Another Weather Experience...Hurricane...Orlando, Florida

Date: October 4, 2016 to October 10, 2016

Place: Disney World

Location: Orlando, Florida

Personal Reflections: 

When is the best time to visit Disney World in Florida? You don't want to be there during high humidity, so middle of summer is out. Surely, you don't want to be there during hurricane season, June thru November. You also need to consider the crowds. Winter maybe? Possibly, but it can get quite cool. You do the best you can and I love vacationing in April and October, so October it is. End of hurricane season...what can possibly go wrong?

So of course, a tropical depression develops off the coast of Africa, and becomes Hurricane Matthew in the Caribbean but even then, there are only guesses as to the path. It looked like the hurricane would travel up the east coast, the outer bands just barely brushing the east coast of Florida, so we decided to go ahead with our vacation.

Off to Florida four of us go...2 coming from Branson and 2 from Sacramento. Somehow when making reservations we all ended up on the same plane in Chicago. Dirk and Logan in row 24 and Danny and I in row 25. This was the 4^th visit to Disney World for Danny and I. Dirk had been to Disneyland but Logan had never done anything Disney. It's really hard to imagine someone getting to be 23 years old and never been to any Disney property.

Disney has never made it so easy to stay with them. They give each of us a "magicband"...a wrist band. Programmed in those bands are our bus ride to and from the airport, it opens the door to our rooms, has our meal plan, our restaurant reservations, our park tickets and fast passes. You can even use it to charge purchases to your room.

The next morning, we have a message on our room phones saying that Disney is closely watching the path of the hurricane and, at this point, it will pass to the east. We spend the day at the Magic Kingdom, not really giving a thought to the hurricane. We knew Disney was on top of it. By the end of the day, the hurricane has toggled a bit and now will hit, to a greater or lesser degree, Orlando.

Up and out the next day. The message from Disney is still they are keeping close watch, but by mid morning, there's a new message coming out. We're at Disney Studios and word goes out that the parks will all close at 5pm, stay close the next day and reopen, maybe later, on Saturday. This is only the 4^th time in Disney World history that the parks closed.

I found out there are 5 things that happen when a hurricane is aiming for Disney World.

• If you aren't in Disney World yet, you can request a refund or ask that your trip is rescheduled
• Attractions start to close down depending upon the strength of the storm and how much preparation the attraction takes to secure.
• Decisions are made on the availability of parks...limited or full closure.
• The "tie down" starts within 72 hours of a storm. Teams move through all the parks, the hotels complexes and Disney Springs, removing loose items, such as trash bins, table and chairs. Signs and banners will be tied down and secured. Lights that can't be removed are covered in cloth bags to contain any glass that may break.
• Lastly, guests and staff start "sheltering in place". Most rooms are safe to stay in but sometimes people are asked to move to interior rooms.

The one thing we knew was that Disney would keep us safe. While others around us were worrying and wondering what to do, we knew all we had to do was follow Disney's instructions. Disney World has made it through more than two dozen hurricanes and tropical storms in its 40 year history. 

In 2009, the resort earned the Storm Ready designation from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), meaning it is one of the safest places to be in the United States when a hurricane strikes. Not only do they take care of their guests, it is also somewhere the local residents can come for shelter. The resort is unique in that it has several disaster command posts where they can dispatch staff and supplies. If a storm is indicated, Disney will continuously monitor weather reports but if a hurricane is projected to hit central Florida, they bring in additional experts. Once the storm is within 72 hours of the parks, Disney goes from "watch" to "prepare" with all staff acting as if the storm will directly hit Disney World. This is when they will start notifying guests as to what is going on and what to expect.

We stayed at Disney Studios right to the end with the storm closing in. Before leaving the park, we stopped at the bathroom. Ok, how long does it take to tinkle? Couple of minutes and when I get to the door, it is absolutely pouring. This wasn't one of those times you can out wait the rain, so we ran for the bus stop and so did everyone else. We wait for the bus to take us back, and they are cramming these buses as full as they can possibly get and of course, everyone is soaked thru and thru. 

Arriving at our hotel, everyone who was in the parks and at Disney Springs are back at one time and need to be fed. Just think, normally there are thousands of people spread all over the Disney properties...parks, restaurants, Disney Springs and hotels and now they are back at the hotels and all needing to be fed. The line of people waiting to eat wrapped twice around the lobby and we were told was a 2 hour wait. We went back to the rooms, changed and got in line. Logan started broadcasting on FaceBook live so people could see what was going on. Danny showed us a charades game app on his phone called Heads Up. Not only did we play but we had several people shout out answers. Danny and Logan were taking this to the extreme...they're laying on the ground acting out stuff...they're jumping up. The whole thing is amusing and helps to pass the time. 

The "sit down" restaurant at our hotel was undergoing remodeling so we had more of a fast food type place; definitely not equipped to handle the number of people. As time goes on, they are running out of things and the menu is getting smaller and smaller. At one point, they told everyone there was no more hot food left. They couldn't cook the stuff fast enough. I felt sorry for the staff. You know they have family and homes outside of Disney too and here they are stuck taking care of some cranky people. We were also informed that Disney wanted each person to pick up a "box" meal in case the hurricane got bad and we couldn't leave our rooms. 

After 3 1/2 hours, we ordered but then had to wait longer for the food to be prepared. At least at that point we were sitting down. It was funny, each time food came out from the kitchen, the room would erupt in cheers and applause as we all anxiously hoped it was our food.

We got back to our rooms after midnight...windy and rain but ready to ride out the storm. The boys had the room next to us and we told them that they could call us at any time and if they didn't want to be alone, could come to our room. What I didn't say was that if it got bad, I wanted my son with me. It looked like the hurricane would arrive during the night, but nothing woke me.

By morning, the hurricane has moved through and we carefully peek outside. It was a bit messy but no more than a bad storm anywhere. Of course, I have no idea how quickly Disney moved to clean things up. Obviously, each park has to have a sweep to check conditions and start clean up. Being the happiest place on earth, I'm sure they move pretty darn quick to restore the magic. The hurricane has just brushed Orlando. 

But before our magic could start again, we headed down to the restaurant where we find they have a limited menu with a much shorter wait. Before coming down, we had looked at our box "meal" that we had brought back to the room the previous night. It consisted of half a french roll...dry, no condiments, with 3 slices of very thin deli ham and 1 unripe orange. Really? We took the sandwiches with us and the manager apologized and said they shouldn't have been served. 

By the way, Disney did NOT give us those box lunches...we had to use our meal plan to get them; which irritated me even more. Needing something to do for the day, we went to the gift shop and bought a $10 deck of cards and occupied ourselves and the boys with multiple games of Hearts. 

Later that afternoon, we heard that Disney Springs was opening on a very limited basis at 5pm. I'm sure the hotels just about begged the restaurants to open so they wouldn't have to go through what they did the night before. But now you have ALL these people heading to Disney Springs...lines, LONG lines everywhere. All these people cooped up in their hotels with only one place to go. Waiting in line at Ragland Irish Pub, one of their bartenders went by and said if we didn't have anyone under 21 and didn't mind eating at the bar, we could go right in. They didn't have to tell us twice.

The last three days were mostly uneventful, a rather normal Disney World vacation. I did want to mention that at Epcot, we were coming out from having lunch at the Biergarten and saw the line to see Frozen's "Elsa" was short. Kidding the boys, because they both had a thing for her, I asked if they wanted pictures with her and they jumped at the chance. Listening to them while waiting in line was so amusing. Each of them boasting about what they would say and what they would do and where their hands would be; each guy trying to best the other. I really wasn’t sure what would happen when we got up there. 

Want to know what? Both boys turned shy. It was really funny but so sweet too. I would never tell them that. Their whole body language changed. Danny stood there with his hands clasped in front of him and Logan kept looking down...the perfect gentlemen.

And so ended another vacation with this California girl experiencing weather she'd rather not be in. First the tornado in Branson, MO and now a hurricane in Orlando, FL. What's next?

Post script...A week after we returned home, I wrote an email to Disney explaining that we purchased a package deal. I told them that although I may gripe about the cost, there is a level of service we've come to appreciate and expect and Disney fell short this time. We felt a refund was in order for 2 days on our meal plan and 1 day in the parks and we got it. Is Disney expensive? Yes... Unfair? No

Yet another post script...about a year later, another hurricane hit Florida and Disney had to go through the same thing, but with more damage. I read complaints about price gouging and felt I had to step in. I said that Disney wasn't price gouging...Disney is expensive...always has been, always will be, but they were not taking advantage of people.

New Experience...The Tornado Warning

Before coming to Missouri, there are some things that this California girl just hasn’t had to deal with. Some things are great such as how friendly and welcoming most people are and how green everything is for most of the year and even, the lack of constant traffic.

But there are also some bad things that I’ve never dealt with. High humidity is one…sucks the energy right out of you and you better be comfortable with sweating all the time. Air conditioner is my very best friend when the humidity climbs. Tourist season in Branson…the main strip is lined in cars that only move about 30 MPH…if you’re lucky. I’m learning the back roads that, in any other season, would be the long way around but are life savers when the tourists come to town.

One thing that surprised me was the intensity of the storms here. Frightened at first, I am slowly getting used to them. The lightening lights up the sky while the thunder rolls through the Ozark hills, lasting a long time. I remember the first big storm at night. A huge flash that registers somewhere in your brain as you sleep and then BOOOOM! The entire building shook. Dirk put a hand on me and reassuringly said “I’m right here”.

And the rain that accompanies these storms! Torrential rains, or at least seems like that to me. Rain coming down so hard you can see it rolling down the streets in sheets. And hitting your roof so hard there is a constant dull roar with periods of even harder rain that makes you stop and yet once again, get up and look out the window and wonder where all the water is going to go.

But last night I got to “experience” another thing that happens in the mid-west that this California girl has never been around…the tornado warning. I’ve been in Branson when there has been tornado watches and when I first got here, I asked Dirk, “what do I do if there is a tornado?”. He looked at me and, teasing, said “get in a doorway?”…funny guy and I rolled my eyes reminding him that’s what we do in earthquakes.

The Branson area is in the Ozarks and very hilly. When Dirk lived in Hollister, his apartment was lower and he, and others, told me not to worry about tornados. One because tornados tend to like flatter landscape and IF one was to occur here, it would “skip” along the hill tops.

Tornado Siren

Well, our new condo is on a hilltop and one of the tornado sirens is less than 100 feet away. I had noticed the siren before and laughingly told one of my friends that if it went off, I’d probably sh*t myself.

Ok, so now I know I won’t actually do that!

For my California family and friends…the difference between a watch and a warning.... A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for the development of tornados in the area. Stay aware of what is going on and be ready to take action quickly. A warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar and there is imminent danger to life and property. It means take immediate action to be safe, moving to an inner room on the lowest level of the building you are in.

1st Rotation Sighted

So, back to last night. We’re sound asleep when the siren starts wailing. And let me tell you…it’s LOUD! Dirk gets up and goes out on our balcony and our phones light up with warnings from the National Weather Service. I get up and I’m standing there saying “I don’t know what to do”. What I didn’t know until later was that Dirk saw the sky had a greenish tint to it, something many people describe before a tornado that scientifically has to do with light waves and color spectrum, blah, blah, blah.

The wind was whipping around and Dirk calmly said “get some jeans on” and then he was holding a jacket out for me telling me to put it on. Like any other woman, I grabbed my purse but also his glasses and phone. Dirk closed the doors to our balcony and led me to the front door. Closing it, but leaving it unlocked, he took my hand and we walked downstairs to the main level of the complex that leads to the garages.

Warning Area & Approaching Storm

We stood there for a while. Dirk holding my hand and me whimpering “what are we going to do”. Then the wind really picked up and the lights started to flicker and went out for a moment. Dirk put the hood of my jacket over my head, later telling me it was to protect me from any lightbulbs that might break overhead. And then he buried my head into his chest.

That’s when it got even scarier. Thunder, just a constant boom…rolling through the hills. The lightening was coming one flash right after the other and I could hear the wind howling. Like a little kid, I told Dirk “I don’t want to do this anymore”. And I will admit that I was scared and crying. 

Dirk then led me down to the lowest level in the complex, almost underground and reinforced by brick. I have to say, I felt safer there and Dirk held me until the sirens stopped and the major part of the storm seemed to have passed.

We came back up to our condo and took a deep breath. It was then that Dirk articulated how nervous he had been. Thank god, he didn’t show it. I had been scared we would get separated somehow and he was scared that I would say “The heck with this, I’m going back to California.”

Not that the thought didn’t cross my mind!