Important/Big News You Missed While at WDW

[FlightlessDuck]

I'm sure a lot of us like to "tune out" and stay away from the news when at Disney World.

Have you ever missed any important news when in Disney? If so, what?

The only two things I can think of were both football related. So, I'm not sure how "important" it was...

In 2006, we were at WDW when Ben Roethlesberger had his motorcycle accident. In 2009, we were at WDW when Steve McNair was killed.

 

[jewels1916]

I was at Disney when Bernie Mac died. I didn't realize, but once I got home and was looking through my pics, I saw that the news story was actually on the television in the background. Wow....I was obviously not paying attention.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I also forgot, 2006 was when Tropical Storm Alberto blew through Florida. We hadn't paid attention to the weather, and went to MK on the day Alberto was going to hit. A CM asked us "Has the storm changed your plans at all?" "Storm?", we said. "What storm?"

 

[jewels1916]

That's how I am while at WDW! *What? California fell into the ocean? When did that happen?* I can miss huge pieces of news!

 

[rastahomie]

The night before I left in 2003 (or maybe it was 2002 or 2005), my beloved Chicago Cubs were five outs away from going to the World Series. We all know how that turned out.

 

[jadedbeauty14304]

The whole "Balloon Boy" incident. I got home and wondered what people were talking about!!! LOL When I watched the video, I thought "wow, thats obviously a hoax. I can't believe people actually fell for it." LOL I guess you just had to be there.

 

[daisyduck123]

We were IN WDW when Madeleine McCann disappeared.

I remember turning on the tv in our room at SSR & the news was on. The first thing I heard was the newscaster say "taken from her hotel room". I was like, "WHAT???"

I thought someone had been taken in WDW. I listened to more & then realized what was going on. So very sad.

 

[BenA81]

the tiger wood fiasco right after thanksgiving. didn't really catch up until later in december to see what all the fuss was about.

 

[Head_in_the_clouds]

We were at Epcot when Michael Jackson died. We came home for a rest in the afternoon after a morning at DHS and a couple of hours at Epcot, and it was our intention to go back in the evening and watch illuminations but when we got back to the room, my dad switched on the news and I was too depressed to go back that night.

We were also on vacation in Florida when Gianni Versace and Steve Irwin died!

 

[Twitterpated!]

During our visit in February 2007, a tornado hit Ft. Myers, FL, that crazy astronaut lady got caught trying to drive from TX to FL to kill another astronaut lady, and Anna Nicole Smith died. Can't wait to see what happens outside of the world during our next trip in May!

 

[3lilpiggies]

My DGF died the day before we were to return about 2 years ago. My mom didnt tell me. She said she didnt want to ruin my trip. While on my way home at the airport I get a text from someone close asking if final arrangements had been made. What? What are you talking about? We were about to board. I didnt know what to do. Part of me wanted to board and fly the plane myself and the other part just wanted to fall on the floor and melt. Thank God Dh was there to pick me up. I think he saw and figured it out.

 

[Marshypooh]

It always seems like a celebrity/entertainer/athlete dies while we are at WDW.

We were there during the entire 2008 Summer Olympics and totally forgot about it until our day at Epcot WS and we saw all the merchandise at the shop in China.

I think one of the worst things that happened while we were there was when Andrea Yates (I believe I have the name correct) drowned her small children in the bathtub several years ago. It was so very sad and difficult to try and not think about such a tragic event. I kept looking at all the little kids having so much fun and then would start thinking about those children losing their lives by the hand of their own mother.

 

[Redpepperflakes14]

Well, we learned that our governor wasn't really hiking the Appalachian trail...

Then, once we got home and went to pick up the gentleman to the left from daycare/boarding, Michael Jackson died.

 

[ancestry]

We were at WDW last year when Michael Jackson died. Took us a a day or two to realize what had happened.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

We were there when the Haiti earthquake happened. We heard about it, but had now ideas how bad it was until we got home. It made me realize how much I truly disconnect from the real world when Im at WDW. Once we get to our ersort, we dont "venture out: into the real world or watch TV. It just always seems to happen that way...I think this is why I love it there so much. It is like escaping reality.

 

[tink713]

The whole "Balloon Boy" incident. I got home and wondered what people were talking about!!! LOL When I watched the video, I thought "wow, thats obviously a hoax. I can't believe people actually fell for it." LOL I guess you just had to be there.

I missed that too while we were in DL last year!

 

[Hmbldr]

I think this goes to show how insignificant 'big news' really is. How much hype the media plays into everything.... and how we all fall for it - glued to live cams, CNN, blogs, etc. Wonderful WDW and other vacations where you can leave all that crap behind.

 

[vroomagain]

Also there during the Haiti Earthquake. We saw it briefly on the news at one of the rest stops when we drove back but like pp we had no idea how severe it was.