Len Testa - “Disney positions itself as the all-American vacation. The irony is that most Americans can’t afford it.”

[Miss Bella]

Happens once or twice a year in the Atlantic basin on average …

Should we start dumping ice in the water to eliminate these things?

It generally happens more than that. I don't think anyone is saying not to vacation in the Florida or the Caribbean during hurricane season only to be aware of possible interruptions to vacation plans. Cruise lines are all altering their itineraries this week. Why would anyone fly into a city that about to hit by a hurricane. You are just adding to the problem.

 

[Miss Bella]

You’re entire rant on this is a bit insane…

levity is the response.

“I’m in Florida…im
Smart cause I can drive away…cause my work would kill me…”

Need to have that script tweaked…me thinks

The whole diatribe has been irrational

What are your hurricane stories? Have you been stuck somewhere due to weather?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

What are your hurricane stories? Have you been stuck somewhere due to weather?

In my time in Florida? It was relatively quiet…had a few close calls where I would have potentially had to ride them out…but the turn was favorable…

Did have two through in 2011 and 2012…in New Jersey…that was fun…did some emergency response as a engineering consultant to state/federal agencies…saw some barrier islands with the dunes pushed so far up that I stood ON TOP of houses beneath them. That was cool.

We rode out hurricane Bob when we happened to be at my grandparents place in 1985…but that wasn’t huge. Didn’t have 24/7 storm tracking and Twitter to let us know back then

This entire premise of “don’t go near an island in October” is nuts…

It’s amateur hour.

Statistically you can’t “guess”
Where and when a hurricane will be…they aren’t that predictable…and the whole idea that sitting on I-75 to retreat to…wherever…is antiquated too…we see the extreme weather - totally man influenced - showing up bigger, faster and further inland than Ever. Don’t cook the oceans…is the lesson.

 

[Aries1975]

The peak date…for all Those fancy Weather people and like…NASA and stuff…is September 10th…

They happen before and after…7 months a year give or take…actually

For instance…one went right over my house on October 29th once

So by your logic should I hide in Florida that day from now on?

I was actually looking at the spot where the picture attached was taken 2 days later for work

Where you living in fear at again?

Yeah…you know what Forrest Gump said about it: it happens

Good news is it’s not expected to hit wisconnnsin

If your point is people build in stupid places, I agree. If your point is that the severity of storms is increasingly unpredictable, I agree. If your point is sometimes life sucks, I agree. But I had two cruises rerouted due to hurricanes, one in August and one in September - different years, so my next cruise will be in January to avoid the cold and actually go where I want to go.

Also, I happen to know where that photo was taken (not sure why it did not copy with the quote). But most may not know where that is or that there was almost a foot of snow on the ground about a week after. And my home, a good 30 miles inland and substantially above sea level, being without power for 12 days between those two storms does not bolster your argument for visiting places with a lower elevation and possibly less resilient stormwater infrastructure at a time of increased probability for severe weather.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If your point is people build in stupid places, I agree. If your point is that the severity of storms is increasingly unpredictable, I agree. If your point is sometimes life sucks, I agree. But I had two cruises rerouted due to hurricanes, one in August and one in September - different years, so my next cruise will be in January to avoid the cold and actually go where I want to go.

That totally makes sense…

Would you say: “never go anywhere in October…it’s crazy!!”

No…you wouldn’t…because that’s not a reasonable way to address anyone. You would give warning with your experience.

Also, I happen to know where that photo was taken (not sure why it did not copy with the quote). But most may not know where that is or that there was almost a foot of snow on the ground about a week after. And my home, a good 30 miles inland and substantially above sea level, being without power for 12 days between those two storms does not bolster your argument for visiting places with a lower elevation and possibly less resilient stormwater infrastructure at a time of increased probability for severe weather.

No one should ever build in a flood plain…but we like to have water behind us when we have our bbq and play jimmy buffet, don’t we?

And I gots some stories and they’re not just in mantoloking

Got to see the submerged roller coaster before almost anyone…

The dunes I mentioned were above roofs in a prior post were near island beach state park…

Was on LBI when the gas was knocked out to it and the water from the Atlantic touched the bay in 3 spots (a tad of a cleanup for the Pearl clutches there)

Some casino floors you couid kayak through also

In fact…my girl Sandy gave me a lot of interesting things to see. It was at least a year later when I was in a Hoboken municipal building on the backside of the hill that had the meadowlands runoff in the Bayonne bay flood it…3/4 of a mile above sea level. You glow if you touch that

And the con Ed tunnels below midtown…they’re always a peach when the water comes in from the shaky seawalls that are half as high/thick as they need to be…

But ya know…”prime real estate”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Oh and the real disaster was the day after that hurricane hit -
October 30, 2012 - was the day Bob bought out George Lucas…

And even fema can’t rebuild from
That disaster

 

[Aries1975]

No one should ever build in a flood plain…but we like to have water behind us when we have our bbq and play jimmy buffet, don’t we?

And I gots some stories and they’re not just in mantoloking

Don’t need 10,000 SF of impervious coverage to enjoy the beach. Besides, they do not let riff-raff like me onto their beach.

Was on LBI when the gas was knocked out to it and the water from the Atlantic touched the bay in 3 spots (a tad of a cleanup for the Pearl clutches there)

Cleanup is necessary. It is better to shut it off and quickly fix the problem. Otherwise, the idiots in charge have time to over-regulate a “solution”.

Some casino floors you couid kayak through also

In fact…my girl Sandy gave me a lot of interesting things to see. It was at least a year later when I was in a Hoboken municipal building on the backside of the hill that had the meadowlands runoff in the Bayonne bay flood it…3/4 of a mile above sea level. You glow if you touch that

And the con Ed tunnels below midtown…they’re always a peach when the water comes in from the shaky seawalls that are half as high/thick as they need to be…

But ya know…”prime real estate”

I have worked long enough to choose my field days and stay dry. I have a fun project in that neck of the woods restoring a “historic” wall. As my husband works in Manhattan, there is only one tunnel I care about and cannot discuss frustration with the lack of progress further here.

Oh and the real disaster was the day after that hurricane hit -
October 30, 2012 - was the day Bob bought out George Lucas…

And even fema can’t rebuild from
That disaster

Like I said, no power for 12 days, so I missed that news. Also, would not expect much from FEMA right now for reasons inappropriate to discuss further in this forum. But if you were not aware, if you are increasing the impervious coverage enough to do the hydraulic calcs be prepared to redraw the FIRM map for them.

 

[KDM31091]

A Disney vacation is an American vacation at an American amusement venue with quite a history of entertainment. That said, a Disney vacation stopped being in the "affordable" category some time ago. Some people have the disposable income to where cost is not an issue, some need to be creative with their financing such a trip and yet some others (simply put) at the current pricing model cannot afford it. Sadly the "simply cannot afford it at the current pricing model" group is growing while the others are steadily shrinking.

I am convinced a non trivial portion of diehard Disney fans are maxing out credit cards because they cannot imagine not going, yet cannot afford it at the current prices.

As far as hurricanes they have always existed and always had a chance of impacting WDW so not sure how that has any bearing on the pricing situation

 

[Miss Bella]

I am convinced a non trivial portion of diehard Disney fans are maxing out credit cards because they cannot imagine not going, yet cannot afford it at the current prices.

As far as hurricanes they have always existed and always had a chance of impacting WDW so not sure how that has any bearing on the pricing situation

Peak Hurricane season Aug-Sep has been the least expensive time to go and probably will continue to be that way. The biggest disadvantage is the weather related ride closures. Lower prices, but not always a great trip.

Since most of the wealth belongs to the older generation it may not be the diehards maxing out the cards for a trip.

I cannot afford the type trips we took 10 years ago. I'm not sure I would spend the money on it if I could.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have worked long enough to choose my field days and stay dry.

If you wait until it’s dry after a storm…it’s boring. The whole fun of it was seeing it in the worst shape.

As my husband works in Manhattan, there is only one tunnel I care about and cannot discuss frustration with the lack of progress further here.

Come on now…there are several tunnels and a collection of bad bridges

What’s one more gonna get you?

 

[HauntedPirate]

I always thought August and September were cheaper because that’s when schools of all shapes and sizes went back into session across the country.

FWIW - Rode out Ian at SSR in 2022, with the bonus of having our vacation extended by roughly 4 days.

 

[Aries1975]

If you wait until it’s dry after a storm…it’s boring. The whole fun of it was seeing it in the worst shape.

Come on now…there are several tunnels and a collection of bad bridges

What’s one more gonna get you?

A one seat ride which equates to 45-60 minutes of time back most days - much more on bad days. But way off topic.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

A one seat ride which equates to 45-60 minutes of time back most days - much more on bad days. But way off topic.

The PATH really does suck, doesn’t it?

 

[Miss Bella]

I always thought August and September were cheaper because that’s when schools of all shapes and sizes went back into session across the country.

FWIW - Rode out Ian at SSR in 2022, with the bonus of having our vacation extended by roughly 4 days.

I'm sure that has something to do with it, but kids are in school most months. Im sure it also has a lot to with the insufferable heat.

 

[SamusAranX]

What a dumb thing to jump on people on. So should vacationers avoid going skiing in the Rockies from December to March? After all, they risk getting snowed in from a blizzard and that’s prime time for blizzards

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I always thought August and September were cheaper because that’s when schools of all shapes and sizes went back into session across the country.

FWIW - Rode out Ian at SSR in 2022, with the bonus of having our vacation extended by roughly 4 days.

August was cheaper because the weather was more oppressive…at least for the last 20-30 years

But it was predominantly what you said: the school calendar kicked in and even parents with later starts didn’t love going close in.

It was also a more busy time when people didn’t go on vacation every week of the year with their kids…that still doesn’t make much sense…

But Disney doesn’t have to worry now as all the clientele are in the 25-35 range without kids and witn coordinated princess/pixie costumes for each day

 

[HoustonHorn]

But Disney doesn’t have to worry now as all the clientele are in the 25-35 range without kids and witn coordinated princess/pixie costumes for each day

Saw a commercial during college football this last weekend targeting that exact demo - not a single kid to be seen. Had not seen that before.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Saw a commercial during college football this last weekend targeting that exact demo - not a single kid to be seen. Had not seen that before.

Saw the same one…
And they are staring to do dcl ones leaning that way too

What are we doing?

 

[Jrb1979]

Saw the same one…
And they are staring to do dcl ones leaning that way too

What are we doing?

Definitely not going after that family from Denver that goes once every 5: years.

They are going after those people who have no kids and have high disposable incomes. It's been said a few times a lot families don't have the same disposable income they once had.
In Bob's mind why go after then when you can go after the childless people.

 

[Miss Bella]

Definitely not going after that family from Denver that goes once every 5: years.

They are going after those people who have no kids and have high disposable incomes. It's been said a few times a lot families don't have the same disposable income they once had.
In Bob's mind why go after then when you can go after the childless people.

Who are those people? It's pretty rough for that age group. They are not even buying houses.