Crackedcay.
I went the Florida route many years ago (also from IRL) so any information from my experience is well and truly out of date. All of the advice that you have received from other posters, good as I'm sure all of it is, relates to training and licensing etc.
I would advise you, before you do anything else, to go and have a class 1 medical conducted just to ensure that there are no issues lurking there to trip you up.
It would be a great shame to to invest a lot of time, effort and money in pursuing your dream only to discover that you couldn't fulfil your ambition anyway.
Other than that, assuming that you get to a flight school one day, keep a sharp eye on what you are being charged for. Sadly there are a lot of shysters and thieves out there who would steal the eyes out of your head in an instant. If they know you are monitoring them you should be okay.
I wish you all the best. From one whose dream became reality.