Just back: The Good, the Bad and the Hurricane

[eljojo]

The Good:
Loved our 7 nights at the BWI. The convenience to the parks was great, and the resort was lovely. The lines were very short - hardly ever used the Fastpass. We worried so much about the heat, and we were very comfortable. In fact, several times I wished I had brought a sweatshirt!
The Bad:
Wasn't crazy about using the vouches and wouldn't buy them again. We ate way too much, and it was sometimes inconvenient to have to eat at a place that took the vouchers. And it never failed, I'd try to get value for my money, and my family would order the cheapest things on the menu!
The Hurricane:
We had moved to the Hard Rock Hotel the day of the hurricane. We got to go to the parks till 2:00 then they pretty much kept us locked up in the hotel. If you have to be in a hurricane, the HRH is the place to be. They had movies and popcorn for the kids and offered a buffet for dinner. Plus, the masonry building and thick glass windows left us feeling secure. Especially after seeing a hotel that was destroyed on the way to the airport. The next day we went to Universal and called the airport. They told us everything would be up and running after 11:15 a.m. Our flight wasn't till 8:30 so we took our time at the parks. When we got to the airport, they informed us that all flights were cancelled and we couldn't get a new one until at least Tues, possibly Thurs or Fri. My husband had to work the next day, so we had to rent a car and drive all night to PA. We were all exhausted, hot, tired and had no clean clothes left. But we had to count our blessings and thank the Lord that we were all save and sound and going home.
All in all, it was a GREAT trip and I would do it all again, save the hurricane, lol.

 

[Brenner965]

Originally posted by eljojo
We had moved to the Hard Rock Hotel the day of the hurricane. We got to go to the parks till 2:00 then they pretty much kept us locked up in the hotel. If you have to be in a hurricane, the HRH is the place to be.

Indeed!

Thanks for your report.

 

[QJ411]

Glad you guys made it home safe and sound...driving from FL. to PA all night?!

Welcome back!

 

[thelittlemermaid]

Gald to hear your family made it through Charley safe!!

My family also experinced Charley at Disney. Saturday when we woke up, we booked it out of Flordia. LOL!!!

We were suppose to stay over night in North Carolina, until we heard that Charley was going to hit there. We had already had enough of Charley, so everyone decied it would be best just to drive straight on through to Ohio. I defintaly understand what you mean about being exhausted, hot, tired and had no clean clothes left. By the time we got home at 3 am, everyone just crashed in the clothes that they were wearing.

DH says next trip we are going to save up enough money to fly. He loved the drive down seeing all the new sites, but the drive back was no fun at all.

 

[eljojo]

I've always been a nervous flyer, and we had a lot of turbulance on the way down (my kids said it was our first coaster ride!), but it sure beats driving 15 hours!! Plus it seemed like the hurricane followed us the entire way. The heavy rains made it so hard to see, and we hydroplaned several times. Then with all the heavy traffic and crazy drivers near D.C., I'll take flying any day!!

 

[Kimickey]

I just wanted to add that we made it back home safely as well. The hurricane was something my family never experienced. The next day after Charley I got up and helped the grounds people at the CSR clean up. The people of WDW really worked to make things seem as if nothing ever happened. My hats off to them!!!