re: Hurricane Milton - The Cleanup Begins...

The hurricane models did predict rapid intensification but this is 6 to 12 hours ahead of even what they were predicting.

If someone could help with advice, I would really appreciate it. The kids are out of school Th/F of this week and M/T of next week for a nice fall fall break. We have a trip to Universal in Orlando planned. We are supposed to fly in on Thursday. My wife and I are almost definitely going to cancel the trip this morning. Are we correct?

I know Orlando is well inland, but everything I have seen points to it still being a hurricane when it exits into the Atlantic which means it will have plenty of oomph. I think the only thing that could possibly save it would be if the hurricane went further south than expected. Am I missing something here? The kids are really disappointed which I understand, but we don’t want to fly into somewhere that is struggling to recover and to the system further.

This reminds me of Wilma.

Pinhole eye with exceptional rapid intensification.

Will you get your money back?
Can you just reschedule the trip?

Simple answer: don’t go.

Solution: take a road trio to Colorado or Arkansas or somewhere else.

Why: Orlando won’t be fun

You are the father. Make the decision. Lead the family. Then, let them get behind that decision, and have fun!

Any thoughts on how Fort Lauderdale will do with this hurricane and if flying out this Saturday afternoon will be possible? I know it's anyone's guess - just looking for some opinions.

Thanks all.

I'd cancel.

Everything will be iffy - power, fuel, supplies.

Park will likely be closed at least Thursday, possibly Friday, for damage assessment. If there is damage of any significance, it will be closed longer. They won't reopen until everything has been assessed and tested.

My uncle and aunt near Homosassa Springs decided to go to my cousin's place in Virginia, and are leaving today. I haven't heard from my cousin in Land O' Lakes, but he is with the Tampa FD so I know he can't leave - have to see what the wife (no pics) and kids plan on doing. I also have some cousins in the Bradenton area.

I'd reschedule or go anywhere else. One of my BFFs lives in Orlando (I'm in St. Augustine) and the last time a hurricane went over them like this is predicted to, there were a TON of trees down on power lines and houses everywhere. Yeah, Disney is pretty fast to open stuff back up once determined safe, but I gotta imagine there may be limited staffing, too, because the people who work at Disney live in Orlando and are gonna have their own post-hurricane damage/issues to deal with.

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Personally, I would cancel.
Best case scenario for the area is a minimal impact, but even then sources will be strained further with the cleanup already ongoing with Helene. Maybe not so much with Orlando proper, but that area will be at least used for staging.

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Thanks. 100% what I’m thinking. Just checking to make sure I’m not missing something. Kids are so disappointed which I hate, but we have to be smart. We are going to cancel today particularly after I posted and saw the hurricane hunter plane found it even stronger than projected. This is trending very badly.

125MPH my god