Question - Florida Houses?

[misstina87]

The pools are enclosed to keep bugs and lizards out. Where I live, there aren't any alligators yet our pool is screened in.

In terms of the weather, I don't know what is considered cold to you but the last couple of years, it has been really cold in December. I'm talking pants and heavy jackets.

[MumtoEmma]

The pools are enclosed to keep bugs and lizards out. Where I live, there aren't any alligators yet our pool is screened in.

In terms of the weather, I don't know what is considered cold to you but the last couple of years, it has been really cold in December. I'm talking pants and heavy jackets.

Really, that cold hey? I thought it would be more like here. Today was 41 - 68F. We had to have a fleece jumper and long pants in the morning but by the middle of the day you could get away with a T-Shirt if you're in the sun. Once the sun goes down the temperature drops quickly. We probably would have coats with us anyway because we would love to take the girls to New York as well and I know that will be cold.

I didn't think it was aligators although he did seem certain he had heard that somewhere. I thought that maybe it was to extend the amount of time you can use your pools. You can't swim here at the moment unless you heat them.

Thanks

[Neeley]

What area of Florida are you looking at going to?

My grandparents live in Panama City Beach Florida. The average temperatures for December are a high of 64* and a low of 40*, according to Weather.com and the Weather channel. To us, these temps aren't cold and my kids always swim either in the ocean or in my grandarent's pool no matter what time of year we visit.

We spend the week of Christmas to New Year's in Disney World every year. The average December temperatures for the Orlando area are a high of 73* and a low of 63*, again, according to weather.com and the Weather channel. We have only had to use jackets in Orlando on one trip and that was 2001. We always swim when in Disney. The Disney water parks always pretty full while we are there. We are one of many, many families swimming in the resort pools.

I think it really just depends a lot on what you consider cool or cold. I have a friend who lives near Daytona. Whenever she visits here she freezes. I will be in shorts and a t-shirt and she will have a huge coat on, gloves, a hat and it will only be 55*-60* outside. She can't set foot in a pool or the ocean without freezing unless it's 80* or higher. I don't normally get cold, as a matter of fact I haven't used central heat in the winter in over three years.

[MumtoEmma]

Hi Neeley

I've done a quick look for the conversion for celsius and that's about what we have here in winter. We don't have a pool but my friend does and it doesn't see a whole day of sun in the winter so it can get pretty cold. Her kids and my daughter still give it a go but they keep getting in and out and that's what makes it cold. Swimming in the ocean here isn't too bad but if its windy......

We want to go the Theme parks naturally. I would also love to see the Everglades and head down south to the Keys. It just sounds so exotic. It's all in the pre,pre planning stage at the moment. We would probably only have 3 weeks so if it's all do-able, we don't know. The Theme Parks and New York are definites though.

[ladykemma2]

in the US you have to have a 6 foot fence with a self locking gate around a pool to kid kids from drowing in your pool. every year there is a tragedy where some two year old wandered off and they find him drowned in the neighbor's pool.

[Neeley]

in the US you have to have a 6 foot fence with a self locking gate around a pool to kid kids from drowing in your pool. every year there is a tragedy where some two year old wandered off and they find him drowned in the neighbor's pool.

That is not true in the state we live in. Each city and county passed their own laws and by-laws regarding fence height.

In my city we have to have a fence, but it can be 48 inches and a lock is not required. My neighbor's fence is a five foot chain-length and my grandparent's is a four foot wrought-iron. If you live in the county and not in the city limits here, you do not have to have a fence at all. Our fence is a standard privacy fence except the side that is next to the driveway is only 48 inches high and none of our gates are self-locking. Our home-owner's insurance company did require us to add padlocks to our gates in order for them to cover us.

[jas]

I live in Florida on the east coast near Cocoa Beach. Like other posters have said the screens around the pools are mainly for mosquitos and other bugs. If an alligator wanted in your pool a screen is not going to keep him out. ( wouldn't worry too much about that though.)

As for the weather, for the most part, near Disney in December you will most likely find it on the warm side. Sure we have the occasional cold day here and there but, It warms up by noon for sure to a comfortable temp. Most of our colder weather comes in Feb or March. Not that it can't come at anytime though. I've been here 33 years and the one thing you won't have to worry about is snow!!!

Have fun planning your trip!!

[Dancing Lotus]

I am from the same area as Jas and she is right the weather will be nice in December.

The screens are for bugs and leaves. Pine trees are nasty to your pool. The screens help a lot with snakes , lizards , frogs and mosquitoes.

[jas]

I don't personally have a pool but, my inlaws do and if it were not for the screen it would be full of leaves and like AnnK said snakes and stuff you don't want to swim with. Plus in the evenings are when the mosquitos come out for dinner and would drive you inside. Pools are so pretty at night with the lights on it would be a shame not to be able to use it.

[MumtoEmma]

Hi

Thanks everyone for clearing that up. It looked like every single house I looked at had a totally enclosed pool. I thought it had to be for some reason. My DH said he thought he heard it was for aligators on a programme in Holland about Dutch people that emmigrate to other countries and one went to Florida to live.

We don't enclose pools here but you do have to have proper pool fencing that is child safe. Unfortunately this year we have also heard of some tragic accidents with little kids drowning in pools where the fences haven't been maintained ie the child safety latch didn't work anymore etc. Late last year it was a set of twin toddlers in the pool of a house that the family were just moving into. Just so sad.

I actually started looking last night at Florida. Did you know there is some Coral Castle that one man built alone? I love odd things like that! Started looking at the Keys and you can bike ride alone the highway. That would be a cool thing to do! Need to investigate that more. Started wishing it would be this year now instead of next but we want the kids to be a little older and we need to save some money.

[laurieah]

Hi



I actually started looking last night at Florida. Did you know there is some Coral Castle that one man built alone? I love odd things like that! Started looking at the Keys and you can bike ride alone the highway. That would be a cool thing to do! Need to investigate that more. Started wishing it would be this year now instead of next but we want the kids to be a little older and we need to save some money.

we live only a couple of miles from the Coral Castle, in Homestead Fl. A man built it all by his self for the love of his life, after she left him at the alter. He worked on it from 1923 to 1951.

Laurie

[MumtoEmma]

we live only a couple of miles from the Coral Castle, in Homestead Fl. A man built it all by his self for the love of his life, after she left him at the alter. He worked on it from 1923 to 1951.

Laurie

Hi

It is worth seeing isn't it?

[laurieah]

Hi

It is worth seeing isn't it?

Eh, It's rather small nothing to spectacular. But it's impressive if you believe the legend. But in my opinion its not worth the drive all the way down to the very south of florida.

Laurie