News Flash from Disney: Park Hours due to Frances

[Chicago526]

The OFFICIAL word from Disney! Here it is:

Based on updated information from the National Weather Service and consultation with emergency preparedness officials, Walt Disney World theme and water parks will operate on an abbreviated schedule on Friday, Sept. 3, 2004.

Current forecasts indicate tropical force winds will not reach the Walt Disney World Resort until daylight on Saturday. Based on this information, the theme parks anticipate closing on Saturday. Additional schedule announcements will be made as updated information becomes available Friday.

This schedule will allow Walt Disney World to provide a high level of service and accommodate the more than 75,000 resort guests who will be staying on property throughout the weekend.


Hours of Operation for Friday, Sept. 3

Magic Kingdom Park 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Epcot 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Disney-MGM Studios 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Disney's Animal Kingdom 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Blizzard Beach Water Park 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Typhoon Lagoon Water Park 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Disney's Wide World of Sports Open for scheduled events
Downtown Disney 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Pleasure Island Closed
Cirque du Soleil 6 p.m. show only



All Walt Disney World Resort hotels will remain open throughout the storm. Guests staying at Disney's Ft. Wilderness Resort & Campground will be relocated to other hotels on property.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

That schedule doesn't look "abbreviated". It looks like the normal schedule. I would imagine they'd be closing MUCH earlier today. For Charley, they closed at 1 PM (AK was closed all day, as was Typhoon Lagoon), and the hurricane didn't arrive until that evening.

 

[Chicago526]

Well, they just e-mailed this to thousands of travel agents, so if it's wrong, they'll have a lot of explaining to do!

 

[CindysGusGus]

According to the Weather Channel it may not hit until Sat. that could be the reason that everything is ok today. I could be wrong though.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I stand corrected! Seems that Disney isn't closing much earlier than usual, but the other parks...Universal and SeaWorld...are. I'm surprised.

From the Orlando Sentinel (the article is longer, but I just included the relevant info):

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-asechtourism03090304sep03,1,7073182.story

Most of Orlando's major theme parks plan to shut their doors early today to make final preparations for the approach of Hurricane Frances.

Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando plan to close at 3 p.m. and remain shuttered all day Saturday.

"We wanted to take every step possible to keep our guests and employees safe, and this is the best way to do it, given what we know about the storm," Universal Orlando spokesman Tom Schroder said.

Walt Disney World will close two of its parks early: the Magic Kingdom a half-hour early, at 8 p.m., and MGM Studios 2½ hours early, at 6 p.m. Disney said it "anticipates" all of its parks will be closed Saturday, though officials could not say when that decision would be made.

 

[phamton]

Universal and IoA just changed their hours again and will stay open until 6:00 PM today.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Will the real hours please stand up!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Anything here on Deb's??

http://allearsnet.com/news/hurricane2.htm#2

 

[phamton]

I know for a fact about the Universal hours as my son is working today. The employee hotline is saying the parks will be open until 6:00 PM today (Friday) instead of closing at 3:00 as previously announced. I just sent Deb the phone number so she could check for herself.

Bev

 

[SideshowBob]

Really not ANY impact at all today... with the slowing down of the storm's movement.

Some silly parts I thought were they did not collect trash yesterday in some counties, and LOTS of stuff closed today. FedEx won't pick up until next Tuesday, and such.... just seems way too much, way too soon.

Had a GREAT night out at Epcot last night... one of the smallest crowds that I have ever seen there... had beers outside R&C on the lake... and was just a beautiful night! Truly, the calm before the storm.

 

[kylara]

The storm has closed so much that they are not expecting it to hit land until 12-24 hours later than they first announced. Given that, it gives the parks more time to prepare and to let the guest enjoy themselves rather than being shut up in rooms.

As for the services and closings that happened on Thursday, I know that Broward County specifically closed early so that people would have time to prepare and evacuate if they wanted. They know that people are very anxious after Charley so they wanted to let them have plenty of time.

 

[Disney01]

It seems like they would want to close AK earlier, so as to "prepare" the animals and make sure that they are safe. I wonder what precautions they have to take.

 

[Chicago526]

Don't feel bad, MaryAnnDVC, I thought it a little odd myself, but since the storm is slowing down I guess they decided it was safe to stay open longer.

 

[DisMN]

Huge huge HUGE kudos to the CM's that are being pulled every which way and sunder.

I can't imagine being told

Go home!

NO, changed our mind. Come to work that day.

Aieeee!! Go HOME!

COME TO WORK!!

Go take care of your house and life.

COME TO WORK, we NEEEEED you HERE!!

I can't imagine how they're managing to keep the Disney magic (their smiles, humor and good attitudes) going with all that schedule fluctuation. LOL

A hearty round of applause to ALL Disney Castmembers!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Originally posted by SideshowBob
..FedEx won't pick up until next Tuesday, and such.... just seems way too much, way too soon. ...

FedEx wouldn't be picking up anyway because of the holiday until Tuesday.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Originally posted by DisMN
Huge huge HUGE kudos to the CM's that are being pulled every which way and sunder.

I can't imagine being told

Go home!

NO, changed our mind. Come to work that day.

Aieeee!! Go HOME!

COME TO WORK!!

Go take care of your house and life.

COME TO WORK, we NEEEEED you HERE!!

I can't imagine how they're managing to keep the Disney magic (their smiles, humor and good attitudes) going with all that schedule fluctuation. LOL

A hearty round of applause to ALL Disney Castmembers!

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

A lot of cast members have either been assigned to or signed up for 30+ hour long shifts, primarily to help guests at the resorts, and to maintain as much order as is possible. I know that there are others who would gladly pick up those shifts, both to help the guests, and also to give them something to do during a period where there's not really much you can do outside your house.

(myself, I picked up a long (but not 30 hrs) shift today, to cover for a co-worker that wouldn't be able to make it in to work, due to an evacuation order)

 

[Dan Murphy]

How are you liking the CPCM program, Eric??

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Originally posted by Dan Murphy
How are you liking the CPCM program, Eric??

So far, my only real complaint about the CP is something that nobody really has any control over ... I'm finding it a bit difficult to get used to the humidity. Other than that, so far (I just finished my first full week), it's been great. My co-workers are nice, and my roommates are great.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Good to hear it is going well, Eric, and the humidty will be dropping in the weeks ahead. I suppose being in AK makes it really humid. Look forward to the Christmas season, so pretty, great weather. I see your in Vista Way, don't stay up too late.