Hurricane Irma

[JohnD]

My thoughts exactly. If one of projected path being shown is correct, that eye will come waaay to close to us.

Just got this text from the City:

Talgov: Recent update from the National Weather Service indicates Tallahassee is in the direct path of Hurricane Irma. Tropical storm force winds should start affecting our area tonight after 9 PM with hurricane force winds arriving near 10 AM Monday morning. The highest wind speeds from Hurricane Irma should last until 2 PM when top sustained winds could exceed 95 MPH. Finalize preparations and stay informed.

Maybe we should have done what AquaDuck did...get out of town!

Too late now!

 

[JohnD]

Mandatory Orange County curfew, which includes most of WDW to begin at 7pm tonight.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/sever...ater-today-for-the-walt-disney-world-area.htm

 

[LAKid53]

Too late now!

True

 

[andysol]

In the end, we can't control the weather. It's peak hurricane season, so if you don't understand the risks of booking a vacation during this time of year, then that's no one's fault but your own.

Exactly. Can I use this moment as a massive PSA? If anyone is only rocking the Disney credit card, or a person who has a strict "no credit card" policy- make sure you have a credit card that offers A) Trip insurance, and just as important- B) Trip Delay Insurance. Most cards that offer those come with a plethora of other travel insurances in addition (lost luggage, etc).
I believe they all have a fee- most around $95- but it is well worth it-here is a list: https://thepointsguy.com/2016/10/cards-with-trip-delay-reimbursement/

My Chase Sapphire Reserve card is covering my family of four for up to $2k. The claim was easy to make and they've been easy to work with thus far. Because of my cancelled night at the Royal Pacific over at Universal, I'll actually end up making a few hundred bucks to be delayed. I'd obviously rather be home- but to be paying this hotel and food out of pocket would have been salt in the wound. For Perspective, it's a drop in the bucket compared to the locals here who are in my thoughts- but to others who find themselves in a situation similar- your expenses can be avoided with the right card.

 

[donsullivan]

My question is if there is wide spread power outages in Orlando and Duke supplies some power to WDW does WDW have the capacity to power the resorts and theme parks on their own (sounds like maybe not). If not does that mean the parks may not reopen on Tuesday

They do not have enough capacity to power the entire property from their energy plant. The last report I saw indicated they only generate 25% of the total power needed from the RCID plant north of the Magic Kingdom. Also keep in mind that while most of the power distribution system is underground, there are still a number of power substations around the property with transformers and the like that are above ground and subject to damage by the storm.

 

[LAKid53]

Subject line in email from online Disney Store - Here today, Gone Tomorrow

That can be said about part of Florida (yes, I know not really)

Pictures of Marathon are stunning. We used to go fishing down there.

 

[LAKid53]

Exactly. Can I use this moment as a massive PSA? If anyone is only rocking the Disney credit card, or a person who has a strict "no credit card" policy- make sure you have a credit card that offers A) Trip insurance, and just as important- B) Trip Delay Insurance. Most cards that offer those come with a plethora of other travel insurances in addition (lost luggage, etc).
I believe they all have a fee- most around $95- but it is well worth it-here is a list: https://thepointsguy.com/2016/10/cards-with-trip-delay-reimbursement/

My Chase Sapphire Reserve card is covering my family of four for up to $2k. The claim was easy to make and they've been easy to work with thus far. Because of my cancelled night at the Royal Pacific over at Universal, I'll actually end up making a few hundred bucks to be delayed. I'd obviously rather be home- but to be paying this hotel and food out of pocket would have been salt in the wound. For Perspective, it's a drop in the bucket compared to the locals here who are in my thoughts- but to others who find themselves in a situation similar- your expenses can be avoided with the right card.



Additionally, nearly every one of Disney's power lines are all underground- so the chances of them losing power is extremely slim. Compound that with the fact they need even less energy to power the resorts while the parks are closed.

Nice to know. I do have the Disney Visa.

Love the Royal Pacific. Stayed there over Labor Day.

 

[cosmicgirl]

What's the role of that Mickey-shaped power line tower thing along I-4 in the power grid?

 

[fiftiesdean]

They do not have enough capacity to power the entire property from their energy plant. The last report I saw indicated they only generate 25% of the total power needed from the RCID plant north of the Magic Kingdom. Also keep in mind that while most of the power distribution system is underground, there are still a number of power substations around the property with transformers and the like that are above ground and subject to damage by the storm.

Yeah, but 25% with the entire operation running. Take away the four parks and you’d have enough power for the resorts, at least in a limited fashion. Plus, the resorts have natural gas generators.

 

[John park hopper]

They do not have enough capacity to power the entire property from their energy plant. The last report I saw indicated they only generate 25% of the total power needed from the RCID plant north of the Magic Kingdom. Also keep in mind that while most of the power distribution system is underground, there are still a number of power substations around the property with transformers and the like that are above ground and subject to damage by the storm.

So, even though WDW says the parks will reopen Tuesday there is a possibility they won't beable too if Duke has massive power outages in Orlando (else where) they have to deal with and can't supply WDW for several days. Anyway, hope that doesn't happen for people on property now

 

[donsullivan]

What's the role of that Mickey-shaped power line tower thing along I-4 in the power grid?

That is part of the high voltage power system that routes power from the external grid to the RCID property.

 

[danlb_2000]

My question is if there is wide spread power outages in Orlando and Duke supplies some power to WDW does WDW have the capacity to power the resorts and theme parks on their own (sounds like maybe not). If not does that mean the parks may not reopen on Tuesday

Disney is going to be connected to the grid by high voltage power lines which should be less likely to be damaged and if they are, they are going to be the first to be fixed.

 

[donsullivan]

So, even though WDW says the parks will reopen Tuesday there is a possibility they won't beable too if Duke has massive power outages in Orlando they have to deal with and can't supply WDW for several days. Anyway, hope that doesn't happen for people on property now

That would be impossible to project at this time. The normal pattern to recover the power grid is to prioritize emergency and medical facilities and then they go on to what they call 'large neighborhoods' and then work their way through the grid. What that means is that after emergency facilities they prioritize areas where the repair can restore the largest number of people the quickest and then keep working their way down to the repairs that might recover one home. It would seem the WDW property would classify as a 'large neighborhood' in that context.

While I'm sure most of them are in south Florida, there are already over 500,000 people in Florida without power.

 

[andysol]

So, even though WDW says the parks will reopen Tuesday there is a possibility they won't beable too if Duke has massive power outages in Orlando (else where) they have to deal with and can't supply WDW for several days. Anyway, hope that doesn't happen for people on property now

If I don't get to go to the parks on Tuesday because someone else needed to power their home, then it's more than fine by me.
Anyone who feels differently is a self-absorbed A-hole, and I'd gladly tell them that here at the resort since the CMs can't.

 

[fiftiesdean]

If I don't get to go to the parks on Tuesday because someone else needed to power their home, then it's more than fine by me.
Anyone who feels differently is a self-absorbed A-hole, and I'd gladly tell them that here at the resort since the CMs can't.

Same here. Fortunately, my experiences so far have been great. A lot of people are thanking CMs for being here. This may change tomorrow, though.

 

[Nia]

Any live cams?

 

[JohnD]

Subject line in email from online Disney Store - Here today, Gone Tomorrow

That can be said about part of Florida (yes, I know not really)

Pictures of Marathon are stunning. We used to go fishing down there.

Just got it. Wow.

 

[LAKid53]

Same here. Fortunately, my experiences so far have been great. A lot of people are thanking CMs for being here. This may change tomorrow, though.

Would they rather Disney close everything, including the resorts? I wonder how many are there, not because they are on vacation and decided to remain, but because that's where they found a hotel to evacuate to. Can you imagine pulling all those rooms from that use? Maybe Disney should just have sent ALL staff home and left guests to figure it out...on their own.

It's not like the CMs are responsible for Irma. That would be the Mag Lab in Tallahassee - they control the weather (inside Tally joke).

I'm so tired of hearing that people are ticked because their vacation was ruined. I'm sure if Disney had the power people think they do, they'd have gotten rid of Irma by now...

Some people will never be satisfied.

*shakes head*

 

[John park hopper]

Same here. Fortunately, my experiences so far have been great. A lot of people are thanking CMs for being here. This may change tomorrow, though.

I take it you are there now, can you give us updates as the storm passes it would be great

 

[LieutLaww]

Any live cams?

Most of the Live cams that were up are now down due to power outages etc, youtube has plenty of streams with The Weather Channel, CNN, ABC Action News etc all streaming updates with cams and reporters etc.