Family who sheltered in Disney World during Hurricane Milton reveal what it was really like

An Arizona ma who was vacationing astatine Disney World as Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc done Florida came guardant to picture her acquisition of being hunkered down successful the park. 

Sandra Guadarrama-Baumunk, 53, was visiting Disney World with her household erstwhile the tempest made landfall and said their edifice was 'one of the safest places to beryllium successful a hurricane' portion applauding however accommodating it was.

Resort guests were told to beryllium successful their rooms by 8.30pm connected Wednesday successful mentation for the storm. 

The hurricane near 3million Florida homes and businesses without powerfulness Wednesday nighttime and destroyed astir 125 homes. At slightest 13 radical person died. 

But Sandra said the lone 'drama' connected Wednesday nighttime was erstwhile the occurrence alarm of their edifice went disconnected astatine 9.30pm due to the fact that of a insignificant abbreviated circuit. Everyone safely evacuated their rooms and went into the lobby for little than 10 minutes, Sandra wrote successful a Business Insider essay. 

'I cognize different parts of Florida were severely damaged but, for us, it was fine,' the mother-of-two wrote. 

'They were monitoring the concern and giving updates. We ne'er felt uninformed.

'We're gladsome we trusted Disney. Its employees are moving hard to support america harmless and guarantee we inactive person a large vacation.' 

Sandra arrived astatine the edifice with her hubby Brian, 58, daughters Mia and Sofia, 25 and 21, and Mia's boyfriend, 25, connected Saturday and volition beryllium leaving this upcoming Saturday.

She did not specify which 1 of Disney's implicit 25 hotels they are staying in. 

Sandra said she 'positively' thought that Hurricane Milton was going to 'miss' their travel to Florida.  

The Disney-loving family's Wednesday nighttime was comparatively uneventful aft the occurrence alarm went off, though they heard the beardown hurricane winds and rainfall pelting astatine their windows. 

Sandra's household faced different insignificant hiccup erstwhile their formation backmost location to Phoenix, Arizona was rescheduled due to the fact that of the storm. When they extended their Disney enactment by different night, the edifice offered a 40 percent discount connected their 2 rooms.

'They would person outgo implicit $1,000 each connected a emblematic Friday night,' Sandra said.

Dining costs astatine the edifice were besides chopped back. Sandra said her household paid $26 per idiosyncratic for a barbecue meal alternatively of $40. Breakfast plates were $14 alternatively of $26. 

The iconic taxable parkland closed astatine 2pm connected Wednesday earlier the tempest and has not reopened to the public, Sandra said her edifice has kept them entertained. 

On Wednesday, the edifice offered family-friendly activities successful the lobby.

'There was a bully bar. We hung retired doing puzzles and playing paper games similar Uno that we'd bought astatine the acquisition store,' Sandra wrote.

Sandra said that she did not spot immoderate rainfall connected Thursday, lone cloudiness. 

Disney World announced connected Tuesday that the taxable parkland would beryllium closing for the hurricane. They issued refunds for immoderate prepaid experiences.

But arsenic Florida starting preparing for different devastating hurricane aft bearing done Hurricane Helene, tens of thousands of tourists did not alteration their Disney plans. 

Disney World is acceptable to reopen connected Friday, according to their authoritative website. 

The website reads: 'We’re grateful Walt Disney World Resort weathered the storm.

'Our hearts are with our chap Floridians who were impacted by this storm.'

The tempest was downgraded to a Category 1 connected Thursday arsenic it near the authorities and moved into the Atlantic ocean.

However, officials person warned that the information is not implicit and radical should stay successful their homes arsenic tempest surges are expected pursuing the storm