Our friends are cancelling their entire Oct trip...

[russtwinsmom]

Yes, I think they should give away the trip too! I am SURE that Disney and the airline would bend the transfer rules on this one, and it could really be a wonderful respite for a family in need.

Hmmm, now what it the best way to arrange this? I don't think this is the kind of thing the Red Cross would handle. A church, perhaps? Ideas anyone?

 

[NotUrsula]

Do these people not realize how far WDW is from the ocean?

Actually, New Orleans is also rather far from the Gulf; some 50 miles inland. Distance from the ocean is not the issue when it comes to getting trapped by flood waters; terrain is the issue. New Orleans is mostly below sea level (the highest elevation in Orleans Parish is about 18 ft.) and is sandwiched between a huge lake and a huge river. Simply put, the reason that so many roads out of New Orleans are impassible is that they are next to or lead over bodies of water. If all your ways out involve causeways, there is very nasty vulnerability to high water.

Orlando is not accessed via causeways; the major roads are on dry land, and the elevation of the city is 120 ft. above sea level. Even though Orlando is a bit on the swampy side compared to most places outside Florida, is is still not at all in the same universe as New Orleans is when it comes to flood risk. You just could not be trapped by flooding there in the same way as has happened in New Orleans.

 

[mas6010]

Hey I would really like to take those people to Vegas they could tell me what slot machines were about to hit BIG.

 

[mjh8955]

Have your son read this post. Our kids were 10 and 13 at the time
we went through the real deal. Neither of them were too worried about it.

Here is what to expect if you are visiting in Orlando during a hurricane. We arrived in Orlando last fall right as the second hurricane (Jean?) was arriving. We were one of the last planes in before the airport closed. For the first time ever we purchased insurance for our rental car after being told that damage due to a hurricane would probably not be covered by our regular car insurance policy. The city was under curfew and in that instance all tolls are waived. We saw a great deal of damage from the first hurricane (Charley?) driving to our hotel (Doubletree near Universal). We hurried right there, no detours. The lobby was lined with yellow caution tape to keep people away from the glass windows and the previous damage (to the fountain and to the pool area, some water damage etc.. We were not allowed to leave the hotel that night (wouldn't have wanted to) and DH and I stayed awake most of the night watching the hurricane news. There were sustained winds of 75 which were spooky in a high rise hotel. I lined up all our shoes and jackets, purse, etc. by the door just in case and we kept a flashlight handy. Our hotel had its own generator and we never lost power, although they had a hard time keeping water out of the elevators and keeping them operational. We would never have chosen to eat at the hotel but had no choice. The dining room was pricey and had a not-so-great buffet the first night night. The next night we still couldn't go anywhere and ate at the bar. Over $50 for 4 hamburgers and cokes. The hotel handled everything very well. We couldn't go anywhere until the following day because water blocked all roads out and the city needed time to clean up debris in the roads, replace street signs, etc. The day after that was our day at Universal. We talked to one lady who said she goes with her son all the time and never in her life had she seen the park that empty. We moved to a Disney resort the following day and Disneyworld was already picking up with crowds. We saw damage to a Downtown Disney hotel and heard that the Disney resorts did a great job of taking care of their guests. It was a little frightening but we were really not close enough to the coast to be in any danger. We're from Illinois and are used to tornados but not hurricanes.
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[Dina]

That's such a shame, I feel so bad that your son is so worried. I can't believe they said these things in front of your child. As others have said, they give lots of warning before hurricanes-- I know, we had to leave Disney 2 days early last year before Jeanne hit. The airlines were very accomodating-- but you know if your in the path--it's not going to just sneak up on you. You will be able to leave. Also as others have said, Disney's not on the coast, and isn't New Orleans under sea level-- they knew that at some point a hurricane could really hurt New Orleans-- they even had levys to try and keep waters at bay-- its really a different situation.

 

[cjb71870]

I'm down here in FL. And, am a very frequent visitor! Your friends really freaked out!!! I hope you can still come! It's nothing like they described.

 

[MrsPete]

Your friends are nuts. They're seriously over-reacting, which is their perogative as adults. If you were leaving in two days and a hurricane was brewing and predicted to hit central Florida, that'd be a different story.

What bothers me most is that they upset your son over a hypothetical situation. I would not make a big deal of out it (around your son, that is; my husband'd be hearing exactly what I'd think of those friends). Talking about it TOO MUCH could have the opposite effect on him: it could make him wonder if you're trying to talk yourself into believing you're safe. If he brings it up, give him a quick, calm, reassuring statement about the safety of airplanes, the predictability of hurricanes, etc. Explain that you ARE going, and leave it at that. He'll be fine.

 

[jelefr]

I would go and enjoy your trip. We were at WDW in 1995 when Hurricane Erin hit, and while it did do lots of damage to trees and such, the fun went on. It's not like WDW is right on the coast!

 

[disneymom2one]

I would go and enjoy your trip. We were at WDW in 1995 when Hurricane Erin hit, and while it did do lots of damage to trees and such, the fun went on. It's not like WDW is right on the coast!

As many have pointed out being off the coast doesn't protect you from hurricanes. However, New Orleans was a unique situation due to being so low and the levees breaking. Your friends are more than a little off but I have friends like that too. They just prefer drama and tend to feed off each other. From experience, I'll go as far as to say you might have a better time without them. JMHO.

 

[Tigger7570]

I'm so sorry your friends scared your son like that. Maybe, you can sit and talk with him and let him know that Disney is not on the coast and well prepared for hurricanes. Maybe you can even let him read the posters on this site who, like myself have traveled many, many times to Disney during September and October which is considered hurricane season. And since you are from the East Coast and he is aware of snow storms and that to people in the other parts of the country, snow storms sound terrifying, he knows that we prepare and are safe and that Florida and Disney know how to prepare and that you as his parents would never put him in harm's way. Tell him we're all sending him a great big hug and that although these people are adults, it doesn't mean that they are right in their thinking and that you and your husband don't share their fears, otherwise if you did you would cancel too. Again, I'm so sorry they scared your son. I hope all works out for you.

 

[MrsPete]

Actually, New Orleans is also rather far from the Gulf; some 50 miles inland.

I understand that everyone's a bit paranoid about hurricanes and flooding right now because of New Orleans, but we have to realize that their tragedy wasn't caused by ONE thing, rather, it was a series of bad things:

They are located below sea level
The hurricane turned out to be more powerful than expected
The levee broke, which caused the floods
Many people didn't own cars or didn't have the ability to leave

Take away any one of those things, and New Orleans would have been a small tragedy instead of a monumental one. This series of events is not going to repeat itself in Orlando, so cancelling a vacation a month in advance is paranoia.

 

[birdiesunshine]

They are doing you a favor. From reading your original post it seems to me that they are nutty!!!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

POO!! POO!!

Go and enjoy your trip. Sit your son down and watch your Disney Planning DVD together. Get him here on the DIS and share some stories with him or find some photo albums of DISers and share that with him.

Your friends over-reacted....their right to do so. I live right here in hurricane central and I would in no way cancel a trip in October unless I knew a hurricane was coming straight for my destination. Granted, Orlando is more inland, however the more inland you are could put you at risk for hurricane tornados! At least it happens in the area I live, correct me anyone if I'm wrong.

Again....POO! POO! on your friends for scaring your son!

GO HAVE A MAGICAL TIME!!

BLESSINGS,

DENISE

 

[Martha7]

They sound like total whack jobs, and I'd consider myself lucky that they've decided not to come along! I agree with the poster who said that it sounds fishy...something else is making them cancel their trip. It's either money or personal problems. Me thinks they doth protest too much, if you know what I mean...Tell your son that it just goes to show you that adults can be very childish and afraid of the bogeyman that lives under the bed...that they can be hysterical and afraid. Look at all of the adults who are afraid to fly! Just because people become adults doesn't mean that they get over their irrational fears. Remind him how lucky your family is not to be saddled with neuroses! Then, send them a postcard every day, reminding them of the great time you're having and how much they're missing!

 

[Bangerang]

I feel for your son and have been thinking about this since yesterday when I read your post. I do have a couple of ideas that may help.

1. Teach him about hurricanes. When I was his age I did a hurricane tracking project as part of a science class. I had a map of the eastern US and as storms popped up, I plotted their course. I used a different color pencil for each storm and noted their strength and name along the course. As a result I learned that not all storms are created equal...some are stronger than others and take different paths. The National Hurricane Center has blank charts online (bottom of webpage) National Hurricane Center Website, links to storm paths this year and explanations of the various hurricane categories. For previous years go to the NOAA Coastal Services Center and run the Query Expediter. NOAA Query Expediter

2. Make a hurricane plan. Decide before leaving on your trip what you will do in the event of various category hurricanes. For example Category 1-3 wait it out, Category 4-5 leave. Also make a list of items you will need if you decide to wait out a hurricane...flashlight, water, food (what kind), etc. You may decide to take some items with you from home. While doing this, discuss that the state of Florida, because of its location, is an expert at handling various types of hurricanes and that the state's emergency plan has been validated on many occasions.

3. Talk to others who have been through it. Ask suggestions for what they did (This board is great for that). Anita Answer from alllearsnet posted a report when she rode through Hurricane Charley last year. The report is no longer on the website, but I bet if you e-mail her and explain the situation she would help you out. Here is the e-mail link. Anita Answer

4. Overcome the flying fear. According to the National Transportation and Safety Board there is 1 accident for every 500,000 commercial departures. In 2004, there were over 11 million scheduled commercial flights with only 26 accidents and a total of 13 deaths. If he is having trouble visualizing those numbers, go to the bank and get $10 worth of pennies. Open the rolls and put the loose coins in a mason jar, vase, or whatever else you have on hand. Take one penny and put a big X on it with a permanent marker. Then tell him to imagine 500 jars filled just like the one you have. That one penny represents one accident and the odds of him being in an accident is like him randomly reaching in and pulling out that one penny from one of those 500 jars. Once he gets the point, have him help you re-roll the pennies, take them to the bank and exchange all but one roll for quarters. Use the left over pennies and quarters for pressed pennies around WDW. NTSB website

5. Reassure him you are good parents. You obviously care enough about your son to seek ways to help him overcome his fear. Tell him that you're good parents. Tell him that you won't let anything happen to him. That you are there to protect him and make sure he is safe. That you wouldn't do anything or go anywhere that you thought would bring him harm. Sometimes we assume kids just know this. It doesn't hurt to remind them that this is the case.

6. Life lesson. Your son has experienced the first of many times when he will encounter people who act based on the wrong or unsubstantiated information. It doesn't help that our media feeds into it with sensationalism and in some cases speculative information (it will take how long to open the French Quarter?). Your friends aren't the first people to make judgments based on fear because of information they heard without considering the facts behind those statements. As a result, they are going to miss out on a great time. Use this situation to teach your son that life can't be based on fear. Yes, life holds risks, Florida does get hurricanes and planes do crash, but the possibility of that happening are slim.

I hope this helps and I wish you a great time at WDW. Say hi to Mickey for me.

 

[MrGrumpy222]

N.O. flooded because the levees broke and the coast lines of the other states go hit real bad, I just don't see Orlando flooding real bad and if I had to be stuck some where it would be WDW. They have their own Power and Water Treatment Plants. It is run far more efficiently than the government (And I work for the state government). They are being knee jerk and irrationale, but hey Chicken Little said the sky is falling so I'm staying inside.

 

[lookingforward]

We actually took a Wonder cruise last September right after a hurricane. We were holed up at the Hark Rock Hotel during the hurricane. My son and his best friend (both 11) still talk about the Hard Rock, they had so much fun. The hotel was locked down and guests were not allowed to leave. The generator kept us happy and the hotel designed special games and fun (movies, scavenger hunts, etc) for the kids. I still say that those two nights were the most relaxing we had. We are from South Florida and had already lived through two hurricanes. The Hard Rock never lost power, food, water, etc.

Obviously the hurricane was a Cat 2 and not a 4. But with a larger storm you would always have time to get out. WDW is a very safe place.

Go without your friends! I hope your son can put aside his fears and have fun. They were wrong, wrong, wrong to scare him!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That is very sad. They are reacting to "the sky is falling" mentality. September is peak season for hurricanes. After that the chances go done dramatically.

I think they are incredibly foolish for cancelling. B/c any other vacation to anywhere could have the same problem of them losing their jobs if something unforeseen happens that causes them to be stranded.

Air flight is still safer than driving. Always has been.

Orlando is NOT New Orleans. It will not turn into a flooded and stranded city. Disney has 3 hurricanes on record now of caring for all of their cast members and guests during a hurricane. It's actually a pretty great place to be. They have their own infrastructure....and they keep themselves up and running pretty good.

I don't think they should cancel....but since they are...I'd be e-mailing them weather reports each and every day I was on my trip.

 

[TupperMom7]

Just show your son pictures and articles in magazines and newspapers about storms, plane crashes, diseases, etc. and explain to him that bad things happen every day. Then show him pictures and articles about good things in the news and tell him that good things happen every day. The media will always show more of the bad news than the good because it sells newspapers and attracts people to watch the news. Assure him that just because a plane crashed or their was a storm that it doesn't mean it will happen to you and you cannot live in fear of "what if" or you will never leave the house.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

We are heading to WDW in early Oct.
DH's friend and his wife were going with us. They informed us that tomorrow morning they are canceling.

They already paid off their package. They opted out of insurance. They are fully aware they will lose all their money, but they say it's worth it.
Their airline tickets are non-refundable. They aren't sure what they are going to do there, but they said it doesn't matter right now.

What bothers me is the way they were over reacting. It scared my son, who is now afraid to go to WDW.

DH's friend and wife stopped by this evening to let us know they were cancelling.
They went on and on about how they saw on the news that more storms are likely to follow, and that the remainder of the hurricane season is supposed to be very active. I asked where that was heard, but they said they forgot.

They told us that they are very afraid of being trapped in Orlando like those poor victims in New Orleans. No flights out. No rental cars available. Then they said they are convinced they will lose their jobs since they can't get back. If they did get a rental car the gas stations would be empty, so they couldn't get home anyway. On and on about this devestating hurricane they are convinced will flatten FL while we are on the trip. I had my son leave the room early in the conversation, but he heard a good amount of the conversation in the other room. Their daughter told him a good bit of what her parents said anyway.

To boot, they started mentioning those plane crashes in other countries. The wife said it's a sign that we all should cancel.

My son is 11. He was very excited about this trip, but tonight he said he's scared.
He's afraid of a non-existant hurricane.
He's afraid our plane will crash.
All the hoopla this guy and his wife made frightened my son to the point where he doesn't want to go to WDW.
He has been working on his pin trading lanyards for a few days, but now they are in a box up on his shelf in his room.

Does anyone have any advice for me? If I were 11 I'd be scared by what I see on tv and what others are frightened of. DH and I still want to go.

wow over-reacting much!? the hurricanes that they are saying are coming are no where near as bad as Katrina. they've had hurricanes last year that hit Disney and they parks were shut down for a day and opened up again a day or so later.

i hate planes too, but you can't stop your whole life for fear of everything. tell your son not to worry at all! just say they don't know what they're talking about. i can't believe they said all of this infront of your son. and i can't believe that they're cancelling just because they're "afraid" of something that's not happening.