We cancelled.....

[susy]

For the second time in week....this is plain unnatural! GO AWAY IVAN!!!!!!!

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I'm sorry. You must be very disappointed.

Lori

 

[Kay1]

I want to cancel but my husband feels we probably can't survive such a powerful storm in our home. Also, we live in a flood zone and things are already very soggy. We canceled last weekend and were so grateful we did. I would not want to be cooped up in a hotel room for the entire time eating sandwiches, but Ivan is a Cat 5 and I know our house would be ripped to shreds. Last night we discussed heading to Georgia. Ugh, these decisions are so hard to make.

He decided to take my Astro van to work so he can scout for extra plywood for the French doors - good luck, right?

I appreciate your info - I'm glad to know we can reschedule again without a hassle. Next weekend is the last chance, though, as our AP's expire the 20th.

 

[susy]

Where in FL do you live? we are on the east coast by Ft. Lauderdale. I have the same concerns....

 

[Kay1]

We live in unincorporated Pinellas - closest to Seminole, near St. Petersburg. Our house is wood frame and sort of shudders during storms. I was born down in Homestead but lived in Miami and Key Largo - never in a wood-frame house, though.

My husband just called and said a huge truckload of plywood was unloading. He'll pick some up during his lunch break and board up tomorrow as we're leaving early Saturday. I don't see much choice as it will be too late when ( if ) we come home Monday. It could be a lot of work for nothing but that's hurricane season. A lot of people here boarded up for Frances and just left their houses boarded for Ivan. Like living in caves, but what are you gonna do?

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I know how you feel. I also live in Pinellas County. And at one point I heard they are saying a Tampa Bay hit from Ivan. This is getting to be too much for us to handle. The days are so long waiting for the hit from the storm.

I am praying for everyone in Florida. We just can't take much more.

 

[thekimber]

I'm sorry for those that are having to cancel long-awaited trips. I also don't want Ivan to hit here (I live in Brandon; just east of Tampa), but I also don't want to wish this monster on anyone else. I guess right now I feel fortunate I don't live in Grenada, Jamaica, or Cuba.

 

[copper68]

sending lots and lots and lots of pixie dust to all you floridians.. my thoughts and prayers are with you and your families.. may you all stay safe..

 

[PMart]

Susy, I am sooo sorry about your trip, this is absolutely crazy what's happening here in Fl!!!! (I live in Kendall and commute to Ft Lauderdale) I think I will be heading North I lost my home in Andrew and that was enough!

PMart

 

[DMRick]

So sorry you guys may go through this again. I guess all the predictions and thoughts on where this would go when it started means nothing when you are discussing a hurricane. The stress level of people in Florida has got to be overpowering. Take care and be save.

 

[LisaSt]

My mother cancelled her trip to Aruba just to be safe she was to fly out Friday from Toronto. Man I would hate to have to try to plan a holiday in Sept I am glad we go in Dec when we head to WDW. Good luck everyone hope you all stay safe remember a house can be rebuilt you on the other hand can't be as easily.

 

[Pigsty333]

I am at wit's end. We are so stressed out. My 11 yr. old, who loves adventure turned around this morning, on his way to school (reopening since last Thursday) and told me to check a flight and send him to NY. Can you imagine that? What is going through these kids minds. We started the school year in such an upbeat manner, then it was cancelled for 7 days because of Charley, then Frances came and we lost another 3 school days. We have already given back some of our Thanksgiving and Christmas vacation. The kids are worried that they will be in school all year long. All of our holiday plans have been uprooted.

We have done pretty well, compared to others. We had a generator, a grill with plenty of propane and side burner, a two burner electric stove that we would hook up to the generator, so we ate pretty good. I had a total of 17 people in my house, most of them kids. I think that maybe one or two days they had sandwiches. We were determined to make sure that they had three full meals. It helps when neighbors help and we basically combined all of our food to have a hot meal every day. Coffee was on all the time and everyone knew my house was the only one on the block with power. So we became the coffee house and a place to eat our meals.

I have some water damage. Brand new house. The builder is supposed to come by and check it out. Hopefully it won't be too bad.

I am trying to get a hotel room, if this storm continues on its path to Central Florida as it looks like right now. Enough of being cooped up in a boarded up house. Plywood is still up, plastic sheeting is still in the windows. Our builder was pretty decent, he gave everyone in our community access to the plywood they had for building the new homes. That was a big life saver.

Lets hope that Ivan, miraculously disappears and goes into NeverNever Land.

 

[RoLaren]

We're cancelling too

It's just too uncertain, we figure that we'd be so worried about what was going to happen in the middle of our trip (we're supposed to leave for FL tomorrow) that we'd be freaked out the whole time even if the storm missed FL (which we are praying for!)

So I'm on hold. Never has Zipadeedoodah sounded so sad to me but not for US, we're just changing vacation plans. It's the residents that I worry about, and am crying for right now.

Please, please, no more for FL. Too much already. I'm talking to someone at the orlando ressie center and he frankly, is terrified of what ivan is going to do.


prayers and pixie dust...

 

[Kay1]

Not that you need a minute-by-minute report of our plans but my husband just called and said he paid for the wood we need but he has to wait in line behind a good 20 cars. At least we'll have it.

I just wanted to share this since Pigsty mentioned kids, grills, and meals. Pizza makes a good hurricane food, believe it or not. A Boboli crust, topped with jarred sauce, and mozzarella cooks well on a gas grill. We've even baked those small Jiffy cakes on the grill. Just turn the heat on one side of the grill only so it doesn't burn on the bottom before it bakes.

I'm starting to think we need a hurricane board on this site so we can share tips and information.

 

[DisneyWisher]

I'm cancelling my PSs and delaying my trip 1 week.

I feel like I am jinxing FL. This is the first full week out of work vacation I've had in 8 years. This was going to be our first Poly stay. I have already paid for it in full and when planning it 9/20 was my original date. It just feels since we didn't suffer too much because of Charley (barely noticed he was there) and Frances (just some down trees) that is why we are getting Ivan.

Let me say this. I've been to Disney in Sept, 7 times in the past 8 years. This was the first time I've even worried about having to cancel my trip. I've prepared for more hurricanes than have ever hit. Though Sept is peak of hurricane season they are not as common as this year. Its just bizarre.


Everyone please stay safe and pray Ivan loses his strength. Cat 5 is just too strong.

Shirley

 

[zalansky]

Susy -
I am sorry you had to cancel but I can't say I blame you one bit. We are still going this weekend for the one night because Ivan is not due until Monday. I am going out of my mind.
Like someone mentioned, it is taking a toll on so many of us down here. We just got our floors dried up from Frances (which cost over $500) and now here comes Ivan, right for Tampa.
Like Disneywisher said, it has NEVER been this bad in September and I have been living in Florida 12 years. We have gone to Disney every Sept because of the low rates and sparse crowds. We even took a Disney cruise last September, with no rain at all.
We can only pray that somehow this avoids all of Florida.