Hurricane Irma?

[Southernmiss]

Here's another way to look at it...

One thing to be aware of is scarcity of gas and hotel rooms while traveling through the state of Florida and others along the way.

More people on the road due to evacuations.

I wouldn't want to know that my vacation plans got in the way of a person evacuating by my taking their gas or hotel room or water or groceries or making the restaurant stay open to feed me.

If you knew a family was having a family emergency would you deliberately go to their home just to hang out a few days? No, you'd give them space to do what they needed to do. That's how it may be for Florida if the storm stays on the current track.

 

[CAS239]

We're driving to Valdosta, GA on Sunday (9/10) and spending the night. Then we're driving to WDW Monday morning. I'm bound and determined to go on this trip since trying to reschedule with my work would be a nightmare. I just hope we can get there safely on Monday.

Traveling in Florida anytime after Saturday afternoon is something I wouldn't do. Last place you want to be during a hurricane is trapped in your car on the road. There's going to be a ton of people on the road and all it takes is one person to have a slip up, cause a wreck, and now you're sitting still on the interstate.

Way more dangerous to be on the road than in a building.

If anything, drive down to Orlando Saturday and get a hotel early if you can.

 

[Tom Cottone]

 

[melanielll]

If anyone is thinking about driving down, they should check to see if Florida does contraflow during evacuation times. If so, there may be no highways open heading south in the state.

 

[wonder whisper]

Hurricane Irma is now the strongest storm in the recorded history of the Atlantic Ocean basin. The remarkable statistic comes after the 5 p.m. Tuesday advisory from the National Hurricane Center holds the storm's max sustained winds at 185 mph. This is unchanged from the earlier 2 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

Wind gusts with the hurricane are now hitting an incredible 225 mph.

Winds of anything near that speed which make landfall are going to result in Camille-type damage to structures. What is that?

Here is a photo of the waterfront Richelieu Manor Apartments in Pass Christian, Mississippi before Hurricane Camille hit in 1969. It still holds the record of being the second strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the U.S.

Here is the apartment complex after the Camille's eyewall passed over it. The only part of the steel reinforced concrete building that was left was the foundation slab:

 

[minniegirl19]

need people's opinions hopefully this will be welcomed here. I'm not vacationing to Disney I am moving to Orlando from Cleveland Ohio. I am supposed to move next Wednesday, a week from tomorrow. If you were in my position would you still move Wednesday or would you leave here Friday (in 3 days). I can't decide what's safer riding out the storm there or driving through the remnants and aftermath.

 

[North of Mouse]

i actually am in a potential path of being hit. so having to deal with both of these things is stressful. i suppose i should have prefaced that as well.

So sorry - where do you live?

 

[SpookyJ]

Winds of anything near that speed which make landfall are going to result in Camille-type damage to structures. What is that?

Here is a photo of the waterfront Richelieu Manor Apartments in Pass Christian, Mississippi before Hurricane Camille hit in 1969. It still holds the record of being the second strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in the U.S.

Here is the apartment complex after the Camille's eyewall passed over it. The only part of the steel reinforced building that was left was the foundation slab:

That doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies at all.

 

[tmcd1126]

What's the policy in regards to cancelling with Disney as in how long do I have to wait? If there's a hurricane warning issued can I cancel my reservations the day of my trip? I know if a hurricane warning is issued 7 days before you can cancel with no penalities but I didn't know if there was a deadline prior to arrival. My trip is insured through Travelex if my flight is cancelled or MCO closes but just wondering about Disneys policy so maybe I wouldn't have to file a claim and could just get a refund instead? Fingers crossed I don't have to do any of this but flying in Sunday it seems unlikely that everything will go smoothly but fingers crossed for everyone vacationing and everyone in Florida!

 

[Spaceguy55]

those pics are damage from storm surge along coast not just the wind, google the hotel name the people that died there were having a hurricane party

 

[Hojobones]

need people's opinions hopefully this will be welcomed here. I'm not vacationing to Disney I am moving to Orlando from Cleveland Ohio. I am supposed to move next Wednesday, a week from tomorrow. If you were in my position would you still move Wednesday or would you leave here Friday (in 3 days). I can't decide what's safer riding out the storm there or driving through the remnants and aftermath.

better to wait it out and drive down after. I was in Sandy and while it was over 100 miles away we had over 90mph and lost power for 10 days. It was pretty awful to be in. Given the choice I would not want to go through one again.

 

[little_orange_bird]

I asked upthread, but most responses seem geared towards vacations this week (unless I missed it, then I'm truly sorry). We're scheduled to fly out the morning of Wednesday the 12th before our cruise the following Monday. Is all vacation hope lost?

 

[eileenjez]

Just got off the phone after 2.5 hours. We were going to drive down on Sunday and arrive on Monday. MNSSHP Tuesday. Changed all that with a slight upcharge for date difference. We had two strikes against us since we live coastal NC. Just couldn't see driving down into a possible hurricane and then having to deal with it on the road too. Just not safe. One good thing is I get to watch the return of Outlander on Sunday.

 

[SpookyJ]

I asked upthread, but most responses seem geared towards vacations this week (unless I missed it, then I'm truly sorry). We're scheduled to fly out the morning of Wednesday the 12th before our cruise the following Monday. Is all vacation hope lost?

It looks like in theory Wednesday should be ok, and maybe Tuesday. Wednesday is the 13th so not sure which you meant

 

[stickeymouse]

I asked upthread, but most responses seem geared towards vacations this week (unless I missed it, then I'm truly sorry). We're scheduled to fly out the morning of Wednesday the 12th before our cruise the following Monday. Is all vacation hope lost?

Not at all. You should be fine, pending any damage left behind by Irma.

 

[wonder whisper]

That doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies at all.

Didn't mean to upset. And don't turn on the weather channel right now, because they are discussing a scenario where Irma goes straight up the middle of the panhandle.

 

[little_orange_bird]

It looks like in theory Wednesday should be ok, and maybe Tuesday. Wednesday is the 13th so not sure which you meant

You are right @SpookyJ I got the dates wrong. We're flying out Wednesday the 13th. Thanks for the kind words.

Not at all. You should be fine, pending any damage left behind by Irma.

Thanks @stickeymouse. I appreciate it.

 

[tmcd1126]

Just got off the phone after 2.5 hours. We were going to drive down on Sunday and arrive on Monday. MNSSHP Tuesday. Changed all that with a slight upcharge for date difference. We had two strikes against us since we live coastal NC. Just couldn't see driving down into a possible hurricane and then having to deal with it on the road too. Just not safe. One good thing is I get to watch the return of Outlander on Sunday.

That's my plan except we're supppsed to be flying in Sunday. Fingers crossed that still happens!

 

[DrunkJam]

Feeling bad for everyone caught up in this.
There is no point competing for most difficult, and I want to send good wishes hopes and prayers for everyone concerned.
(I will also add to @FutureDisneyEventPlanner I totally understand the power of having something to hold onto, and the danger when that is removed, so, I hope you can salvage something from this - to you and everyone I will add your life is more important than your holiday, staying safe is the most important thing for everyone. )

 

[mesaboy2]

Didn't mean to upset. And don't turn on the weather channel right now, because they are discussing a scenario where Irma goes straight up the middle of the panhandle.

The panhandle is that part of the state that extends west to Alabama. That is not the path it is currently projected to take.