In Travel News for September 28th, 2022 we talk about the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in the Dominican Republic, Cuba the day after Hurricane Ian, as well as how Walt Disney World and Universal Studios are responding to the incoming storm.
Temporary Resort Closures in the Dominican Republic
Some resorts in the Dominican Republic are closing temporarily or limiting operations while they cleanup and repair damage from Hurricane Fiona. The Hilton La Romana, Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana, and Hyatt Ziva will all be closing temporarily with reopen dates ranging between November and December this year. Club Med Punta Cana is temporarily closing with a reopen date scheduled for October 22nd. 2 properties in the AMR Collection have been affected, The Secrets Cap Cana Resorts & Spa is limiting operations but expects to be fully operational soon. While the Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana is fully operational but undergoing repairs related to the storm. If you are scheduled to stay in any of these resorts you will need to contact your Travel Advisor to better understand how this will impact your travels.
Cuba After Ian
In Cuba, Hurricane Ian knocked out power to the entire island. As of Wednesday power had been resorted to three regions,. The capitol city of Havana and much of the western side of the island where the storm was at it’s strongest is still without power. Ian hit Cuba as a category 3 hurricane and destroyed homes, buildings, and other critical infrastructure. In an especially hard economic blow to Cuba, many tobacco farms had necessary infrastructure destroyed which will be a major setback to the production of cuban cigars.
Walt Disney World Prepares for Ian
While many of Florida's theme parks and resorts were closing in preparation for Hurricane Ian, Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida both adopted a wait and see approach. With Ian expected to make landfall as a category 4 hurricane, both Disney and Universal have announced immediate closures of the theme parks for Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Disney is working with travel advisors and guests to modify park and resort reservations without penalties, any open reservations during park closures will be automatically cancelled and refunded. If you had plans to visit Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, or really anywhere in Florida in the coming weeks you should reach out to your travel advisor.