Starting to worry!

CrazyForDisney

CrazyForDisney

Member
I'm booked near the end of September but I'm really starting to worry about hurricanes! I booked September because both my husband and I really want to attend MNSSHP and I was able to get 40% off at that time :sohappy:

But tonight we started talking about making some ADRs and it hit me that we are actually going in a little over 6 months. Then I started thinking about what happens if we have to cancel because of a HURRICANE :eek:

Has anyone been at WDW during a hurricane? How was it handled? Did they reimburse you for unused days on your ticket or hotel room?
 
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Doombuggy13

Doombuggy13

Active Member
We've gone for the past 4 years the end of Sept. and have had some NASTY RAIN from hurricanes but never severe enough to close parks or cause cancellations. I did talk with a lady once who was there during a hurricane and she said they were asked to stay in their hotels until the whether passed.
 
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smk

smk

Well-Known Member
I have been in Florida during hurricanes and they are not fun! They are basically extended tornados, which I have lived thru as well.

We are booked for the hurricane season too, but we always go then and (knock on wood) there have not been any hurricanes for a few years. We are even staying in a cabin in FW, so we will be relocated if one comes that hits in the area. I am not going to think about it today, I will just hope it will not happen!
 
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melmood2000

melmood2000

Active Member
I was at Disney the year Hurricane wilma came thru about 6 years ago. They closed Magic for part of the day. Once the storm passed we went to the parks in the evening. We didn't get any money back but we didn't complain or ask the front desk about it either. While we were at the hotel it just felt like a bad rain storm nothing major. The only thing I might worry about with hurricanes is if you are flying in to Orlando. :shrug:
 
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draybook

draybook

Well-Known Member
We're booked for September 7th-16th this year. We went in September back in 08, when they were predicting some hurricane to be there at the same time. To top it off, 2 days before we were to leave, my father in law got my wife all worked up with the notion that we were headed for certain death. She was talking about canceling the trip and I was ticked off.


We went and there was only one instance of rain, which happened while we were in IASW and was done before we exited the ride.
 
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dave&di

dave&di

Well-Known Member
We went to WDW in Sept of '08 and '10, in 2008 it rained once with a few showers some early evenings. In 2010 there was a bad lightning storm and a shower on one evening, but apart from that, no problems.

I've heard the Orlando area is generally safe during the Hurricane season as its situated far inland??? It would be interesting to find out if this is true. Guys? :veryconfu
 
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Mongomil

Mongomil

Well-Known Member
Sorry, but its like buying a new car and then not driving it because you are worried that the transmision might break. Ya things happen but why worry about something that you have absolutly no control over. And we are going Sept. 18-23 and we have been before in september.
 
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The Mom

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
Mongomil said:
Sorry, but its like buying a new car and then not driving it because you are worried that the transmision might break. Ya things happen but why worry about something that you have absolutly no control over. And we are going Sept. 18-23 and we have been before in september.
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Exactly. I could see being concerned about vacationing in the Caribbean during hurricane season, because an island would suffer more damage, and they probably don't have as many resources to deal with it, but WDW has an emergency plan, along with generators, etc so it would not be so bad.

As others have stated, you might lose a day at the parks. But don't ruin your vacation thinking about what-ifs.
 
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Pioneer Hall

Pioneer Hall

Well-Known Member
I have gone to WDW during hurricane season for over 20 years now, and have never been in a hurricane. Sure, it could happen, but we have never worried about it. If a storm was threatening before our arrival we would cancel or postpone our trip. It would stink, but safety first in that situation. If you happen to be there and a storm is on the way, Disney will do what they have to do to ensure your safety. They have an incredibly extensive hurricane plan that helps to minimize damage and keep everyone safe. They also go out of their way to keep people entertained at the resorts and are usually offer some sort of compensation (even though they don't have to).
 
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ThinkTink721

ThinkTink721

Well-Known Member
We have visited WDW in September several times...luckily we have never encountered a hurricane.
Although on one trip, there were some pretty rough thunderstorms one night.
I think the more powerful ones are few & far between.
We are going at the beginning of September this year - hopefully we can both avoid any hurricanes! :wave:
 
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mickeysshoes

mickeysshoes

Well-Known Member
We are going in the Dream in August and I am not worried about it!! You cant let stuff like this take over you and stress you. Disney is far enought inland by time the storm of inland enought it will to weak to do much other than cause a few hours of closings!! Try not to stress and enjoy planning your upcoming WDW vacation!!!
 
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Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
In the last 39 years WDW has been closed for right around 2 days due to hurricanes. If I am not mistaken the WDW area has seen something like 4 hurricanes in the last 100 years. I think your chances are pretty good that absolutely nothing will happen.
 
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P

plutofan15

Well-Known Member
We were there in September of 1999 during Hurricane Floyd. The storm was basically supposed to come ashore around Daytona. They closed all the parks and Downtown Disney (first time the parks had ever closed) early on the day it was supposed to hit. The only things open were the hotels. We were staying at Port Orleans Riverside and came back to find several letters telling us what to do - fil the tub with water, keep curtains closed, etc. Also, any food or drinks in the store were discounted (50% ?). We had two connecting rooms so we filled one tub with water and the other with ice, beer & soda. Food was also 50% off in the food court & Boatwrights. As you would imagine, both were nuts. Instead, we sat in the lounge, ordered a couple of pizzas and had a few drinks. They someone playing the piano and the waitress was really great - needless to say she got a nice tip that night. We went back to the room and turned on the TV to watch the coverage and continue our hurricane party. The storm turned north at the last minute and we didn't get more than some wind and rain. However since the parks were closed down pretty tight and a lot of cast members were allowed to go home to prepare for the storm, there were not not enough of them to open all of the parks (that is what we were told anyway). Since the animals needed to be taken care of, they opened Animal Kingdom to only those staying on property and even then, the park opened in stages. By that evening, Downtown Disney was completely open. Pretty fun experience. Still have the letters they left for us somewhere. If I can find them, I'll try to post some pictures.

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me_stitch

me_stitch

Premium Member
I lived in Tampa for 3 years and never even got to sniff a hurricane. I wouldn't worry myself about it, the only thing a hurricane might affect is your plane ride.
 
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L

LALALand

New Member
The Mom said:
Exactly. I could see being concerned about vacationing in the Caribbean during hurricane season, because an island would suffer more damage, and they probably don't have as many resources to deal with it, but WDW has an emergency plan, along with generators, etc so it would not be so bad.

As others have stated, you might lose a day at the parks. But don't ruin your vacation thinking about what-ifs.
Click to expand...

This is SO True! Don't let worry about hurricanes ruin your trip. The statistical chances are still probably pretty low that a hurricane will make landfall in central FL at the exact time of your trip. Besides, while hurricanes can certainly cause horrific destruction, WDW is in central FL, pretty far inland, and insulated from the storm surge. Also, the parks have stood up to some really bad hurricanes since opening, and they are still there.

You can't control nature, but you can control your reactional anxiety about it. Just be EXCITED, you're going to WDW!!!!! :sohappy::sohappy::sohappy::sohappy::sohappy::sohappy::sohappy:
 
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Foolish Mortal

Foolish Mortal

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't worry about it to much. I've done 3 late Sept. early Oct. trips and the weather has been virtually perfect. You'll likely get hotter than normal weather before you get a hurricane. Me personaly, never give it a thought. Go have fun and weather be damned.
 
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