News Major Hurricane Dorian impacts to Walt Disney World 2019

tribbleorlfl

Well-Known Member
The fact is that Orlando is not at risk for the kind of catastrophic damage the Bahamas saw or even homestead from Andrew. Storm surge (a huge reason for the decimation and death in the Bahamas) is impossible in Orlando. There is also no way a storm can maintain sustained winds that strong so far inland.

That said, a hurricane moving through Orlando is certainly dangerous and you don't want people outdoors during one. Flooding is a possibility and certainly flying debris is also possible.
Charley ripped the roof off several buildings in my apartment complex (the one from the building next to ours missed landing on my car by three spaces), and the stucco off of one building so you could see inside one of the units. My grandparents were stuck in their cul-de-sac for three days due to multiple downed trees blocking their neighborhood and without water and power for almost two weeks. And that was just with Charley being a Cat 1 by the time the eyewall reached Orlando.

As late as last Friday (before the storm took its northwestern turn), Dorian was predicted to be at least a 3 when it came through Orlando. While the ensuing damage might not have been the same as the Bahamas', I'm sure it would have been sufficient enough to severely impact this town for quite some time.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
New construction since 2011 in most of Orange County has to be designed to handle sustained wind speeds up to 108 mph (gusts up to 139 mph), just under the 111 mph threshold of a Category 3 storm. Prior to the 2010 edition of the Florida Building Code, even the gust requirements were just below a Category 3 at 110 mph.
 

SugarMagnolia75

Active Member
I don't think this revisionist conversation is particularly useful to future readers. I understand that people who are there now and enjoying the crowds want to share that lucky outcome. The simple fact remains, however, that during this time last week the forecast for Orlando and all of Florida looked much different.

The state was under emergency declarations. The airport was closing. Disney activated its own hurricane protocols. Watches and warnings were being raised. Evacuations were being discussed. It was critically important to follow the word of the experts at the NHC - they did a phenomenal job forecasting a difficult storm. Resources like r/TropicalWeather and tropicaltidbits added helpful context. At the end of the day, government officials - backed by sound, sharpie-free forecasts - were asking people to avoid unessential travel over what would normally be a money-making holiday weekend.

Taking all of that into consideration, we cancelled. I broke the news to family that we would not be going. I joked with colleagues everyday this week about "aren't you supposed to be in Disney World"? Those of us that cancelled trips gave up months of planning, free dining plans, opening week visits to SW-Land, FW plans, etc. Sure in hindsight we would have been fine to have just plowed ahead and slept through the few rainbands that arrived. But at the end of the day it came down to a call of our safety and the safety of cast members and first responders that might have to attend to us vs a completely voluntary vacation. Disney was helpful. Marriott was helpful. We lost no money. We will reschedule.

Florida was spared the worst by just 70 miles. Have a great time with the low crowds, but let's not spike the football so much that it misleads those looking for information when the next storm threatens Disney.

Agree. As a parent, I could not justify flying my children towards a major hurricane.
 

Gringrinngghost

Well-Known Member
Agree. As a parent, I could not justify flying my children towards a major hurricane.

When my grandfather passed, it was right before Hurricane Irma. My aunts were worried about myself flying back to Orlando International after the reception because I wanted and needed to be down here. It’s so far has been the only time I’ve justified to purposely fly into a hurricane impact zone where I wasn’t doing scientific research.
 

beertiki

Well-Known Member
You don't need a major hurricane to cause major damage in Orlando. All it would take to create major havoc would be a few days of heavy rain followed by a minor hurricane and a few tornados. Soft ground allows lots of trees to fall, and widespread power outages for several days. Fuel shortages, and two days of missed food delivery at a few resorts, and things would go downhill real fast.
 

Crazydisneyfanluke

Well-Known Member
You don't need a major hurricane to cause major damage in Orlando. All it would take to create major havoc would be a few days of heavy rain followed by a minor hurricane and a few tornados. Soft ground allows lots of trees to fall, and widespread power outages for several days. Fuel shortages, and two days of missed food delivery at a few resorts, and things would go downhill real fast.
A afternoon thunderstorm floods I-4 and part of the 408 toll road.....
 

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