Hurricane Ian expected to impact Florida (updates and related discussions)

[donsullivan]

The state is predicting hurricane/TS effects in Central Florida through Friday. If WDW reopens on Saturday, I'll be surprised. Expect lots of flooding in the area.

Yeah, the latest updates seem to indicate it will be around longer than originally anticipated. All the park operators will have to look at where we are tomorrow and make a decision on opening or opening late on Friday. In the past, Disney has tried to focus on getting one or two parks open so they can concentrate resources on clean-up there. Then with the first park(s) open they can move their attention to the others. The intense landscaping at Animal Kingdom takes a beating in storms like this, especially given how saturated the soil already is so it's usually the last one to reopen.

They'll also have issues getting cast members in who are without power and dealing with damage, and other storm-related issues making to challenging for them to get to work as normal. Nobody should expect or demand business as unusual in the days immediately following this storm.

 

[lisa12000]

@lisa12000 any chance we can get an update? Worried about your fam.

Hi no updates right now, theyre trying to sort it out this morning. They have no replacement flights either atm and could end up being stranded till monday virgin haven't been very communicative at all really. I will update as soon as I know - thank you for your thoughts

 

[Touchdown]

And as the sun comes up, expect the storms to worsen due to solar power. About the only good news in all of this is low tide is 12:30pm today so the storm will make landfall around low tide.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Hi no updates right now, theyre trying to sort it out this morning. They have no replacement flights either atm and could end up being stranded till monday virgin haven't been very communicative at all really. I will update as soon as I know - thank you for your thoughts

Worst case scenario, they can camp out in the lobby I guess. I wouldn’t be leaving until they found me someplace to go. What a mess. I’m so sorry.

 

[Slpy3270]

If the parks haven't drained their lagoons by now they're asking to be submerged like SFNO.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The state is predicting hurricane/TS effects in Central Florida through Friday. If WDW reopens on Saturday, I'll be surprised. Expect lots of flooding in the area.

Saturday looks unlikely as it stands now

 

[donsullivan]

 

[EeyoreFan#24]

I hope people listen to there local officials and evacuate if they are instructed to do so. Variety of reasons:

1. Your and your households safety
2. Resources are limited, it’s not just you and some people physically can’t leave.
3. “I can handle it” have gotten a lot of people into trouble over the years.

Just think how someone would feel if someone had the ability to leave, but didn’t just “because” and then has some major injury, has trouble getting help themselves, and then ties up already strained resources that could help someone else. Then fighting for gas, food, etc. that are limited afterwards. I have strong feelings about this, seen the selfishness and the outcome way too many times. But, hey don’t tell me what to do right?

 

[DryerLintFan]

This is what it looks like right now on the ground in PG

 

[Ayla]

The buses also probably aren't running right now.

I think all transportation stopped at close last night but I'm not sure.

 

[Communicora]

For ticket extension do you think this will be all types of multi-day tickets? My son and wife are out there now and they have the 14 day ultimates which are for UK guests but these only have a 14 day expiry. It looks like they are going to be delayed getting home at least 3 days (should have been Thursday)but wondered if the tickets would be extended so that they can at least go to the parks (the 14 days would be up Thursday). I wasn't sure whether the extension only applied to the US tickets?

Sorry I know thats a bit waffly im a bit stressed as they've been told by wilderness lodge that they cannot stop there past Thursday as there is no room - not sure how they are meant to change hotels at the height of the hurricane!

It might be too late, but I saw this in the news yesterday.

Rosen Hotels offers Hurricane Ian ‘distress’ rates for people evacuating

People looking to evacuate because of Hurricane Ian’s potential effects on Florida could be coming to Orlando.

www.clickorlando.com

 

[donsullivan]

 

[EricsBiscuit]

View attachment 669763

This is no joke. I have had an alligator knock on my front door before!

 

[fotofx]

This photo reminds me that one of the rare hurricane procedures involves moving two monorails into the Contemporary hotel. If anyone on site gets photos or video it is quite the sight to see.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Storms & Hurricanes Live Webcams

Webcam views as storm approaches

data.dailycommercial.com

Here’sa really cool site where you can pick a web cam up and down the coast

 

[erstwo]

For ticket extension do you think this will be all types of multi-day tickets? My son and wife are out there now and they have the 14 day ultimates which are for UK guests but these only have a 14 day expiry. It looks like they are going to be delayed getting home at least 3 days (should have been Thursday)but wondered if the tickets would be extended so that they can at least go to the parks (the 14 days would be up Thursday). I wasn't sure whether the extension only applied to the US tickets?

Sorry I know thats a bit waffly im a bit stressed as they've been told by wilderness lodge that they cannot stop there past Thursday as there is no room - not sure how they are meant to change hotels at the height of the hurricane!

I agree with @Vacationeer - no one is checking in today (or probably tomorrow) - so rooms that the CM’s saw as ‘booked’ yesterday will be empty tomorrow night.
I feel certain they will have room for your family at their current hotel until the storm has passed.
I can tell you that in the months leading up to this week/ next week WDW was booked solid. Now lots of people have canceled or delayed their trips until the storm has passed. Even if only 5-10% of people canceled or delayed, that frees up some space at each resort as they hours go by.
Keep us posted on how it goes for them!

 

[Disorbust]

Do we have a prediction yet on the amount of rain for Orlando?

 

[Ayla]

Do we have a prediction yet on the amount of rain for Orlando?

11-15 inches is the latest I've seen.

 

[danlb_2000]

How much water was the WDW property designed to deal with? Like…is there space for upwards of 20 inches of water to collect or will some amount just have to evaporate away?

Small silver lining is that the property should be spared from intense wind. But that’s a lot of water.

There some interesting information about this from the South Florida Water Managment Distruict.

https://www.sfwmd.gov/sites/default/files/documents/swerp_applicants_handbook_vol_ii.pdf

https://cdxapps.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-II/public/action/eis/details;jsessionid=000916F13561EFD38F6AA6356BB62CDD?downloadAttachment=&attachmentId=288735

If I am reading this right it looks like they generally design to handle a 3 day storm dropping 13 inches of rain which is expected about once every 25 years.

 

[Touchdown]

This was a prelude yesterday to no check ins allowed and also a sign Disney does not expect the parks to reopen until Sunday. Looks like Epcot 40 won’t happen, and that management is being told bad things. Don’t expect official announcements about park closure extensions until after the 3pm curfew, they don’t want people leaving this close to the storm it’s not safe.