Trip Report Sort of a trip report-running from Ida. Updated: post storm.

Hello, first let me apologize this is more for me than anyone else. My family stayed at Wilderness Lodge in early July and had an amazing time. Had no idea we would be back six weeks later.
I’m from New Orleans and right now my city is being pummeled by a monster named Ida. The storm made landfall as a strong Cat 4 Hurricane. 8 hours later it is still a 2 sitting over the area barely moving.
Saturday morning at 6 am I made the decision to evacuate. By that time all of the rooms in the Panhandle of Florida were booked, so I got a room at Pop Century.
My wife stayed behind because of her father and elderly uncle’s refusal to leave. After much discussion I insisted that my kids 7 and 11 not be subjected to the terror that riding out a storm that powerful is.
We hastily packed and left my house at 8 am my time. A 10 hour drive took 18 hours and we arrived at Pop just after 3 am. The security guard who greeted us looked at my driver’s license and asked if the house was boarded up. He explained I was the third family to arrive in the wee hours of the morning from Louisiana.
I don’t have pictures because we didn’t get park tickets. Frankly I don’t know if I have a job to go back to. Lost contact with my wife. Not sure how my house is.
I know this is a site dedicated to the Happiest place on Earth and this post is a downer. Please forgive me. I am just trying to be strong for my kids and my entire support system is scattered. God bless Louisiana.
PS rode the Skyliner just to check it out and it was really cool. I really liked it.

 

[Songbird76]

Hopefully you'll be able to get in contact with your wife soon and find out how things are. Good luck! For now, at least your children feel safe. So is there a lot of resort hopping coming up?

 

[muddyrivers]

I’ve always felt that at Disney World there are so many things that can be done outside of the parks, you can have a great vacation without ever going to them! Now you have a great reason to go explore the other resorts, play a round of mini golf, enjoy what Disney Springs has to offer, and hopefully things will work out back home as well.

 

[BuckyMom]

Sending positive thoughts your way. Hopefully a bit of pool time and resort hopping until you get a call from home. Praying for everyone in LA.

 

[cgersic]

Praying that you make contact with your wife and I personally feel you made a solid decision. You are correct in that the kids shouldn't have to go through it, and I know that firsthand because I also have a disabled elderly parent (who lives in a mobile home) that always refuses to evacuate. We've been incredibly lucky for the past 25 years, so I'm hoping your people are all ok!

 

[Weather_Lady]

Praying you'll be able to reestablish contact with loved ones soon! I'm glad you and the kids made it somewhere safe.

 

[lindawdw]

Praying that your family and home are safe.

 

[MickeyCB]

Sending positive thoughts you and your family's way. I hope you've been able to contact your wife and family by now.

 

[BrerWayne]

Hello, first let me apologize this is more for me than anyone else. My family stayed at Wilderness Lodge in early July and had an amazing time. Had no idea we would be back six weeks later.
I’m from New Orleans and right now my city is being pummeled by a monster named Ida. The storm made landfall as a strong Cat 4 Hurricane. 8 hours later it is still a 2 sitting over the area barely moving.
Saturday morning at 6 am I made the decision to evacuate. By that time all of the rooms in the Panhandle of Florida were booked, so I got a room at Pop Century.
My wife stayed behind because of her father and elderly uncle’s refusal to leave. After much discussion I insisted that my kids 7 and 11 not be subjected to the terror that riding out a storm that powerful is.
We hastily packed and left my house at 8 am my time. A 10 hour drive took 18 hours and we arrived at Pop just after 3 am. The security guard who greeted us looked at my driver’s license and asked if the house was boarded up. He explained I was the third family to arrive in the wee hours of the morning from Louisiana.
I don’t have pictures because we didn’t get park tickets. Frankly I don’t know if I have a job to go back to. Lost contact with my wife. Not sure how my house is.
I know this is a site dedicated to the Happiest place on Earth and this post is a downer. Please forgive me. I am just trying to be strong for my kids and my entire support system is scattered. God bless Louisiana.
PS rode the Skyliner just to check it out and it was really cool. I really liked it.

So, Ida was not kind to my home town. The storm tracked East of it’s predicted path and slowed down its forward speed after making landfall. This subjected my house to hurricane force winds for about eight hours. By the grace of God, my house survived but all phone, electric, and water services were lost. After about 48 hours I heard from my wife. She was terrified ( she spent the night in my son’s autographed Drew Brees helmet), hot, miserable, but ok. I haven’t seen much news out of New Orleans because I’d rather the kids not watch it, but from what I gather it’s rough. We will leave Friday or Saturday and decide what to do from there.
Disney related: Pop Century has been great. It has exceeded my expectations in every way. All of my interactions with Cast Members have been wonderful. We did go to Hollywood Studios today. The crowds are very low. We got boarding group 7 for Rise. Got to the park at 9 and rode Rise, Smugglers Run, Mickey and Minnie, Midway Mania, and A.S.S. all before 11. The line for Slinky was not bad either but my kids are scared of roller coasters.
Thanks for the well wishes and prayers, I appreciate them!

 

[Songbird76]

So, Ida was not kind to my home town. The storm tracked East of it’s predicted path and slowed down its forward speed after making landfall. This subjected my house to hurricane force winds for about eight hours. By the grace of God, my house survived but all phone, electric, and water services were lost. After about 48 hours I heard from my wife. She was terrified ( she spent the night in my son’s autographed Drew Brees helmet), hot, miserable, but ok. I haven’t seen much news out of New Orleans because I’d rather the kids not watch it, but from what I gather it’s rough. We will leave Friday or Saturday and decide what to do from there.
Disney related: Pop Century has been great. It has exceeded my expectations in every way. All of my interactions with Cast Members have been wonderful. We did go to Hollywood Studios today. The crowds are very low. We got boarding group 7 for Rise. Got to the park at 9 and rode Rise, Smugglers Run, Mickey and Minnie, Midway Mania, and A.S.S. all before 11. The line for Slinky was not bad either but my kids are scared of roller coasters.
Thanks for the well wishes and prayers, I appreciate them!

Well, I'm glad the house survived, and it sounds like you absolutely made the right decision in getting the kids out of there. Now this can be a fun memory for them instead of traumatizing. "Remember the time there was a hurricane and we got to go to Disney??" Well done!
Our news this morning said a lot were still without power. They apparently brought in buses with air conditioning so people who can't go back to their homes can get out of the heat.

 

[cgersic]

As you know, things can be replaced, but your family cannot. Thank you for the update and prayers will continue!

 

[erstwo]

So glad your wife is safe and your house is still standing!
I think you'll be glad you have a little digital record of these events in the future. After the April 2011 tornadoes took out several areas near us (and neighboring states) and cut off the power for almost 10 days, we took our kids to WDW instead of staying with no power. I still look back at the pictures from the drive down (so many areas of total destruction) and then our WDW photos. I'm glad my kids don't have traumatic memories.
The only thing my husband and I regretted was not being able to be there to help our neighbors clean up the first few days. But there wasn't much we could have done anyway, as most of the daylight hours were spent waiting in line for ice to keep food cold, cooking food, cleaning up, etc. since the power was out - and there were still plenty of ways for us to help when we finally made it home!

 

[BrerWayne]

So glad your wife is safe and your house is still standing!
I think you'll be glad you have a little digital record of these events in the future. After the April 2011 tornadoes took out several areas near us (and neighboring states) and cut off the power for almost 10 days, we took our kids to WDW instead of staying with no power. I still look back at the pictures from the drive down (so many areas of total destruction) and then our WDW photos. I'm glad my kids don't have traumatic memories.
The only thing my husband and I regretted was not being able to be there to help our neighbors clean up the first few days. But there wasn't much we could have done anyway, as most of the daylight hours were spent waiting in line for ice to keep food cold, cooking food, cleaning up, etc. since the power was out - and there was still plenty of ways for us to help when we finally made it home!

I do have some survivors guilt but the most important thing was keeping the kids safe. Thanks for saying that!

 

[macefamily]

The wife should have seeked the assistance of a few big Saints O-linemen to protect her from the hurricane along with that helmet.
Glad everyone is OK.