May evac to Orlando. Where to stay?

September 4, 2017 9:43 PM

I'm making a few evacuation plans based on where Irma may go. One is to Orlando. I'd love to hear from locals on areas to seek or avoid - somewhere safe, not too prone to flooding. I'll need a place that is pet friendly and disabled accessible.
posted by cmyk to Travel & Transportation around Orlando, FL (6 answers total)

I'd stay in a Disney resort hotel... crazy, right? But (!) they have their own power grid, they prioritize their guests' safety AND comfort, are accessible and have kennels on site. I'll be there Tuesday, Irma willing, and though I'm sure they'll be in clean-up mode, I expect that, like in years past, everything will be organized and operational in short order.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 3:09 AM on September 5, 2017 [3 favorites]

I don't know if you were around for Andrew; it was pointed right at us the night before so we headed up the turnpike in the morning headed for Orlando. When we got on the turnpike it was operating normally, with those big ticket/cards they used to use. A few hours later, the attendants were just swinging those big orange flags, telling us to keep going. We hit Orlando and it was full. We ended up getting the last two rooms in a Holiday Inn in Ocala, an hour north, and this was early afternoon. From what I heard, people who left later in the day had to go almost to Georgia.

Anyway, I've been out of the area too long to give you specific recommendations, but I did want to urge you to book sooner rather than later.
posted by Comrade_robot at 5:43 AM on September 5, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Disney is unfortunately a no-go as I need my dog with me for PTSD support and they don't accept pets in rooms.

I'm making a couple of plans, depending on where this monster is going to track: one out of state, one on high ground in Tampa, and a sort of middle plan in Orlando. I've got the first two, need to settle the third.
posted by cmyk at 1:14 PM on September 5, 2017

I'm in the midwest, so no specific hurricane advice, but when we travel with our dogs, we've found that LaQuinta Inns are very dog friendly, if that helps.
posted by sarajane at 2:07 PM on September 5, 2017

LaQuintas and Red Roof Inns will both allow dogs; most Residence Inns will, too, with an extra charge. I'd look at the RRI near the convention center before the one near the Florida Mall; there are a bunch of La Quintas and an offhand look doesn't show any I'd immediately avoid based on the area.

The Residence Inn in Altamonte Springs/Maitland is definitely pet-friendly and disabled-accessible; there's a Waffle House right next door so no matter what, they'll likely be up and running.

Should you need to go farther north to Ocala, the Residence Inn there took my 200 pound dog for 3 months with no problem, and I believe the Homewood Suites there is also pet-friendly.
posted by ThatSomething at 8:32 PM on September 5, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I wound up in Kissimmee, at Westgate Villas, and this place is ridiculously luxe for the price. They take pets too! If not for the swirling maelstrom of doom pointed at my hometown, I'd really enjoy being here. I'm going to get a lot of wind and rain, but I'm way far away from the coast, which is as good as I can get without leaving the state.
posted by cmyk at 10:48 PM on September 8, 2017 [1 favorite]