There’s always the risk of a storm when you book a Disney World vacation for the middle of hurricane season, which runs from June to November. While I have been at Disney World for Hurricane Dorian and Hurricane Nicole, those storms weren’t nearly as intense as Hurricane Milton. Here’s what it was like staying at the BoardWalk Villas during Hurricane Milton.
The Calm Before the Storm
Hurricane Policy for Resort Reservations
I originally had a split stay with 2 nights at the BoardWalk followed by 2 nights at the Grand Floridian. Unfortunately, my scheduled transfer day was the day that Hurricane Milton was expected. While the front desk wasn’t able to help me on arrival day, they were able to help the next day to keep me in my BoardWalk Deluxe Studio. I even got my leftover points back. Due to the hurricane policy that was in effect, those points did not go into holding.
Onsite Preparations
Cast members were working around the clock to get everything prepared. By the morning that the storm was expected, kiosks were wrapped in plastic wrap and the surrey bikes were secured. Sandbags sat outside the restaurants along the boardwalk ready to go, and cast members removed awnings from Abracadabar and Flying Fish.
Supplies for Guests
In addition to the usual small selection of groceries and toiletries, the Screen Door General Store had a couple of special offers for guests riding out the storm. This included 25% off puzzles, crafts, and games for some in-room entertainment and peanut butter and jelly kits for $10 with a loaf of bread and jars of peanut butter and jelly.
Here Comes the Storm
Communication
As the storm approached, it was a little unclear what was open at the resort or for how long. While updated info on Disney World operations for the parks was available via the QR code from the room TV and signs in the lobby, resort-specific info about things like dining was harder to come by without speaking to cast members in person.
Food and Entertainment
Across Disney World resorts, arcades were free play, fitness centers remained open, and there were fun surprise character visits! At the BoardWalk, community hall cast members held trivia games and crafts to keep kiddos entertained and played music for a little lobby dance party. Belle Vue Lounge had drinks and games, and Carousel Coffee’s hours were extended to 10pm, which was convenient since you don’t have to step outside. Guests could buy pastries and grab and go sandwiches or boxed meals. The prices were also very reasonable at $5 to $7.
As the outer bands of Hurricane Milton approached, Disney sent out a push notification via the My Disney Experience app notifying guests that there would be an 8:30pm curfew. Starting at that time, guests were to stay in their room or building as the storm passed. You wouldn’t have wanted to be outside then anyway. The winds were picking up as was the rain. By bedtime, there wasn’t much sleep to be had. With the winds whipping, rain slammed the balcony doors of our BoardWalk View room, and Crescent Lake looked like a wave pool. The howling wind was frightening and something I’ve never experienced before. You can hear a snippet of it in the video below.
Back to Normal
By the time the storm ended, it was the early hours of the morning. The BoardWalk had a lot of tree debris and a few damaged street lights, but all in all seemed to have come out more or less unscathed. Cast Members were out all morning cleaning everything up, and by the late morning/early afternoon, guests were no longer under the curfew. The resort started coming back to life with lots of guests strolling around Crescent Lake as the parks remained closed. By the next day, the resort was remarkably back to normal operations, minus the Friendship boats that were not running to Hollywood Studios due to high water levels. It was hard to tell that anything had even happened.
Bottom Line: It’s never ideal to be in the middle of a fierce hurricane, but all the cast members did an amazing job keeping everyone safe and comfortable, and the BoardWalk returned to normalcy as safely and quickly as possible.
