Hurricane Watch

[ReneeA]

We've been through 2 tropical storms, and are flying in tomorrow for 10 days. Our favorite times in the MK have been sloshing through shin deep water in ponchos riding over & over again since there's no one else in the park. My husband is super excited for the rain!

 

[maryj11]

It is fun in the parks when it is raining. No crowds !!!!!!!! But I do not like lightening. I would trade a hot, humid , crowded day for a rainy day anytime !

 

[BobC]

My biggest concern is departure on Tuesday late afternoon. Not going to be a fun plane ride thru a moderate tropical storm I'm sure!

If I do get rained/hurricaned out Monday, I have my laptop and WL sells beer so there i go!

Better than being stuck in an office in Indiana on a sunny day to me!

 

[Feralpeg]

It is fun in the parks when it is raining. No crowds !!!!!!!! But I do not like lightening. I would trade a hot, humid , crowded day for a rainy day anytime !

Except in the very outer bands of the storm, there is really no lightening. It's just a lot of wind and rain.

 

[WEDway2002]

We've been through 2 tropical storms, and are flying in tomorrow for 10 days. Our favorite times in the MK have been sloshing through shin deep water in ponchos riding over & over again since there's no one else in the park. My husband is super excited for the rain!

Well ...

Every time we travel to WDW, it's during hurricane season and so far we've been lucky. We've never been there during a hurricane! I'm keeping an eye on Erika and hope we miss that one as well. Has Disney ever been hit with a hurricane? I'm just wondering what they do for park guests. Do they end up closing the parks? Has anyone been there during a hurricane?

Hi all!
Just my 2 cents as a "frequent flyer" to the Happiest Place on Earth! We were down there for hurricane Andrew in '92 and it really disrupted our trip very little ... maybe half a day. Disney handles everything so well! I remember that morning getting a hand-delivered announcement slid under the door (kinda primitive by today's standards!). Anyway ... I've been watching forecasts with great interest ... we arrive TOMORROW! As with any storm, there are still many unknowns. BUT ... they are now saying it is still disorganized and may diminish in strength due to upper level "wind shear" and passing over some mountainous countries. It also may head west into the gulf. Let's hope it just diminishes and threatens no one!
Ok ... I'm gonna stay positive ... {gulp} ...

 

[wuzzy6]

The summertime afternoon thunderstorms are far more intense than Erika is going to be. What makes Erika a "problem" for central FL (with the current projection) is very simply - a lot of rain.

 

[YawningDodo]

Keeping an eye on the weather -- our trip starts September 9, so maybe things will clear up by then, but I'll be sure to call my mom and make sure she's bringing good rain gear, extra shoes, a hoodie to keep in a dry bag for dealing with the freezing AC, etc. We always knew it would be hot and likely rainy, and I'm trying to look on the bright side of it possibly reducing the crowds. Anyway, we have trip insurance, so right now it's a matter of watching the warnings and making sure we're ready to submit our claims if the flights get canceled.

 

[ucfknight]

Keeping an eye on the weather -- our trip starts September 9, so maybe things will clear up by then, but I'll be sure to call my mom and make sure she's bringing good rain gear, extra shoes, a hoodie to keep in a dry bag for dealing with the freezing AC, etc. We always knew it would be hot and likely rainy, and I'm trying to look on the bright side of it possibly reducing the crowds. Anyway, we have trip insurance, so right now it's a matter of watching the warnings and making sure we're ready to submit our claims if the flights get canceled.

September 9? This remnants of this particular storm will be in the UK by then.
Not saying there won't be another storm to keep an eye on by then as September 10 is the peak of the season and there is almost always at least one active storm at that time, but you certainly don't have to worry about Erika.

 

[Tonyz]

I'm flying in Thursday late morning, so everything should be done by then, right?

 

[Xennia]

Hurricane season actually runs from June 1 - November 30, and it's still too soon to determine whether or not Orlando is in the direct path of the storm.

Ahhhhh nov. ok.

 

[Xennia]

I'm flying in Thursday late morning, so everything should be done by then, right?

I will be there Friday so it better. Haha

 

[ErinInCT]

Called Spirit just for grins (thought maybe they might do something since the state of emergency was declared). They won't allow me to change my flight on Tuesday without penalty. Have to wait to see if they issue a weather policy. Really hoping this thing either quickly strengthens to a hurricane so the weather policy is implemented and I can fly down early on Sunday, or it just goes away and all we have to deal with is some rain but no airline delays or cancellations. If it weren't an 18 hr drive I'd seriously consider canceling the flight and just hopping in the car now!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

SWA has announced that people holding reservations through Tuesday, Sept 1 traveling through Orlando (and a list of other airports) can change their reservations. We have a 5pm flight out Tuesday but am tempted to hang on to it until we get closer to knowing what the weather will be like then.

I hope that isn't a mistake.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

That's cool, Jetblue has not done so yet. They might at any time. Although I'm not sure what to change it to and probably won't be until at least tomorrow.

 

[wdw4rfam]

We arrived the day Hurricane Charley hit in 2004. We were on one of the last flights in before they closed MCO. Parks were closed that evening and the next morning. We had stayed at a Best Western DTD the evening of the hurricane as our package at POFQ started the next day. WDW was the best place to be as they have their own power grid. Surrounding areas were in bad shape but WDW was already in cleanup mode and getting parks up and running. Many people were stranded on property and they opened excess rooms for their employees IIRC. Here is a link to an article from Allears.net -http://www.allears.net/news/hurricane.htm

We were there for charley too!! It was the craziest thing I have ever seen, weather-wise, and was sure our car was going to be gone when I went out there since Orlando took quite a hit. But I was amazed how most of the parks were up and running so quickly. The next morning we had a character breakfast late and the parks were open and it was sunny. It made me never fear weather at Disney, they are on it.

 

[kaismahma]

If a tropical storm or hurricane does hit is the weather usually more comfortable a few days after or is it still hot, humid and possibly a little rainy? Never experienced a tropical storm or hurricane just curious what to expect.

 

[ah10is]

I'm flying in Thursday late morning, so everything should be done by then, right?

Me too! My fingers are crossed it doesn't head up the coast and mess with all the flights!

 

[GillianP1301]

Monday/Tuesday is when Erika will arrive in Florida. At this point, it will be a tropical storm at most, and some predictions even have it downgraded by then. Very unlikely it will be a hurricane. We fly in on Saturday, so no concern there for me at all. I'm ready for lost of rain in the early part of the week though. If you're flying into Orlando late Monday/Tuesday, then I would keep a very close eye.

*dislaimer: This is my extremely unprofessional opinion based on hours of watching and worrying over various different weather models the last week and from all the storm tracking I have done the last 4 years that we have gone to WDW in late August.

 

[katallo]

Looks as if SW is offering changes if you are flying through 9/1. We leave 9/2, so hopefully it will have moved on!

 

[ErinInCT]

If a tropical storm or hurricane does hit is the weather usually more comfortable a few days after or is it still hot, humid and possibly a little rainy? Never experienced a tropical storm or hurricane just curious what to expect.

I'm sure no two storms are alike, but we were delayed a day due to Hurricane Jeanne in 2004 (4th hurricane to hit FL in one month and park was actually closed). The weather for the week following the hurricane was beautiful. Not even a drop of rain. The hurricane roared through and went out just as fast. And the park the next day (we flew in a day late because the airport was closed) was pretty empty!
This instance looks like it will bring rain since it is not a fast moving hurricane. And the weather app shows the regular afternoon showers that you'd normally see in Sept in FL.