Tornado in Disney?

[DisneyChik17]

I've always been curious, but felt weird asking... what happened at WDW on 9/11?

I wonder that sometimes too. I remember seeing the news and watching them check bags and the monorail, the train, the boats, everywhere really. In 7th grade, seeing them do that was sadder than NYC. It wasn't until later on that I really grasped it all.

 

[mouse_luv]

if there was a storm touch down when park is open. at mk. space mt. is a holding point for guest. most will be shoved into the tunnel and stair ways of the tunnel. space mt. is a 4 rating and tunnel i swear they said can stand a 5 due to it being the actual first floors and haveing about 16" of concert between the tunnel and were the park sits. now other parks. guests would be put into show building. likes rnr, tower, star tours, dino, nemo, and the show building around the country. everything is pre planed its called e-vac plan c. there is 3 evac plans. a is were everyone is taken out of the park from the front gates (for small issues). and b is get everyone out of the park quickly all back stage gates are open.( was used durning (9-11, bomb threat unless its in the front of park or parking lot) and c is get people into cover now. most things guests never think about disney already has a plan for just in case. you can trust me on that

So what happens if say this would happen near MK during the refurb of Space Mt.

 

[figment1988]

I've always been curious, but felt weird asking... what happened at WDW on 9/11?

from what i've heard, they played an announcement in every park that "due to reasons beyond control" all guests had to leave the park. of course, to avoid panic, they never mentioned why, just that it was "beyond control".

 

[Jasonflz]

So what happens if say this would happen near MK during the refurb of Space Mt.

They tell you to hold on tight.:lol:

Honestly though, what would happen? My guess is they would move you to the nearest secure location in Tomorowland or even under the CoP, with Walt.

 

[techiegsy]

As an interesting note to this topic.... I have an Old like late 70's emergency evacuation manual for mk. It highlights what "tunnel" stairways should be used for what areas, how many guests per minute a single or double stairwell can handle, & how wdw monitored the weather back then before computers were so big in the process.

That seems like an intesting read butonly if you're as cool as me ...

I'd like to go to the Utilidors and have a nose

 

[Master Yoda]

I've always been curious, but felt weird asking... what happened at WDW on 9/11?

I was not there and I am sure someone that was will fill in the details but from what I remember they came over the PA system in the parks and told everyone that the parks were closing early and to make their way to the nearest exit.

 

[Captain Hank]

So what happens if say this would happen near MK during the refurb of Space Mt.

Without going into too much detail, there are contingency plans for everything.

From what I've heard, 9/11 was a Plan A evac, which means that Guests were directed to the main park exits through onstage routes.

 

[tink2304]

When we took the Keys to the Kingdom tour recently, our guide told us that if magic Kingdom has a tornado, they will evacuate guests to the utilidors. But he also said that this had never been done, so who knows if it is true.

But FYI sidenote - in case an animal ever escapes at Animal Kingdom - all guests are to go into the restrooms and lock the doors. Only Animal Kingdom has bathroom doors that locked.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

DH saw a funnel cloud at Epcot in June of 01. I was inside checking us in at Garden Grill and DH was outside with the kids and saw it when he looked up--it was way up in the sky rotating--lots of other people looked up at it and a couple of people were filming--then a CM hustled everyone into the Land. By the time I had checked us in it was all gone. Probably a good thing because tornadoes freak me out, while DH (who grew up 1/2 from Xenia, destroyed by a tornado in the 70s) is pretty calm about them.
Robin M.

 

[ChrisFL]

Good to know :animwink:.

Sorry if this is a silly question, but what are utilidors?

They are the underground tunnels underneath MK and the front of Epcot (Future World)

 

[WDW1974]

On 9/11 as soon as it was ascertained that the country was under attack, WDW decided to close its parks immediately.

PAs played a very calm message that gave no inkling as to the horrors of that day just that due to circumstances the given park (they didn't say all parks as from what I was told that might have set off panic) would be closing. There was just a hard close, but no evacuations or anything of that ilk.

I can only imagine how bizarre it must have been, although you can be sure many people were getting calls/texts (did people text back then? I didn't) telling them what was going on.

I do know I visited two weeks later and it was eerie in a way I never would want to experience again.

Imagine being at The Mara at DAK Lodge at 6 p.m. and you are the ONLY guest in there for 40 minutes ... with a good eight CMs waiting on you and bringing extra food and free dessert. It was surreal ... not in a good way. The parks were just empty ... I have never seen EPCOT like that ... you could walk for stretches and not see another guest.

But then on Saturday the MK was packed as locals decided they weren't going to let madmen prevent them from living.

~Did we ever get Osama?~

 

[Dskipper]

its was plan b

all gates were open. we cleared ad lib in 8 mins. guests all had questons we were told to tell them they had to go either, go to there hotel and get info there or if they were local to go home turn there tv on and they could call guest service starting the next day if they need any info. all tickets were still good and could be reused.

 

[castevens]

Very interesting. I can only imagine the horrors of 50,000 people in the utilidors

 

[castevens]

Very interesting. I can only imagine the horrors of 50,000 people in the utilidors

I guess it's less than the horrors of 50,000 people *not* in the utilidors when a tornado comes through . . .

 

[wdwmomof3]

You know, I heard until recently they had a Twister at Universal almost every single day!

:lookaroun

:ROFLOL: I wondered who would say that!!

 

[Space Mountain]

Quick! Everyone to the utilidors!

Basically, you are correct. :wave:

 

[sublimesting]

But they took it apart to save it from the storm!:animwink:

Don't be silly, if they took it apart they would have to disassemble the missle launch silos that house the weather altering storm-buster missles.

 

[Master Yoda]

Don't be silly, if they took it apart they would have to disassemble the missle launch silos that house the weather altering storm-buster missles.

Shows how much you know. The moved those to Epcot years ago.

 

[EpcotServo]

But FYI sidenote - in case an animal ever escapes at Animal Kingdom - all guests are to go into the restrooms and lock the doors. Only Animal Kingdom has bathroom doors that locked.

Haven't they seen Jurassic Park?
:lol:

 

[ClemsonTigger]

On 9/11 as soon as it was ascertained that the country was under attack, WDW decided to close its parks immediately.

PAs played a very calm message that gave no inkling as to the horrors of that day just that due to circumstances the given park (they didn't say all parks as from what I was told that might have set off panic) would be closing. There was just a hard close, but no evacuations or anything of that ilk.

I can only imagine how bizarre it must have been, although you can be sure many people were getting calls/texts (did people text back then? I didn't) telling them what was going on.

I do know I visited two weeks later and it was eerie in a way I never would want to experience again.

Imagine being at The Mara at DAK Lodge at 6 p.m. and you are the ONLY guest in there for 40 minutes ... with a good eight CMs waiting on you and bringing extra food and free dessert. It was surreal ... not in a good way. The parks were just empty ... I have never seen EPCOT like that ... you could walk for stretches and not see another guest.

But then on Saturday the MK was packed as locals decided they weren't going to let madmen prevent them from living.

~Did we ever get Osama?~

Phone service (especially cell) was pretty much frozen, particularly on the east coast into the afternoon. Internet access was almost frozen as well. It is unlikely that many would have gotten the news prior to the parks being empty.