Hurricane Irma

[peter11435]

First things first.. prevent/minimize the loss of life... deal with everything else later.

Absolutely. Which is why I said nobody should be going now. Once the storm has passed, the situation and return when it is reasonable to do so.

 

[mousehockey37]

I'd prefer to see people just wait until next week and then make a decision and not come this weekend. Obviously that's not my decision to make.

Out of state tourism isn't going to be a factor in hotels being full or not in whatever area that this thing hits. It's not going to improve anyone's lives during that time.
So anyone who thinks that they are being generous to the Florida economy by visiting a hurricane zone, you aren't, at all.

Aren't you in Ohio? Don't think Irma's making landfall there...

 

[worldfanatic]

If there are fewer hotels available due to loss and those available will be housing people who will be involved in the recovery, they will have no place to stay. But those carpenters and such will be providing revenue to pay hospitality employees. You seem to forget they will need a place to sleep, something to eat and gas for their vehicles.

There's enough hotel rooms in the Orlando area to house every singer contractor in the United States of America. There will be no shortage of rooms once the storm refugees start heading home.

 

[LAKid53]

Which is why you need to wait and see the extent of the storm damage. I'm not saying people should definetely come, I'm saying they should wait and see before they start canceling. People need people to return as soon as it can reasonably be accomodated. There is no way to know when that will be until after the storm.

The most important people after the storm will be those who come to help the state recover. THEY will be renting rooms, buying groceries, eating at McD's, buying gas, tools, construction supplies, etc., some things that tourists don't. And they will be paying the same 6% (or higher) state sales tax, gas tax, bed tax a tourist will. But on much larger purchases.

As I said, I did state budgeting for years, so I'm familiar with all the sources of state revenue - GR and trust funds. I was responsible for tracking both revenues, expenditures, and appropriations for two of the largest non-GR trust funds in the state. The annual appropriation bill was my bible.

 

[21stamps]

Aren't you in Ohio? Don't think Irma's making landfall there...

I am. Did I say I was hitting here?

 

[Minnie1986]

Please see below:

I'm pretty the person was only trying to break the tension, not distract from the main topic...

 

[lazyboy97o]

I bet Disney financial people are counting how many hundreds of thousands of dollars the are loosing

Yes, but they also are legally required to do such accounting.

At this point I honestly really want to get out of Orlando. But j have my first day of training on Tuesday and I'm worried about getting back.

You’re probably not going to have training Tuesday. If you do and your absence will not be excused, then that is probably an awful employer.

 

[mousehockey37]

I am. Did I say I was hitting here?

You're definitely making it sound like you still live there.

 

[21stamps]

There's enough hotel rooms in the Orlando area to house every singer contractor in the United States of America. There will be no shortage of rooms once the storm refugees start heading home.

So why can't people who are evacuating from the South find rooms now?

 

[peter11435]

Please keep in mind that, while I understand this forum is focused on Walt Disney World, this storm is going to impact many millions of people across Florida and beyond who have nothing to do with WDW. MOST of us in the local area do not work at WDW. Those of us who have to live through this and deal with it's impact in the days, weeks and months after the storm leaves us are extremely concerned about what it's going to do to our homes and families, not our vacations to WDW. I just ask that all those who have never directly experienced a hurricane like this try and keep that in mind. This storm is not just about how it impacts somebody's vacation to WDW. I just ask that people try and keep the broader perspective in mind here.

I understand that. I too live in the local area and do not work at WDW, but I know many people who do.

Again. I'm not saying anyone should be coming here for vacations in the next several weeks. I'm saying people should wait until after the storm before they make decisions about anything beyond the next week or so.

 

[Lets Respect]

You probably couldn't have purchased a flight home. That's the problem.

True. Just a hypothetical. I was just reacting to the post which I quoted way up. My point was resort guests need to take responsibility for themselves too

 

[worldfanatic]

So why can't people who are evacuating from the South find rooms now?

Because they're storm refugees.
Once they've begin to head home, there will be plenty of rooms for all the contractors & clean up crew.
If millions of people have no homes to go home to, that's a whole nother story.

 

[21stamps]

You're definitely making it sound like you still live there.

Not quite. I just find it a little shocking that maybe nobody paid attention to the news 12 years ago, or with Texas, and have absolutely no idea what people go through after a natural disaster and how much help is needed.

 

[Lets Respect]

That's what I didn't get during Matthew last year with people griping about the boxed meals. They had days of warning, and therefore, days to cancel and get out of town (the sensible choice) or days to stock up. Even without leaving property, guests could have stocked up on fruit and non-perishables at the parks and resorts. Living off of bananas, granola bars, dry cereals, Mickey-branded nuts, and baked goods for 24-72 hours isn't really tough.

Thank you, this is exactly what I was trying to say.

 

[LAKid53]

There's enough hotel rooms in the Orlando area to house every singer contractor in the United States of America. There will be no shortage of rooms once the storm refugees start heading home.

And you are assuming that none of those rooms will be damaged by the storm. I realize that probably 50% of the 110 million people who visited Florida last year ended up in the Orlando metro area...so where were the other 50 million? I'm talking state wide. To assume that all of the hotel rooms in the state will not be damaged is ludicrous. We're talking major damage state wide - that's what this storm is capable of.

 

[21stamps]

Because they're storm refugees.
Once they've begin to head home, there will be plenty of rooms for all the contractors & clean up crew.
If millions of people have no homes to go home to, that's a whole nother story.

OK I'm going to try to explain this to you. In 2005 there were millions of people without power for close to a month. There were thousands and thousands of people without a roof or windows, or with a flooded home. Where do you think these people went?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Can someone bump the graphic of the latest storm track. It's buried already.

There is a forum dedicated to National HUrricane Center updates.
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/forums/nhc-updates.125/

 

[psherman42]

Yes, but they also are legally required to do such accounting.


You’re probably not going to have training Tuesday. If you do and your absence will not be excused, then that is probably an awful employer.

lol it's universal.

 

[ford91exploder]

It is not just a matter of costs. You have tens of thousands of guests on property. The parks not only provide entertainment, but food, amenities, and space for all those people to go. If you close the parks too early, you can have thousands of guests overwhelm the resorts and run out of food before the storm even hits. You also have a high percentage of children who you want to keep entertained and happy as long as possible. Sitting in a hotel room 'waiting for the inevitable' would only increase their anxiety.

Easy - TDO gives the order that WDW is closed as of 5pm Saturday just like MCO and have in place a policy to handle those who cannot arrange transit and the vast majority of the WDW CM's can use that time to prepare for the storm.

Now you only have a couple of hotels open with stranded guests. and those hotels can be staffed with volunteers additionally they can be the most storm resistant hotels as well. you will also need volunteers for 'cold iron watch'. But now we only have a tiny fraction of CM's onsite and supporting them is a much easier task.

Not doing this says yes indeed it's all about the Benjamins.

With current track of storm it looks like MCO is going to be hit with 90 MPH winds and a crapload of rain so NOT closing WDW could be a very bad decision.

 

[mousehockey37]

Not quite. I just find it a little shocking that maybe nobody paid attention to the news 12 years ago, or with Texas, and have absolutely no idea what people go through after a natural disaster and how much help is needed.

We know. We all know.

Remember, this is also a storm that is basically seeing the evacuation of most places South of the Tampa/Orlando area and that could push more to the North. I don't think this has ever happened before. It's going to get uglier before it gets better.

I'm sure Disney will save a Cabana for you though... the important things, right?