Hurricane Matthew Closes WDW - Reopens Saturday, October 8th

[wilkeliza]

@HopperFan Thanks for keeping everyone and everything on track as much as possible and providing a wealth of information. I hope your house is okay.

 

[maryj11]

WELL ....................

11 pm and in about 8 hours much of Disney World will be back to almost normal.
Everything should be open and operating.
Airports should be open.
Folks will be leaving and checking in.
By Sunday/Monday no new guests will know it was anything other than magical.
There may be some food variations, I have heard that restaurants in Orlando were cleaned out.
SO the food delivery trucks will be working overtime.
If driving, take extra care - lots of unusual traffic out there.

LOTS of CMs were as scared or more than the guests, worked hard long hours on their feet.
Had to do what the Mouse said, even if it might not have been the most productive option.
They are exhausted.
Thank them.
Ask how their homes are.
Ask how they are.
Promise, it goes a long way in their day when guests care.

We tried to keep everything updated and loved how all those with info came together.

Everyone enjoy the rest of your vacation, your upcoming vacation and locals hope everything is normal soon.

And I hope to be there the end of the month (I was one who cancelled this week), hopefully Matthew didn't add too much to my "To Do" list. I will check back in but I don't think you need my "what's happening

sI

I seen a video of how hard the CM's were working and they deserve so much praise for all they have done for everyone during this hurricane.

 

[CT Disney]

Apples and oranges. I would not complain about $13 for a panera sandwich. I would complain about $13 for 2 cheap pieces of white bread with one piece of lunch meat.

Those sandwiches might come in handy if Christie Brinkley is around.

 

[goopysolelady]

No. Thank you so much for asking

If you are watching the news ............. I am St. Augustine Beach and the videos coming in from St. Augustine are devastating and heartbreaking. The Old City is one of my favorite places, right up there with Disney. It's just a really special place. The last few years it has had all the empty stores and restaurants revitalized, so much new construction and renovation of the old places. It truly has it's own soul. Even getting a new Embassy Suites on the beach - which will then let the secret out. As a Hilton Honors person we were always hunting for hotels on beaches to use points before we had our own spot.

We found one picture up A1A from us about a couple of blocks and wind damage but no standing water ... but not sure if it was before or after eye came by. The videos just have put all kinds of bad thoughts in the head. Uncharted territory for St. Augustine, I think nothing huge since the 60's. A short time ago the mayor of St. Augustine Beach (we are technically a mile south) said "catastrophic surge damage" ....... am sure part is referring to the beach. The beaches there are so pretty especially in Anastasia State Park.

They will not let anyone (videos were sneakers during the storm) on the island until they check all out, probably sometime tomorrow. We are a townhouse in a condo community so we are depending on management to make assessments then give us the news. Hoping tomorrow or Sunday. On the plus side we are on a strange ridge of land that actually is not required to have flood insurance - how you can be 250 yards from the beach and not have it - but we have it anyway. When I checked NOAA Surge Predictors, we show as safe. Of course not from wind and driving rain, and there is a cool pond behind us that I think is built to not overflow but when there is that much water you don't know.

I just replanted my garden, even using the ferns at AoA by the Nemo buildings to make it look Under the Sea. They needed to be watered, but not this much ............ FINGERS CROSSED!

My garden and our piece of beach aka heaven.

I LOVE San Augustine ... it's a beautiful, beautiful city. Been watching Weather Channel today and y'all are getting hit HARD! Praying damage isn't "beyond repair" and no loss of life. Hope you'll post "after" pictures...

 

[HopperFan]

I seen a video of how hard the CM's were working and they deserve so much praise for all they have done for everyone during this hurricane.

YES.

Any frustrations we have/had with the process are with the Mouse Management and NOT with the front line CMs who always get the short end of the frustration stick. They have tough jobs, hard hours and low pay. They are the backbone and sometimes guests forget that.

 

[BroganMc]

HopperFan, I hope your good karma translates into an intact beach home. We own a condo at the beach in OC, MD. I was in it during Hurricane Hermine's visit a month ago. Ironic that I found myself enduring another major hurricane whilst on vacation.

As it is, life will quickly return to many tomorrow. The tourists will tour, the CMs and TMs will try to make everyone happy. I know there are still a lot of things to clean up in the region. Power is out in some communities, roofs lost shingles, trees creamed a few cars. I hope all the tourists take a minute to thank the workers around them and ask how they managed. You do not realize how humanizing it is when a stranger takes time out to care about your life.

Those college student CMs had quite an adventure. The full timers also have an experience they won't soon forget. I think everyone in town could use a good week of sleep after that drama.(Good thing is it looks like Matthew has taken the bluster out of Nicole. Hopefully this is the last big hurricane this year.)

 

[wendow]

Thank you @HopperFan , you have been amazing keeping this thread so updated. We are not there right now nor have an immediate trip (we were there a month ago) but I was praying for all in the path of the storm and hoping for the best for all.

I am so glad all are safe and Disney fared so well through this. Am I the only one who has kids looking at these wonderful pictures of the characters interacting in the hotel lobbies and asking if they can go to Disney in a hurricane?? LOL! I am not kidding. My kids see the pics and say, "Can we go to Disney when there is a hurricane?". No way to plan that but guessing Disney came out of this smelling like a rose

 

[Boopuff]

Wow what a thread, stress, ups, downs and all-in-all everything is good and the mouse marches on! Hoping all is well with all Florida folks ands hugs to all the cms!

 

[Tiggerette]

(edit)
We tried to keep everything updated and loved how all those with info came together.

And I hope to be there the end of the month (I was one who cancelled this week), hopefully Matthew didn't add too much to my "To Do" list. I will check back in but I don't think you need my "what's happening posts anymore."

Sending comfort and support for whatever the next few days may bring to you. I hope your thoughtfulness is returned several times over. Good wishes for future travels in happy circumstance.

 

[Amunet]

.

Thank you for all the information I've been keeping up.
Please do let us know what happens with your home

 

[SureAsLiz]

PPO ~ 1 full day before regular park opening!

This photo was taken Thursday right after park close, not today.


Just got back from spending 5 1/2 hours helping out at World Of Disney. It was packed most of the night, but thankfully people seemed to be civil in the area that I stayed.
CPs were the vast majority of cast working, and they were definitely understaffed, but by the time I left you wouldn't have even known every resort guest had been through that store. They kept the place running.

 

[maryj11]

This photo was taken Thursday right after park close, not today.


Just got back from spending 5 1/2 hours helping out at World Of Disney. It was packed most of the night, but thankfully people seemed to be civil in the area that I stayed.
CPs were the vast majority of cast working, and they were definitely understaffed, but by the time I left you wouldn't have even known every resort guest had been through that store. They kept the place running.

I dont see a photo.

 

[SureAsLiz]

I dont see a photo.

I took it out of my response. That was in reference to the photo that hiro posted

 

[OhhBother]

We went to Disney Springs tonight. We had a reservation for T-Rex but were told it wouldn't be honored. We took one look at the crazy long line and headed the other direction. We ended up at D Luxe Burgers -- our party of seven waited about 45 minutes. Food was good, hot and fresh. We also got cupcakes from the Sprinkles ATM.

On the shopping front, we spent some time and money at World of Disney. It was as crowded as I've ever seen it, but the lines were moving fast. We also shopped at the Co-Op and Art of Disney -- lines there were normal.

All in all, it was a fun evening -- and unexpected given the fact the curfew was only lifted a few hours ago. We thanked as many CMs as we could, and all seemed to be in good spirits.

Back at SSR, we got more good news. We don't have to move rooms tomorrow after all. We extended our stay by a day yesterday and were told we'd have to move. But I checked with the front desk tonight, and we got some pixie dust -- we can stay in our room until we leave Sunday. Thank goodness.

Planning to get up in about five hours and head to Magic Kingdom for park opening. Then we're hopping to Hollywood Studios and will finish up the day at Epcot. Should be a great last day of vacation!

 

[Accident]

and unexpected given the fact the curfew was only lifted a few hours ago.

On your way to work, on your way to a shelter or first responder was the valid reasons to be out so any that works around disneyworld (or for the companies that own some of the springs stores) employees that were available and able to get there would not have been arrested for heading to work. Probably stopped but not arrested. i'm not really sure how the laws work in this area with how reedy creek is setup in this area. I'm 99% sure even the top half that was technically part of orange county before reedy creek was the only area that might have been under the curfew. Osceola I don't think had one which is the southern part of property.

but it was really nice that you took the time to thank them. Dont' forget to reach out to guest services (the contact us page on the website) to also thank disney and the cms ia that way. it goes a long way and they do get the feedback, especially if you name someone and it helps them in their disney career to get positive feedback in their record.

 

[BroganMc]

This photo was taken Thursday right after park close, not today.


Just got back from spending 5 1/2 hours helping out at World Of Disney. It was packed most of the night, but thankfully people seemed to be civil in the area that I stayed.
CPs were the vast majority of cast working, and they were definitely understaffed, but by the time I left you wouldn't have even known every resort guest had been through that store. They kept the place running.

Well done then!!!

I know that's the rush of being a CP. It can be a very exciting job with lots of trials and tribulations. I hope you and your fellow CPers weren't too shaken by the storm. I spent a bit of my Wed prepping one of the college kids at Universal on what to expect. Poor girl had never been in a hurricane and she was away from her family for the first time. Fortunately orlando fared well in the storm. I gotta look her up when I visit this week and see how she made out.

 

[AngiTN]

Someone asked about characters, here at BWI we saw Chip and Dale, twice, several hours apart. And we saw Goofy and Pluto. We spent several hours in the bar and could have missed others easily

for those of you who went to disney springs.
did they ask anyone if they were resort guest sbefore allowing them in?

At no time during out stops in DS did they ever inquire about where we were staying. Not sure how they could have ever policed that either. When I saw the announcement I thought it was rather strange it was ever worded to be for on site guests only.

 

[Accident]

At no time during out stops in DS did they ever inquire about where we were staying. Not sure how they could have ever policed that either. When I saw the announcement I thought it was rather strange it was ever worded to be for on site guests only.

There was nothing opened around me, it would have been a rush over there if local news said it was opened.

 

[poompalou]

Got on the road a few minutes before 5 from our unexpectedly long stop in GA - planning to get in around 930a. Got a text at 315a telling us our room was ready. We were supposed to check in yesterday - wondering if we really would've had to wait until then had we actually arrived yesterday as planned. Good news is that we will have a room when we arrive early this morning!

 

[Huff]

I seen a video of how hard the CM's were working and they deserve so much praise for all they have done for everyone during this hurricane.

Thursday night it was a complete mess at our resort with few CM's to be found. The food court was a disorganized mad house. However, Friday saw numerous CM's directing the same huge crowds, answering questions etc. Much better.