Hurricane Matthew Closes WDW - Reopens Saturday, October 8th

[Accident]

Promising new update with the 2am forecast release...

They are now saying near 9am is when the winds will be the worst and they are talking about 55mph max now with 6am being more like it it is right now and by mid afternoon back to this. The best way to describe what it is like right now is those windy storms that pass through disneyworld except it's not quick gusts and sustained so not the safety of a quick storm. Hasn't been much rain where I am (just south of property) but it's wet and humid so not like dry and windy.. The storm basically went more east so those 90-120 winds are unlikely unless it moves west again and there is plenty of time for it to do that.

If you don't know these types of winds or not in a hurricane area.. emergency crews tend to not be out when it's in the upper 40s or 50s. it's enough to take down dead branches and throw them around. break or uproot weak trees.. do some roof and maybe shingle damage.. Still a threat so don't take this as it's not going to be bad and again it can move back west and it becomes really bad really fast.

there will be some power outages for areas with overhead cables (which is not disney property)

 

[gioiamama]

This is the Disney I know. seeing these pictures make my heart melt inside with joy

My thoughts exactly! I'm fascinated by watching everyone's posts and especially seeing the photos of the monorail sealed up in the contemporary!
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Stay safe everyone!

 

[Accident]

Just read on Facebook the guests at the Wilderness Lodge are having a fabulous time. Over the last couple of days one thing is now clear to me...if I'm booking future trips during hurricane season I'll delay it as long as necessary to save enough money to stay at one of the "self-contained" resorts, like the WL or CR. Plenty of room in those lobby's to "roam"...I'd go "mad" being confined to a room elsewhere. Our thoughts and prayers are being sent to all effected by this hurricane.

Well that would be middle of summer until end of novemeber.. This is rare but I tried to carefully say it early on that disney is really great at this situation so if it's safe to leave your home and travel it's not worth skipping disney to me. everyone has their situation and of course you need to do what's right for your family.. Also lets face it, many rooms at disney aren't having this fun. This is the few rooms that happen to have interior hallways, in the same building that these characters can be out. Those select few are the lucky ones that get the full disney treatment.

 

[DaisyDuck001]

Just read on Facebook the guests at the Wilderness Lodge are having a fabulous time. Over the last couple of days one thing is now clear to me...if I'm booking future trips during hurricane season I'll delay it as long as necessary to save enough money to stay at one of the "self-contained" resorts, like the WL or CR. Plenty of room in those lobby's to "roam"...I'd go "mad" being confined to a room elsewhere. Our thoughts and prayers are being sent to all effected by this hurricane.

Back in 2004 I was at Wilderness Lodge during Hurricane Jeanne. The restaurants were open and service there was prompt. Yes, it was good that the restaurants are in the same building with the guest rooms. Although, by the end of the day, people were still starting to get cabin fever after a day in the lobby. During Hurricane Jeanne, whenever the storm let up a bit they would let people from WL walk to WV to use the gym, and people from WV could go to WL for the restaurants. But whenever the storm picked up again, they told everyone to go back to the resort they were staying at, as the breezeway wouldn't be safe during the heavier parts of the storm. I don't know if they are even allowing this WL/WV cross-usage during the current hurricane.

Sincere best wishes for the safety of all who are now at WDW resorts and anywhere else affected by Hurricane Matthew.

 

[DrunkJam]

It really baffles me how people do not take things like this seriously, an average hurricane gives off an atomic bomb's worth of energy every second. If bombs were going off every second would people be calm and relaxed and brush it off like its no big deal?

Really? I mean, I am urging people to stay safe, take it seriously etc. But, I have a son who is fascinated by weather phenomena. Is this really the case? (I just want to telll him accurate stuff)

 

[PuppyJonathan]

I have class tomorrow why am I still up watching the weather channel thinking about Orlando. And just throwing this out there: to those who were saying Disney had bad communication, Legoland said they might close early on Thursday if need be. Not that legoland has the giant infrastructure of Disney but I thought that was really strange. And Busch gardens I don't think closed early yesterday or are closed today

 

[fairylein]

Promising new update with the 2am forecast release...

They are now saying near 9am is when the winds will be the worst and they are talking about 55mph max now with 6am being more like it it is right now and by mid afternoon back to this. The best way to describe what it is like right now is those windy storms that pass through disneyworld except it's not quick gusts and sustained so not the safety of a quick storm. Hasn't been much rain where I am (just south of property) but it's wet and humid so not like dry and windy.. The storm basically went more east so those 90-120 winds are unlikely unless it moves west again and there is plenty of time for it to do that.

If you don't know these types of winds or not in a hurricane area.. emergency crews tend to not be out when it's in the upper 40s or 50s. it's enough to take down dead branches and throw them around. break or uproot weak trees.. do some roof and maybe shingle damage.. Still a threat so don't take this as it's not going to be bad and again it can move back west and it becomes really bad really fast.

there will be some power outages for areas with overhead cables (which is not disney property)

Thank you very much for the updates! We live in Germany and will be leaving for MIA on Saturday (hopefully), it is really difficult to judge the situation if you are not used to weather like this! As I've been watching the weather channel for hours now, I cannot even concentrate on work, it is so worrying...

 

[goopysolelady]

Well that would be middle of summer until end of novemeber.. This is rare but I tried to carefully say it early on that disney is really great at this situation so if it's safe to leave your home and travel it's not worth skipping disney to me. everyone has their situation and of course you need to do what's right for your family.. Also lets face it, many rooms at disney aren't having this fun. This is the few rooms that happen to have interior hallways, in the same building that these characters can be out. Those select few are the lucky ones that get the full disney treatment.

Fully noted on the dates of hurricane season...I'm from Texas...we "live by the same rules" that Florida does. In fact, we had to scramble to get out of Houston before the airport was shut down in 2008 for Hurricane Ike. DH, a member of the local Emergency Management Team, had to stay behind in case of severe damage in our county...75 miles northwest of Houston. We returned, a week later, to witness a still dark Houston since electricity had still not been restored to most parts. Fully aware of what it's like to prepare for a hurricane, be IN a hurricane and clean up after a hurricane. We also know the peak season is September and October. Just reporting "news" from WL and stating our family takes this possible situation in our plans. DH and I will be at DW in December...we're saving money on our 20th trip by staying at All Star Music for this trip and leaving the "cost difference" in our vacation fund for the next trip.

 

[Shane20]

Big hug from Quebec and please stay safe!

 

[alexksmith]

So, we were supposed to arrive at Disney tomorrow (well today technically) around 3pm, but I'm not sure that's wise at this point. We have driven down from Detroit to Chattanooga and are staying here for the night and normally would leave from here in the morning. We are trying to decide if it's better to stay here another day and head in Saturday or if most of it will have passed and central Florida will be drivable tomorrow. I'll call disney in the morning and see what they advise, but I figured I'd check in with you guys as well. Not surprisingly, being from Detroit, I have 0 hurricane experience so I'm totally in the dark here. Thanks

 

[Jerusalem Gal]

Promising new update with the 2am forecast release...

They are now saying near 9am is when the winds will be the worst and they are talking about 55mph max now with 6am being more like it it is right now and by mid afternoon back to this. The best way to describe what it is like right now is those windy storms that pass through disneyworld except it's not quick gusts and sustained so not the safety of a quick storm. Hasn't been much rain where I am (just south of property) but it's wet and humid so not like dry and windy.. The storm basically went more east so those 90-120 winds are unlikely unless it moves west again and there is plenty of time for it to do that.

If you don't know these types of winds or not in a hurricane area.. emergency crews tend to not be out when it's in the upper 40s or 50s. it's enough to take down dead branches and throw them around. break or uproot weak trees.. do some roof and maybe shingle damage.. Still a threat so don't take this as it's not going to be bad and again it can move back west and it becomes really bad really fast.

there will be some power outages for areas with overhead cables (which is not disney property)

Thanks for the updates!
I still have three weeks left until my trip but it's scary to think of the potential damage a hurricane can cause!

 

[ssdeverell]

So, we were supposed to arrive at Disney tomorrow (well today technically) around 3pm, but I'm not sure that's wise at this point. We have driven down from Detroit to Chattanooga and are staying here for the night and normally would leave from here in the morning. We are trying to decide if it's better to stay here another day and head in Saturday or if most of it will have passed and central Florida will be drivable tomorrow. I'll call disney in the morning and see what they advise, but I figured I'd check in with you guys as well. Not surprisingly, being from Detroit, I have 0 hurricane experience so I'm totally in the dark here. Thanks

I'm from the Chattanooga area. We were supposed to do the same but we moved our arrival to Saturday because there are no rooms going South on I-75 if you needed to stop.

 

[BudgieMama]

Does anyone know if the forum is still going down in 10 minutes for it's usual ~90 minute downtime? Can't help but think if they can keep it up tonight it might be useful for people.

 

[Jerusalem Gal]

Does anyone know if the forum is still going down in 10 minutes for it's usual ~90 minute downtime? Can't help but think if they can keep it up tonight it might be useful for people.

Didn't even think of that. I hope they keep it up!

 

[Allisonmomofthree]

Prayers going out to all of y'all!

 

[KateP85]

So, we were supposed to arrive at Disney tomorrow (well today technically) around 3pm, but I'm not sure that's wise at this point. We have driven down from Detroit to Chattanooga and are staying here for the night and normally would leave from here in the morning. We are trying to decide if it's better to stay here another day and head in Saturday or if most of it will have passed and central Florida will be drivable tomorrow. I'll call disney in the morning and see what they advise, but I figured I'd check in with you guys as well. Not surprisingly, being from Detroit, I have 0 hurricane experience so I'm totally in the dark here. Thanks

If you're asking if you should drive in today, Friday, no you should not. Orange County is under a mandatory curfew until Saturday morning so you wouldn't even be able to get to Disney. We haven't seen the worst of it here yet, it would be really dangerous to be out driving.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Hope everyone is safe.

 

[KateP85]

So far just lots of wind and rain, but it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I think we're supposed to see the worst of it around 11AM, then rain until this evening. I think by tonight it will basically be over. Quite a few people without power but thankfully we still have it.

 

[cel_disney]

Actually it does to me. During Hurricane the rules change and being safe is the only real concern. No one is going to starve before food service is back up to speed. Being in the dark won't kill you or having extra towels. So really everyone needs to simply focus on being safe and nothing else. As long as that is accomplished the rest does not matter. And yes I been through 3 hurricanes as a guest at Disney.

Disney is working with a lesser staff, staff that are also worried about their homes and family. I think they do a fabulous job during the storms, and I would never come on a forum and give them a hard time about any of it during a hurricane.

While the risk is a small one this is the risk you take when you travel during hurricane season. Also who travels without at least a small flashlight. Not me. Also I don't wait until the last moment to secure some food and water when a major hurricane is coming, even if I am at Disney. Sadly some of this misery is self inflicted.

I take offense to this as the person who brought up the towel situation. I have been thru several hurricanes (although not in Disney) including one where a tree fell thru my house and landed in the room we were in. Trying to reach mouse keeping to ask for extra towels well in advance was doing exactly as you suggested / PREPARING for the storm the best we could!

Newsflash - Disneyworld is NOT on the coast line. It will NOT be impacted by the storm surge. The likelihood of anyone being unsafe as a result of this storm while staying at Disney during this storm is very slim. That said - preparing for the storm was still the right thing to do! And - I don't fault anyone for waiting until tonight to get food for their room - it's been my plan all week and was encouraged by multiple CMs as the right plan because 'Disney is ready and they will make sure we are fed'. (We had plenty of water, breakfast and snacks already purchased - just needed some lunch foods!!)

the line at Poly was much shorter than those pictured. They also offered a half chicken dinner to go with rice and veggies for $15 tonight.

 

[NinaBella]

Over here in Tampa area I have been up and outside since 4:30AM and there is just light drizzling rain and no wind when I was outside.
.... and I am off headed off to work. My son left at 5AM for work.

Thankfully, I don't think the storm was as bad as expected. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

My friend in Melbourne did post a few times in the middle of the night that he wind was howling through his backyard through the pool lanai but front was quiet. He had power flicker 4 times (because appliances beeps and walks him up. LOL).

I have lived in SC, MS, and FL pretty much my entire life and have gone through plenty of hurricanes and this was just another rainstorm in my area. I hope everyone's homes on the east coast in coastal communities didn't experience much damage.