Hurricane Season (Forecast)

[Rascal1003]

I just read on Sky News that the forecast for this season is not brilliant !

We are booked for late Sept/early Oct, so will be at risk.....oh dear !
Here's the link...

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/US-Hurricanes-Could-Be-The-Worst-For-Years---NOAA-Says-Seven-Could-Be-Major-Storms/Article/201005415639847?lpos=World_News_Third_Home_Page_Article_Teaser_Region__2&lid=ARTICLE_15639847_US_Hurricanes_Could_Be_The_Worst_For_Years_-_NOAA_Says_Seven_Could_Be_Major_Storms

 

[Disneymad]

I know it's easier said than done but I wouldn't worry unduly about hurricane season

First, it's worth noting that they actually said exactly the same thing last year (La Nina was just beginning back then I think) - and they ended up with a below average season.

Second, there could be 1 single hurricane all year but if it falls during your trip then you *might* be affected - so it doesn't really matter how good or bad the season overall is because it just takes one

Third, hurricanes are zipping around Florida every year, very few land, even fewer make it to Orlando because it's so far inland and even fewer than that actually cause any disruption. Most of the time you're talking about a lot of humidity, rain and maybe a bit breezier than normal! Floridians who feel at risk (normally coastal) often move from their homes to stay on Disney and other Orlando resorts because it's considered a safe haven.

Fourth, there are all manner of things that can go wrong unexpectedly at any time of the year. I used to cite the BA strikes but now I have the volcano as an even better example. What will be will be!

If it's any comfort nearly all my travel to Florida over the years has taken place during hurricane season. I've never once had any significant disruption from one and there have been many active (in fact I think virtually every time I've travelled in Season there has either been a hurricane or tropical depression or storm active somewhere in the region, without wanting to sound flippant it really is a fairly common event even at the best of times), so it's not that the potential hasn't been there.

It can happen, and every hurricane obviously needs respect but unless you're coastal then chances are it's going to remain business as usual in Orlando.

By the way, I'm there end of Sept/early October too so if it happens it'll happen to both of us, LOL.

 

[crabbie1]

And us so can all whinge togeather

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

We're there last week of August and personally if I'm caught up in a hurricane I can't think of any place I'd rather be than at Disney

 

[Disneymad]

And us so can all whinge togeather

I'll bring the rum!

 

[rpbert1]

And if one does hit, it will be only for a couple of days usually lots of rain, so not really a big deal.

 

[crabbie1]

I'll bring the rum!

Where you staying. Rascal and disneymad????

 

[PudseyChancer]

We'll be there end of September and are not unduly worried, I was in Orlando when Hurricane Jeanne hit, we were safe, and I have to say that it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life watching as a hurricane rolled through. We're staying onsite at Disney this time round and know that we'll be well looked after if a hurricane does hit.

 

[Disneymad]

Where you staying. Rascal and disneymad????

Split stay between BW and SSR. Well, once I get the little detail of my flight booked anyhow but that's where my rooms are currently, hehe.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Every other trip we have stayed offsite. If there was a storm on the radar anywhere at all I used to feel happy just going to a Disney Park because I felt safe. So this year, staying onsite, I really have no worries at all (and I am a champion worrier!!).

Maybe flights could be sligthly disrupted though...anyone experienced that?

 

[Disneymad]

Flight can be disrupted a bit, I'm trying to remember what happened before but I have a fairly sucky memory.

The actual 'hurty bit' area of a hurricane is usually quite small relatively speaking (unlike the path of damage it leaves behind it), the rest is just bad weather so while an airport might be closed for a day, there are alternatives fairly near by that can remain open.

I'm not sure but I think one time when I heard MCO get shut down people just got ferried to places like Miami, then made their way up to Orlando the next day after the storm had passed. People who were due to leave either legged it the day before or waited it out till after.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Thanks - that doesn't sound too baad at all either!

 

[disneyholic family]

we were at Disney when a hurricane hit.....back in 1995 i think it was....i can't remember the name of the hurricane.

anyway, WDW was amazing - it was so interesting to see how organized they are.....they of course knew the hurricane was coming so the amount of preparation was incredible...starting from 2 days before it hit, then during it and afterwards....just an amazing thing to see them in action..

we felt very safe there....and they kept us informed - even when we were stuck in the room - kept calling up with announcements of what was happeneing, what to do...etcetc..

the bigger problem is if how it might affect reaching orlando when you fly in..

a few years back....3 or 4 years...was another bad hurricane season...
that time when we flew in there were actually 3 hurricanes in process.....one off the atlantic coast, one off the golf coast and the left over of another that was already inland.....the plane managed to thread the needle on that one..
we were flying down from kennedy airport to orlando....the plane had to take a very weird path down to avoid the storms....
it was funny - the plane had those seatback systems where you could follow along on a map and watch the weather channel...plus we could see out the windows the very weird cloud patterns...
to give you an idea of how nervous everyone on the plane was, when we landed one woman shouted out "thank you Jesus" and the rest of the plane applauded....we made it in fine....into orlando....
and that was with 3 hurricanes reallly in the immediate vicinity....

by the way, that was in early July....hurricane season starts in june and lasts for many months...so there's really no way to avoid it if you visit in the summer/fall....

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Hi

Could I ask how long you were stuck in the room for? Anything to keep the kids occupied?

 

[disneyholic family]

Hi

Could I ask how long you were stuck in the room for? Anything to keep the kids occupied?

we were at the all star music that year.....in the buildings that were furthest from the main building...
i was alone with the two kids - DH couldn't come with us that year..
DD was 11 and DS was 8 years old..

there was a lot of warning - we knew it was coming and the resort gave out very detailed instructions so that we would know what to do, who to call if we needed help etcetc.

we weren't scared at all as it was clear how well prepared they were..

we only had to stay in the room overnight ....the hurricane hit overnight (we could hear the wind and rain but it wasn't scary) and in the morning it was raining harder than normal orlando rain storms...
WDW opened late that day...only at 11 am.....i think it was at 11...

in the morning, i called to find out if the parks were open...they said they would open at 11 am....i asked if the food court was open and it was...
so i went out by myself to bring breakfast back to the kids......i had to run along the sides of the building....there were a few other adults doing the same thing...running along the sides of the building to get to the main building...

but again, by this point the brunt of the storm had passed....this was just the leftover torrential rain..

 

[orangetiggs]

we got stuck in all stars with a hurricane, first got moved from st petes dure to one back to orlando then our third week we spent the weekend in the room as one went right by us and it wasnt that bad at all

didnt put us off travelling in hurricane season we even got married in disney in sept so i wouldnt worry about it

 

[tinks_1989]

I think it has probably be mentioned but I didnt read the entire thread there is also a thread on one of the US forums and they apparently say this every year and last year that had a really quiet year

 

[diddldonna]

We are arriving late sepetmber/early october and from what a disney friend said they have visted this time for 10 years and in that time the parks has only ever been closed for half a day when they visted once due to a hurricane so i am not woirried.

 

[matty624]

We were in Orlando during hurricane Charlie in August 2004. Always thought it'd be interesting to be there during a hurricane, but, if I'm honest, I'd really really not want to go through it again!!!!

Admittedly, it was a category 4 hurricane, so pretty serious. It wrecked the house we were staying in, and was definitely the most scary thing any of my family have ever experienced!

That said, we've been many many times, and usually hurricanes are just a news item to watch with interest...

Here's hoping that this summer is nice and quiet.

Matt

 

[disneyholic family]

We were in Orlando during hurricane Charlie in August 2004. Always thought it'd be interesting to be there during a hurricane, but, if I'm honest, I'd really really not want to go through it again!!!!

Admittedly, it was a category 4 hurricane, so pretty serious. It wrecked the house we were staying in, and was definitely the most scary thing any of my family have ever experienced!

That said, we've been many many times, and usually hurricanes are just a news item to watch with interest...

Here's hoping that this summer is nice and quiet.

Matt

there is a big difference in the construction materials used in private homes and those used in the disney hotels....the disney hotels were designed to stand up to hurrican force winds....
the only resort buildings not up to those standards are the fort wilderness cabins (and of course trailers), which is why people staying there are moved to the other disney resorts when a hurricane is forecast to hit the area...

the disney resorts are built of steel reinforced concrete, which is not true of private houses in the orlando area....
i wouldn't have a second thought about riding out a hurricane in one of the disney resort buildings (other than FW)..