Florida is in my thoughts more often than it isn’t. Usually, that involves me wishing I was there. Right now that isn’t the case due to the horror that is Irma which is bearing down on my favourite destination.
We have been there at this time of year, hurricane season, a lot. We’ve been very, very lucky and (touches wood) have never been impacted by more than an impressive storm. In 2004 we missed hurricane Charley by a few hours, arriving just after it had hit and we saw very clear evidence of its power at our resort (Cypress Pointe) and on the golf course we played with many of the villas around the course being without their pool covers.
Again riding our luck we were the last flight out of Sanford at the end of that holiday as the airport closed for another incoming hurricane.
As you can see, the damage from Charley that we saw was relatively minor (ignore the wrong dates from my camera!). Having said that a quick google search tells me that 15 people died in Charley and it cost $16 billion to repair all the damage. I guess Orlando has typically escaped major damage in the past as it is very central but to see parks closing shows how serious Irma could be.
You’ll probably know that the weather in Florida can be an obsession. There is a weather report on TV every sixteen seconds with all sorts of analysis of every weather front. For us, none of the nasty stuff that was being tracked during our time there ever turned into anything of note. They either broke up or veered out to sea. We’ve had some serious rain at times but nothing on a scale that could be as bad as Irma looks. I just hope that the ever present weather obsession doesn’t make folks complacent that Irma will also prove to be less than predicted.
Irma looks so different. Its track has looked like going right through Florida for days and there seems to have been no last-minute deviation or reprieve.
It can only be hoped that the incredible damage seen by the islands already hit by Irma isn’t replicated in Florida. Having been to the Keys, I really fear for them down there. The buildings, beautiful as they are, just don’t look strong enough to withstand a hurricane of this magnitude.
This seemingly very active hurricane season is especially interesting to me as we will be in Florida this time next year. It has made us think, what would we do in such circumstances. Of course an interrupted holiday is nothing compared to what residents may be facing but we can only hope, for our own selfish reasons, that this year isn’t repeated next year.
It seems wrong to start waffling on about our plans for next year with all this in mind so I’ll save that for a later post. I’ll just say that our dates are sorted, a villa booked and a plan forming which ONLY involves Disney.
So I send my thoughts to anyone in Florida right now, resident or visitor and hope that this passes with the best possible result for all.
Next week hopefully, this can be a less sombre place and I can begin to bore you with every tiny detail of a holiday you won’t be going on or probably care about. It’s what I do!
Thanks to everyone for your comments last week. It was nice to chat with you all and hopefully there’s more of that to come. My throw away comment about killing this blog with fire was tongue in cheek. I wasn’t fishing for pleas to keep blogging but I thank you for your kind words and encouragement all the same. You are stuck with this nonsense for the foreseeable I’m afraid.
Till the next time….
Mkingdon's Blog 
We have friends living in Orlando, Kissimmee and the Port Canaveral area, we have everything crossed that they’ll all be ok. Looking forward to hearing more about your plans next week.
I hope they are all Ok!!
Glad you are going to continue with your vlog. It’s nice to see how your life and the lives of your family are developing (but not in a stalker kind of way!!) High praise here but I hate flying and this May took the 9 hr flight to Florida (10th time but first time taking my boys alone) and what did I choose to read to take my mind off the flight? Your book. Your holiday vlogs. From the beginning. They made me feel relaxed and comfortable and took me away from the realities of life for a little bit. So thank you for that.
I am with you in hoping that Irma causes minimal damage and disruption to our special place and will be thinking of visitors and residents a lot over the next couple of days and hoping they stay safe.
That’s lovely thanks Sara…glad my ramblings helped!!
Thanks for another blog. Scary to think of the horrific weather out there just now. I’m not sure how I would cope during such a storm. We’ve always been blessed by good weather over there.
Scary stuff yes. Us too for the most part so I feel for those out there now.
I have friends in orlando at the moment they were on the coast but have heard they have found a hotel inland so hopefully they will be ok.I am behind on my planning as was waiting for ds and bil to decide if they wanted to come they have confirmed they can’t manage it next year so now full steam ahead for a holiday in April. Visited SIesta key on the strength of your blog this year loved it so think this will be making a reappearance. Your blog makes my Sunday
thank you
Dawn
Thanks Dawn. So glad you enjoyed Siesta Key. It is a gem!! 👍
We have lots of cruise friends who were on the cancelled DCL cruises, two lots on the two that came back early and lots who live and work in Florida. My hearts go out to them.
Your words ring so true, grace of God and fantastic luck etc. All I can say is as someone who was stuck there when our flight was cancelled last year due to Matthew Disney are superb, their staff are superb and we felt safest being there an I would anywhere else. However we saw the Disney cruise dock in bits the week after we had disembarked just a week earlier, the Fishlips restaurant in bits and it really strikes home. Not docking in St Thomas was a small price to pay for being safe, and the beautiful island of Tortola where we did visit is decimated and my heart bleeds for them.
The two extra nights at Kidani last year, with flashlights, lol, was filled with smiley service, character meet and greets in the hotel and loads of extra activities for kids. Cannot believe how much Disney staff do.
We are just in holiday but I am digging in my pocket for Texas, the Caribbean and Florida when this is over, and another appears to be on its way, God help them.
If you’re going to go through a hurricane that’s probably the best place to do so!
Love your blog, and books. Yes scary times just back under 3 weeks ago. It seems surreal that this is happening, WDW closed and our lovely island Anna Marie evacuated. 😔😔 I hope everyone is safe and the destruction minimal. It’s going to go through no matter what though!!
Thanks Julie. Booked again yet? 🙄😏
Of course 😉
I’ve been following you now for quite a few years even as far back as your holiday diarys on the dib….I myself like you are a complete Disney nut …even now that I have moved to Rhodes Greece three years ago I still have to have my Disney fix..(I went last year for my 9th time and I’m going again end of April next year much to my husbands dismay.) .I would like to take this opportunity in thanking you for all of the smiles you have put on my face over the years and sharing your daughters growing up …keep up the good work Craig I look forward to my emails every Sunday …from a very hot Rhodes …Thank you x
That’s lovely Dawn thank you so much, from a grey and very wet England 🙄
I’m glued to the CNN coverage and keeping everyone in Florida in my thoughts.
Looks awful at the moment 😞
We know a couple of people out there and luckily they have come through it ok, just lost power and a few fence panels.
I can’t wait to hear all about next years plans. How about doing a mid week blog? 🙂
Good news. Mid week blogging….madness I say…madness!!
Looking forward to reading your plans for next year; we are planning to go this time next year too, a road trip starting in Amelia Island and ending at WDW of course.
The blog must be a bind at times, but so many love it, keep up the great work
Hmm, a road trip has to be in our future plans!
Just got back from New York and met a couple from Leeds who now live in Florida who said they had been evacuated – hope everything is ok for them and for all others when they get back to their houses -such a special place in my heart as I know it is in yours
Must be terrible to have to leave your home in the path of something like that 😒