Kentuckiana Family Will Still Go To Disney World Despite Hurricane Irma

A Kentuckiana family began the drive to Florida’s Disney World Thursday, despite Hurricane Irma hitting the state, reported Kentucky Fox-affiliate WDRB Thursday.

After months of planning a family vacation, the Smith family of Kentuckiana — an area comprising of counties in both Kentucky and Indiana— announced there would be no change in the itinerary. Randy and Debra Smith, as well as their four children, began their nearly 13-hour trip Thursday afternoon from southern Indiana to central Florida.

“Do we go? Do we stay? What are we going to do?” Debra Smith said to WDRB. “He just asked me if I wanted to postpone it, and I said no. We’ve had it planned for almost a year.”

Hurricane Irma, which has circled around Florida for the past few days, was a Category 5 storm when it moved through the Caribbean Thursday, passing by with 185 mph winds and destroying homes, according to reports.

Hurricane Irma is expected to hit Florida starting Saturday. At the time of contact, Florida will be hit with 145 mph winds.

“Do not try to ride out this storm. We can’t save you once the storm hits," Florida Gov. Rick Scott said. “Every Florida family must prepare to evacuate, regardless of the coast you live on. We do not know where this storm is going.”

Scott stated that Hurricane Irma "is a catastrophic storm our state has never seen.”

Hurricane Irma could hit southeastern Florida with up to 15 inches of rain and storm surges of 3 to 10 feet, according to the National Hurricane Center. The Southwestern part of Florida could also receive storm surge flooding between 6 to 12 feet. Hurricane Irma will affect the state more than 1992’s Hurricane Andrew, which left at least 44 dead and caused $25.3 billion in damage.

The Smith family booked the Disney vacation with Bliss Travel Inc. in New Albany.

“Disney is very, very gracious on re-accommodating and no additional costs,” said Mark Bliss, owner of Bliss Travel Inc.

Bliss said he would remain in contact with the Smiths while they were on vacation.

“They said, right now, everything is normal for Disney World,” Randy Smith said. “I’m just going to go and have fun, and when they tell us we have to go back to the hotel, you know, we’ll go back to the hotel.”

Walt Disney World's four amusement parks, Universal Parks & Resorts and Sea World will all be closed Sunday and Monday.