ORLANDO — The aftermath of Hurricane Milton is evident at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club
Resorts by the sandbags placed intermittently inside and outside, benches purposely flipped over and pool furniture stacked together and lashed to the ground. But spirits are high inside.
I’ve been staying at the Beach Club on a family vacation since Monday. While we knew going in that this would be a far-from-typical experience, I am not surprised at how well Disney has handled a hurricane.
And, my travel advisor has checked in with me every step of the way.
After a rainy and windy Wednesday night, we woke up Thursday morning to friendly smiles from cast
members and normally operating quick- and table-service restaurants.
Last night, we had a great dinner at the Cape May Cafe in the Beach Club, followed by nightcaps at the Martha’s Vineyard lounge. It wasn’t exactly the evening at the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival that we planned, but it was lovely nonetheless.
When we flew to Orlando on Monday, it was unclear how, exactly, Disney World would respond to (or be affected by) the storm. As the week unfolded, we learned first parks would close Wednesday at 1 or 2 p.m. and would likely remain closed Thursday. “Likely” turned to “definitely” on Wednesday.
Calm before the storm
On Wednesday, we spent an uncrowded morning in Animal Kingdom, where the gorilla viewing was the best I’ve ever experienced. We had lunch at a personal favorite, Tiffin’s, at noon before the park closed at 1 p.m. The only unusual things about that meal: how quiet the restaurant was, and bringing boxed dessert back to the hotel to make it out in time.
Back at the Beach Club, the hotel was buzzing with cast members stationed to stay overnight. Some sandbags could be seen at ground-floor doorways.
In the lobby, characters, music, crafts, stuffed animal parades and more were at the ready for children. My daughter loved making a “campfire crown” craft and coloring with the other kids.
Restaurants operated as usual. Existing reservations were honored and walk-ups were admitted throughout the evening. We only waited 10 minutes to get into Cape May Cafe.
Lounges at the Yacht and Beach Clubs (the sister properties are connected) were buzzing in the evening hours.
Cast members — who were part of Disney’s hurricane squad that volunteers to stay overnight and keep properties operating — kept the vibes positive.
To my knowledge, power and internet never went out.
On Thursday morning, cast members encouraged guests to stay inside, where things were operating as normally as possible.
From my very narrow view at the Beach Club, the storm’s impact seems minimal. I’ve seen water pooling in a volleyball court I can see from my balcony, and a few branches down in the Stormalong Bay pool area. Leaves swirled by the wind are scattered around trees.
Milton’s overall impact in the Sunshine State has been tragic, and my heart goes out to all affected.
While I don’t yet know how the rest of Disney property fared, at the Beach Club, it looks like it’s shaping up to be a pretty nice day.