Tropical storm ETA, what would you do?

[ctl]

I agree to wait and see if you can. It was supposed to hit here yesterday and the forecast kept changing and we had three perfect days. We have been there during a tropical storm before and lost just half a day but this storm is acting like a pinball so I can understand your hesitancy. Mid December is my favorite time to go...

I love December too. The weather is perfect, cooler and less humid.

 

[piglet1979]

A few years ago we were at Disney when a tropical storm came through. We didn't know about it until we were already at Disney. We were suppose to eat to EPCOT that night but switched it to our resort restaurant instead. We went to EPCOT in the morning and stayed until about 3ish when the rain really picked up and looked like it was going to start storming. We hung out in our room for the rest of the night except for dinner. I am not one that likes storms and I was very worried. The Tropical storm to me seemed no worse then a bad storm we have here in North East Ohio. Lots of rain over night and lots of wind.

If ETA stays as a tropical storm I would not change your plans unless you don't a day or two of rains. If it does become a hurricane then that may be a different story and you may want to change your plans.

 

[dachsie]

Eta doesn't know what its going to do. It could hit anywhere from Louisiana to Florida now. Go and bring rain gear

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

We went last year when hurricane Dorian was scheduled to make a full on hit on Orlando. Was the best trip of all time. The storm scared all the crowds away. Storm was barely enough to take the heat off of the day. Disney felt super safe throughout and they made sure that if we actually got caught in the hurricane (which we didn't) everyone would be safe and have food throughout. I would totally go and have a great time

We were there right before Dorian hit, too. Some family and friends were concerned we were headed in the direction of the storm, but you are right, it was a great trip with low crowds, and we left the day before the storm ended up arriving. We drove, so we had the flexibility to play it by ear and check out early if necessary, and the resort was super accommodating.

We also landed in Tampa on our honeymoon in the middle of Tropical Storm Debbie and ended up having a pleasant time. Must be just our luck, but we also had to push our September 2017 Disney trip by a week due to a hurricane. We were at Fort Wilderness the day it reopened after the storm and had a great time.

Disney takes good care of guests during storms and Floridians are pros at handling storms. That being said, wet masks don't sound like much fun. I guess it depends how many days they are expecting rain. In a non-Covid time, I would say go, but covid considerations complicate it.

 

[Rockbro]

I should mention... one of my best days at MK, I was showing my parents around the MK. Upon exiting HM, there was a horrible downpour. We only made it through 3 attractions, but we found our way to Buzz. By the time Buzz was over, Tom. Land was completely flooded over. I had to get my stepfather's scooter and bring it to him by then, by shirt, socks, shoes, shirt, shorts were soaked.

The drive home was freezing, but when I got home, I put on pajamas, new socks and slippers. It was one of the best trips to Disney ever

ETA: I just realized I made this about me. The whole point is that rain doesn't take away. Sometimes it can add.

 

[puffkin]

We were down at Universal beginning of August when Hurrican Isaias came through. Even that morning they were predicting a windy/rainy washout. Out side of about 20 minutes of downpours that morning, it was a perfect day. No issues at all. Unless it is a Cat 3 or above, I wouldn't even worry about changing plans.

 

[Shellyred8]

For anyone that goes, I would recommend bringing a rain suit (rain coat and rain pants). It makes dealing with long stretches of rain more tolerable. If you just have a poncho, your legs are going to get soaked.

A couple of years ago we were there in May and it rained almost all day for 3-4 days straight. So, we either went out in the rain and enjoyed ourselves or stayed in the room. It was fairly warm out, so we put on our rain suits and went out and enjoyed the parks. We ended up seeing the most amazing showing of Illuminations ever! Since it was raining, the lights all played off of the rain drops and add a whole new dimension to the show.

 

[sethschroeder]

Went during Dorian it was the best trip we could have imagined.

I would honestly be more likely to purposely travel during a hurricane in the future. Just get in before FL is going to get hit and plan on leaving multiple days after its gone. If the park is closed for a day treat it as a resort day.

Disney is setup to handle these storms.

 

[breeknee]

So the different models used to predict storms by looking at different factors like cold fronts, dry air or moisture etc. are all plotted together as lines and called a spaghetti model. The closer a storm gets to a point, the more these models agree and create a smaller window of certainty. They seem to be far more in agreement now and the ‘cone or uncertainty’ is smaller and quite north of Orlando. It also would be a depression or less by the time it got that far inland by all accounts.

Disney’s power infrastructure is almost all underground so they rarely lose power.


That being said, in terms of some of the other comments, as a lifelong Floridian in the far often more hit NWFL I wouldn’t go in a category 2. I think that’s frankly a reckless thing to tell people as another person did. Sorry to offend. For example... Not all cat 2’s are made the same. It depends on which side of the storm you’re getting, and they can intensify quite a bit before landfall, they can also move over slowly and cause a lot more damage. A weak 3 and a slow 2 can be similarly bad. You’ll notice trees aren’t near the roads in Disney so that there isn’t time needed to clear them after storms. So a lot of it also depends on staying on property.
Sorry so long winded I just didn’t want anyone getting the wrong impression of a storm and Disney. It’s one thing to say you’ll be fine (in this case I think you’ll essentially be unaffected) but for people to be jazzed about hurricanes and Disney isn’t cool.

 

[jerseygal]

I would go in December, such a great time to go!
This week on the Gulf Coast Florida has been really horrible..windy and rainy since Sun.
Last week was gorgeous, all week..
A trip to Disney is so expensive, why chance it...I would defer if it was me.

 

[nkereina]

FWIW, Pete from the Dis Unplugged podcast (also owner of Dis Boards) has said Disney is one of the safest places you can be during a hurricane. I believe he even put his elderly mother in a Disney resort during the last hurricane that hit Orlando. They have their own power grid and emergency services, buildings are sound, staff checking on guests and bring meals, etc. Because of all this, I'd just be more concerned anput how flexible your schedule and travel arrangements can be and whether you're prepared to lay out additional monies (if need be) to extend or re-schedule things on the fly. I tend to agree with PP that a Disney trip is expensive, so why chance it. But if you're willing to take the risk, there's still a good chance it can pan out in your favor keeping crowds at bay and leading to nice weather once the storm passes.

 

[ctl]

So the different models used to predict storms by looking at different factors like cold fronts, dry air or moisture etc. are all plotted together as lines and called a spaghetti model. The closer a storm gets to a point, the more these models agree and create a smaller window of certainty. They seem to be far more in agreement now and the ‘cone or uncertainty’ is smaller and quite north of Orlando. It also would be a depression or less by the time it got that far inland by all accounts.

Disney’s power infrastructure is almost all underground so they rarely lose power.


That being said, in terms of some of the other comments, as a lifelong Floridian in the far often more hit NWFL I wouldn’t go in a category 2. I think that’s frankly a reckless thing to tell people as another person did. Sorry to offend. For example... Not all cat 2’s are made the same. It depends on which side of the storm you’re getting, and they can intensify quite a bit before landfall, they can also move over slowly and cause a lot more damage. A weak 3 and a slow 2 can be similarly bad. You’ll notice trees aren’t near the roads in Disney so that there isn’t time needed to clear them after storms. So a lot of it also depends on staying on property.
Sorry so long winded I just didn’t want anyone getting the wrong impression of a storm and Disney. It’s one thing to say you’ll be fine (in this case I think you’ll essentially be unaffected) but for people to be jazzed about hurricanes and Disney isn’t cool.

Excellent information. I don't think it was long winded at all. You explained really well. Nice to get a Florida native's perspective.

 

[puffkin]

FWIW, Pete from the Dis Unplugged podcast (also owner of Dis Boards) has said Disney is one of the safest places you can be during a hurricane. I believe he even put his elderly mother in a Disney resort during the last hurricane that hit Orlando. They have their own power grid and emergency services, buildings are sound, staff checking on guests and bring meals, etc. Because of all this, I'd just be more concerned anput how flexible your schedule and travel arrangements can be and whether you're prepared to lay out additional monies (if need be) to extend or re-schedule things on the fly. I tend to agree with PP that a Disney trip is expensive, so why chance it. But if you're willing to take the risk, there's still a good chance it can pan out in your favor keeping crowds at bay and leading to nice weather once the storm passes.

Yes, I know lots of locals that head to Disney resorts during Hurricanes. They rarely lose power there and are very safe lodgings to ride out a storm.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

FWIW, Pete from the Dis Unplugged podcast (also owner of Dis Boards) has said Disney is one of the safest places you can be during a hurricane. I believe he even put his elderly mother in a Disney resort during the last hurricane that hit Orlando. They have their own power grid and emergency services, buildings are sound, staff checking on guests and bring meals, etc. Because of all this, I'd just be more concerned anput how flexible your schedule and travel arrangements can be and whether you're prepared to lay out additional monies (if need be) to extend or re-schedule things on the fly. I tend to agree with PP that a Disney trip is expensive, so why chance it. But if you're willing to take the risk, there's still a good chance it can pan out in your favor keeping crowds at bay and leading to nice weather once the storm passes.

Agree about it being one of the safest places in terms of the resorts. That is why we and other fl coast people stay at the resorts when we have to evacuate. That is if rooms are available at the last min.

 

[MithrilMaiden]

Well, today is my Animal Kingdom day, and I feel like it's gonna be a waste. I'm in line for Flight of Passage, but it feels like crowds are huge here compared to HS and MK, and the line is massive, and thunderstorms are forecasted from 11 AM on. From what I hear, all the rides here are outdoors, so I might get to ride this just in time for all the rides to shut down for the day.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

We arrive Friday, I'm getting a bit nervous this might impact our flight. It's funny, the one and only time I've been to Florida was in the middle of a giant tropical storm which resulted in my plane circling and circling for about an hour before it could land. I'm trying to love ya Florida, just let me!

Now it's forecasting rain for three of our park days (it was sunny and clear before, boohoo)- for the Florida natives, what does it mean when it says occasional showers? From what I see on park reports on YouTube, the rain moves in and out quickly- will that still be the case when it's being caused by something like this? It's supposed to rain on our AK day which is bumming me out, that's the park I'm looking forward to the most. Instead of heading right to Pandora, if it's not raining, should we prioritize Everest and the Safari instead? Those two are on the top of our list and we're going to be so bummed if we can't ride bc it's raining.

 

[hertamaniac]

Central Floridian here. Occasional showers means banding usually. You'll get frequent, short lived showers throughout the day. I would aim for outdoor attractions first as those can be amongst the first to temporarily close.

Starting next Tuesday, the weather looks glorious!

 

[MithrilMaiden]

I got through Rite of Passage, got in line for Everest, and it just shut down. I' hoping it's mechanical and not wind, because I don't know if the wind will let up today.

 

[Just654]

We arrive Friday, I'm getting a bit nervous this might impact our flight. It's funny, the one and only time I've been to Florida was in the middle of a giant tropical storm which resulted in my plane circling and circling for about an hour before it could land. I'm trying to love ya Florida, just let me!

Now it's forecasting rain for three of our park days (it was sunny and clear before, boohoo)- for the Florida natives, what does it mean when it says occasional showers? From what I see on park reports on YouTube, the rain moves in and out quickly- will that still be the case when it's being caused by something like this? It's supposed to rain on our AK day which is bumming me out, that's the park I'm looking forward to the most. Instead of heading right to Pandora, if it's not raining, should we prioritize Everest and the Safari instead? Those two are on the top of our list and we're going to be so bummed if we can't ride bc it's raining.

the new cone has it out of FL by 1am Friday off the coast of SC. I arrive Friday as well. It looks like if any rain it will be because of the humid air. I would say quick storms. Nothing this weekend looks like a wash out.

 

[hrhdhd]

Well, today is my Animal Kingdom day, and I feel like it's gonna be a waste. I'm in line for Flight of Passage, but it feels like crowds are huge here compared to HS and MK, and the line is massive, and thunderstorms are forecasted from 11 AM on. From what I hear, all the rides here are outdoors, so I might get to ride this just in time for all the rides to shut down for the day.

I hope you had the same dry day we did at Disney Springs.