Reassure me about lightening storms!!

[Kat in WA]

Heading down next week and not bothered by rainstorms. But lightening?!? That's another matter!!!! Please reassure me that all will be well.

 

[darnheather]

If there is a thunderstorm just go inside a shop or restaurant. They usually pass quickly in the afternoon but can stick around longer at night.

 

[fla4fun]

Unfortunately, it's our rainy season, and there is a chance of storms pretty much every day until October. This area is also well known for having lots of lightning during storms as well. If you can hear thunder, there is a chance you could be in danger from lightning and should take the proper precautions.

The good thing is that the run of the mill daily storms come and go quickly, so if you go inside to eat, shop, or maybe take in a show or theater type attraction, it may be gone by the time you come out. If you have a smartphone, consider downloading one of the local weather apps (WFTV and WOFL both have good ones) to keep an eye on storms. Knowing where they are, and what direction they are moving, is a big help.

You are wise to give lighning the respect it deserves. I remember being at Epcot many years ago, during a bad lightning storm, and looking out a window at guests taking refuge under METAL shade umbrellas (they didn't have the canvas type umbrellas over the benches back then). I remember thinking how dumb that was, and wondered if that was why they were replaced with the canvas umbrellas later.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Yep, if you hear thunder, assume there is lightening and get inside as fast as possible until it passes.

 

[Hootch]

shuts down outdoor rides when there is lightning anywhere within a certain radius. I believe it is 30 miles, but both are from memory. That area has to be clear of lightening strikes for a pretty significant amount of time before the rides open up.

The good news is that Disney monitors this closely. The outdoor rides are in indicator that lightening is in the are. There are plenty of places to seek shelter and they are designed to absorb the strike if it happens.

 

[disnut8]

Heading down next week and not bothered by rainstorms. But lightening?!? That's another matter!!!! Please reassure me that all will be well.

You can't control the weather. You just have to deal with it. But take notice of the TONS of lightening rods Disney has all over the place. Just look at the roofs of buildings and they are there. We've been on Main Street in a fierce thunder/lightening storm and literally saw lightening hit a rod. But I felt very safe.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

But take notice of the TONS of lightening rods Disney has all over the place. Just look at the roofs of buildings and they are there. We've been on Main Street in a fierce thunder/lightening storm and literally saw lightening hit a rod. But I felt very safe.

Same here! Scared the heck out of me though! We tried to make a run for it from France to the monorail in Epcot while it was raining harder than I think I've ever seen. We got all the way to Innovations before lightning must have struck a rod on top of the building, because that was the loudest and closest lightning bolt I have ever seen/heard. Scared us into going inside and deciding to try to get to the monorail later. haha.

 

[jbuey22]

Let me apologize in advance. Im not poking fun but Geez. I laugh a bit because some people remind me of my wife. She too is petrified every little storm that rolls through. So much so that I have spent thousands upon thousand of dollars on the house to help her out. As soon as it starts raining she quietly sneaks off to the bedroom where she puts on the weather channel and sits there and watches the same weather loop over and over. I think it comforts her somehow knowing where the radar clusters are.

So I agree, get en app if you have a smartphone, All though it may not get good reception if there is a large storm. And although it may seem like I am poking a bit of fun (cause I do find it funny every time she sneaks off) I do have compassion and like I said I have spent alot of money on our house to put her a little more at ease.

Myself personally have never really been afraid of weather. I go with the percentages. The percentage of people who actually have been hit by lighning I am sure is very low. Plus as another poster had stated Disney has lightning rods all over AND plenty of Tall structures that are metal that would attract a hit before the 10's of thousands of humans on the ground.

So if you just have common sense and stay away from metal palm trees, like the ones outside of Space Mountain, you will be fine. With 10000 people in the park why would it pick you out to be hit, AND if it did I think it would be more fate related.

I am willing to bet that Cinderellas Castle has been hit hundreds of times, so much that they probably have a system in place that protects the structure and grounds any lightning.

Please dont worry!!!

 

[dandave]

If it's lightening in Florida, get inside! I've seen a neighbor's house burn down after a strike, my pool struck (thank goodness no one was in it), many, many, transformer strikes, etc.

"Florida ranks number one in the number of deaths due to lightning, 94% of which occur between late May and end of September. An average of 100 people are killed in the U.S. each year (10-13 in Florida) and almost 600 injured (30 in Florida). Lightning kills more people in the U.S. than hurricanes and tornados combined."

http://pasco.ifas.ufl.edu/fcs/Lightning.shtml

 

[JMB01]

A big storm came through Saturday while we were MK. Lots of rain, lots of thunder. It was great though, because everyone was too worried about the weather to ride any ride. We walked on Space two times in a row - at 4:00 in the afternoon.

Of course, the trade off was the 3-4" of standing water in Tomorrowland. I've never had suc wet shoes and socks.

 

[goofy4tink]

Dd is pretty terrified of lightning. She is now 19, but it still persists. Back when she was about 10, we were staying at the Polynesian. It was mid-Aug, so we knew there would be storms and rain. We got on the monorail at the Polynesian at about 3pm...the weather was gorgeous, blue skies, very few clouds, but humid. Okay...by the time we got to the MK monorail platform? The sky was almost black and the thunder was bad. All that in about 15 mins. It was so bad that they stopped the monorail!!!d Lightning and thunder to beat the band. If it hadn't been so scary, it would have been beautiful!! It was so dark, the lights started coming on. The rain came down in buckets!!! We all stayed there, trying to wait it out. After about 45 mins though we got tired and just went for it!!! We were soaked to the skin by the time we got into the MK...from the monorail!
All that night the storm raged. The outside rides were all shut down. But the good thing was that the park was really empty. We went to LTT to have our dinner around 6 and the storm let up a tiny bit...still lots of thunder and nearby lightning though.
That storm lasted thru the afternoon, into the evening. It finally stopped around 10pm!!! Simply incredible.

Disney is very good about keeping it's guests safe. Outside rides and attractions are halted until the storm is far past the parks. If you walk around and look up, you will see the myriad of lightning rods...everywhere!! Just head inside for a bit, until it passes, then get back outside and have fun!!!

 

[ArwenMarie]

I live in NJ and I know a teen who got hit by lightening and killed walking home from a friend's house. Right on the street. I'm glad to hear Disney has lightening rods up, but I am taking cover when I hear thunder.

 

[paintnolish]

If it's lightening in Florida, get inside! I've seen a neighbor's house burn down after a strike, my pool struck (thank goodness no one was in it), many, many, transformer strikes, etc.

"Florida ranks number one in the number of deaths due to lightning, 94% of which occur between late May and end of September. An average of 100 people are killed in the U.S. each year (10-13 in Florida) and almost 600 injured (30 in Florida). Lightning kills more people in the U.S. than hurricanes and tornados combined."

http://pasco.ifas.ufl.edu/fcs/Lightning.shtml

And how many of these have occurred on WDW property? OP, just use common sense and I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[hawkeyesparks]

We almost always go in the summer to WDW, mostly because of school. And I can say from personal experience that the storms in central Florida, although brief, DO NOT PLAY!!!!

On more than one occasion I would be back at CONT, taking a nap/break in the afternoon when one of these storms would blow in, and the lighting would hit close enough and with such force it would shake the cars and set off their alarms.

I have seen it rain so hard and so much in these storms, that one time we were staying at GF and were eating at Artist Pointe. The easiest way for us to get there was to take the Monorail to Mk, switch to the ferry boat to the WL resort. Well, one of these storms blew in and when we got to MK, it was blowing hard. we were on the lower walkway trying to get to the ferry and all the water from that area was funneling into the same area, I walked through water that was almost to my knees!

The storms don't last long, and it has never slowed us down, but occasionally it has been pretty strong.

 

[WLSILVERCREEKSPRINGS]

Been going to DW since 1987 and except for our 1 Christmas trip i don't think I've ever been without experiencing at least one T-storm. Just use common sense and get inside if one comes up, they usually don't last long.

 

[dandave]

And how many of these have occurred on WDW property? OP, just use common sense and I'm sure you'll be fine.

Disney has absolutely no control of when and where lightening will strike, if you are outdoors. I think it's common sense to get indoors during a lightening storm. Those lightening rods protect the buildings.

Edited to add: I just realized that I have gone my entire life spelling "lightning" incorrectly.

 

[mesaboy2]

shuts down outdoor rides when there is lightning anywhere within a certain radius. I believe it is 30 miles, but both are from memory. That area has to be clear of lightening strikes for a pretty significant amount of time before the rides open up.

The good news is that Disney monitors this closely. The outdoor rides are in indicator that lightening is in the are. There are plenty of places to seek shelter and they are designed to absorb the strike if it happens.

This would be a really conservative number. I would bet the radius is more like 5-10 miles.

Of course, your overall point is valid.

 

[Feralpeg]

You can't control the weather. You just have to deal with it. But take notice of the TONS of lightening rods Disney has all over the place. Just look at the roofs of buildings and they are there. We've been on Main Street a fierce thunder/lightening storm and literally saw lightening hit a rod. But I felt very safe.

Lightening rods are not there to protect you. They are there to protect the buildings. Since they are metal and they stick up higher, they are slightly more likely to be struck by lightening, but there is no guarantee that a person will not be struck just because there are lightening rods in the area.

The purpose of the lightening rods is to help disperse the charge to the ground and prevent damage to the structure. Not to attract lightening from other things. I've seen lightening hit much smaller objects with lightening rods in the area.

As others have said, the best thing to do is seek shelter in a building until the storm passes. They usually come and go very quickly.

 

[jbuey22]

The purpose of the lightening rods is to help disperse the charge to the ground and prevent damage to the structure. Not to attract lightening from other things. I've seen lightening hit much smaller objects with lightening rods in the area.

This is 50% true. Yes lightning rods are there to disperse the charge to the ground, BUT THEY ARE there to attract lightning from other things. That's why they put them higher. it does not always work though. I think that that is the point you were trying to make. But yes they are there to attract the lightning.

 

[dandave]

This is 50% true. Yes lightning rods are there to disperse the charge to the ground, BUT THEY ARE there to attract lightning from other things. That's why they put them higher. it does not always work though. I think that that is the point you were trying to make. But yes they are there to attract the lightning.

It has nothing to do with drawing the lightning away from other objects. Lightning rods are there to protect the buildings.
"When installing a lightning rod on a building as a lightning protection measure, it is imperative that the rod be elevated above the building and connected by a low resistance wire to the ground."
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/estatics/u8l4e.cfm