Tropical Storm Elsa Shifts Closer To Central Florida

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

If you’re headed to Walt Disney World early this week, you’ll want to take note as Elsa continues to head towards Central Florida. We previously shared Tropical Storm Elsa turned into Hurricane Elsa… the first hurricane of the year. With Florida on Elsa’s projected path, we were happy to see she downgraded back to a Tropical Storm. You’ll still want to keep close watch however as Elsa figures out where she is headed and how strong she will be when she makes landfall. And yes, we know all those Disney fans out there appreciate the National Hurricane Center naming the storm Elsa!

As reported by OrlandoSentinel: “Tropical Storm Elsa continues its approach to Florida on Sunday with a projected path that predicts landfall near Tampa late Tuesday or early Wednesday and then slicing across the peninsula from west to east. The 11 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center places the center of the storm, which was downgraded from a hurricane on Saturday. By late Tuesday or early Wednesday, the storm is predicted to shift northeast making landfall somewhere near Tampa still with 60 mph sustained winds and then progress on a path that could take its center over Ocala on the way to Jacksonville.”

Tropical Storm Elsa Could Reach Florida Next Week

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, Uncategorized

Are you headed to Walt Disney World this weekend, into early next week? If so, you’ll want to take note that Tropical Storm Elsa has formed and looks like it could reach Florida by next week. While a rainy day at Disney is still better than a sunny day at the office, you’ll want to keep close watch as Elsa figures out where it is headed. And yes, we’re sure all those Disney fans out there noticed… the storm has been named Elsa!

As shared by OrlandoSentinel: “The National Hurricane Center officially named Tropical Storm Elsa Thursday morning, and showed the fifth named storm of the season could possibly take aim at Florida by next week. The Hurricane Center said it’s too early to tell if the Elsa will impact Florida, although the cone does show parts of the state within Elsa’s five-day path. However, there is significant uncertainty in the track forecast between the weekend and Tuesday, the NHC said. Discrepancies in the track have made meteorologists’ confidence in the projection “lower than usual,” the NHC said.”

The most recent update from the National Hurricane Center was shared via Twitter:

Long Lines at Food Bank For Furloughed Disney Cast Members

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Via Disneyfanatic.com

Orlando is known as the “tourism capital of the world”. While COVID-19 numbers are showing a decline in the state, the pandemic has without a doubt rocked the tourism industry as the usual crowds simply aren’t flocking to the area as they were before. A local food bank with a 2-mile long line is a sign of the times.

As shared by the OrlandoSentinel: At 4 a.m., the first furloughed workers arrive to stake out their spots for free groceries. They wait for 4 1/2 hours in their cars. If they show up late, the food might run out. By the 9 a.m., the nearly bumper-to-bumper row of cars stretches 2 miles, clogging up one lane of Orange Blossom Trail and heading down Landstreet Road.

In the line are hundreds of people: Furloughed Disney World employees, welders who saw business shrivel up, hotel workers unceremoniously laid off in mass numbers, and others.

Every week for the past four months, volunteers have handed out free boxes of groceries at the drive-thru food bank organized by Unite Here 737, a local union that represents primarily Disney hotel housekeepers and food service workers.

“Every week it gets worse,” said Nick Canturano, a furloughed server at a Hollywood Studios buffet restaurant, who volunteers every week at the outdoor food bank located at a union hall about a mile from the Florida Mall.

The $600 federal unemployment benefit Floridians had been collecting each week vanished July 31, so now the state’s benefit — one of the lowest in the country — only pay a maximum of $275 a week.

The reopening of Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal Orlando theme parks have not fixed Orlando’s economy which recorded a 15.3% unemployment rate in July — the highest in the state.

Construction Continues on Virgin Trains USA Brightline High-Speed Railway From Miami to Orlando

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Virgin Trains USA Brightline High-Speed Railway will soon provide a means of transportation from Miami to Orlando in 3 hours. It typically takes about 4 hours to drive between the two cities. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, construction on the railway has continued, with certain adjustments and precautions implemented.

The line will include a Walt Disney World Resort station in Orlando.

A new Trains Magazine 2020 spread features an in-depth look at the Brightline High-Speed Railway.

brightline high speed railway

Florida is home to swamplands and a wide range of sensitive ecosystems, which must be taken into consideration throughout construction. Stephen Cartwright, Virgin Trains USA Field Engineer, explains the additional work required to build train tracks through this terrain.

brightline high speed railway

Once complete, the train will travel from Miami to Orlando International Airport. The tracks at MCO have already been laid.

brightline high speed railway

To achieve the trip in under 3 hours, the Cocoa-Orlando line is proposed to operate at high speeds of up to 125 mph. From Miami to West Palm Beach, trains will reach speeds of up to 79 mph. From West Palm to Cocoa, it’s a maximum speed of 110 mph.

Virgin Atlantic To Resume Flights To Orlando In July

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Virgin Atlantic has announced that flights between the UK and Orlando will be resuming starting on July 20.

Last month, it was announced that Virgin Atlantic had suspended all their operations from London Gatwick, a major hub for Orlando passengers. Caused by the sharp impact of Coronavirus on the travel industry, this also resulted in over 3,000 job losses for the company, throwing the future of transatlantic travel in doubt. Now, Virgin has announced that their flights will soon be resuming from London Heathrow Airport, and Orlando is one of the first destinations on the list.

In a tweet posted by the airline, passengers are assured of the strict safety protocols being carried out for all flights, to ensure the wellbeing of guests. These include health screenings and social distancing precautions (including boarding in smaller groups), ‘meticulous’ onboard cleaning (including disinfectant fogging), and the distribution of health packs including masks given to each passenger.

The other destinations included in the new timetables are New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, so if you’re an international Disney Parks hopper, this could be the good news you’ve been waiting for.

Manchester is the other major UK airport serviced by Virgin Atlantic, however timetables including that destination are yet to be released. Of course, it still remains a question of when non-US citizens are being permitted entry to the United States. Therefore, if you’re a UK resident planning a holiday, it might be best to check with your travel operator for the best guidance before assuming or confirming plans.