With Hurricane Irma's latest track, will staying at Disney be safe?

[Ziggie]

I would really like some honest opinions please. We are booked at AofA beginning this Friday and are wondering if it will be safe in the path of the storm? We are driving up from Palm Beach County, so we are hoping Disney is a better alternative to where we actually live.

Is anyone else concerned about staying at Disney during the storm? Please... I really need reassurance and honest opinions.

Thanks so much.

 

[Disnsyncey]

Not that I have experienced Disney in a storm, but anywhere inland will be better than where you are....

You might be stuck inside your hotel room, and I might pack a little more food than normal (as the resorts ran out of normal menu items during Matthew I believe last year and then went to sandwiches?) but you should be fine......

 

[Marionnette]

I would really like some honest opinions please. We are booked at AofA beginning this Friday and are wondering if it will be safe in the path of the storm? We are driving up from Palm Beach County, so we are hoping Disney is a better alternative to where we actually live.

Is anyone else concerned about staying at Disney during the storm? Please... I really need reassurance and honest opinions.

Thanks so much.

No one can guarantee you that Disney will be 100% safe. It will be safer than being on the coasts. This morning's forecast is for Irma to go right up the middle of FL with winds possibly at Cat. 3 levels when it reaches Orlando. Not a pretty prediction for Disney World. However, what is your alternative?

 

[Ziggie]

Not that I have experienced Disney in a storm, but anywhere inland will be better than where you are....

You might be stuck inside your hotel room, and I might pack a little more food than normal (as the resorts ran out of normal menu items during Matthew I believe last year and then went to sandwiches?) but you should be fine......

I have to say, I'm really getting frightened. Will we be trading bad for worse? Right now, we're just a shade to the right of the storm where it looks like Disney might take a direct hit?

 

[Ziggie]

No one can guarantee you that Disney will be 100% safe. It will be safer than being on the coasts. This morning's forecast is for Irma to go right up the middle of FL with winds possibly at Cat. 3 levels when it reaches Orlando. Not a pretty prediction for Disney World. However, what is your alternative?

Our alternative is to cancel our reservation and stay home (Palm Beach County, 9 miles inland from the ocean). I've lived in this house 38 years and been through them all... Andrews, Wilma, Jeanne, Frances but I just really don't want to go through any more of them.

 

[Disnsyncey]

a hurricane can be MANY miles wide....even 100........when you look at the world from space, you probably won't be able to see any of the peninsula, as there will be clouds covering the entirety.....

I don't think that there is way possible way you will be trading bad for worse by going inland in the "weather conditions" category....

The longer the storm is over land, the more chance it will weaken.....I would DEFINITELY trade Orlando/Disney for riding out the storm in a mandatory evacuation zone closer to the eye of the storm......

but make sure your house is ok! Make sure you have extra food for the possibility of the food court being out of the normal variety.......bring dvds and entertainment in the event that you can't leave the resort.....

 

[Disnsyncey]

Our alternative is to cancel our reservation and stay home (Palm Beach County, 9 miles inland from the ocean). I've lived in this house 38 years and been through them all... Andrews, Wilma, Jeanne, Frances but I just really don't want to go through any more of them.

if you dealt with Andrew, you needn't worry more than that (though every storm is different)......9 miles is nothing to a storm, though I would be wary of cancelling in the face of a possible evacuation when you then have to scramble to find a place.....

 

[Marionnette]

Our alternative is to cancel our reservation and stay home (Palm Beach County, 9 miles inland from the ocean). I've lived in this house 38 years and been through them all... Andrews, Wilma, Jeanne, Frances but I just really don't want to go through any more of them.

I'm over 100 miles inland from the Jersey shore. When Floyd hit, the roadways here were like rivers. Water was 1 foot deep in our basement. We were lucky that the winds were not as bad as what's predicted for your area. Every storm is different. Wherever you decide to ride it out, I pray that you and your family are safe.

 

[disneychic2]

I'm on a September planning thread and one of the guys posted a link about Disney during a hurricane and it said that Disney is the safest place to be during a hurricane because of their over the top preparedness. They even won an award for a safety group for their hurricane strategy. Hope that helps you feel better!

 

[Ziggie]

I'm on a September planning thread and one of the guys posted a link about Disney during a hurricane and it said that Disney is the safest place to be during a hurricane because of their over the top preparedness. They even won an award for a safety group for their hurricane strategy. Hope that helps you feel better!

Thank you for saying that

 

[RangerPooh]

We were vacationing at WDW in 2004 when Hurricane Jeane hit and not once did we feel unsafe. Disney did a fantastic job of announcing over loud speakers that the park was closing early. And the phone system had regular messages for us providing updates of the storm as it passed by. Juts be prepared with extra food as it will be scare at the resort. We were at POR and there was no issue about rising water levels. We do wish that we had been at a deluxe resort though, as we heard that they brought characters into the lobbies and provided general entertaining for guests.

 

[Ziggie]

We were vacationing at WDW in 2004 when Hurricane Jeane hit and not once did we feel unsafe. Disney did a fantastic job of announcing over loud speakers that the park was closing early. And the phone system had regular messages for us providing updates of the storm as it passed by. Juts be prepared with extra food as it will be scare at the resort. We were at POR and there was no issue about rising water levels. We do wish that we had been at a deluxe resort though, as we heard that they brought characters into the lobbies and provided general entertaining for guests.

Thank you Looking at the latest path, it looks like the east coast of Palm Beach County is going to take a rough hit. I'm frightened.

 

[CrankyDad]

They have underground cables and build for it. Safe as you can be..

Folks PLEASE remember the staff that is working while you are riding this out. It is not easy for them and there are many guests that don't remember or care about what the hotel staff is going through during times like this.

 

[Tinkerbell1027]

We were vacationing at WDW in 2004 when Hurricane Jeane hit and not once did we feel unsafe. Disney did a fantastic job of announcing over loud speakers that the park was closing early. And the phone system had regular messages for us providing updates of the storm as it passed by. Juts be prepared with extra food as it will be scare at the resort. We were at POR and there was no issue about rising water levels. We do wish that we had been at a deluxe resort though, as we heard that they brought characters into the lobbies and provided general entertaining for guests.

I was there too, staying at the Poly. We actually had a great time. They took such good care of us. Be safe

Pictured is view from our room and view of the pool and lagoon as one mass of water

 

[Donald Duck888]

I agree with the posters on here that say if choosing between being 9 miles from the FL coast or being inland at Disney you are probably safer at Disney although no where is totally "safe" when in the path of one of these storms. Also when you mention being just to the right of the storm vs having it move right over the one thing to remember there is that at least from what i have heard the eastern (right side) eye wall is where the worst winds are usually found in a hurricane so right over is better than being just east of the path. Of course as Harvey showed sometimes the winds are not the worst part of the storm the flooding is and i have no idea how the Orlando area or Disney does with flooding in a case like this.

Either way no matter what you decide i hope you and your family, as well as all people (and pets) in FL or wherever else this thing hits stay safe.

 

[han22735]

The latest track has it further east no longer up the middle of FL...Obviously things can change.

 

[SL6827]

Will this allow it to get stronger if it doesn't go up the middle of Florida?

 

[singastory]

We canceled our reservations for our trip this morning, we were supposed to arrive today and return Sunday. Even if all we got was rain, didn't want to risk getting stuck at an airport on our way out. Sat on hold this morning for over an hour to cancel room only reservation and they waived the penalty which was amazing. I'm now trying to call for other concerns and the Disney phone circuits aren't even letting calls through.

 

[Marionnette]

Will this allow it to get stronger if it doesn't go up the middle of Florida?

As a general rule, hurricanes lose momentum over land and gain strength over water. However, there are also influences of other weather conditions (jet stream, high and low fronts, etc) that can weaken the storm or change its path.

 

[Jasten]

have to say, I'm really getting frightened. Will we be trading bad for worse? Right now, we're just a shade to the right of the storm where it looks like Disney might take a direct hit?

I would think inland is much much safer than being near the storm surge! I would go to Orlando.