WASHINGTON ― The abrupt decision to move President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration indoors due to dangerous cold weather scrambled plans for Michiganians who had traveled to the nation's capital to witness his Monday swearing-in.

Michigan lawmakers had handed out hundreds of tickets to constituents, many of whom booked flights and pricey weekend hotel reservations ― all to learn 72 hours ago that those tickets would be commemorative since Trump's ceremony is moving inside the U.S. Capitol's historic rotunda.

Officials closed the ticketed areas around the Capitol and even removed the Jumbotrons erected on the National Mall for people to watch in larger, un-ticketed areas.

It's the first time since President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration 40 years ago that the ceremony has moved inside ― also due to frigid weather. With the polar vortex, Monday's forecast in Washington calls for wind chills from the single digits to low teens, with temperatures not getting out of the low 20s.

"It's a bit of a bummer," said Andrew Brisson of Iron Mountain.

Brisson, vice president of the manufacturer Loadmaster in Dickinson County, came to town to participate in the inaugural parade, driving a garbage truck made by his company with the Trump 2024 logo emblazoned on the side. But even the parade is going to be indoors now at the Capitol One Arena, and no vehicles can take part, he said.

At least two watch parties for Michigan crowds popped up over the weekend, including one organized by Republican consultant Scott Greenlee near the Caps Arena, where he is anticipating a few hundred people at Sax Restaurant & Lounge between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He's even gotten inquiries from groups visiting from other states.

"What a bummer for people who spent the money to come down here and won't get to be there now. Then I started thinking, we're all going to be at different bars or clubs or hotel lobbies watching it on TV," said Greenlee, who is running to be chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

"We’ve got to give people a way to watch together. We all worked so hard in Michigan to win for the president — and we won. ... We'll just try to make a friendly, fun reception of a situation that's disappointing for so many."

Greenlee enlisted the last-minute help of a colleague to rent a bar for a party ― he's paying for the venue and appetizers and there will be an open bar, he said. He purposely chose a spot near the arena ― where the inauguration will be livestreamed ― to accommodate folks who wait in line there but can't get in due to space constraints.

He's betting that a lot of folks who traveled from Michigan will stay to "be around the spectacle," including other events like Trump's rally on Sunday evening or the Monday night inaugural balls.

Greenlee also doesn't think the D.C. freeze is that brutal for anyone from Michigan who knows how to dress for the cold: "I brought my deer-hunting stuff. It would have been no problem for me," he said. "I could have stayed out there for 10 hours and been comfy."

"But they got to look at the whole country, right?" said Greenlee, noting he'd talked to a friend from the South who was conflicted between wanting to attend the ceremony and being unacclimated to the arctic blast.

Lorenzo Sewell, a Detroit pastor who is praying at Trump's Monday ceremony, said frigid temperatures don't bother him, but he agreed it was the right call to move the festivities inside.

"I'm from Michigan. I don't care about the weather. I'm more concerned about the older person or the person from Florida, or the person who's never been in this type of cold before," said Sewell of 180 Church.

"I mean, you can die. Can you imagine, being inaugurated and that same day two or three old people die? I mean, your presidency's done," Sewell added.

"People would say you cared more about big crowds. Can you imagine someone on the news saying, my grandmother loved him so much she stayed out there and froze to death?"

On a bus on its way from Hillsdale County to Washington overnight, several riders spoke of “scuttlebutt” that concerns for Trump’s safety after two prior assassination attempts ― rather than the weather ― were the reason events were moved indoors.

“I’m disappointed, but we’re just going to try to experience it as much as we can. Whatever happens, happens," said Rick Schuurmans, 67, of Caledonia, a retired dairy farmer who voted for Trump three times.

If he’s unable to get into the Caps arena, Schuursmans said he might try to attend Greenlee’s party.

“I’m looking forward to it, but I really don’t know what this day is gonna be. What’s going to happen? I have no idea," he said. "We’re gonna give it our best shot to have a good time.”

Marilyn Hurrle, 74, of St. Joseph said she has only been to D.C. once before for a 4H trip as a teenager. This visit, she's using a wheelchair due to recent knee surgery. She brought a MAGA hat with an American flag headband to fasten to the top, hoping it would make her stand out enough to get to shake Trump’s hand.

“I think it's unfortunate that the weather had to take such a nasty turn. I understand," the retired nurse manager said.

“But I am excited,” Hurrle told The News. “I would love to be close enough to really see him."

Josh Logan, 48, a part-time construction worker and musician from Hillsdale County, was returning to Washington for the first time since Jan. 6, 2021. He was not disappointed in events being canceled or moved inside Monday.

“People got to do what they got to do to, you know. It’s gonna be cold. You gotta take your precautions," he said.

He told The News he was just excited to be present in the capital and take in whatever sights he can.

“How can you not go if you have the opportunity, whether you agree with whatever party’s getting sworn in or not? You get to experience America history in the making," Logan said.

“Man, if we don't get to go inside, and we're stupid enough, we’ll probably go walk to the local liquor store, maybe split a pint of Jim Beam or Jack Daniels to kind of stay warm. We’ll get back here on the bus and watch it on our cell phones.”

Josh Haley, a Shiawassee County commissioner from Owosso, said he was overall not that disappointed that he wouldn't be able to witness Trump's inauguration in person after traveling to D.C. on Friday. He planned to attend a watch party in the Navy Yard neighborhood hosted by U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, he said.

"Of course, we’d love to have the usual experience outside. But it’s not that shocking," Haley said.

"Reagan held his in the Capitol rotunda in 1985 for his second inaugural. Honestly, I’ll take it as is. Six to seven hours standing in the cold would have been a long haul."

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