7 tips on riding out Hurricane Irma at Disney World
UPDATE: Disney World has now announced it plans to close the parks by Saturday night, Sept. 9 and reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 12. You can find when each park will close here.
Hurricane Irma is coming and you’re on vacation at Disney World. What do you do?
Luckily, one of the best places to stay when a storm like this comes will be at a Disney resort. The exact path of Hurricane Irma is still unknown. Whether it moves more east towards the ocean or west more inland, central Florida will be impacted. There will be high gusts and sustained winds. What they are exactly is still unknown, but even on vacation in a hotel, you should be prepared.
Disney World now is still operating under normal conditions and is monitoring the storm and should be contacting you. (We will be updating our website and Facebook page with the latest information a as well.)
1 .Stay informed: Don’t hesitate to ask Guest Services what you should be doing. In addition, Disney will be communicating with you, so check to see if the room phone has a blinking light and for any piece of paper placed under a door or on a door knob. In addition, check the local weather such as WESH.com, the NBC affiliate. The local meteorologists know the area and can give informed updates. Keep your family and friends updated. Even if you are staying at an off-site resort, they have been through this before and know how to handle the situation. VisitFlorida.com has a good up to date list of what is happeing in the state and links for tourists.
2. Charge your electronic devices: Disney has its own power grid, but you should always make sure that your phones, small batteries, everything is charged before the storm comes.
3. Get supplies: Make a list and get what you need from the store and you should be getting it now, in case. This might include: water, snacks (non-perishable items), plastic utensils, plastic cups, a small flashlight with batteries, non-electronic forms of entertainment such as cards and books, a rechargeable and swappable FuelRod (if you did not bring a spare phone battery).
4. Get cash: Head to an ATM and grab some cash so you have money on hand.
5. Prepare the room: If you have a balcony and there is furniture, bring it inside. Close the curtains and stay away from the windows during the storm. If you have a tub, fill it with water. It can be used to help flush toilets if there is a problem.
7. Don’t panic: The worst thing to do in a situation like this is to get angry and lash out at the people who work there. Remember, the employees also live in town, have family and have their own homes to worry about.
When it’s over you will get the all clear and Disney will have the parks running as soon as possible. They usually have them open the next morning. Remember, you’ll have a great story to tell everyone on how you survived Irma at Disney World.
Please all, be safe.
