Hurricane Dorian / WDW Theme Parks Discussion

[justinslot]

My pleasant four night Monday to Friday stay at the Dolphin next week is suddenly looking less pleasant. Wonder how understanding Marriott is with weather-related reservation changes...

Any Amtrak people in this forum? My Sunday train from PHL to ORL is looking pretty dicey, but I don't know how far in advance Amtrak makes cancellation decisions.

 

[emilymad]

Thank you for your weather or hurricane links GADisneyDad14.

I am in Daytona Beach, Florida now through Sunday, September 9, 2019. I do have annual travel insurance.

Yesterday we had heavy rain for about an hour on the beach, but today has been mostly sunny with what looks like calm waves.

This is a photo of the sunrise this morning:

View attachment 430413

I just took this photo from my room:

View attachment 430416

Several years ago I was in the same situation with Hurricane Matthews and there was a mandatory evacuation.



I was lucky to find a flight out the day before the hurricane hit.

This time I am using a rental car instead of flying.

I didn't want to go through the same thing this time, so I went to Trivago and made a reservation through Expedia for two nights at Disney Pop Century.

Of course, that is where my mind was at. Why not WDW and hunker down. I did buy a separate cancellation policy from Expedia just in case I don't need to leave Daytona Beach, Florida because of the Hurricane Dorian.

It is better than nothing and I don't want to drive back to Atlanta, because, on September 8, 2019, I plan to travel to Orlando, Florida for two weeks after leaving Daytona Beach, Florida.

I started another thread asking for suggestions about another hotel near WDW with concrete covered parking deck.

I don't have regular car insurance since I don't own a car, so I buy the Allianz Annual Travel Insurance for that.

But I don't want to take a chance of any hurricane damage to my rental car just for my peace of mind.

I know...that is just the way my brain is thinking right now.

So do any of you know of any hotels with concrete parking decks?

The resort that I am staying in now has a concrete parking deck in case I don't have to leave Daytona Beach, Florida.

I think the Hilton Bonnet Creek has a concrete parking garage.

 

[RaySharpton]

Well, I still think it could go any which way, they still don't have it down for certain just yet. Not sure when they will have the path set in stone, but I would stay alert no doubt. But ya, the east side of these storms are supposed to be the worst of it I think.

Oh, I do too, I hope that it moves back out the ocean. Yep, the Eastside is the worst pushing all those waves up onto the beach.

And I am very alert even though it is very nice outside.

Decades ago, I was in Panama City Beach Florida and the Hurricane Opal struct.

Hurricane Opal was a large and powerful Category 4 hurricane that caused severe and extensive damage along the northern Gulf Coast of the United States on October 1995.Wikipedia

Total fatalities: 63
Date: September 27, 1995 – October 6, 1995
Dates: Sep 27, 1995 – Oct 6, 1995
Category: Category 4 Hurricane (SSHWS)
Damage: $4.7 billion (1995 USD)

Days earlier I had packed, filled my car full of gas, filled up the bathtub with water in case I needed if I stayed to help flush the toilet.

I was watching TV until I went to bed ready to leave if Hurricane Opal either struck Panama City Beach, Florida or veered toward Mississippi.

The News said not to leave now in the rain since the hurricane had stalled out in the Gulf of Mexico and only moving to the USA at a slow pace and that we had another couple of days.

Well...I woke up to someone knocking on my rental condo door and he said they were about to turn off the elevators.

I am so glad that I had packed.

I wake up and the speed of the hurricane toward land had tripled and was expecting landfall in about 5-hours.

I looked at the parking lot and it was empty.

It took me over an hour to just get from the beach condo to the bridge crossing over to the city of Panama City. It was bumper to bumper stop and go traffic all of the way. Everyone seemed to be leaving at the same time and heading North and East.

Then another hour to get to the city of Panama City to Highway 231. Still bumper to bumper all the way to Dothan, Alabama. Cars were entering highway 231 from all of the side roads all the way up.

When I reached Interstate 20, the cars were also bumper to bumper in stop and go traffic heading East, That is what I wanted to do, but I decided to go on the Dothan and then hight 431 to Georgia.

It didn't happen, I was intently listening to my car radio for news and Hurricane Opal struck Panama City Beach and heading in my direction.

By the time I reached Dothan, Alabama, three tornados were blocking my path to Atlanta, Georgia and I found a concrete hotel with tall thin window to stay in overnight.

I wasn't allowed back into Panama City without showing my driver's license showing I was a resident.

So yes, I am alert and getting prepared before and if it hits Daytona Beach, Florida.

I don't want to experience the same thing as Opal. It was like living one of those disaster movies not knowing if I was going to make it to a safe place with the hurricane behind me and tornados in front of me.

I think right now they said the hurricane winds are only extending out 15 miles from the eye of the storm, and tropical storm winds are only extending out 80 miles. It is a small storm, area wise. If it stays that way and hits south, Orlando/Disney may be far enough away to not get much from it.

I just hope I am not near those 15 miles from the eye of the storm.

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

Definitely pack snacks. From what I remember with Irma, WDW really takes care of people during a hurricane...but the food situation was hit or miss. I’d also pack a flashlight, just in case and card games or other in-room entertainment. For resorts with outdoor walkways, there was a room curfew for a while.

And a decent battery pack that will charge cellphones.

 

[matt101980]

Im suppose to fly in Fri - Tues. Thinking of rescheduling but im having a hard time deciding. Is anyone else canceling?

 

[wareagle57]

I'm thinking of getting a room just to make sure we are safe. If I do Sunday night to Monday, Disney won't kick us out if things are still bad Monday right? Or should I just do 2 nights?

 

[joviroxx]

I'm thinking of getting a room just to make sure we are safe. If I do Sunday night to Monday, Disney won't kick us out if things are still bad Monday right? Or should I just do 2 nights?

Cant give you any advice, just wanted to say War Eagle!

 

[Bran Fox]

Im suppose to fly in Fri - Tues. Thinking of rescheduling but im having a hard time deciding. Is anyone else canceling?

Wait for the 11am advisory tomorrow and also to see if any hurricane warnings are issued for the area. If the track takes this storm into land as a Cat 3, and you have the ability to reschedule, you should.

 

[Bran Fox]

I'm thinking of getting a room just to make sure we are safe. If I do Sunday night to Monday, Disney won't kick us out if things are still bad Monday right? Or should I just do 2 nights?

It depends on what you mean by bad? If your flights are delayed by days, but the weather is clear, and they are sold out....

 

[wareagle57]

Cant give you any advice, just wanted to say War Eagle!

Galaxy's Edge tomorrow, Auburn Football Saturday, and a Hurricane Monday. What a wild ride the next few days will be.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Galaxy's Edge tomorrow, Auburn Football Saturday, and a Hurricane Monday. What a wild ride the next few days will be.

Hopefully two wins and a loss for your next few days.

Go Dawgs.

 

[Daffodilmom21]

My pleasant four night Monday to Friday stay at the Dolphin next week is suddenly looking less pleasant. Wonder how understanding Marriott is with weather-related reservation changes...

Any Amtrak people in this forum? My Sunday train from PHL to ORL is looking pretty dicey, but I don't know how far in advance Amtrak makes cancellation decisions.

I work for Amtrak up in Philadelphia. I'm guessing you are asking about train 97? I can see what I can find out. Usually they do not make that call until a day or 2 before the storm is predicted to hit. Seeing the train ends in Miami, they might only cancel a portion of it also

 

[brockash]

If the forecast later this week shows the storm crossing Orlando, I'd pack a day's worth of non-perishable food. Protein bars can get you through a lot. I'd much rather be in my room dry and eating a granola bar than dashing through a storm to get a cupcake.

Lol ...just had to laugh as while I get I'm the ridiculous one in tgis scenario...I'd much rather be dashing for a cupcake lol ...especially at Disney.

 

[sanibellife]

Matt101980 we are rescheduling. We were scheduled to fly in late tomorrow night and fly out Monday evening. We just couldn't take a chance on getting stuck for days with no flights home. Could have handled some rain and wind but also didnt want to take a chance with rides being shut down due to wind. We are so sad! Looking at when we can move our reservation too.
If we could have stayed and flown out Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday I would have kept our reservation and flights. College kids and high schoolers in AP classes can barely miss 1 day let alone multiple days!!

 

[sanibellife]

I'd risk it for a Disney cupcake!!!!

 

[justinslot]

I work for Amtrak up in Philadelphia. I'm guessing you are asking about train 98, leaves Orlando 135p? I can see what I can find out. Usually they do not make that call until a day or 2 before the storm is predicted to hit. Seeing the train starts out in Miami, they might only cancel a portion of it also

No the 97--the Silver Meteor on the daily New York to Miami route. Leaves PHL at 4:54 PM every day.

 

[starry_solo]

@RaySharpton : have you inquired whether you can purchase the rental car insurance and whether it will cover for the hurricane (when you pick up the car)? Since you don't have your own car insurance policy, the rental insurance *should* be considered primary (but I'm not an insurance person)

 

[bpesch]

Im suppose to fly in Fri - Tues. Thinking of rescheduling but im having a hard time deciding. Is anyone else canceling?

We're Friday-Wednesday, not cancelling. I figure it's early enough to make it in and we'll just wing it and hope for the best.

 

[Cluelyss]

Im suppose to fly in Fri - Tues. Thinking of rescheduling but im having a hard time deciding. Is anyone else canceling?

We are supposed to fly in Sat and fly out Tues. watching intently but not making any decisions yet. I hope I don’t have to.

 

[chinarider]

we are supposed to fly out on Monday from AZ-fingers crossed