The incredible impact of hurricane Ian won't be known for quite some time but it will indeed be far reaching. Living in Arizona, one of the three primary snowbird destination {Florida and the Rio Grande Valley being the other two} we will be seeing its effects here very soon.I am guessing that a very large percentage of the RV parks in Florida will have been significantly damaged with many completely out of business at least in the short term and probably off line for much if not most of the 2022/2023 season. With the damage so devastating and widespread getting things repaired will be a nightmare. Many folks will be needing to find new destinations which will impact RGV and Arizona. I would expect a huge increase in these areas almost immediately as October usually is the start of Snowbird season. Reservations may go from being a convenience to a necessity for many and I doubt prices will go anywhere but up.Not being snowbirds but active campers year round I anticipate sites being at a premium for the season. So what changes are you Snowbirds making to deal with the impact of Ian? Best of luck to one and all.:C

The Ft Myers Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte area is wiped out, lot of RVs around there. Orlando north/south will probably be OK after a recovery period. South and north of there will be OK by next month if not sooner. Gainesville for example is already back to mostly normal.The panhandle is unaffected.

I think the recovery period for Florida RV parks will be years...unfortunately.

Disney world and Universal is open today in phases. Those hard hit areas are truly hard hit but large areas of the state will recover quickly. It is similar to the fires in California where the entire state is not on fire but news media seem to indicate otherwise. Many snowbirds go to Florida because you can't find what Florida has in Arizona or hill country.

Our first two warm weather stops are in southern Georgia, and both state parks got off with minimal to no damage. One is closed due to potential causeway flooding that shouldn't last long, and the other only closed their boat ramp. We're still waiting to see how our scheduled Florida state parks made out.

The impact of Ian... | Good Sam Community

agesilaus
Explorer III
Sep 30, 2022
The Ft Myers Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte area is wiped out, lot of RVs around there. Orlando north/south will probably be OK after a recovery period. South and north of there will be OK by next month if not sooner. Gainesville for example is already back to mostly normal.
The panhandle is unaffected.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Sep 30, 2022
I think the recovery period for Florida RV parks will be years...unfortunately.
bgum
Explorer
Sep 30, 2022
Disney world and Universal is open today in phases. Those hard hit areas are truly hard hit but large areas of the state will recover quickly. It is similar to the fires in California where the entire state is not on fire but news media seem to indicate otherwise.

Many snowbirds go to Florida because you can't find what Florida has in Arizona or hill country.
Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Sep 30, 2022
Our first two warm weather stops are in southern Georgia, and both state parks got off with minimal to no damage. One is closed due to potential causeway flooding that shouldn't last long, and the other only closed their boat ramp. We're still waiting to see how our scheduled Florida state parks made out.
NamMedevac_70
Explorer II
Oct 01, 2022
good luck
Michelle_S
Explorer III
Oct 01, 2022
We winter in South Central Florida in Sebring. Min damage there, but we had three weeks planned on Sanibel Island for October, well that won't happen as there's no way to get there, and won't be for a while.
Parrothead_Mike
Explorer
Oct 01, 2022
Thankfully Ian went well south of Tampa since we stay the winter about 80-90 miles north of Tampa in Crystal River. In years past we've camped at Oscar Schere SP just north of Venice and Mayaka SP as well as Riverside RV Park along the Peace River toward Arcadia. Those parks are likely in rough shape at the present time.

I suspect that folks that left their RVs south of I-4 along the Gulf Coast may not have an RV anymore. If those RVs survived the storm they certainly don't have electric and may find a layer of mold on things.

We still have a couple of months left in hurricane season so things could still change in the near future. As Jimmy Buffett said; "You cannot reason with hurricane season."
joebedford
Nomad II
Oct 01, 2022
The park we're going to next month in Eustis (central Florida) wasn't damaged at all.
Bears_Den
Explorer
Oct 03, 2022
It would really be nice if those parks that didn’t sustain damage would put up the Floridians who will be inconvenienced for months or years. I know it would be an inconvenience for you snowbirds to stay home one winter while we try to get our state back to the paradise you all like to winter in. There is a lot to be done and the less people getting in the way the easier the task will be.
Pbutler97
Explorer
Oct 04, 2022
Bears Den wrote:
It would really be nice if those parks that didn’t sustain damage would put up the Floridians who will be inconvenienced for months or years. I know it would be an inconvenience for you snowbirds to stay home one winter while we try to get our state back to the paradise you all like to winter in. There is a lot to be done and the less people getting in the way the easier the task will be.

Having been born and bred in Florida, I'm fairly certain that is not happening, especially so with today's me first mentality.