Resort pools and lightning

[Turtlekrawl]

So, just finishing up a week at GF villas. First stay here. May be our favorite DVC property in many regards. But one BIG negative... the weather related pool closures were absolutely ridiculous. Two CM told me they close if lightning within 2 miles. Sounds reasonable to me if that's true, but on more than one occasion this week, the pools (and entire pool deck) closed with it being sunny and closest storms being east of Orlando. I'm all for safety but this was WAY too conservative IMO. Guests were just shaking their heads at each other in disbelief. My sarcasm rubbed off on my 8 yo - when a CM asked her how her trip was, she replied "not good - the pool closed again because there was storm reported in Florida."

Wondering if this is a new resort-wide policy or if it is specific to GF? Are they extra cautious due to recent events there? We have been crazy enough to come in summer many times and have stayed in several different resorts without ever noticing this extent of closures.

Curious to see other opinions on this.

 

[Tuvalu]

It is resort wide and the policy has been that way for years. Agree that pool closures without visible signs of bad weather is frustrating, but Disney can't risk the liability ~ and wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?

 

[Kate Alan]

They did the right thing. Thunderstorms can travel quickly, so those storms starting miles away can easily catch up to where the pool is. I understand the frustration, but it's no different from any pool clubs I've been to - if there's even a possibility of thunder and lightning nearby, everybody needs to be out of the water. It's an annoyance, but far less so than a lightning strike would be while swimming.

 

[LadyBelle]

Especially in FL when storms can pop up without notice from the humidity. I go through that almost every day in the summer here in NC.

 

[epcotisbest]

So, just finishing up a week at GF villas. First stay here. May be our favorite DVC property in many regards. But one BIG negative... the weather related pool closures were absolutely ridiculous. Two CM told me they close if lightning within 2 miles. Sounds reasonable to me if that's true, but on more than one occasion this week, the pools (and entire pool deck) closed with it being sunny and closest storms being east of Orlando. I'm all for safety but this was WAY too conservative IMO. Guests were just shaking their heads at each other in disbelief. My sarcasm rubbed off on my 8 yo - when a CM asked her how her trip was, she replied "not good - the pool closed again because there was storm reported in Florida."

Wondering if this is a new resort-wide policy or if it is specific to GF? Are they extra cautious due to recent events there? We have been crazy enough to come in summer many times and have stayed in several different resorts without ever noticing this extent of closures.

Curious to see other opinions on this.

I don't think it is absolutely ridiculous at all. It is being safe. Lightning strikes are swift, dangerous and deadly and usually come without warning. Nothing wrong with being cautious. And we have experienced weather related pool closures at several Disney and non-Disney resorts in the area. Our reaction has always been one of gratitude, not sarcasm.

 

[Sonconato]

Lightning is a scary and unpredictable occurrence here in Florida and not something to take lightly. This is a snapshot from an article that the University of Florida wrote about Lightning Safety.

 

[Polydweller]

Sonconato has given very good information. The phrase "out of a clear blue sky" is true. People don't understand how far lightening can travel and do think a clear blue sky is absolutely safe when it's not. I was surprised when to learn it in my university meteorological courses but the physics of storms makes it very possible.

The other thing is that most people don't know that Disney has its own weather tracking office on site. They are monitoring the weather constantly including storms, storm movement direction and speed, lightening strikes, rain accumulation rates, wind etc. It's not ridiculous at all and have a little more understanding and faith that there is a lot more behind the closure decisions than you are aware of.

 

[Turtlekrawl]

Sonconato has given very good information. The phrase "out of a clear blue sky" is true. People don't understand how far lightening can travel and do think a clear blue sky is absolutely safe when it's not. I was surprised when to learn it in my university meteorological courses but the physics of storms makes it very possible.

The other thing is that most people don't know that Disney has its own weather tracking office on site. They are monitoring the weather constantly including storms, storm movement direction and speed, lightening strikes, rain accumulation rates, wind etc. It's not ridiculous at all and have a little more understanding and faith that there is a lot more behind the closure decisions than you are aware of.

I don't disagree with any of the responses. Florida storms are dangerous. Safety should always come first and I've never once had a problem with Disney's policy over the 35 years I've been visiting. And having my next door neighbor's house struck and severely damaged by lightning, I'm definitely more cautious around storms than most. But this week, at this resort, it was absolutely different and taken to a whole new level, and my question was - is this a fluke, a resort-specific policy, or a new ultra cautious resort-wide policy related to another recent freakishly rare occurrence? Sounds like probably the former. I hope so.

 

[Polydweller]

Probably caution and the other thing I saw in radar maps were very sizeable storms in the east coming west and they approached fairly close. They will always go for caution and safety and should. It wouldn't likely be resort specific but come from the weather office.

Just as a bit of example, I've sat on my balcony at the Polynesian and watched them clear the beaches and only see clouds to the east and north east. Looking at live lightening maps I'd see strikes within a five miles or so even though at the Poly nothing was happening, not even hearing thunder over the winds and ambient music. What's happening at your spot may not give any idea of the nearby danger.

 

[Sonconato]

I don't disagree with any of the responses. Florida storms are dangerous. Safety should always come first and I've never once had a problem with Disney's policy over the 35 years I've been visiting. And having my next door neighbor's house struck and severely damaged by lightning, I'm definitely more cautious around storms than most. But this week, at this resort, it was absolutely different and taken to a whole new level, and my question was - is this a fluke, a resort-specific policy, or a new ultra cautious resort-wide policy related to another recent freakishly rare occurrence? Sounds like probably the former. I hope so.

Being a local, this past week or so, I've seen a noticeable increase in lightning strikes than normal and that was even without the rains/storms. Perhaps that was what they had noticed as well.

 

[21stamps]

I don't disagree with any of the responses. Florida storms are dangerous. Safety should always come first and I've never once had a problem with Disney's policy over the 35 years I've been visiting. And having my next door neighbor's house struck and severely damaged by lightning, I'm definitely more cautious around storms than most. But this week, at this resort, it was absolutely different and taken to a whole new level, and my question was - is this a fluke, a resort-specific policy, or a new ultra cautious resort-wide policy related to another recent freakishly rare occurrence? Sounds like probably the former. I hope so.

It's the middle of hurricane season. There can be lightening and storms that you don't see. You could be swimming in the ocean on a sunny day, and within 5 minutes have pouring rain, lightening, and waterspouts popping up everywhere. Or you could be sitting on your balcony in the sun and suddenly see a wall of rain coming towards you.

They have to be cautious and put guest safety first. As a previous poster said- it's the same at most swim clubs.

 

[NonnaT]

So, just finishing up a week at GF villas. First stay here. May be our favorite DVC property in many regards. But one BIG negative... the weather related pool closures were absolutely ridiculous. Two CM told me they close if lightning within 2 miles. Sounds reasonable to me if that's true, but on more than one occasion this week, the pools (and entire pool deck) closed with it being sunny and closest storms being east of Orlando. I'm all for safety but this was WAY too conservative IMO. Guests were just shaking their heads at each other in disbelief. My sarcasm rubbed off on my 8 yo - when a CM asked her how her trip was, she replied "not good - the pool closed again because there was storm reported in Florida."

Wondering if this is a new resort-wide policy or if it is specific to GF? Are they extra cautious due to recent events there? We have been crazy enough to come in summer many times and have stayed in several different resorts without ever noticing this extent of closures.

Curious to see other opinions on this.

Far better to err on the side of caution, than someone get struck by lightning!

 

[LAKid53]

Lightning is a scary and unpredictable occurrence here in Florida and not something to take lightly. This is a snapshot from an article that the University of Florida wrote about Lightning Safety.
View attachment 152644

^^THIS

And I've lived in Florida for 50 years.

Same procedure in place for any outdoor event in Florida. Cannot tell you the number of times my college's football game was postponed because of lightening... one game that happened 3 times and after total delays of nearly two hours, we just gave up and drove home to finish watching the game on TV.

There's a reason Florida is considered the lightening capital of the world.....

 

[LAKid53]

Florida needs to change its motto from The Sunshine State to the It's Always Raining Somewhere State.

 

[21stamps]

Florida needs to change its motto from The Sunshine State to the It's Always Raining Somewhere State.

I'll still like the sunshine even if it means a mid day rain. What I can't stand is days and days and days of ongoing rain. I think it was maybe in 2009.. But I swear it rained every day, all day, for like 3 weeks straight in SoFla. Miserable.

The last time we were visiting Key West, we went to a park on a beautiful sunny day. $5 entry (could be wrong on that amount), $40 for beach chairs and umbrella, $5 for a float, $30 for snorkel gear, set up, got in the water. Within less than 10 minutes a water spout popped up, people reported seeing lightening, everyone's getting out of the water and hurriedly tried to pack up and make it to the car before the storm hit. That was extremely annoying.

I think there ended up being over 20 waterspouts reported in Florida that day.

 

[LAKid53]

I'll still like the sunshine even if it means a mid day rain. What I can't stand is days and days and days of ongoing rain. I think it was maybe in 2009.. But I swear it rained every day, all day, for like 3 weeks straight in SoFla. Miserable.

The last time we were visiting Key West, we went to a park on a beautiful sunny day. $5 entry (could be wrong on that amount), $40 for beach chairs and umbrella, $5 for a float, $30 for snorkel gear, set up, got in the water. Within less than 10 minutes a water spout popped up, people reported seeing lightening, everyone's getting out of the water and hurriedly tried to pack up and make it to the car before the storm hit. That was extremely annoying.

I think there ended up being over 20 waterspouts reported in Florida that day.

I live in North Florida. It has rained every day for the past week. And not that drizzle. The downpour, sky is black, getting flash flood warnings, please god no tornado warnings, don't let my cable go out since I'm stuck inside, alerts from weather channel about severe weather kind of rain. For most of the day. To go with temperatures in the upper 90s. Since early June. However, I'd rather be in Florida with all the rain, living in a semi tropical climate on the Gulf of Mexico than that part of the country where the Gulf is responsible for weather I fear more than hurricanes and earthquakes.... tornadoes.

 

[21stamps]

I live in North Florida. It has rained every day for the past week. And not that drizzle. The downpour, sky is black, getting flash flood warnings, please god no tornado warnings, don't let my cable go out since I'm stuck inside, alerts from weather channel about severe weather kind of rain. For most of the day. To go with temperatures in the upper 90s. Since early June. However, I'd rather be in Florida with all the rain, living in a semi tropical climate on the Gulf of Mexico than that part of the country where the Gulf is responsible for weather I fear more than hurricanes and earthquakes.... tornadoes.

Ugh that stinks!!!
I share your fear of tornados!!! We moved to the Midwest about 3 years ago. I am much more afraid of tornados than hurricanes. A hurricane I have warning, and even if the path does change (Wilma left me with a house full of house guests- with no water/electricity/ability to purchase more than $20 gas after waiting 4 hours at a gas station- when she decided to switch paths)
I can still be somewhat prepared even when that happens. Tornados though? They scare the heck out of me.

 

[LAKid53]

Ugh that stinks!!!
I share your fear of tornados!!! We moved to the Midwest about 3 years ago. I am much more afraid of tornados than hurricanes. A hurricane I have warning, and even if the path does change (Wilma left me with a house full of house guests- with no water/electricity/ability to purchase more than $20 gas after waiting 4 hours at a gas station- when she decided to switch paths)
I can still be somewhat prepared even when that happens. Tornados though? They scare the heck out of me.

The last hurricane to hit Florida...

I was without power for nearly a week after Kate hit in 1985...hit the Thursday before Thanksgiving and didn't get power back until the day before. And she was only a Category 1 when she made landfall in the Florida Panhandle. Rather late in the season for a storm, but I'd rather it had happened in November than August or September. Can you imagine a week without A/C in Florida in August? I would have moved into my office on campus.

With hurricanes, you get at least a 24 hour warning most of the time. But they spawn tornadoes. And at night. Why is it that all bad weather likes to hit at night?

 

[21stamps]

The last hurricane to hit Florida...

I was without power for nearly a week after Kate hit in 1985...hit the Thursday before Thanksgiving and didn't get power back until the day before. And she was only a Category 1 when she made landfall in the Florida Panhandle. Rather late in the season for a storm, but I'd rather it had happened in November than August or September. Can you imagine a week without A/C in Florida in August? I would have moved into my office on campus.

With hurricanes, you get at least a 24 hour warning most of the time. But they spawn tornadoes. And at night. Why is it that all bad weather likes to hit at night?

I can imagine. Wilma was late but one it was soooo hot!! I lived in a high rise (mid rise actually) on the top floor- 11 at that time. Our building had generators for the hallways, service elevators, billiards room, spa/shower room, and mail room.
The first few days we went down to the spa rooms to shower.lol. BUT- everyone was linking extension cord after cord after cord after more cords-- I can't even count how many cords!! They were charging phones, laptops, hot plates for coffee etc. So - within 72 hours our generators blew out.
Like I said, I lived on the top floor and now post generator had no elevator access. We were going down the stairs in a dark stairwell with flashlights, to the pool, filling up a bucket of water, and then back up. I had enough bottles of water to drink- wash up- brush our teeth- but not enough to flush the toilets...we needed the pool water for that.
I had 5 guests with candles all over the condo.
I literally had a crying breakdown one day while charging my phone in my car.
It. Was. Hell.

I do realize that some people had it a whole lot worse, so I'm grateful that our inconveniences were temporary.

#hurricanessuck .

2005 I think we had a few summer hurricanes. That year was just horrible. I'd still gladly take any of that over a tornado!!!!

 

[LAKid53]

I can imagine. Wilma was late but one it was soooo hot!! I lived in a high rise (mid rise actually) on the top floor- 11 at that time. Our building had generators for the hallways, service elevators, billiards room, spa/shower room, and mail room.
The first few days we went down to the spa rooms to shower.lol. BUT- everyone was linking extension cord after cord after cord after more cords-- I can't even count how many cords!! They were charging phones, laptops, hot plates for coffee etc. So - within 72 hours are generators blew out.
Like I said, I lived on the top floor and now post generator had no elevator access. We were going down the stairs in a dark stairwell with flashlights, to the pool, filling up a bucket of water, and then back up. I had enough bottles of water to drink- wash up- brush our teeth- but not enough to flush the toilets...we needed the pool water for that.
We had 5 guests with candles all over the condo.
I literally had a crying breakdown one day while charging my phone in my car.
It. Was. Hell.

I do realize that some people had it a whole lot worse, so I'm grateful that our inconveniences were temporary.

Gee, I think you had it waaay worse than me. I still had water (granted, not hot) and lived in a duplex, so no climbing down 11 stories of dark stairs. My brother's neighborhood got power back days before mine, so I had a place to take a hot shower and get a hot meal at night. And the Saturday after the storm hit, we had a neighborhood barbeque to cook all the food before it spoiled. It was fun. But the beer was warm, lol.

Even the 2004 and 2005 seasons didn't bother me as much as that storm in 1985. But then I don't live in Central/South Florida.....