Ky. family sheltering in place at Disney World as Hurricane Ian passes through

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Florida is obviously a popular vacation spot, and we have heard from many people from Kentucky who either now live in Florida or are there on a family vacation.

One Lexington family is riding out Hurricane Ian in Orlando.

The Inman family is at Disney World for a family reunion. They’ve been there all week, and right now are getting some close family time as they ride out the storm.

As Hurricane Ian batters the Florida Gulf Coast, businesses and homes are boarded up, including Disney World.

“You always know it’s hurricane season in September but you never really imagine it’s going to be the one you’re going to experience. But we’re just trying to be flexible,” Jay Inman said.

A family reunion at the happiest place on earth is definitely making memories as they ride out the storm from their hotel.

“It’s quite an experience. We had to figure out what shelter in place meant. We’re just glad to be safe,” Inman said.

Disney announced Tuesday their parks would be closed Wednesday and Thursday, at least, and resorts are ordering guests stay in place during this time.

“We did some grocery delivery early in the week. We wanted to have a little preparation going. We’ve got some flashlights, some storage devices. We did our best Kentucky version of prepping for a Florida hurricane,” Inman said.

More people from Kentucky are heading toward Florida once the storm passes to help with recovery. Inman says it’s nice to see a bit of homecoming to help others in need.

“It seems like Kentuckians show up time and again in tragedies like this, whether it’s our home state or our colleagues and neighbors in need, and it’s definitely a source of pride,” Inman said.

For now, the family is waiting for the storm to pass, and hoping for the best.

“We’ve got some puzzles. We’ll just make the best of it,” Inman said.

The family is supposed to come back Monday, and they’re hoping they’ll get to venture out before they leave. Right now, the airports in Orlando are closed.

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