Do you Think Disney Stepped Up For Hurricane Irma?

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Thu, 09/14/2017 - 23:30

Kristen K.'s picture

Kristen K.

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Do you Think Disney Stepped Up For Hurricane Irma?

I must admit I am quite happy with just about everything I have heard coming out of Disney through Hurricane Irma. It seems to me like they took the feedback that they had after Hurricane Matthew to heart and really improved the experience for people during this storm. The only criticism I heard was one woman who got snarky about not enough housekeeping services, but the Internet pretty much took her to task for being so self absorbed.

I had a friend who rode out the Hurricane at Wilderness Lodge, which just by its design would probably be my first choice of where to hunker down. The restaurants were running the entire time, and they set up a hurricane bar in the lobby, characters were on hand to help keep folks entertained. My understanding is that the service there never faltered, and most guests that she encountered seemed pretty happy for the situation.

I absolutely think that they did the right thing by closing the Parks down early to both prepare for the storm, ride it out, and move into a repair stage. It's wonderful that the majority of damage was limited to down trees. Though I did see and image that one tree crashed into a room at Animal Kingdom Lodge, I have no idea if it was occupied. It's so rare that Disney closes, and I think that the way they readied helped to convey the message to others around the state of just how serious the predictions were for Irma.

So what do you think about how it went?

Fri, 09/15/2017 - 00:20

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Spook

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I heard about that guest. Angry that her bed wasn't made I mean really? What's wrong with people these days?

From what I've read, I think Disney handled it well. In a way I think it'd be a neat experience to ride out a hurricane at Disney, but in reality I'd be so terrified and freak out

Fri, 09/15/2017 - 15:44

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Kristen K.

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Spook wrote:

In a way I think it'd be a neat experience to ride out a hurricane at Disney

It's probably a sign that there is something seriously wrong with me, but that's totally on my bucket list. I mean, not enough that I was do a spur of the moment trip once I heard a hurricane was on the way, but enough that I wouldn't mind if I was already there.

Fri, 09/15/2017 - 15:52

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Kristen K.

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Spook wrote:

In a way I think it'd be a neat experience to ride out a hurricane at Disney

It's probably a sign that there is something seriously wrong with me, but that's totally on my bucket list. I mean, not enough that I was do a spur of the moment trip once I heard a hurricane was on the way, but enough that I wouldn't mind if I was already there.

Fri, 09/15/2017 - 19:26

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I just ran across this... Disney is also doing right by the cast members that lost shifts due to the storm and paying them. http://dcpstory.com/disneys-hurricane-pay-policy-2017/

Fri, 09/15/2017 - 22:08

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I admit, if I had to be stuck somewhere for a hurricane, Disney would be the place for sure. And I would consider booking if I needed too LOL

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Sun, 09/17/2017 - 12:46

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I think most people forget that cast members that are working have homes and family to prepare and worry about in addition to doing their job.

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Thu, 09/21/2017 - 15:32

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Kristen K.

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wdwizbest wrote:

I think most people forget that cast members that are working have homes and family to prepare and worry about in addition to doing their job.

I agree. In general people are short sighted, especially when they are supposed to be having the time of their life.

Sun, 10/01/2017 - 18:44

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I've heard a lot of situations in the wake of the peak of hurricane season '17 that are both delightfully heartwarming and worthy of the most epic #facepalm. If you live in or are traveling to a place where a hurricane is imminent, history tells you (and the local officials remind you) that you might be in for anything from minor inconveniences to total loss and catastrophic wind & flooding. Complaining about limited services of any kind when you are safely tucked inland and able to resume almost all normal functions within 48 hours of the storm when there were people in islands in the Caribbean, the Keys, and both coasts whose living rooms were full of what used to be ocean is crass, classless, and clueless. I wasn't onsite, so all of the reports that I head regarding Disney's operations were secondhand. That being said, it there was any time that it was acceptable for service to falter, it was while CM's were stressed, scared, and working who knows how many hours overtime. Yet they kept moving. They kept the guests safe, taken care of, and even entertained. From where I sit, it looks like Disney did a bang up job.

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