september 11 2001

[Boray]

My husband and I had booked our flights for our October trip on September 10, 2001, then the next morning, our world changed. I contemplated cancelling our trip, but I figured, we were safer AFTER 9/11, than we were before, so we went. The parks were empty, but it was a wonderful escape from the real world for that week. The night before we returned home, the terrorist level was raised and we were thrown right back to reality. My husband and I NEEDED that escape at that time, it was the best thing we could have done to get ourselves relaxed after all of the stress of 9/11.

 

[NYPDMouse]

I was blocks from the World Trade Center when the 2nd tower collapsed, I was actually working. It's amazing how an event can change so many lives, not only all the lives lost but the psychological effect it can have on people. I used to fly 2 times a year down to Disney, never gave it a second thought. Now days when ever I fly, I have to take medicine to relax me. It makes me so angry the events of that day, please never forget what happened that day. I live in the NYC area and when you look at the skyline, I still seems sureal, not having the towers there. Imagine the "castle" just one day disappearing, it feels like that everyday. God Bless

 

[WildLodgeFan]

I was blocks from the World Trade Center when the 2nd tower collapsed, I was actually working. It's amazing how an event can change so many lives, not only all the lives lost but the psychological effect it can have on people. I used to fly 2 times a year down to Disney, never gave it a second thought. Now days when ever I fly, I have to take medicine to relax me. It makes me so angry the events of that day, please never forget what happened that day. I live in the NYC area and when you look at the skyline, I still seems sureal, not having the towers there. Imagine the "castle" just one day disappearing, it feels like that everyday. God Bless

Because civil service personnel never get told this enough - THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU SACRIFICE!

 

[bgraham34]

Because civil service personnel never get told this enough - THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU SACRIFICE!

I second that, Thank You!

 

[brkgnews]

Kay: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... some of the most profound truths ever written have bene in comedies.

 

[DisneyPirate85]

I work for our loacal 911 center and was called in that afternoon to work, even here in small town USA, it was choas!
We live by the old adage Man is smart, People are stupid!:lookaroun
There was a run on gas and food we had all our Officers called out and then the National Guard called and ordered everyone to stay away from the small armory we have here in Greencastle. They have 3 155 howitzers stationed there it was UNBELIEVABLE
We have a total population of 37,000 ppl I cannot even imagine what the operators at RCID 911 were going thru! Let alone the CM's at the parks and resorts.

 

[Monty]

Good for you. And I am happy that you are safe and sound.

Thanks, if you're interested the basic details are on my home page, which is listed in my profile.

 

[lildivaaa]

Oh man, do I remember that period of time (as do we all).

For me, my trip at that time was scheduled for Wednesday, September 12th through Monday, September 18th.

I remember being at work the day prior to the trip on Sept. 11th and hearing the news of the attacks. I called my (now ex-)wife to tell her the news and to talk it over about whether or not we should go ahead with our plans for the trip. In the end, we decided to go ahead with the trip. We were driving anyway, so we had no issues with plane flights.

It was SO surreal being at WDW the day after the attacks! We were staying at Port Orleans Riverside. They had evacuated all the RVs from Fort Wilderness to the parking lots of Port Orleans. So, everywhere we looked, there were RVs, campers, etc.etc. The cast members at the resort were all super nice and helpful, doing anything to keep smiles on everyone's faces.

The first park we went to was EPCOT. Again, VERY surreal! Usually EPCOT is decently crowded, but at this time...you really had to strain to look around and pick out a few, single people walking around. No crowds, no lines...almost NO ONE there. At night, Illuminations was weird too. Again, looking around the lagoon pre-show, it was hard to spot a few people dotting the waterline.

Beyond that first day at the parks, everything else slowly got back to normal. I also remember Disney Security being extremely tight. Who could blame them? They went through all our bags overly thoroughly! Even shopping bags directly from Disney we had with us. Again, I don't blame them a bit.

The best way I can sum up the trip was that the whole time we were there, it just felt like a dreamy kind-of state. Not so much in a good way, but rather a hazy, mysterious, eerie, and very nervous time. Kind of like...I felt I needed to keep one eye looking over my shoulder at all times.

Anyway, that was my experience....any others our there?

Thanks,
lilDivaaa

 

[awalkinthepark]

That was a horrible morning..I was watching the Today show and they had video right after the 1st plane hit...the 2nd plane hit while I was on my way into work ....my FIL called me on my cell. My office was out in the middle of nowhere but our main office was in the heart of the financial district in Boston, my(soon to be) husband was in Boston that day as well as about 30 of his co-workers and he had a couple co-workers scheduled to be around the towers that morning. My immediate thought after plane #2 was terrorist attack and could only assume the worst for the rest of the east coast(I'll admit I was thinking NYC, DC, Boston and WDW)......I got my husband on the cell and he was kind enough to notify his supervisors of the situation but my soon to be husband refused to leave Boston(grrrr...) I got to work and it took me 30 minutes before any supervisors would even try to confirm what I was telling them....when the 3rd plane hit they finally cleared out the Boston office...we stayed on the phones in my office for another few hours to assure family members of the Boston people that they were out of the buildings, and we also had to field calls from panicked investors and financial advisors that were desperate to move money that second and getting quite angry that their money was tied up until further notice cause the market wasn't opening that day...there were a few tears on the other side...some called to ask if we were trapped in the building because people assumed we were in it, cell phone service was spotty, the internet kept crashing and we were hearing bits and pieces as the hours wore on...at one point we had someone phone in that 12 more planes were in the air and not responding to orders to land....we all just sat on top of our desks in shock disbelief, in tears, shaking our heads. All we saw in the air for weeks after that was fighter jets..a lot of fighter jets...which I think bothered me the most because it wasn't just a training exercise or practice....they were there for reason. We moved to FL a few years ago and there is a local air show that a lot of hobby pilots attend from all over the country and for about a week fighter jets are all over the place....the restored planes used by collectors, the retired planes, the show planes and the exhibition ones....this year my anxiety attack started and didn't stop until about week after they were all gone..it was a bad one too.

My husband had our Disney wedding planned for 12/04 that year.....we weren't sure if things were going to settle down enough for that....we ended up getting a nice upgrade on our room at the GF...lovely balcony room with a straight ahead castle view....it was sort of nutty because of some sort of press event....and I seem to recall seeing the space shuttle as it was climbing into space from the hub at the MK that trip as well.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Were fighters scrambled to the WDW area that day?

Not that we saw/heard. There was definitely beefed up security going into the resorts and for access to the theme parks for CMs.

Most people had a decent idea of what was going on...afterall people had cellphones, they got text messages, calls, etc. It was just a surreal day to be at WDW.

Also, in regard to the special BGM (background music), it was pretty silent. They have a William Tell Overture BGM that is used in special circumstances when the park is to be closed. Interestingly, there are 3 tempos recorded -- depending on how fast the guests need to leave. I honestly can't remember if it was used that day though, I was too busy consoling people who just lost loved ones, etc.

 

[Disneykidder]

NYPD, although I don't live in the city, I do take frequent trips and not seeing the pinnacle of NYC in sight is still heartbreaking.

I don't know if I would have wanted to be in Disney during this time. I suppose it is because I live in NY and was too busy calling family members to see if they are ok. If I were in Disney, I would have been a mess.

It's funny how I can remember everything about that day...every detail. I recall hearing on the news how Disney evacuated all of their parks and I agree. I am a teacher and had almost my entire class taken out early that day...it was crazy. My husbands family lives in CA and we also have family in MA and FL. They were all trying to call us and couldn't get through. Phone lines were actually busy. Cell phones were getting the same signal...nothing. So for them it was difficult to reach us. Plus, signals were taken out by the planes. A real mess.

My husband and I had booked a trip in August to go see his family in CA in December. We really didn't think twice about going and felt we would be really safe in the airports and in the air. My parents were upset and worried for us, but we weren't. We even made it to Disney that trip.

9/11 was a day that will never be forgotten by anyone!!

 

[sarabi]

According to the book "Disney War", the U.S. government felt that they had credible intel that terrorists would try to hit heavily populated tourist destinations......WDW was supposedly at the top of the list.

I believe it was in 1999. The terrorists were caught at the Canadian border.