The Vale's go to Florida for A holiday

What a great place Florida and all that goes with it Disney
We have allways thought of going to Disney and so in 2002 we decided now was the right time.
I would have liked for all the family to go as one with all our grandkids it would have been a very special holiday for us all but these things are easier said than done .We did enjoy the holiday and will go back one day it's a different way of life . but heres a little bit of information about the place Florida.
Florida is situated mostly on a large peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Straits of Florida. It extends to the northwest into a panhandle, extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is bordered on the north by the states of Georgia and Alabama, and on the west, at the end of the panhandle, by Alabama. It is near the countries of the Caribbean, particularly the Bahamas and Cuba. Florida's extensive coast line made it a perceived target during World War II, so the government built airstrips all around the state. Today approximately 400 airports are still in service due to the coastal geography of the state. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, Florida has 131 public airports, and more than 700 private airports, airstrips, heliports, and seaplane bases.[7] Florida is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi. Only Alaska and Michigan are larger in water area.

The Florida peninsula is a porous plateau of karst limestone sitting atop bedrock. Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs are found throughout the state and supply most of the water used by residents. The limestone is topped with sandy soils deposited as ancient beaches over millions of years as global sea levels rose and fell. During the last Ice Age, lower sea levels and a drier climate revealed a much wider peninsula, largely desert. At the southern end of the peninsula, the Everglades are in fact an enormously wide, very slow-flowing river.

At 345 feet (105 m) above mean sea level, Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state.[8] Contrary to popular belief, however, Florida is not entirely "flat." Some places, such as Clearwater, feature vistas that rise 50 to 100 feet (15 – 30 m) above the water. Much of the interior of Florida, typically 25 miles (40 km) or more away from the coastline, features hills with elevations ranging from 100 to 250 feet (30 – 76 m) in many locations. Lake County holds the highest point of peninsular Florida, Sugarloaf Mountain, at 312 feet (95 m).[9]

Areas under control of the National Park Service include:

Big Cypress National Preserve, near Lake Okeechobee
Biscayne National Park, in Miami-Dade County south of Miami
Canaveral National Seashore, near Titusville
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, in St. Augustine
De Soto National Memorial, in Bradenton
Dry Tortugas National Park, at Key West
Everglades National Park in Southern Florida
Fort Caroline National Memorial, at Jacksonville
Fort Matanzas National Monument, in St. Augustine
Gulf Islands National Seashore, near Gulf Breeze
Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, in Jacksonville
Areas under the control of the USDA United States Forest Service include:

Apalachicola National Forest along the east bank of the Apalachicola River,
Choctawhatchee National Forest near Niceville,
Ocala National Forest in Central Florida, and
Osceola National Forest in Northeast Florida.
See also: List of Florida state parks

Boundaries
The state line begins in the Atlantic Ocean, traveling west, south, and north up the thalweg of the Saint Mary's River. At the origin of that river, it then follows a straight line nearly due west and slightly north, to the point where the confluence of the Flint River (from Georgia) and the Chattahoochee River (down the Alabama/Georgia line) used to form Florida's Apalachicola River. (Since Woodruff Dam was built, this point has been under Lake Seminole.) The border with Georgia continues north through the lake for a short distance up the former thalweg of the Chattahoochee, then with Alabama runs due west along latitude 31°N to the Perdido River, then south along its thalweg to the Gulf via Perdido Bay. Florida is mostly at sea level.


Climate
Main articles: Climate of Florida and Climate change
See also: List of Florida hurricanes and List of all-time high and low temperatures by state

Hurricane Frances near peak strength.The climate of Florida is tempered somewhat by its proximity to water. Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate, except for the southern part below Lake Okeechobee which has a true tropical climate.[10] Cold fronts can occasionally bring high winds and cool to cold temperatures to the entire state during late fall and winter. One such front swept through the peninsula on November 25, 1996, bringing cold temperatures and winds up to 95 miles per hour (150 km/h), knocking out power to thousands and damaging mobile homes. The seasons in Florida are actually determined more by precipitation than by temperature with mild to cool, relatively dry winters and autumns (the dry season) and hot, wet springs and summers (the wet season). The Gulf Stream has a moderating effect on the climate, and although much of Florida commonly sees a high summer temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 °C), the mercury seldom exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 °C). The hottest temperature ever recorded in the state was 109 °F (43 °C), set on June 29, 1931 in Monticello. The coldest was – 2 °F (−19 °C), on February 13, 1899, just 25 miles (40 km) away, in Tallahassee. Mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s Fahrenheit (32 – 35 °C). Mean low temperatures for late January range from the low 40s Fahrenheit (4 – 7 °C) in northern Florida to the mid-50s (≈13 °C) in southern Florida.


Florida taken from NASA Shuttle Mission STS-95 on October 31, 1998The Florida Keys, being surrounded by water, have a more tropical climate, with lesser variability in temperatures. At Key West, temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F in the summer or fall below 60 °F in the winter, and frost has never been reported in the Keys.

Florida's nickname is the "Sunshine State", but severe weather is a common occurrence in the state. Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, as it experiences more lightning strikes than anywhere else in the country. Florida has the highest average precipitation of any state, in large part because afternoon thunderstorms are common in most of the state from late spring until early autumn. A fair day may be interrupted with a storm, only to return to sunshine. These thunderstorms, caused by collisions between airflow from the Gulf of Mexico and airflow from the Atlantic Ocean, pop up in the early afternoon and can bring heavy downpours, high winds, and sometimes tornadoes. Florida leads the United States in tornadoes per square mile, but these tornadoes do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains. Hail often accompanies the most severe thunderstorms.

Snow in Florida is a rare occurrence. During the Great Blizzard of 1899, Florida experienced blizzard conditions. During that time, the Tampa Bay area had "gulf-effect" snow, similar to lake-effect snow.[11] The Great Blizzard of 1899 is the only time the temperature in the state is known to have fallen below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (−18 °C). The most widespread snowfall in Florida history happened in January 19th 1977, when snow fell over much of the state in different times of the month, as far south as Homestead. Snow flurries fell on Miami Beach for the only time in recorded history. 1982's "Cold Sunday," which saw freezing conditions throughout much of the country, ruined that year's orange crops. In 1989, a severe hard freeze created lots of ice and also caused minor flurries in sections of the state and resulted in rolling blackouts from power failures caused by massive demands on the power grid for heating. A hard freeze in 2003 brought "ocean-effect" snow flurries to the Atlantic coast as far south as Cape Canaveral.[12]


1997 -Tornado in Downtown Miami.The 1993 Superstorm brought blizzard conditions to the panhandle, while heavy rain and tornadoes beset the peninsula. The storm is believed to have been similar in composition to a hurricane, and even brought storm surges of six feet or more to regions of the Gulf coast.

Although some storms have formed out of season, tropical cyclones pose a severe threat during hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30. Florida is the most hurricane-prone US state, with subtropical or tropical water on three sides and a lengthy coastline. It is rare for a hurricane season to pass without any impact in the state by at least a tropical storm. August to October is the most likely period for a hurricane in Florida.

Florida saw a slew of destruction in 2004, when it was hit by a record four hurricanes. Hurricanes Charley (August 13), Frances (September 4 – 5), Ivan (September 16), and Jeanne (September 25 – 26) cumulatively cost the state's economy US$42 billion. In 2005, Hurricane Dennis (July 10) became the fifth storm to strike Florida within eleven months. Later, Hurricane Katrina (August 25) passed through South Florida and Hurricane Rita (September 20) swept through the Florida Keys. Hurricane Wilma made landfall in Florida in the early morning of October 24 as a Category 3 hurricane, with the storm's eye hitting near Cape Romano, just south of Marco Island, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Florida was the site of the second costliest weather disaster in U.S. history, Hurricane Andrew, which caused more than US$25 billion in damage when it struck on August 24, 1992. In a long list of other infamous hurricane strikes are the 1926 Great Miami Hurricane, the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane, the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Donna in 1960, and Hurricane Opal in 1995 .
As I said you cant not go to Disney when you go to Florida so heres a few places we visited in Disney and dont forget they are all in with your holiday to Disney and its just a little hop onto a inside electrick train to the nexed park even if you have a car no nead to use it here its so easy to just hop on the free train and in a couple of mins your in the nexed park.

Follow your Disney dreams to a place where storybook fantasy comes to life for children of all ages. Seek out adventures, create magical memories with beloved Characters and discover the fun where imagination reigns.




Magic Kingdom®
Gather with family and friends to celebrate the fascinating cultures and numerous wonders of the world around you through dazzling shows, interactive experiences and amazing attractions. Marvel at the power of the human imagination to set the spirits soaring.


Epcot®
Salute the world of showbiz — from the Hollywood classics of yesteryear to the best in popular entertainment. Take center stage as the star of your own adventure: from rock 'n' roll fantasy to Broadway-style stage spectaculars, from the silver screen to the TV screen to behind the scenes.

MGM Studios

Disney storytelling comes to life in a kingdom brimming with fun, wonder and adventure. Join together with your circle of loved ones to savor thrilling attractions, shows, the majesty of nature and the fascinating animals — real and imagined — that enrich our planet.

Hope you enjoy my slideshow


The Vale’s in Florida Disney 2002