Tropical Storm Erica

[andyman8]

We are checking into WDW tomorrow, here now in Orlando/SeaWorld. It's raining today and when we arrived last night we had to wait 1 1/2 hours for our luggage due to lightning. We have a BOG dinner adr Tuesday night and they are showing the storm hitting Orlando on Tuesday am with 85 MPH winds. Will they close the parks if the storm hits with those kind of winds?

If it follows the current track, no, as it won't hit WDW directly, but right now, in reality, no one really has a decent clue where this thing's going.

 

[kandb]

Thank you, do you know when Disney closes the parks? What is it based on? I thought I remember someone saying they were closed for 12 hours in the past due to a storm/hurricane

 

[ZoZo]

Thank you, do you know when Disney closes the parks? What is it based on? I thought I remember someone saying they were closed for 12 hours in the past due to a storm/hurricane

I was at WDW in 2005 for Hurricane Wilma (which was a catgegory 2 hurricane when it crossed Florida). WE knew the storm head a chance of hitting Florida, but decided to go. We arrived on Friday evening, and the storm hit Sunday night around 8:00 pm. I remember that we went in to Maelstrom and it wasn't raining yet. Came out about 30 minutes later to a torrential downpour - those cheap Dollar Store ponchoes were no match for "sideways" rain!!

We got just the outer edges of the hurricane, so winds around 80mph and a lot of rain. They closed the parks until 2:00 pm on Monday, then opened just MK and Epcot. WDW handled everything just great. We were staying at Shades of Green, and they communicated with everyone via group voice mail messages on our sleeping room phones. Never lost power.

The good news was, people's fear of the storm had many folks canceling their trips. It ended up being one of our best trips ever - extremely low crowds and perect weather after the storm blew through (low humidity and upper 70s/low 80s the rest of the week).

 

[Accident]

I was at WDW for katrina and both myself and my daughter are excited by this. It was a ghost town, do whatever you want, whenever you want week back then. A vacation at WDW we swore would never repeat and now there is this storm and we're running around the house giddy getting ready to leave in the morning. We're also in a mood of seeing everything disney has to offer and being there in a hurricane is one thing we've never done.

Our home is safe though, we don't have to change plans because of this and I hope everyone has a very uneventful storm.

 

[brazzledazzler]

Just like any weather pattern, you just don't know until you know. Tropical storms can shift quickly.

This is just the risk of going to WDW during hurricane season.

 

[Kimberly Mitchell]

With 60% scattered thunderstorms for both saturday and sunday it will most likely rain right?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Scattered thunderstorms just means that there are likely to be thunderstorms somewhere in the area, it does not mean that it is definitely going to rain on you.

 

[ErinInCT]

People seem to forget that regardless if there is a hurricane, it is normal for an afternoon thunderstorm in Sept. ALWAYS bring a poncho in Aug - Sept as there is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will get rained on. The hope is that is comes and goes quickly, which is the norm. Not sure what this "weather incident" will produce, but even if there was no Erika you can still bet on getting wet at some point!

 

[andyman8]

Latest update has the models tightening closer to the coast of South Florida and moving up the coast... There's still a chance it dissipates, but that chance seems to be decreasing. Remember, just because the eye hits the Cocoa Beach area, doesn't mean WDW won't be impacted. Keep watching.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

During Frances the parks were closed for two straight days.

If I can't fly out of Orlando Tuesday night I will have to change things. And I don't know how long I'll be able to wait to find out.

 

[ErinInCT]

OH WOW, I checked Spirit Air and they DO have a Weather Advisory letting people change flights. FL is not listed *yet*. But I'll keep my eyes peeled. No complaints from me if I have to head to WDW early!!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Airlines are not listing any weather advisories for Florida yet. That may not happen for a couple of days.

 

[lucas]

We're in Boca Raton, FL - right between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Looks like we will feel it Sunday night into Monday down here.

 

[hamilkm]

Okay I have been watching this thing and hoping! We fly into MCO on Wednesday night. It is looking like the storm may be out of Florida before we get there, hopefully. Still hoping this thing turns out to sea and doesn't effect anyone!

 

[Geoff_M]

A co-worker and I were talking about the potential for a hurricane at WDW next week (we have another co-worker who arrives at WDW on Saturday and will check out on Tuesday). In the past, if a hurricane effectively shuts down the Orlando area for a couple of days, how has Disney handled things like rooms at resorts. Have they allowed people to extend their stay past the end of the reservation (presuming that in-bound guests would not likely make it), and if so what sort of rates would they apply?

 

[DisHmsklMom]

I've been following on this site. Nice maps and analysis: http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/

 

[marthachick]

I was at WDW in 2005 for Hurricane Wilma (which was a catgegory 2 hurricane when it crossed Florida). WE knew the storm head a chance of hitting Florida, but decided to go. We arrived on Friday evening, and the storm hit Sunday night around 8:00 pm. I remember that we went in to Maelstrom and it wasn't raining yet. Came out about 30 minutes later to a torrential downpour - those cheap Dollar Store ponchoes were no match for "sideways" rain!!

We got just the outer edges of the hurricane, so winds around 80mph and a lot of rain. They closed the parks until 2:00 pm on Monday, then opened just MK and Epcot. WDW handled everything just great. We were staying at Shades of Green, and they communicated with everyone via group voice mail messages on our sleeping room phones. Never lost power.

The good news was, people's fear of the storm had many folks canceling their trips. It ended up being one of our best trips ever - extremely low crowds and perect weather after the storm blew through (low humidity and upper 70s/low 80s the rest of the week).

We flew down on that Tuesday! Man was I worried it would be a horrible trip for DSs first trip. We had a blast!

 

[FINFAN]

I've been following on this site. Nice maps and analysis: http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/

this site points out what I was going to bring up~that flooding will prob be the biggest issue

 

[Couchy]

Flying in on Friday. Will the remnants be gone ?

 

[epcotty]

doesn't seem to be going to from what I've seen, seems to be going further west