Question about BLT laundry and request for pixie dust

[DMKEDM]

Hi, folks...

Two things: we're due to arrive at BLT around 2 on Sunday and will be taking carry-on only for our five-night trip...and I don't know where the BLT laundry facility is (we've got two studios)...can someone tell me? Thanks--

And, more important: I think we need LOTS of pixie dust...we're in "target zone" of what the weather forecasters are calling a "catastrophic, historic" snowstorm that is due to dump up to 24 inches of snow on us Friday afternoon thru Saturday night...

We're not flying out til Sunday morning...but the DC area isn't known for its effective, efficient plowing/clean-up...I'm REAL worried about getting out of town (and about getting out of my house, down my driveway, out of my neighborhood to the airport...)

We "should" be ok...but anyone w/any pixie dust to spare, I'll sure be grateful!!!

Dani

 

[ClockWork23]

Hi there, the laundry room is on the first floor and you need your room key to get in.

We just got back from BLT, that's why I know

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Hi, folks...

Two things: we're due to arrive at BLT around 2 on Sunday and will be taking carry-on only for our five-night trip...and I don't know where the BLT laundry facility is (we've got two studios)...can someone tell me? Thanks--

And, more important: I think we need LOTS of pixie dust...we're in "target zone" of what the weather forecasters are calling a "catastrophic, historic" snowstorm that is due to dump up to 24 inches of snow on us Friday afternoon thru Saturday night...

We're not flying out til Sunday morning...but the DC area isn't known for its effective, efficient plowing/clean-up...I'm REAL worried about getting out of town (and about getting out of my house, down my driveway, out of my neighborhood to the airport...)

We "should" be ok...but anyone w/any pixie dust to spare, I'll sure be grateful!!!

Dani

Some airlines will permit travelers to alter their plans to a day earlier if severe weather is forecasted and seats are available.

I'd check with your airline regarding this and check for a cheap hotel near the MCO airport that offers free transportation if you can do this. Use that cheap hotel for the extra night and then take the transport back to MCO to get to Magical Express.

 

[DMKEDM]

That'd be a great idea but for one small fact...the 24 inches will be busy falling Friday-Saturday...in fact, the local authorities have already announced all our airports will be closed from Friday night thru Saturday...so our only option will be to get out Sunday, as planned (or late), or get there late...

Of course, I know I'll have to call MS to deal with the possibility of arriving Monday instead of Sunday if the planes don't fly...

But "early" isn't gonna work...and late is too sad to even think about...plus, I can just imagine the competition for seats on planes leaving Monday from all the canceled Friday & Sat flights (and Sunday's if they don't go)...

Sigh

Thanks for the info on the location of the laundry room...appreciate it...

Now, back to prepping for what our local govt has instructed--that we all plan to "shelter in place" for 3 days!

Oh, snow...

 

[DenLo]

Wow, just as I read your first post, I saw on the weather channel about SW already cancelling flights out of DC. And now you say they are closing the airports. You definitely need pixie dust. I would have given you more but there is a limit to how many I can place in post.

Good Luck!

 

[DMKEDM]

DenLo--you made me smile...and that's hard to do in the midst of this (completely silly) obsession I'm having about the weather...what will be will be...(she says trying hard to believe it)...

We're in for a walloping here, tho...they've already announced they're closing Metro (our rapid transit train) for all above-ground stations (most of the system, including the airport stop), the airports and Amtrak has canceled all its trains south for tomorrow & Sat, too

It's all supposed to be over by late Sat afternoon/evening...that gives the DC area about 12 hours to clean up enough for me to get out of town...

At this point, I don't even care if our flight is delayed, just so long as it eventually (on Sunday!) leaves!

Thanks for all the pixie dust and good wishes...back to my mantra: what will be will be...

 

[Tinks "SS"]

What are the chances of just driving out early tomorrow if your job status will permit it?? Just a thought and hope that maybe the plane tickets could be used another time. I will send you some pixie dust your way!!! We leave out next thursd night for BLT!!

 

[DMKEDM]

Thanks for the idea, Tinks "SS"...hadn't thought of that, but truth be told, I think it's now too late, even if it would be workable...the monster storm is coming from the southwest...by the time I could pack up and leave, I'd be driving (stuck!) through it south of here...

And of course, then I'd have to leave 2 days early to drive back...and it's only a five-day trip...and then there's the tiny small fact that I hate driving...and it's a good 18 hours from here to Disney...

So...good idea I hadn't thought of, but don't think it will work...

No, now it's just time to hunker down and wait it out...the storm is supposed to be out of here by Sat night...that gives the area a full 12 hours to clean up...most likely I'll be able to get out...and even if flights are delayed, they should be flying by Sunday...and I do have a confirmed seat on a Sunday flight; it's not like I have to rebook from a canceled Fri or Sat flight...so with all the pixie dust you're sending, we just may be ok...

Fingers crossed!

 

[Sandisw]

I really hope that you get out and down. BLT is wonderful. Yes, the laundry is on the 1st floor. It has 6 dryers and 3 washers. When we were there in August, the HE front load took longer (45 minutes) than the others (30).

Good luck and enjoy your trips!!!

 

[kristie03]

good luck getting to your vacation!!! I'll stay here and take care of the snow for you!

 

[DMKEDM]

Well, thank you, Kristie03...I'll send all 20+ inches on my driveway and street over to you, ok? Grin a big grin!

The walloping is about to start..."first flakes" are predicted in the next 3-4 hours...now, my day's obsession is that we don't lose power!

What will be will be. Hopefully, I'll be posting from BLT come Sunday night/Monday!

Thanks for the pixie dust everyone...

 

[sk8ingmom]

Good luck getting out! Are you DC-ish?

You might want to look at taking the train and flying back. We took Amtrak to WDW from Alexandria once for a quick, budget trip. It was $235 for my family of four. We boarded about 7pm and arrived in Kissimee at noon-1pm the next day. There are $30-$40 (total for 4 of us) van shuttles from the train station to WDW.

If you are flying in/out of Reagan, you can even leave your car at the airport lot and Metro to the train station. Everyting seems to be closing at noon today - see if you can get on the train this afternoon!

 

[DenLo]

I was just reading another OPs thread and his response to the Storm in the DC area and he said his Sunday flight was put on warning. I don't know what warning means but thought you should know. Here's the link for the thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=35312076#post35312076

 

[DMKEDM]

Thanks, DenLo...I saw that too...but my flight/airline has not been canceled (and I called and they said they expected to fly Sunday; they did not encourage me to change flights based on my time & date of departure)...and while it will take a good long time for the airports to reopen, they should reopen by mid-day Sunday--that will be a good 18 hours or more after the storm blows through...

I do have a confirmed seat on a flight to Orlando Sunday, just before noon...I feel bad for all the folks whose Fri & Sat flights were/will be canceled (and may wind up feeling sorry for myself, too, as I seriously doubt there will be any available seats soon enough to save our trip if our flight does get canceled)...but given the impossibility of leaving by this morning, there's really nothing I can do but wait it out and hope...

While I don't know anything (other than that the newscasters are saying there's no one alive who will remember a storm of this magnitude in DC...last one this bad was the "Knickerbocker Storm" in 1922, they say), I fear the hardest part for me will be getting out of my neighborhood...but it's only a mile to a main street that probably will be plowed enough for someone to come by to take me to the airport (I have 3 offers from friends w/4-wheel drive so far)...and it's worth noting that there's a good chance the plows will have been down my street by Sunday morning, too...it's one of those "main neighborhood roads"...less than a "secondary road," but more than an actual side street...

Now, walking a mile in 25 inches of snow is an issue...and doing that walk while carrying luggage is an even bigger issue...but I'll do it, following the advice of a close friend who said, "don't bring anything with you...just buy what you need when you get there"...smart thinking...I need some new t-shirts anyway...I can get a pair of shoes at Team Mickey in Downtown Disney...I can carry my DVC tote filled w/credit cards, ID, money, some clean underwear and maybe an extra pair of pants and one t-shirt...and I'll make it just fine...

So, fingers crossed!

Thanks for the ideas & help, folks...now we're hunkered down, being snowed on (hard!)...we'll just wait to see what happens...

 

[Alan_BLT_2009]

Best Wishes... I just gave up shoveling my driveway. The snow was covering it back up faster than I could clear it.....

 

[dvc points]

ah, dmkedm. we're in the same boat. supposed to fly out of bwi at 2:30 sunday but at this point with large puffs of dizzying snow rushing sideways and our snowblower sputtering off at the sheer volume on the driveway, i fear the obstacles may be insurmountable.

but i'm borrowing some of your pixie dust still hoping to get to BLT on Sunday as planned.

 

[DMKEDM]

Well, the bad thing happened...at noon, I checked our flight...it was still on; I did online check-in, printed my boarding pass.
,
At 3, my ride service to the airport called to cancel...no biggie, just moved to Plan B...(friend w/a four-wheel drive)...

At 4, checked again, just to be sure, so I'd have time to call MS if something went wrong...all still good...

At 6, got an email from a neighbor telling me the airport is closed (it isn't)...checked my flight again...it was canceled...

So, fearing there was no way to salvage this vacation, I tried rebooking for Monday...pixie dust!...it worked...so, now we arrive Mon instead of tomorrow...next, gotta call MS, only they're closed...so I decided to call the Contemporary...VERY nice CMs (3 all told) worked some magic and they will hold our reservations til MOnday...

So, now we pray that the airports reopen and flights start flying and we can get there Monday!

Oh, it is indeed the "snowpocalypse" storm!