Hurricane Frances Updates & News

[[BS]Mickey]

Ian, most power to Disney was never affected by Charley. Most of Disney's plant is underground buried wire. Disney should be back up and running as soon as Monday. However, after Charley, some red lights were not restored for 2 weeks. In fact, some red lights have not been replaced yet. They are the roads with multiple lights though. As far as debris and power, the most visible effect should be homes and smaller businesses. Disney hasn't said anything publicly, but they were open normally the morning after Charley passed. So Friday shouldn't be a concern.

[Toad_Passenger]

I don't know if I'm allowed to give out this information but everyone should check out their local NBC station's website. Ours in Philadelphia has a link where you can keep updated with a LIVE feed from the NBC station in Miami. It's very interesting stuff, and helpful on deciding where to go and when to go there.

[DicksonGR]

Hey everyone ....

I noticed Ian asking about the 10th September, so what about the day before? We'll be heading to Orlando Sanford from Glasgow, UK on the 9th (arriving early PM). Will I have anything to worry about.

I'm praying that everyone stays safe during this horrible period!

[DisneyKim22]

Truck loads of pixie dust to all of you in the path of the hurricane. Please every one be smart and be safe!! Be sure to check in when you can so we know you are all okay.

[ptwitts]

I went with my wife to WDW right after Charley (2 days, to be exact), and the resort itself was virtually untouched. The area around the resort looked pretty hard-hit, but everything in the park seemed fine. Typhoon Lagoon was closed the day after, and Animal Kingdom opened late the day after, but the rest of the resort was just fine.

The hardest part was actually getting there... the airport was hit pretty hard, and some of the gates were not operational for planes to dock, meaning longer delays until we could disembark.

This hurricane is looking much worse than Charley, just because of the size and scope. Everyone down there, be safe and my thoughts are with you. Everyone traveling in the next few weeks, maybe it is best to leave the speculation until after the storm passes, so that the actual impact of the storm can be judged.

[imported_JohnY]

Well, my conference that I am at cancelled their friday sessions as the Orlando Convention Center has decided to close.

Anyway, webcam as been aquired and I will be announcing where the page will be that will hold the HurriCam immage later tonite after it gets hooked up.

I can tell you everyone is tense around here. I saw highway crews out a little while ago lowering the big lights that illuminate on and off ramps off of I4.

Honestly, driving around the last few days, I have noticed there is rearely a store sign on 192 that is left in tact. It's amazing what damage was done around here from the last hurricane.

[SallyP]

For all of you asking about arriving days after the storm - no one knows. We understand your anxiety but the fact is no one knows. Disney may be functioning but Orlando or Lake Buena Vista or Kissimmee may be on curfew. Having just gone through this 2 weeks ago I can tell you the curfew was in effect for 10 days. No outsiders were allowed in the area unless you were on a volunteer list, such as utility workers, Salvation Army, Red Cross. This was because the roads were full of debris - trees, concrete roof tiles, mobile home siding, glass.
There was no electric in the area, no phones, no sanitation plants. I'm not trying to be cruel or flippant, I'm trying to let you know the enormity of the situation. Things we take for granted may not be available for awhile.
All counties and municipalities handle disaster relief in different ways. Disney may have enough clout to get the roads in their area reopened but I'd bet they wouldn't do it if anyone, guest or cast member, would be in harm's way. Sorry about the disertation but NO ONE KNOWS.

[RNTinkFan]

I'll be keeping everyone in the path of this storm in my thoughts. I just hope everyone uses their heads and stays safe. We are worrying about friends of DD who just moved to Lakeland the last weekend of July, we haven't heard from her since before Charley. So, DD is especially worried. Sending truckloads of Pixie Dust to everyone down there. Stay safe.

[pjbs35a]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Saints and Miami Dolphins officials are considering canceling or changing the starting time of the teams' exhibition game tomorrow night because of Hurricane Frances. Both teams say they're monitoring the Category Four storm's progress as thousands of South Florida residents prepare to evacuate the region.

The Dolphins already have moved their departure time from New Orleans from tonight to 9 a.m. tomorrow to give their players, coaches and executives more time to prepare for the storm. A final decision on the game will not be made until tomorrow morning.

The last time an NFL game was canceled because of weather was in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew wiped out the New England Patriots' game in Miami. The game was made up a month later.

[mono]

Best of luck to all of you in Florida (and the Carolinas too). Stay safe.

[AdrianInOcala]

Originally posted by JohnY:
Well, my conference that I am at cancelled their friday sessions as the Orlando Convention Center has decided to close.

Are you down here for PhotoShop World? I was supposed to go, but had too much at work that needed to be put in place before the storm. It's tough being the Engineer/IT/Marketing guy. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[imported_JohnY]

Originally posted by AdrianInOcala:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by JohnY:
Well, my conference that I am at cancelled their friday sessions as the Orlando Convention Center has decided to close.

Are you down here for PhotoShop World? I was supposed to go, but had too much at work that needed to be put in place before the storm. It's tough being the Engineer/IT/Marketing guy. [img]smile.gif[/img] </font>[/QUOTE]Yeppers. Good show too...

[roryjulie]

I just got back from WDW (traveled 8/23-8/30). Looks like I picked the lucky week to travel this year. I hope everyone who is there or is going is safe and has a great trip despite the weather!

[Toad_Passenger]

Just heard on the web feed that Orlando will be under a mandatory curfew starting tomorrow at 12pm.

[DisneyDog]

The Collier County Government is currently in a meeting to decide what will happen within our county. We all know what the Hurricane Centers are predicting. However, some commercial centers (I don't know which one, this is what I've been told) are apparently predicting the hurricane will touch down in Ft. Lauderdale, come across the state (i.e. Alligator Alley), and exit around Ft. Myers (just north of where I live) and travel up the Gulf to Georgia.

Apparently, these were the same folks who correctly predicted the path of Charley. So, it will be interesting to see who is correct. Unfortunately, with all of the evactuations on the east coast, everyone is coming HERE. We have virtually no hotel rooms available in the entire county and they are filling up the shelters quickly and opening up new ones as we speak.

[SallyP]

I just saw Stephanie Abrams, a Weather Channel reporter giving a live update from Downtown Disney. JohnY, you weren't there with her were you? Downtown D looked very, very deserted .
I truly hope all this advanced preparation on eveyones part makes Frances cower and stay out at sea.
Our main thoroughfare over here US 41 (Tamiami Trail) is bumper to bumper going north. I can't imagine what I95 east coast & I75 west coast are like.

[Toad_Passenger]

I thought they were telling people not to go North? On NBC 6 Miami they said people should go south or west, because if there is an error in landfall it will be further north.

[Remzlightyear]

Just heard down here in the Magic City that Orlando will be under curfew tonight. I-95 and I-75 are jammed.

[SallyP]

There are some places in Florida, especially near the Miami area, where there aren't very many options to go west. Because of that, it might be better to go north for a bit and hookup with an east-west connector. I would imagine they're all getting backed-up by now.

[ September 02, 2004, 04:46 PM: Message edited by: SallyP ]

[LauraSAnne]

I keep watching the satellite in motion...and it sure looks to me like it's starting to head northwards towards Jacksonville. I've been watching it all day and it seemed as though it was going to cut across the state earlier, but I'm noticing now that it's started to change angles ever so slightly.

My Aunt lives in Kissimmee and she lost 50% of her shingles in Charley...she said she'd pay my fiance's (he's great at anything construction related) way if he would come fix her roof. She's been on a waiting list to have it fixed by her long time roofing company and they told her a few days ago she should just go somewhere else cause there was no way they were going to get to her's anytime in the near future--I'm sure they're ALL going to say that, especially after this weekend! She's had plastic put over the entire roof and has been wrapping everything in her house in plastic for the last two days...how fun... [img]graemlins/shakehead.gif[/img]