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What Ever the Weather
By Wendi P. - May 04, 2001
You have planned your vacation down to the last detail. You have waited and waited and waited and waited for the big day. You check out your favorite weather web site and you discover, much to your horror, that the weather is not going to be perfect. What do you do? You can't cancel your vacation just because it's raining, or cold, or (and this has happened to me ) there is a hurricane or major storm on the way. What do you do?
First, RELAX. Florida weather patterns change rapidly.
RAIN
Even in the rainy season when it rains every day, it does not rain all day
like it does in other parts of the country. Buy rain ponchos before your
trip, or pick up one of the yellow Mickey ponchos that appear as if by magic
when the rain starts to fall. Rain can be your ally and not your enemy.
While others are heading out of the parks, stick around - you will be
rewarded with shorter lines and less waits. Many of the attractions are
indoors anyway. But what if there is an extended period of rain. Well,
that would be a perfect time to explore some of the amenities of your resort
or to visit a resort that you are curious about. If you are a
shop-a-holic, then visit Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island and West Side.
Go see a movie, have a great meal, or take in Disney Quest. And the best
times I have ever had at Typhoon Lagoon was after a rain storm in late
August ... the humidity was gone and so were the crowds.
COLD
If you go to Disney in the winter, be prepared. Just because you are in
sunny Florida it does not follow that it will be warm. The winter of 2000
was very cold and we ended up wearing our winter jackets the whole time we
were on vacation. Other years, we were comfortable in just a light sweater.
Pack medium weight sweaters or sweatshirts and a winter coat just in case.
Expect to see the small outdoor vendors closed down early or not open at
all. And, my greatest disappointment of all - most of the outdoor
BoardWalk activities are cancelled in cold weather.
HURRICANE / STORM
This is the extreme. I have had plans changed because of Hurricane Bob,
Hurricane Andrew and the so-called Storm of the Century. Bob struck my area
the day before our family vacation, Andrew struck Florida while I was there,
and the Storm of the Century was included the day I was to fly out to
Florida. While none of the storms had a direct impact on Disney World
itself, they DID throw my plans into chaos! If you used a travel agent to
plan your trip, get on the phone to your agent immediately! Do not assume
they will take care of you just BECAUSE. I have worked in an agency, and
travel agents, as thorough as they are, just might miss your reservation if
you don't speak up. Even if you did not buy trip insurance, most package
deals will allow you to re-book, sometimes without penalty depending on how
good your agent is. If you booked the trip yourself, call the airline, call
the airport, call the hotel - be the most informed consumer that you can be.
If your dates are not flexible and you can manage it, get yourself to the
airport. Even if your flight is cancelled, you might be put on the next
flight out. If your dates are flexible, call the airline and tell them -
most airlines will happily put you on a flight a few days later. Call the
hotel and explain what happened and when you will be arriving. I have
never been charged a fee or lost a deposit when I called and spoke to the
hotel.
Having bad weather during your vacation need not be a disaster if you are prepared. Most of all, remember that you are on vacation. Relax, have fun, and make magical memories that will live in your heart forever.
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