Hurricane Matthew

[Donillary Crumpton]

On a side note, here is a pretty interesting article about some more unsung heroes trying to keep people safe....by flying into Hurricane Matthew to gather data which helps create advanced warnings & other storm prep. A lot of effort and risk goes into these warnings & calls for evacuations.
http://www.businessinsider.com/matthew-hurricane-hunters-2016-10

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Latest model shows Jacksonville getting the worst of it now as of 5pm est.

 

[Stevek]

Aren't these Disney resort guests AKA tourists? I think they deserve a few more feet of slack than what you're currently affording them. Not sure what else you'd have them do when they're already away from their homes.

And my guess is that if people think the parks will be open again on Saturday, they also think they really don't need much more than they can pick up at the resort gift shop/convenience store.

 

[21stamps]

There's a difference between creating "needless panic" and distributing information that sounds like it was sanitized by state media.

If it turns out to be a catastrophic storm (especially if it turns west at all), there will be a lot of Monday-morning quarterbacking. Not sure what the plan should have been, but it feels like WDW and UOR might have handled it more effectively.

Oh here we go. Let's start assigning blame. This time we're assigning it before anything bad even happens. That's a new low.

If you honestly believe that any adult at WDW was not aware that a hurricane was coming...well, I'm at a loss for words on how to even respond to that.

 

[AEfx]

There's a difference between creating "needless panic" and distributing information that sounds like it was sanitized by state media.

If it turns out to be a catastrophic storm (especially if it turns west at all), there will be a lot of Monday-morning quarterbacking. Not sure what the plan should have been, but it feels like WDW and UOR might have handled it more effectively.

That's just it - there is nothing anyone already at WDW could do - evacuation of an entire resort is just not an option. They are already at probably the safest spot in the entire state. They can't all drive away. They can't all fly away. So getting people all crazed and scared really would do nothing positive. Especially since there is every chance that by Saturday morning the resort is back to BAU with some overnight cleanup.

 

[21stamps]

Nope, Panama City.

I have been there!!!! Once, in 1995.lol

 

[MOXOMUMD]

DDs cruise just got cancelled.
They've been offered a full refund or 150% credit on a future cruise. They're taking the refund.
They're gonna' ride out the storm at their friends house and then try to make it to MK on Sun. or Mon.
So, hopefully not almost a total wasted trip.
Heck, I'd just be happy to have been in Epcot for the one day...!

Bummer, what cruise line were they booked with?

 

[LAKid53]

I have been there!!!! Once, in 1995.lol

It's a lot different now...less college spring break and more grown up.

 

[21stamps]

It's a lot different now...less college spring break and more grown up.

I was a senior in high school then... I didn't know that anyone in the area was over the age of 21

I was kinda tipsy most of that trip, but I do remember pretty beaches.

 

[mousehockey37]

Not confirmed, but I've come across info that the Disney Transportation is shutting down at 6.

Can anyone confirm?

 

[TalkingHead]

Oh here we go. Let's start assigning blame. This time we're assigning it before anything bad even happens. That's a new low.

If you honestly believe that any adult at WDW was not aware that a hurricane was coming...well, I'm at a loss for words of how to even respond to that.

A new low? Big eyeroll.

You also must be shocked to learn that guests ask when the 3:00 parade is, whether the rain dripping from the awnings is real, and where they can find Harry Potter at Epcot.

Guests on vacation turn off their brains. Most people do. They're more concerned with FPs and ADRs. Not Category 4 storms. A lot of the national media hasn't even played up the storm over the last couple of days because of the election cycle.

So unless they've been following local news (Terrible Tom, et al.), there's a chance they didn't get the message. Bottom line: The hotels did as little as possible to announce the seriousness of the storm.

 

[Stevek]

I can have compassion for clueless tourists who haven't been watching the news and who live in non-hurricane areas like Great Britain, Saskatchewan, Michigan, Germany, etc. But I can't muster much compassion for tourists who live in the Southeast or Mid-Atlantic and have ignored the news while they chose to visit Florida during hurricane season.

And at what point does WDW management shut down these shops and restaurants to send the local CM's home to safety and their families and let these clueless tourists fend for themselves and fight over a can of soup?

I would hope by 6:00pm Eastern that all of WDW's facilities were closed, including hotel lobby gift shops, to send the CM's home to safety.

Is it possible that for some resorts, like the Contemporary & GF that have their shops inside the main building/interior of the hotel that they would keep those shops open up as long as possible AND possibly put up the staff needed to operate in any available rooms? In any case, gotta believe they are operating with only the most essential staff needed to keep their guest safe and help deal with any emergencies.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

Does anyone know why disney cast members are being forced to use PTO?

 

[AEfx]

They want their CM's out and safe, they want the guests back to their resorts and accounted for. They probably need to get some more storm prep done as well, so I would doubt that people are going to be able to hang around.

I keep seeing this, and just have to note - the CM's themselves are far safer at WDW than going home. Of course those with kids or property to secure need to be able to, but a lot of CMs (including the vast swath of single CPers) are safer at the resorts, etc than anywhere else.

 

[Nemo14]

Does anyone know why disney cast members are being forced to use PTO?

Parent Teacher Organization?

 

[oceanbreeze77]

Parent Teacher Organization?

Paid time off

 

[LAKid53]

Paid time off

Now that's wrong. Even state employees were granted administrative leave for Hermine.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Does anyone know why disney cast members are being forced to use PTO?

Do we have this on authority, or is it rumor?

 

[Stevek]

Does anyone know why disney cast members are being forced to use PTO?

Assuming it's true...it's Disney, would you expect anything else?

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

There's a difference between creating "needless panic" and distributing information that sounds like it was sanitized by state media.

If it turns out to be a catastrophic storm (especially if it turns west at all), there will be a lot of Monday-morning quarterbacking. Not sure what the plan should have been, but it feels like WDW and UOR might have handled it more effectively.

At what point do people have to take ownership of their own actions? In this day and age with smart phones and tv's in every room people should be able to make informed decisions on their own.