A mom influencer came under fire for posting a video on TikTok showing her preparing for a trip to Disney World Florida, USA, in the middle of Hurricane Milton. Amid growing backlash, TikToker Cecily Bauchmann deleted the controversial video and later clarified that she and her family left the state. The mom-of-four has since spread awareness to help the communities affected by the Category 5 hurricane.
Highlights
- Cecily Bauchmann's Disney trip video during Hurricane Milton caused online outrage.
- Bauchmann clarified her family left Florida after evacuation orders were issued.
- Disney World temporarily closed due to Hurricane Milton, impacting operations.
- Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified from tropical storm to Category 5 in 24 hours.
Earlier this week, Cecily, who self-describes as a “pastor’s wife,” took to her TikTok page to share a clip to her 2.2 million followers showcasing her family of six packing for Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The video sparked outrage, and Cecily promptly deleted it. However, glimpses of it are still available within the stitch commentary of TikToker “ConspiraTea.”
A TikTok user commented: "I just had to go through Helene and there is no way I would put my children in the direct path of a hurricane. Especially not this one.”
A mom influencer came under fire for planning a trip to Disney, Florida, hours before Hurricane Milton struck
Image credits: cecilybauchmann
A person wrote: "DO BETTER Influencers going to Disney despite Hurricane Milton about to absolutely smack Florida.”
A separate individual chimed in: "Honestly lost all my respect for her.”
Upon deleting her controversial TikTok video, Cecily took to her Instagram page on Thursday morning (October 10) to seemingly clear things up.
Image credits: www.tiktok.com
In a story on Instagram, the influencer revealed that she and her family were no longer in Florida but were back in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives.
She stated that she left Florida once evacuation orders were issued. Moreover, she clarified that the family trip to Disney World had been planned in advance for the “fall break.”
After learning about the weather conditions in Florida, Cecily mentioned that she had contacted her hotel at Disney World, and they reassured her that the storm wouldn't impact the area where they would be staying.
She posted a video on TikTok showing her preparing for a trip to Disney World in Florida, USA
Image credits: therealdaphney/cecilybauchmann
She went on to admit that she “absolutely” regretted going to Florida despite the hurricane warnings, and said she was “very naive” about how quickly the storm developed into a Category 5 hurricane.
Hurricanes classified as Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale have winds exceeding 157 mph (252 km/h) and can cause catastrophic damage, including total destruction of buildings and widespread power outages.
The scale has five levels: Category 1 (74-95 mph), Category 2 (96-110 mph), Category 3 (111-129 mph), Category 4 (130-156 mph), and Category 5 (157+ mph).
After immense backlash, she said her family decided to cancel their Disney trip and leave the state
Image credits: NASAEarth
Each higher category represents increasing wind speeds and more severe potential damage. It’s used to assess the destructive potential of the storm.
Cecily explained that once she learned that the storm had evolved into a full-blown Category 5 hurricane, she and her family decided to leave.
The mom then stated how “devastated” she felt for the communities affected, including animals, and was since “investing in relief organizations.”
Image credits: cookiecutterqueen3/cecilybauchmann
Amid growing backlash, TikToker Cecily Bauchmann deleted the controversial video
“Hurricane Milton is heavy on my heart right now,” she said.
Cecily set up a few links to raise donations and other forms of aid, such as an Amazon wish list, for those impacted by Hurricane Milton.
On Monday (October 7), Disney World's official Weather Updates page stated that the Orlando-area resort was still operating “under normal conditions."
Image credits: cecilybauchmann
Nevertheless, it also noted: " We are closely monitoring the path of the projected storm as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members."
A day prior, on Sunday (October 6), the park seemingly paused hotel reservations for Wednesday and Thursday in anticipation of the hurricane making landfall, People reported on Tuesday (October 8).
Disney advised visitors to “continue to shelter inside while we assess the storm’s impact”
Image credits: cecilybauchmann
Disney World’s theme parks and Disney Springs, including the parking garages, have since been temporarily closed, as per the latest weather updates on its official website.
For guests who were already at Walt Disney World and Vero Beach Resort Hotel, Disney advised them to “continue to shelter inside while we assess the storm’s impact.”
Hurricane Milton marks the ninth hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday.
Image credits: cecilybauchmann
The mom-of-four has since spread awareness to help the communities affected by the Category 5 hurricane
On average, the Atlantic basin experiences about seven hurricanes each year, including three major hurricanes.
This is the second Category 5 hurricane of the season, following Hurricane Beryl, the first storm of the 2024 Atlantic season, as per Al Jazeera.
Fed by warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Milton reportedly became the third-fastest intensifying storm on record in the Atlantic Ocean, surging from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours.
Bored Panda has contacted Cecily for comment
Cecily's video continued to ignite negative feedback
