My "Ernesto" Dilemma...Advice Please (Long)

[ugadog99]

I have been planning this trip to celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday. Original plans had us leaving the Atlanta area around 5:30am on Wednesday and arriving at AKL by noon. (We are driving.) I know the storm could change, but it appears that Wednesday will be the roughest day for travel. We are to stay through Monday. All dining and plans have been made. Now, with the storm, I'm rethinking my plans. My options:

1. Leave tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday) as soon as school is out. I'd be on the road by 3:30 and in Orlando around 10:30 tomorrow night. Try to get a room at Pop or an All Stars for the one night. Wednesday move to AKL for the planned trip.

2. Call Disney and try to rearrange everything so as to avoid the storm altogether. We would now leave after school on Friday, arrive in Orlando Friday evening and stay Friday through Thursday. We'd come back on Thursday and the girls go back to school on Friday. Of course, I worry about the dining plans and not being able to rearrange the hotel, etc. (on the free dining plan)

So, given the options, what do you advice? I'd love to hear from the locals, too. I have no qualms about being at WDW during the storm, but don't want to drive in it.

Also, I know storms change their paths and it is still too early to really know anything. I just have to make some plans. I'm a teacher and both girls are in school. I have to get things arranged.

 

[DisneyWorldWisher]

According to the track, it looks like it'll hit around Thursday gone by Friday.

Edit: I'd leave Tuesday personally, and you better get those Pop reservations done if thats the case.

 

[anewvance]

I think if you can get a room tomorrow night that you should go ahead and leave tomorrow and get there and safe. That way you don't have to change any dining or room plans. Have fun!

 

[mickeyfan2]

I think if you can get a room tomorrow night that you should go ahead and leave tomorrow and get there and safe. That way you don't have to change any dining or room plans. Have fun!

 

[BrianD]

I'll throw in another vote for going down there tomorrow (Tuesday). You should beat any bad weather that way. Wednesday will likely be a messy travel day, and like you said, it could be all kinds of headaches finding a room at a different resort (given that you are on the free dining plan).

By the way, if you opt for going down there tomorrow, if it were me, I would try to find a room in the same resort as the rest of your stay. That way, if Wednesday does bring bad weather, you don't have to change resorts (or perhaps even change rooms) in the midst of the bad weather.

 

[Cinderella2004]

Another one for heading down Tuesday night. Especially since all your dining plans are made. We just came back, and thankfully we had made all our ADR's when we booked the trip. We would have been eating counter service all week otherwise.

 

[ugadog99]

Thanks, y'all! I decided to go ahead and leave tomorrow afternoon. I don't want the hassle of redoing dining and everything especially knowing I might not get what I want. So, I called and got a room at Pop. We will leave by 3:00 tomorrow, spend the night at Pop, and move to AKL on Wednesday. Thank you for the advice.

 

[kaelarad]

go tomorrow. I am sure that Disney is receiving all sorts of adjustments and cancellations. I would do it quickly though because disney tends to be a popular destination for hurricane evacuees. Do not let it ruin your trip. I stayed at disney during Charley and disney was great! Enjoy!

 

[Mimi Q]

Thanks, y'all! I decided to go ahead and leave tomorrow afternoon. I don't want the hassle of redoing dining and everything especially knowing I might not get what I want. So, I called and got a room at Pop. We will leave by 3:00 tomorrow, spend the night at Pop, and move to AKL on Wednesday. Thank you for the advice.

That sounds like a great plan. I hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[hockeygirl]

I am doing the same thing...i was supposed to fly out of JFK wednesday morning and I was able to change my flight, with no charge, to tomorrow morning. I was worried about flying wednesday, at least i will get there before the worst of it. Pop had rooms available for tomorrow night, so it all worked out. Hopefully, Ernesto will keep moving east and we will be all right!!!

I am determined to have a great trip!!!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I will be the voice of dissent. With Ernesto's path and intensity still up in the air, I don't think I would be running to put myself potentially INTO the path of the storm (also, the latest modeling is pushing Ernesto a little west again, closer to the middle of the state). Really think about it. Vacation is vaction, you can always schedule it for another time. Safety should be the big factor, not worrying about rescheduling ADRs. Anyway, my two cents.

Either way, I hope you have an enjoyable and safe trip.

 

[StephSalyer]

Everyone have a safe trip coming down!!! I am checking in to Pop on Friday morning unless the track changes again. If it changes to the Gulf Coast again I will be evacuating to Disney on Wed. See ya there!!!

 

[aztecgoods]

There may be more updated reports but last I heard it was only 40mph, that's not that bad, by the time it goes through Florida I would guess it would be even weaker, seems though you are looking at a pretty rainy week though, so you may want to get in the frame of mind of doing WDW with the wet suit on.

 

[gigi1313]

i think the traveling on tuesday plan is the best... and just to shake things up a little, how 'bout staying at an off-site/universal resort and hitting seaworld or universal for the day? that's what i'd do!

having been thru a hurricane at wdw, imo it is one of the safest and most comfortable places to be... wdw houses a lot of evacuees!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

There may be more updated reports but last I heard it was only 40mph, that's not that bad, by the time it goes through Florida I would guess it would be even weaker, seems though you are looking at a pretty rainy week though, so you may want to get in the frame of mind of doing WDW with the wet suit on.

You can't go by what the storm is doing right now. Once it gets off of Cuba it will reform and reintensify. Right now, Ernesto is predicted to be at least a Cat. 1 when he makes landfall in Florida, and depending on his path he could retain that intesity for the duration of his trip through Florida. This is why it is important to monitor storms.

 

[MinnieMousse]

Hi!
I am in SoFla right now, and I can tell you that if you are driving down, you will probably be in the opposite direction of most of the heavy traffic. Also, I don't make a big deal when it comes to these things, so my advice would be to play it safe, but not to panic. You would probably have been fine driving on Wednesday as the storm isn't even sceduled to hit Miami until Wednesday morning right now, so it definately won't be in Orlando by then. Also, once they touch ground these storms lose most of their power, so by the time it gets up there it probably won't be worse than a bad thunder shower. My advice is to go ahead and keep your plans despite the storm, but maybe I'm just crazy.

 

[ugadog99]

Thank you all for your great advice. Being at Disney in the storm does not bother me at all. I know I will be safe. My issue was with the driving on Wednesday. We are in high gear here getting everything ready. By this time tomorrow, I'll be two hours into my trip with about 4 and a half to go. I don't mind spending an extra day at Disney, anyway. If this had been just a normal vacation, I may have rescheduled. However, it is a special time for my older daughter, and we want to celebrate at WDW.

 

[WldWcnWmn]

I think if you can get a room tomorrow night that you should go ahead and leave tomorrow and get there and safe. That way you don't have to change any dining or room plans. Have fun!

My $0.02