Offical Hurricane Frances thread!

[moinab]

Hi All!

First, let me say that I am so sorry for all of you who are scheduled to cruise this next week. I hope something can be worked out for you all.

For my fellow Floridians, good luck to everyone! This one looks really scary. Our house is only 4 blocks from the ocean (we're east of Jax), so we are evacuating late tomorrow night.

We were just driving home from DS's birthday lunch at Chuck E. Cheese, and saw many, many pick-up trucks hauling sheets of plywood out here to the beach. People here are definitely concerned and preparing for the worst.

Not sure where we are going to go. Our closest relative is in DC. I guess we're just going to head up toward Macon/Atlanta. Good luck to everyone, and God Bless!

Maureen

 

[mrsltg]

The only real problem the ship will have is being sure to find a port where it's safe to dock for long enough to get the current guests off the ship, and get the new guests and supplies on the ship.

That's why I wonder what they are going to do. They will off-load passengers, but will they have the time to sit long enough to get the new passengers on?

I know you and Nat are in a unique situation as far as your children working on the cruise. It must be very hard to be so personally involved in all of this. My thoughts are with your families, as well as all of the CM families out there.

Erin

 

[LittleMermaidsMom]

I don't know if this information has been reported yet, but it sounds like Disney may be docking their ships in Fort Lauderdale this weekend.

I woman I work with has a niece that works in the corporate office of DCL.. she just got off the phone with her and said Disney is preparing for the hurricane and they are asking the cruise line employees for volunteers to work at Fort Lauderdale this weekend, so it sounds like that is where they are planning to dock. Her niece has volunteered to help.

 

[rae519]

Make sure you get your DCL transfers so there won't be any problems at the Airport to get the DCL buses. Looks like we are all going to be speaking Spanish on this one too!

Rae

 

[CPM]

Originally posted by CaribGirl
Most post are for Magic on Sept 4, but has anyone heard for the Wonder Sept 5 departure? This will be after the storm, and either we'll be evacuated and not able to get to PC. I also live in Brevard and is waiting a little more. Don't know whether to go south and hopefully Disney will dock in Ft. Lauderdale, and hoping that Frances does not head more west, or sit tight, or head north. No matter where we go, it will be chaos. And certainly don't want a hit in South Brevard as they are predicting, b/c that is right at us!!!!

Turn baby turn!

I'm on the 5th. All we can do is wait, wait, wait!
People that live on the east coast in the path, please leave your homes! We rode out Charley and risked our families lives! I have never heard sounds like that before, it was terrible. We are soooooo lucky that the trees that came right out of the ground didn't bullet into our home. If we had more time we would have evacuated, but by the time they said it was coming at us it was too late to leave.
It doesn't hurt to get out of town for a day or two. Make some resevations somewhere over on this coast.
Freeze as much water as possible. That was one of the biggest problems after the hurricane, no ice to be found anywhere!! We didn't have power for a week. Some parts of Sanibel still don't have power. Fill everyting you can with water, buy wipes and sanitizer! Fill your propane tanks! Prepare for the after affects of the hurricane as well as during!
Good luck & don't take ANY risks!!!

 

[allears]

My folks, lots of family and friends live in Myrtle Beach, so even when I don't have a cruise booked, I watch hurricane season pretty closely. I just want to throw in our prayers and hopes for the best to all of you living in the south east. As we all know the storm could change it's path, but it sure looks like the south eastern seaboard is getting hit somewhere.

So all of you please do what you can to stay safe and know that many of us are praying for you and the areas.

 

[Rachelizabeth]

Originally posted by LittleMermaidsMom
I don't know if this information has been reported yet, but it sounds like Disney may be docking their ships in Fort Lauderdale this weekend.

Isn't Ft. Lauderdale a possible hurricane target as well? How long is the drive from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale?

Rachel

 

[lovepuzzles]

I guess I'll jump in on this one! The suspense is killing me!!

I don't know if this has been posted yet, but they have scheduled Palm Beach County for evacuation. That is really close to Ft. Lauderdale, so I would think you could count that port out as an option for docking. It said over 500,000 people are to be evacuated starting Thursday.

 

[moinab]

Freeze as much water as possible. That was one of the biggest problems after the hurricane, no ice to be found anywhere!! We didn't have power for a week. Some parts of Sanibel still don't have power. Fill everyting you can with water, buy wipes and sanitizer!

Thank you so much for these excellent reminders!!!! I just filled every container I could find with water and stuck them all in the freezer.

 

[savsawmom]

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2004/9/1/53902.html

NASA says the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral will be closed tomorrow and Friday to allow workers time to board up their homes and evacuate if necessary.

Ft. Lauderdale/Miami are also in emergency talks right now b/c the projected path is so unpredictable at this time.

 

[alexandrew]

Island of Palm Beach is being evacuated......and maybe some parts of eastern Palm Beach County...

we are located in Boca Raton, the southernmost city in Palm Beach county....we are not being evacuated....

 

[LittleMermaidsMom]

Originally posted by Rachelizabeth
Isn't Ft. Lauderdale a possible hurricane target as well? How long is the drive from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale?

Rachel

Fort Lauderdale is about 200 miles south of Port Canavarel...about a 3 hour drive

 

[magazineprincess]

My family and I are also supposed to sail on the 5th. We are driving down from Blacksburg, VA, and really don't know what to do. We're a little afraid to drive down on I-95 through Savannah and Jacksonville because of the weather we would probably run into. We have hotel ressies in PC, but really don't want to stay there if Frances is headed that way.

Our "Plan-B" is to drive down I-85 to Atlanta on Friday and stay with relatives there, then see what happens Saturday. I am pretty sure we probably won't be able to get a room in FL on Saturday, and where would we book it, anyway?!? Tampa? Fort Lauderdale? PC?

Does anybody have any good suggestions? We would like to be in Florida on the 5th so that we can just board without having to drive a long way first. ( I think it would take us about 8-9 hours from Atlanta. )

We're all praying for the folks on the East Coast. I know they don't need a repeat of Charley....

Turn Baby Turn! Bring us some !

 

[markey]

Well from what I heard on the way home from work this looks really bad. Rush Limbaul who lives in Florida reported about the evacuations, which I then heard on the news. Also said he heard the airports were going to start closing tomorrow. Good luck to everybody in harms way. We rode out Charley, but this looks much worse. No word I see yet from Disney, the way things are starting to look I can see everyone who is now on the Magic and Wonder getting a longer cruise. Keep the Magic out till Sunday and the Wonder til Monday if PC is able to be open then. I think they had enough from th 8/14 cruise of people not being able to make the ship. Hope you cruisers hear soon, I know the wait must be getting to you.

 

[rae519]

Originally posted by LittleMermaidsMom
Fort Lauderdale is about 200 miles south of Port Canavarel...about a 3 hour drive

Something about a "3 hour" tour is playing in my head right now....

Rae

 

[natdencro]

Thanks to Mrsltg for thinking of us families with children on board who are CM's. This is the first time in 5and half years of DD working for Disney that I have been worried for her safety so far from home. Am sure CM-Mom and I know that Disney will do their best to keep guests safe and find calm waters to dock the Magic. Our other child is also in a Disney hotel right now in Orlando, waiting for his sister to join him for a vacation before coming home. Please God keep them all safe and well. Reine: please let me know if you hear from your DD before I get news, and wish her and Gem a safe journey - along with each and every one of the other passengers. Nat

 

[Drcell01]

I just got off the phone with a DCL CM and was informed that the 9/5 sailing of the Wonder (if we are able to sail) will not be stoping in the Bahamas or Castaway Cay.

Looks like it will be a "cruise to nowhere"!

So much for our first Disney Cruise and going to the Bahamas and CC...

Lets just hope for the best for all of us including the people in FL.

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

I just want to let all of you in Florida and the southeastern US and those with trips planned know that I am praying for all of your safety and praying that Frances changes its course. We were at WDW in Sept. 99 when Hurricane Floyd threatened to hit. It was scary watching the news at the time and seeing how huge Floyd was and the projected path but we were lucky and he changed course!! Hopefully Frances will do the same!!! Disney was wonderful at keeping us informed on how to stay safe by leaving messages on the phone at Coronado Springs and putting notes on our beds on what to do. I am sure they are doing everything they can to make sure they keep their guests and employees at WDW and on DCL safe now. I will continue to keep all of you in my prayers!!!!!!!

Turn Frances Turn

Cheryl

 

[CaribGirl]

If anyone of you remember Floyd back in 1999, It took 7 hours to drive from Melbourne to Tampa, and about 3 hours to Orlando. Something that normally takes 45 minutes to Orlando. Even if DCl goes out of Fort Lauderdale, with evacs, and traffic, the normally 3 hours drive to Fort Lauderdale will take a couple of times more. I guess it is just a waiting game right now. I thank everyone out there for their prayers.

 

[SNicksed]

Just found this on the US Air site:

At the Airport


Weather Alerts

Due to severe weather conditions affecting the airports listed below, US Airways will allow passengers traveling to or from the these locations to change their flights. All changes must be made on or before the originally ticketed travel dates. Please check flight information for latest details.


Airports Affected by Hurricane Frances
September 1 - 4, 2004
Freeport, Bahamas
Governors Harbour, Bahamas
Marsh Harbour, Bahamas
Nassau, Bahamas
North Eleuthera, Bahamas
Treasure Cay, Bahamas
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
San Juan, Puerto Rico


September 1 - 5, 2004
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Gainesville, FL
Jacksonville, FL
Miami, FL
Orlando, FL
Panama City, FL
Tallahassee, FL
West Palm Beach, FL



Reaccommodation Procedure
Passengers originally scheduled to travel to or from the affected airports on the specified dates may change their itineraries. US Airways will waive the standard change fee, advance reservation or ticketing requirements.

The entire itinerary can be moved forward or delayed, up to seven days from the scheduled departure date. Certain restrictions may apply.

The full value of wholly unused ticket(s) can be applied toward the purchase of a new ticket(s) to an alternate destination, with travel to originate within seven days of the scheduled departure date