minute or at least making last minute runs for supplies, depending on when you're driving. Personally, I'd avoid driving Thursday evening through Friday midday, but to each their own, I suppose.