Washed out?

[useakiss]

With the horrific weather going on right now (Harvey is turning into a true nightmare of epic proportions), I'm already seeing an impact in the weather forecast over the next week for WDW, and if Harvey heads back out to see and regains strength, it's heading toward Florida. I'm flying in on Sept 2 and staying through the 10th, but as of right now there are already rainstorms predicted for every day I'm there. While I understand it's Florida and summer and so rain showers are to be expected, there's a difference between that and tropical storm day-long down-pours.

What do I do if this gets worse? Do I cancel my vacation? Is it really worth the expense if I'm trapped inside most of the time? Does the vacation insurance (which I did purchase) touch situations like this?

Basically, how do I salvage what might become a huge disaster of vacation proportions?

(Please, do not consider this post a belittling of the real disaster taking place--that's not my intention. I'm only concerned because I've already laid out nearly $3,000 between the package and airfare, so I'm facing a serious financial loss if I end up having a miserable week there stuck in my room.)

 

[Capang]

I haven't seen the weather today so I wasn't aware Harvey could head to FL. Do you have trip insurance? I would call Disney, I remember reading somewhere about refunds due to hurricanes but I can't remember where I saw it. If it is just going to be heavy rain I'd still go. If it was a tropical storm that was only going to last a day with heavy rain I'd still go. Anything bigger or heavier I would reconsider. But I'd call first.

 

[loves to dive]

I wouldn't cancel, unless it a full force hurricane and hits pretty close it's only going to be rain. There is no reason to stay inside, even all day rains, just put on a poncho and play in the rain. If there is lightening in the area they will close down out door rides and the F&W booths at Epcot might close down for a while if it's a complete gully washer but otherwise, everything will go on.

 

[useakiss]

I do have trip insurance.
I also worry that it's too late for me to cancel at this point since I'm flying out on Saturday.
A day spent splashing around in the rain would be fun. But nine days? I'll have a severe case of Jungle Rot by the time I leave!

 

[Doug S]

What site are you looking at? All the major reliable models keep it over South Texas and the surrounding area.

 

[Airb330]

I wouldnt worry about it.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ <-- That's the place to go for tropical updates. I am not seeing any issuesat WDW with Harvey.

August and September will *always* have threats of t-storms. The 5 and 10-day forecasts always look dire. In a few days, check the local ABC/CBS/NBC, they're usually a little more accurate. They'll probably all say "Partly Cloudy with a chance of an afternoon t-storm"

It will probably rain everyday, but it won't ruin your trip.

 

[CinderellaDream]

We were there in 2013 when Tropical Storm Andrea passed through and had a great week. Granted, it was not an entire week's worth of torrential rain but it did not deter us from having fun. We are fully in the "put on a poncho and go" camp as long as there is no lightning in the area. As a PP said, unless there is a hurricane making a direct hit I would not cancel my vacation.

 

[vettegirl]

We fly out the 7th and that tropical wave by Africa right now has me worried.

 

[buzznina]

What site are you looking at? All the major reliable models keep it over South Texas and the surrounding area.

I was wondering the same thing, Orlando's 10 day forecast has rain chance from the 4th - 11th only from 20% - 50%

 

[SaintsManiac]

Harvey is not heading to FL.

 

[useakiss]

How do you folks deal with shoes in these conditions? I'm planning on packing two pairs of good walking/running shoes, plus my pair of Tevas. Plus I have a footcare kit I've assembled.

 

[Micca]

Unless there is weather of disastrous proportions I'd still go. Get some ponchos at the Dollar Store, some cheap umbrellas at Walmart, some extra footwear and plan to have a blast. If it rains quite a bit you'll benefit from smaller crowds, and maybe there will be some brief spells where it isn't blast furnace hot (though you can count on a steambath effect following the showers.) If you're planning on doing outdoor things like the water parks or a dessert party, have a Plan B. Think in terms of doing a resort tour on the monorail loop(you can stay out of the rain for several hours.)

 

[Polydweller]

Harvey is not heading to FL.

Exactly. It's forecast to ultimately head north-northeast toward St Louis and nowhere near Florida. The heavy rainfall amounts are because it stalled in Texas and has been dropping rain for days rather than the more usual few hours. But since it won't affect Florida why worry about it.

We were in Disney during Matthew last year. They closed the parks (Orange County orders) and made everyone stay in their hotels. No special planning for footwear or anything else for guests. At the Poly they took good care of everyone.

 

[useakiss]

I was going by the Capital Weather Gang out of DC with Washington Post (I normally trust them) plus just the weather app on my iPhone. Obviously I need to branch out.

I have paid for the water parks. Can you get a reimbursement on that portion if not used due to weather?

I did buy a 10-pack of disposable ponchos already, but debating on adding an umbrella now, too.

 

[Disneylover99]

How do you folks deal with shoes in these conditions? I'm planning on packing two pairs of good walking/running shoes, plus my pair of Tevas. Plus I have a footcare kit I've assembled.

We're just finishing up 17 days at DW. The past couple of days have been quite rainy. We mostly wear running shoes, but we always carry a pair of flip flops or sandals into the parks to switch to when the rain hits. There's nothing worse then wet runners.

 

[robl45]

Any forecast for florida at this time is going to show rain everyday, odds are it rains in the afternoon for an hour if at all.

 

[ssei7802]

I just checked the Animal Kingdom weather for the next ten days on theweatherchannel.com, it is our normal weather pattern for this time of year, daily thunder storms which occur during late afternoon and evening. Most of the time storms are hit and miss, it could be raining in Animal Kingdom and never rain at Magic Kingdom. If you go to water parks at opening you should be fine since they will close if lightning is within five miles. We use tote umbrellas since poncho get hot, sticky during the humid weather in Florida.

 

[spiceycat]

How do you folks deal with shoes in these conditions? I'm planning on packing two pairs of good walking/running shoes, plus my pair of Tevas. Plus I have a footcare kit I've assembled.

I take my new balance shoes and one pair of scandals. that is it. Scandals can be better in the rain.

don't worry about the weather - I live in Florida - if you don't like what you are getting wait a minute or two and it will change. It does. they generally have rain in every forecast - not because it will rain - but that is the weathermen down here - they would rather say it was coming then get blamed for it when it does come and they did not say. Not certain that may sense.

 

[chartle]

What site are you looking at? All the major reliable models keep it over South Texas and the surrounding area.

Yes its now projected to go up the Mississippi river valley and go no where near Fl. I'm not even sure the rain forecasted for FL has anything to do with this storm.

We were there for the full brunt of TS Fay and it didn't really impact our trip. The only issues were that we didn't get the memo that onsite guests got saying DHS was going to open an hour early and that at the end of the week after it was over the MK seemed extra busy do to people obviously made of sugar not going to the parks that week.

 

[FelisLachesis]

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/152721.shtml?gm_track

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/26/us/hurricane-harvey-texas.html?mcubz=1

I have boycotted The Weather Channel since they started naming winter storms.

None of the forecast computers have Harvey going anywhere close to Florida. Currently, the models predict that it will eventually move northeast, continually weakening and becoming a depression as it heads to western Louisiana. It will continue heading for the Missouri bootheel before becoming post-tropical.

In short, there's virtually 0 chance that Harvey will be coming to Florida. Now, stranger things have happened, but I don't see Harvey changing course.

Orlando weather looks like, well, Orlando weather. It's late summer, so expect hot 90-94, humid, with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/fl/orlando

 

[loves to dive]

How do you folks deal with shoes in these conditions? I'm planning on packing two pairs of good walking/running shoes, plus my pair of Tevas. Plus I have a footcare kit I've assembled.

I wear good padded sandals. I take 3 pairs. Clarks flip flops

tevas

And something similar to this