The kids have trick-or-treated, and as Americans sip Pumpkin Spice Lattes airlines are launching a slew of new sun runs to prepare for the colder weather and travelers eager for escape.
14.10.2024 - 20:44 / insider.com
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Allison Gilgenbach, 45, a training director for an IT company from Cleveland. It has been edited for length and clarity.
After we entered our hotel room at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, my daughters, Reagan, 11, and Ryann, 8, and I looked for the nearest exits and flights of stairs.
The last time Reagan checked the weather app, Hurricane Milton was predicted to hit central Florida around 5 a.m. Thursday. We wanted to find the quickest route to safety if we needed to evacuate the room and the elevators didn't work.
I packed battery-operated lights and candles in our luggage and six battery-powered phone chargers for my phone. The hotel seems to have a lot of food available, but I placed an InstaCart order for a case of water and snacks like Lunchables, just in case.
It's our first time at Universal. We booked our vacation several months ago between Reagan and Ryann's birthdays. When she heard about the potential hurricane, my travel agent asked if we wanted to cancel or change our dates.
I'm normally a bit of a worry wart, but for some reason, this didn't make me very anxious. The path is unpredictable, and I feel this area and the hotel's structure are prepared for hurricanes. If there's anywhere to be, it's probably one of these resorts.
I'd been monitoring Facebook posts in Disney groups, and some people on the platform had said the same. They said that, typically, this is where many folks from the coast, such as Tampa, will come inland to hunker down.
I originally booked the trip for Tuesday to Saturday. However, we didn't want to be stuck in our room all vacation, so after checking that many activities would still be held at the hotel, we decided to extend it to Monday.
We waited in line for two hours to check in. The card machines went down for a little bit, so they had to do everything by hand. People were trying to check out early, and at the same time, others were showing up, looking for a room.
The park was scheduled to close at 2 p.m. Wednesday, so we made the most of the rides on Tuesday afternoon. We'd planned to go to the stores at Universal CityWalk after breakfast, but it was pouring, so we returned to our hotel instead.
The employees organized a ton of activities for the kids, such as coloring and crafting. They also had movies playing, such as the "Harry Potter" series. But we've been in the arcade pretty much all day. We've spent about $300 each on the arcade machines alone.
My kids are taking advantage of our situation. "Can we get more ice cream?" they said.
I don't mind the arcade expense because we would have been spending money in the park regardless. My parents — who were a bit worried about us at first — sent the
The kids have trick-or-treated, and as Americans sip Pumpkin Spice Lattes airlines are launching a slew of new sun runs to prepare for the colder weather and travelers eager for escape.
Blame it on the hurricanes. After weeks of falling fuel prices, two hurricanes within two weeks of each other cause the slight rise in gas prices.
Visit Florida launched a new campaign Monday to inform tourists that many parts of the state are open and ready to welcome visitors after hurricanes Helene and Milton.
While hurricanes bring short-term devastation, they often boost medium-term hotel performance in affected regions. Analysts at investment banks Bernstein, Baird, and Truist expect hurricanes Milton and Helene to impact hotel occupancy and revenue in Florida for months.
Walt Disney World will shut down on Wednesday as Florida braces for Hurricane Milton.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Christian Salafia, a former US Navy engineering laboratory technician and cyber and information security consultant who moved from Florida to South Africa in 2021.
Floridians are returning to their homes and businesses to survey the damage after millions were advised to evacuate before Hurricane Milton.
The Tampa Bay region on the west coast of Florida is preparing for a cataclysmic storm, touted as one of the most powerful in recent history.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sandra Guadarrama-Baumunk, 53, the co-owner of an advertising agency in Phoenix. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Airlines said they have capped airfares as they face accusations of price gouging before Hurricane Milton hits the Gulf Coast south of Tampa.
Large swaths of Florida were recovering on Friday after Hurricane Milton swept through as a major storm with airports and theme parks starting to reopen.
As Hurricane Milton hurdles its way towards Florida on Wednesday as a Category 4 storm, flights have been canceled, airlines and cruises have diverted, and theme parks have shuttered.