It’s plenty windy today around Walt Disney World, but this is nothing compared to what a Hurricane could bring to the area. Hurricane season doesn’t technically wrap up until the end of November and Hurricane Ida has just entered the Gulf of Mexico. The storm could possibly be heading toward Central Florida mid-week, although current forecasts say it’s moving in a more northerly direction.

If you’re coming to Walt Disney World this week you might want to call and see if the 2008 Hurricane Policy is still in force. But basically, just come prepared for rain with a couple ponchos and good water proof shoes or Keen like sandles you can wear without socks (my personal preference).

The best advice is to stay safe and follow any advisories Disney or your hotel might give out.

I really hoped that Cypress Gardens could make it. But even in the best economic climate it wouldn’t have been easy. So it was not a shock to learn today that the historic attraction has closed its doors. After a turbulent last few years, Cypress Gardens, which this year re-opened without the amusement rides, and its Splash Island water park are now possibly closed for good.

When Cypress Gardens evolved into a world renown tourist destination back in the 30s and 40s, the world was a different place. The star power of Esther Williams waned long ago and water skiing shows no longer pull in the crowds. The public is no longer so easily satisfied.

“The world is not the same today as it was 30 or 40 years ago,” Dantzler said. “Coming up with a model that works in today’s marketplace is a challenge.”

I actually think Cypress Gardens had a model that would work. But when Hurricane insurance didn’t pay out and the economy started to slow, it was just too difficult to keep the property afloat. They might have been able to overcome one of those, but both was too much.

Had central Florida taken another turn, perhaps with a successful Hollywood East industry, or with Lakeland or Winter Haven attracting a corporate world headquarters or two, Cypress Gardens could have used those as a platform to success. But those are what ifs and could’ve beens.

Those who track the Amusement Park Industry know Cypress Gardens is not alone in its troubles. Many regional parks are closed or having difficulty operating. Will they come back when the economy comes back? Those in the theme park industry remain hopeful that there will always be a demand for families to head out together for some quality time together at the park. How about you?

Brace yourself for the cutest Caretta caretta you’ve ever seen. Aquarists at SeaWorld Orlando are providing round-the-clock care for three endangered loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings (aka the Caretta caretta) this week. Park rangers in Cape Canaveral, FL transported the reptilian refugees to SeaWorld after rough seas caused by Hurricane Bill prevented the week-old trio from trekking from their nest to the waters off the Cape Canaveral National Seashore. Once the seas calm, SeaWorld Orlando’s Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Team will return the turtles to the wild off the coast of Juno Beach.

Loggerheads are listed as threatened by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Every year hatchlings face many “human” obstacles during their journey from their nest on the beach to the shoreline. Artificial lighting, noise and beach activity can confuse causing them to head away from the ocean and toward parking lots and city streets. To discover more about loggerheads, and Seaworld’s animal care program, go to www.seaworld.org.

(Photos courtesy SeaWorld. )

We’re still a few months away from Hurricane season, but preparation for storms is always ongoing at Walt Disney World. Disney has a “Hurricane Policy” (not yet updated for 2009) for their Magic Your Way Guests whose vacation might be affected by a severe storm, but what else do they do?

With picture-perfect skies outside his window most days, Walt Disney World Emergency Operations Coordinator Eric Alberts dedicates his time to preparing for inclement weather. “Safety for everybody that works or stays here is our top priority,” Alberts says as he checks the latest forecasts.

By expertly planning for severe weather in advance, Walt Disney World Resort made history in 2006 as the first theme park and resort area to be recognized by the National Weather Service as a StormReady® Community. Committed to maintaining its leadership in emergency management, Walt Disney World Resort just renewed its StormReady status through 2012 and remains the only recognized commercial site in Florida. Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Ca. has also earned recognition as StormReady.

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While the thoughts of everyone here at The Disney Blog are with those who are in the path of Hurricane Gustav, it’s also important for those in Florida or planning a trip to the area, to know that the whole state, including the attractions area of Central Florida, is in the cone of potential for Tropical Storm Hanna.

As you can see in the above 5-day forcast, Hanna is set to become a Hurricane. While the predicted path does take the storm up the coast and not onto land, as we all know storms like this can sometimes have a mind of their own. Add Gustav into the mix and predictions become even more dangerous.

Keep an eye on the National Hurricane Center for updates. And please be safe and evacuate when told if you’re in the path of any major storm.

Meet Tropical Storm Hanna. Judging by the 5-day forcast above, she’s got her eye set on Florida. If she follows the straight ahead, she’ll be paying central Florida’s attractions a visit in about 7 days. If that’s when you’re planning on visiting Orlando, don’t get worried yet. Some computer models put Hanna on a much more northerly course and back out in the Atlantic. But she deserves watching.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Gustav is still dancing around in the Caribbean. Like Fay before him, Gustav is proving to be unpredictable as a major storm. Between now and when he enters the Gulf of Mexico his potential targets include anywhere in Mexico from the Yucatan north, Texas, Louisiana, the Florida Panhandle, and even the rest of the Florida west coast.

We should know more about both storms in the next few days. Meanwhile keep an eye on the National Hurricane Center (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/) and this blog. If you have a trip booked to Walt Disney World between now and November, you might want to familiarize yourself with the Walt Disney World Tropical Weather Policy.

Disney is ramping up its preparations for the arrival of Fay. So far, no announcements as to when or if parks are closing.  In the past Disney has chosen to be overly cautious when the resort was show to be in the path of an oncoming major storm. They will often close the parks in the morning with the option to open them later if the storm damage is light.

Stay tuned for further announcements later today either here or at The Orlando Sentinel.

The National Hurricane Center has officially named Fay as the 6th major tropical storm of the season. Right now Walt Disney World and the rest of Florida is in the 5-day forecast cone. Which means that sometime this coming Tuesday things could get a little rough around here.

One should never take lightly the powerful storms that can hit the south eastern United States. It’s best to be prepared and be safe. Extra water, flashlights, and food for a few days is recommended if you’re staying in the Orlando area. It’s also a good idea even if you’re staying on Disney property.

Past storms that came through, have shown that Walt Disney World is one of the safest places to be in a storm. Disney has been known to close the parks for the day if the forecasts shows a storm heading their way. They almost always have one or two parks open immediately afterwards, and since the storms keep off-site visitors away, guests staying on property typically have those parks to themselves.

In 2006 Disney implemented a Peace of Mind Tropical Weather policy for vacation reservations. If you feel this applies to you call your travel agent or Walt Disney World Travel Co. depending on who you made your reservations through.

Would you let a forecast hurricane keep you away from Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments.