We were staying at Yacht Club during hurricane Matthew in 2016. It was the first time in 12 years the parks had been closed for a Hurricane since 2004. The storm was coming in overnight on a Thursday night. We got notice the night before that our
MNSSHP would be cancelled Thursday night. They determined at some point on Thursday that the parks would close at 5:00 that day. They rarely close for storms, and I think you have have to have a very significant threat for a closure. We were at MK and there were announcements being made through the parks starting around noon I think. Bands of rain came through most of that day- it would stop or slow down for a while and then pick up. As Matthew got closer the bands got heavier. The last few hours before the parks closed were very empty and very wet. The biggest issue for most people there was food--- planning ahead kept us in good shape there, but if I had not planned ahead there would have been issues. Be sure you have a food plan and a stocked room. They have been closed one more time since then and I think they learned from the Matthew issues and if I remember right, the posts were that food availability was better that time.
I went back and found a post from a few years ago when another storm was approaching and people were curious about our experience and in a very long post this is what I said:
1. It is very hard to predict where exactly these are going to go and how hard they are going to hit. You really don't know until they are pretty much there. You should be prepared in advance. We watched it approach for days and watched the models change. Even as the parks were closed early and we sat in the lobby in the evening watching the news coverage of where it would hit overnight-- there was a lot of talk as to whether it would turn, hit direct- skirt the coast etc.
2. Everything was crazy in flux-- people were leaving early trying to get out before the storm. People were coming in with truckloads of things from the coast- coming to stay at WDW to get away from the storm. We heard complaints of people who were driving in from the coast-- and people trying to drive out before the storm that the gas station lines were huge and it was hard to find gas. WDW was putting up cast members in resort rooms so they could staff the resorts. The CMs we talked to were happy about this because they felt safer in the resort than at their home or apartment and figured WDW was more likely to get power restored or keep power on than at their homes as WDW has its own crews and would not have to wait for any local power company. As we were talking to people (guests and CMs) we learned that WDW was refunding nights for people leaving early from the storm. They also had a policy that if you could not get there because MCO was closed or flights were cancelled in the 3 or 4 days after the storm that they would refund the nights you missed. People were arriving a day or two late without issue- they were still getting their rooms etc. You also could cancel your whole trip without any penalty if you were within 7 days of the storm either way. People who were stuck there because their flights were cancelled were either getting to stay in their rooms due to cancellations-- or were being moved to other resorts where there were available rooms-- they were getting discounts on their additional nights. . WDW was really working hard to accommodate people with flight issues both ways either coming in- or getting out.
3. We prepared a couple of days in advance. We stocked the room with food and I bought games, playing cards, and a couple of learn to draw Disney character books and some drawing supplies from the Disney stores. If the shelves are empty- check again later- Disney was restocking as fast as they could. Expensive- but worth it if we wound up stuck in our room for a couple of days or more if our flight home was cancelled. I also had the foresight to make dining reservations at the resort restaurants-- I hated giving up some of my prized ADRs not knowing if the storm would really hit or if anything would be closed- but I wound up being really glad I did. This was my best decision and really helped us out on the day parks were closed. I made these a couple of days prior to the storm---as we were stuck at the resort- we had reservations when the restaurants re-opened- others who did not have ADRs were being turned away right and left. The restaurants were not fully staffed. If the restaurants are closed, you are out of luck-- but when they re-open, you are set if you have pre-made ADRs. At least for me, the ADRs were very easy to get a couple of days in advance which I believe was due to cancellations right and left of people changing plans. I wound up not needing our food supplies due to us being in club level and having ADRs--- otherwise I would have been VERY glad we had them. Also, if you are in a resort where your building is not connected to the lobby-- this is even more important. I would highly recommend being sure you have something in your room to eat well in advance in case you wind up getting stuck there or in case there are giant box meal lines that you don't want to deal with. Activities are a good idea as well.
4. We were in MK when it was announced they would close all parks at I think 5:00 p.m. and that they would be closed the next day. Within a few hours it was pouring rain. On the bright side- the parks were extremely empty that day because of people who had changed plans- left- not arrived etc. We moved over to DHS so we could be closer to the resort if it got bad- and stayed there until maybe 30 minutes to an hour before the park closed when the radar looked like some really heavy stuff would be moving in soon and we wanted to walk back to the resort before it hit.
5. The biggest issue at the resort for people was food for the day and a half things were shut down. We got very lucky and it did not impact us-- but it impacted a ton of people. All restaurants shut down at 6:00 p.m. or 6:30 on Thursday , but did re-open the next day-- I want to say it was at lunch. The problem was that they had a reduced staff and were not at full capacity and further even if they had been at full capacity could not have serviced everyone at the resort. WDW did boxed meals the night of the closures and all the next day- they did a really good job-- but the lines were HUGE because everyone was stuck at the resort. Also, if you have picky eaters, it was not like there were many choices. It was pre-made sandwiches and chips. Also, I heard a lot of people complaining about how expensive they were for what was in them- I can't remember the price. I'm not sure when the QS at BC re-opened-- but it was servicing 2 resorts (BC and YC) full of people stuck at the resort so you can imagine the food lines-- the boxes remained available. This is why I highly recommend that you stock up with food in advance. There were lots of miserable people in long lines trying to get food. We got EXTREMELY lucky- in part because I had thought to book ADRs at the resort in case things were open, and in part because we had gotten a discount and booked club level. As far as club level-- we did not know what to expect or whether it would be completely shut down-- but it operated mostly as usual-- not as many food options or choices, but enough that you definitely would not go hungry if you did not go stand in the long box meal line.
6. After leaving the parks, we got back to the resort where I had made a Beaches and Cream reservation for either 5:45 or 6:00 p.m. I had heard that all the resort restaurants were closing at I think it was 6:30 so I immediately went and checked to see if we could get in early or if our reservation was still good. I was told my reservation was cancelled for 6:00 p.m. and we could not get in. I can't remember for certain, but it seems like DH had been a bit behind us and asked and they wound up letting us in. We either did that or just ate the club level food that night.
7. We did get a phone message/letter in our room telling us to stay in our room that evening and not come down to the lobby- however, we didn't see that letter/message. After we were lucky enough to eat with no hassles, we walked through the lobby and there were CMs all over (mostly lifeguards) playing games with the kids, and the bar was still open and partly staffed with hurricane reports playing. DD wanted to play games, so we stayed in the lobby all evening. She was playing and we were watching news/weather. There were not that many people down there - I'm sure because of the message and notes we did not know about. She had a great time, and a little later they had Chip and Dale visit and they switched out with Pluto. When we went back to the room to go to bed-- we saw the message to stay in the room- which explains why there weren't that many people in the lobby playing games. The CMs were fantastic and DD had an absolutely wonderful time. Several of them were college kids from other places and I'm sure they were nervous about the storm-- but you couldn't tell and they made the best of it.
8. We heard from others that if you were not at a resort where the lobby was connected to your room-- you were required to stay in your room that evening and all the next morning and that if you were found outside your room you were told to return to your room. Had I been in one of those resorts, I would have been very happy that I had bought some games, cards, drawing supplies etc. We were told the tvs played Disney movies all night and the next day. We experienced none of that first, hand so I can't say how accurate that was.
9. The storm luckily turned north and skirted the coast with the worst part of the storm hitting overnight while we were asleep. The next morning there were branches all over outside and still strong winds. We could see from our room where some shingles had pulled off the YC roof. All in all, the damage was not bad at all. By late morning/early afternoon we saw those same wonderful lifeguards that DD had played with all evening before all out in carts picking up branches, cleaning stuff out of the pool etc. trying to get it ready to reopen the next day.
10. We were not allowed to go outside at all the next morning. The winds were still pretty high. We had breakfast in club level and met some people that only live a few miles from us at home in Oklahoma. WDW does not understand that in Oklahoma, unless, you basically see a tornado moving straight towards you---people go stand outside to "watch" the weather. Our new friend had tried to escape a couple of times that morning to just walk a little outside and see how bad the winds were and had been rounded up and sent back in the building. There were sustained winds still occurring, but nothing that was dangerous, and aside from the fact they continued for hours, nothing that we weren't used to at home. Although WDW kept saying it was dangerous winds (which we can have stronger winds that that at home when there isn't even a storm) I suspect WDW in reality might have been more concerned with branches, shingles and other things that may have been on the ground creating a tripping hazard and was using the storm as an excuse at that point.
11. There were games and characters in the lobby all day for the kids. DH and I were incredibly bored, but DD had a great time. She preferred to be with the other kids instead of with us playing the games I had bought. We had ADRs for both lunch and dinner at the resort and the restaurants were open--- again not fully staffed and turning away everyone without ADRs. By afternoon they were letting people venture outside-- we went to Boardwalk to see what was going on for something to do since DH and I were bored and while the wind didn't seem that bad at first--- we were surprised at how the forces impacted us while we walked since it was sustained instead of gusts. Definitely would not have walked farther than we did. It was still a really strong wind. It made it kind of hard to walk. They had a couple of characters out over there and the gift shop was reopened. We had a wonderful dinner at Yachtsman and as we were there heard that DTD had re-opened for the evening. Not all the stores would be open as they could not get the staff there, but some would. We went over there and found that Disney Quest was not only open (only to enter and play the games- no food; special activities etc), but all play on the video games was free. Again--- WDW did a really good job of trying to take care of the guests in a not so great situation. DD, once again, had a great time.
12. The next day it was beautiful weather, the parks were open, and the lines were short because so many people had left early or cancelled their trips. WDW works really heard to clean things up and get operational again. You could pick up ADRs and FPs because so many people had cancelled. I would say if you have any ADRs get cancelled because things close down and you are wanting to try to rebook them for other days when you are still there, I would recommend trying to do that as soon as you find out they are cancelled and if you can't get them then, to just keep trying. Things were in in flux and changing all the time as peoples plans were basically all upended.
13. WDW will cancel all your dining reservations; MNSSHP etc. for the time the parks/restaurants are closed. You will not be charged no-show fees. CRT and MNSSHP were automatically credited back to my card. You can call and change your MNSSHP if you will be there long enough to catch another party. I did call a week after we got back (when the phone lines were shorter) just to make sure MNSSHP and CRT ere being refunded and it had already been taken care of- just told it might take a couple of weeks to show up because there were so many refunds being processed. We heard from others that if you were going to MNSSHP within a week either way of the storm and had to cancel your trip that you could call and get a refund.
We leave this Friday for Disney, and have been too busy packing to notice.
