Keeping an eye on Tropical Weather 2024

[LynnTH]

@LynnTH if the hurricane affects your arrival and reservation, you should have a good chance of getting a refund.

We rode out Ian two years ago at the Wilderness Lodge. There were multiple emails and texts beforehand about the cancellation policies being waived, and to reach out to reschedule or for a refund.

Thats kind of what I figured. Don’t want to spend all that $$ and not know what might be open. Would be our first time using our new annual passes but we have more trips booked.

 

[gottalovepluto]

We are set to arrive Wednesday late morning. Trying to decide if we should cancel. Only there until Sunday. I know I can get flight credits. I can cancel all dining and dessert party. Just booked lightning lane for each day. Assuming Disney would refund in this situation. Staying at Dolphin. Was supposed to cancel by yesterday. Hoping they would refund in this situation. Ughhh!!

Disney refunded LLs without any issues for the last storm.

 

[LynnTH]

Disney refunded LLs without any issues for the last storm.

Thanks. I figured they would. They are pretty good about that.

 

[GiGi30]

I highly recommend Ryan Hall Y'all (YT) , Reed Timmer, (Facebook or YT) or Mitch West Weather on YouTube - all these guys are THE BEST in the business. They all agree this is going to be a booger. Seems this system is a fast mover so it may not start to downgrade as much as it usually would once on land. We just had Helene roll though here in Greenville and a Cat 1/2 is no joke inland either. Cape Canaveral is expecting winds of up to 60 mph and have started preparations.

Hugs to all y'all who are struggling with what to do.

 

[Skywalker3]

Hey, since you came down I-75, were there any issues getting gas? Right now I am leaning towards evacuating towards Atlanta via 75, and will probably need to make one stop for gas along the way. I was thinking somewhere between Atlanta and Macon . . .

Hey, we’d stopped at both Buc-res, so didn’t get first hand experience at the other places, like Loves, but looking at exits, I saw cars at all the stations, but not like anything crazy or backed up , people waiting etc, they all looked open. Both Buc-res were busy, but the southern one was insane! There was a bit of a back up near McDonough Ga, and also north of ATL, north of Marietta . Best of luck with all the preparations. I sure hope and pray it will weaken. Stay safe!

 

[pigletto]

I highly recommend Ryan Hall Y'all (YT) , Reed Timmer, (Facebook or YT) or Mitch West Weather on YouTube - all these guys are THE BEST in the business. They all agree this is going to be a booger. Seems this system is a fast mover so it may not start to downgrade as much as it usually would once on land. We just had Helene roll though here in Greenville and a Cat 1/2 is no joke inland either. Cape Canaveral is expecting winds of up to 60 mph and have started preparations.

Hugs to all y'all who are struggling with what to do.

Thank you for these recommendations. It’s hard from Canada to weed through all the info and find reliable sources when you don’t live in the area.

Our trip is this upcoming Friday but my daughter and her husband are already in Florida visiting my sisters family for the week and then meeting us in Orlando on Friday. Needless to say they are booking hotels, gassing up the cars and getting ready to evacuate again. My sisters family lives just blocks from Tampa Bay .

 

[lovethattink]

Just a reminder, this is the LINK for Disney closures.

 

[Skippyboo]

Hey, we’d stopped at both Buc-res, so didn’t get first hand experience at the other places, like Loves, but looking at exits, I saw cars at all the stations, but not like anything crazy or backed up , people waiting etc, they all looked open. Both Buc-res were busy, but the southern one was insane! There was a bit of a back up near McDonough Ga, and also north of ATL, north of Marietta . Best of luck with all the preparations. I sure hope and pray it will weaken. Stay safe!

Bucees pumps are almost always packed because people leave their cars at the pumps and go inside the building. It’s a super pet peeve of mine.

 

[keishashadow]

We’ve hunkered down thru 4 other hurricanes when at the parks over the years. This one is giving us a more than a bit of pause.

European model has it making landfall onWednesday 2 pm, exiting east coast by midnight.

If it does makes a fast track up the I-4 to Orlando, a bit concerned it may be more than a CAT 1 when it hits Orlando.

Our flight leaves tomorrow AM. Figure most, if not all of our HHN dates will be canceled, best case scenario. Will watch the updates today and make the call by tonight.

For those in the storm’s path, good luck, stay safe.

 

[gottalovepluto]

We’ve hunkered down thru 4 other hurricanes when at the parks over the years. This one is giving us a more than a bit of pause.

European model has it making landfall onWednesday 2 pm, exiting east coast by midnight.

If it does makes a fast track up the I-4 to Orlando, a bit concerned it may be more than a CAT 1 when it hits Orlando.

Our flight leaves tomorrow AM. Figure most, if not all of our HHN dates will be canceled, best case scenario. Will watch the updates today and make the call by tonight.

For those in the storm’s path, good luck, stay safe.

Hurricane Hunter plane is on its way in, hopefully that will result in some better data for forecasters to work with today.

 

[keishashadow]

Hurricane Hunter plane is on its way in, hopefully that will result in some better data for forecasters to work with today.

Thanks. Yes, I saw it will go out four different times today.

 

[Gizmo74]

We are at Disney now and supposed to leave Wed night. I would like to leave sooner but not heard from my airline that they are waiving fees to change. When do you think airlines will reach out to offer changing flights?

 

[GiGi30]

Thank you for these recommendations. It’s hard from Canada to weed through all the info and find reliable sources when you don’t live in the area.

Our trip is this upcoming Friday but my daughter and her husband are already in Florida visiting my sisters family for the week and then meeting us in Orlando on Friday. Needless to say they are booking hotels, gassing up the cars and getting ready to evacuate again. My sisters family lives just blocks from Tampa Bay .

You're welcome! There's so much misinformation about these storms online. Mitch West Weather has been on the most about Milton. The others are in my neck of the woods helping after Helene! He updates twice a day but I also expect Ryan Hall Y'all to update today and he's the best at explaining it on a level we all can understand.

 

[lovethattink]

My family is all working this weekend and Monday. So I’m going to spend my day figuring out where to put all the things that can end up as torpedoes (flying debris) in the pool area and yard. I’ll probably put the table and chairs into the pool. We did that for Charley and it worked out ok.

Everyone is off Tuesday. My dh works 12 hours on Wednesday. So my youngest son (with disabilities) and I will probably be hunkering down at home. He’s scheduled to work, but my guess is they’ll close. And I’ll be worrying about dh at work, because they have only closed once so far for a hurricane in all the years we’ve lived here.

My oldest son and his wife work at tourist places. He’s scheduled off Wednesday, not because of the storm, it’s his scheduled day off. So I can breath relief there. DIL is scheduled to work Wednesday.

Please keep the cms and their families in mind during this time of preparation and eventually hurricane.

 

[BethB712]

My husband and I drove in yesterday and are scheduled to check out Wednesday. When I left home (8 hours away) this storm wasn't even on the map! Definitely will leave ahead of Wednesday, just not sure when, and I wonder if DVC will refund points on unused night.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

We are at VGF until Saturday. I'm thinking that we will make a trip to get more groceries and fill up the car with gas today. I'm sure the stores won't be busy or anything today.......

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

We are at Disney now and supposed to leave Wed night. I would like to leave sooner but not heard from my airline that they are waiving fees to change. When do you think airlines will reach out to offer changing flights?

If you wait you might get stuck.

 

[CarolynFH]

We are at Disney now and supposed to leave Wed night. I would like to leave sooner but not heard from my airline that they are waiving fees to change. When do you think airlines will reach out to offer changing flights?

I would check the airline’s website now and call them if there’s no statement there already.

My husband and I drove in yesterday and are scheduled to check out Wednesday. When I left home (8 hours away) this storm wasn't even on the map! Definitely will leave ahead of Wednesday, just not sure when, and I wonder if DVC will refund points on unused night.

They might - I’d call MS today. Or check the member website - I think there’s a policy in place that’s based on the level of watch/warning for Orlando.

 

[Gizmo74]

If you wait you might get stuck.

I agree but not sure what to do. I am on hold with southwest and they say hold time is 1-2 hours and if I change my current ticket on line it’s like buying a new ticket as of now they are not waiving fees

 

[CarolynFH]

I agree but not sure what to do. I am on hold with southwest and they say hold time is 1-2 hours and if I change my current ticket on line it’s like buying a new ticket as of now they are not waiving fees

I expect that’s likely to change today. They’re not going to want to have their planes in Orlando on Wednesday. I’d keep holding and also refreshing the website.