Moving to Florida assistance thread.

[zulemara]

Originally Posted by MM32830

Something to consider about the heat & humidity down here in the summer is that it CAN be dangerous if you don't take precautions.

Sunscreen is a MUST if you are going to be outside as well as drinking LOTS of water. Use a little common sense. If you begin to feel nauseous find some shade or, better yet, go inside an air conditioned building.

Summer heat in Florida can be as deadly as the winter cold up north.

Once the sun goes down in the summer (around 8 pm), it is just lovely outside.




_________________
Armand

What part of FL are you living in? Last time I was getting off work at 4am in the summer, it was muggy and miserable. Sure, there is no sun, but it's sticky and gross. Don't get me wrong, I moved here by choice and I take it any day over the cold, but I wouldn't classify it as lovely.

Now spring time, when it's 80 degrees and sunny every day, that's lovely.

[MM32830]

Originally Posted by zulemara

What part of FL are you living in? Last time I was getting off work at 4am in the summer, it was muggy and miserable. Sure, there is no sun, but it's sticky and gross. Don't get me wrong, I moved here by choice and I take it any day over the cold, but I wouldn't classify it as lovely.

Now spring time, when it's 80 degrees and sunny every day, that's lovely.

That's where some people say I'm "different" (not sure if that's good or not)!! I love the humidity, especially when it's not sunny out. It just makes everything feel "warm". These past couple of months of below average temps are certainly better than the temps up north but I'd rather have 70s than 50s.

I live in Clermont and am about 30 minutes from the parks, but if you draw a straight line from Magic Kingdom, I'm only 11 miles away. I can't see Wishes from the house but if I go down the road just a bit I can see them very well.



________________
Armand

[AnninIowa]

This is a fun thread to read through! I myself can't see myself ever moving from Iowa (I have a lot of roots here and love the change of seasons), I can certainly see why moving to Florida appeals to so many. If I had the money, I could see myself being a snow bird. No way could I handle the summer heat and humidity. Anything above 80 degrees is too hot for me, LOL!!

House Hunters had some Orlando shows on last week - just out of curiosity, I went online and looked at property. I can't believe the taxes in Celebration - $9000 a year on a $250 house?! Taxes here are so low in comparison.

Best wishes to those of you who wish to make the move!!

[dpuck1998]

We recently began discussing making a move. I've been checking out the job fields and housing. Looks like there are some great deals on housing right now. My wife can work from anywhere, so I'd have to find a job myself, sell our current house (could take a long time here in Michigan) and find a house down there. Our oldest child is going into MS next year, so we have to make a move quickly, before he gets close to HS.

I do have a few questions, we'd love to live in a gated community with pool, etc. Anyone live in one of those? What area has the best schools near Orlando? We looked in Winter Park area, among others so far. I'd love to work for a school (since I currently do right now), anyone currently teach or work for a school down there?

Some things holding us back, Floridians are crazy! All the crazy crap on the news seems to happen in Florida. I know its all rare, but how come all the pshycos seem to strike down there.

We love our small town community feel we have right now and would want to find something like that down there.

I currently have 10 years in my job with 4 weeks of vacation. The idea of starting over at a new job, retirement, vacation, etc is daunting.

Friends, we have a few close friends, I'm sure they would visit us in Florida, but of course its hard to leave. Honestly, family isn't hold us back at all. The ones we are closest to are already in Florida at least half the year.

As much as I'd love someone to just tell me to move, we have been going back and forth for some time. All you Floridans, feel free to convince me

[DisneyKevin]

Originally Posted by dpuck1998

We recently began discussing making a move. I've been checking out the job fields and housing. Looks like there are some great deals on housing right now. My wife can work from anywhere, so I'd have to find a job myself, sell our current house (could take a long time here in Michigan) and find a house down there. Our oldest child is going into MS next year, so we have to make a move quickly, before he gets close to HS.

I do have a few questions, we'd love to live in a gated community with pool, etc. Anyone live in one of those? What area has the best schools near Orlando? We looked in Winter Park area, among others so far. I'd love to work for a school (since I currently do right now), anyone currently teach or work for a school down there?

Some things holding us back, Floridians are crazy! All the crazy crap on the news seems to happen in Florida. I know its all rare, but how come all the pshycos seem to strike down there.

We love our small town community feel we have right now and would want to find something like that down there.

I currently have 10 years in my job with 4 weeks of vacation. The idea of starting over at a new job, retirement, vacation, etc is daunting.

Friends, we have a few close friends, I'm sure they would visit us in Florida, but of course its hard to leave. Honestly, family isn't hold us back at all. The ones we are closest to are already in Florida at least half the year.

As much as I'd love someone to just tell me to move, we have been going back and forth for some time. All you Floridans, feel free to convince me

Hey Don....

If you have the ability to buy a home in FL....now is the time to do it. Between foreclosures, short sales and regular lower prices, you probably wont find better deals than you will now. The house John and I live in is currently valued the same as it was in 1990.

As for where to live....that's harder to quantify. Orlando is a small city (the actual city center is small) but it's made up of many smaller towns.

It's hard to explain but Winter Park has some of the nicest and most expensive homes in central Florida. We found what we considered to be a beautiful home that we were excited about. It looked like it would for John and I plus my folks. We went and saw it several times and finally called a real estate agent.....1.6 million for what we thought was a $200,000 house.

Dont get me wrong.....there are beautiful and less expensive homes available and since this was several years ago....I'm betting that house is now half of the original price.

There are some terrific places to live around Central Florida. Some of the places that we think are terrific are the Hunter's Creek area of Kissimmee, The Dr Phillips area of Orlando, Windemere, Celebration, Clermont, Winter Garden, Winter Park.....all nice areas, but because they are nicer, with more amenities....prices will be higher.

We live in St Cloud, which up until just a few years ago would best be descibed as a sleepy little place. That has changed. St Cloud has grown treendously in the last couple years....but it still has a small town feel.

Another area that seems to be booming is the Narcoossee area. It's adjacent to St Cloud but closer to the airport. Up until recently, it was rather rural and woodsy and something you traveled through to get to the airport.

This has all changed with the recent announcement that a new hospital complex is being built. I believe it's Nemour hospital, with a research facility and if I am not mistaken a Veteran's hospital.

This is going to be a happening place for a while.

As for the school districts....the one we hear about (at least for high school) is the Dr Phillips school district. The high school is supposedly one of the best in the state if not country. The high school sits right behind Jurrasic Park at Universal. There are other well regarded school districts in the area, but I'm not well versed as I dont have any stake in that area.

Most (not all...but most) people that live in Central Florida, moved here from somewhere else. I think the feeling is that while I live here, my roots are somewhere else. I've never felt that way. I brought my roots with me. I think John feels the same way although his family lives back in NJ. We've made this home. Florida can also be a bit transient. We often hear about someone moving "back home".

I think Florida has a certain romance about it. People love to vacation here. All of the stresses of home and work and relatives are 1000's of miles away. Life is a Jimmy Buffet song. Grab a beer, put on your flip flops and hang by the beach or pool.....or better yet....go to Disney.

I think people need to have a realistic expectation of what living here is like. It's just like where you live, but hotter and without good pizza or a decent deli. I'm joking but I'm not. Life follows you here. All of the things you have to do where you live now, have to be done here as well.

You still have DR appts, trips to the dry cleaner, housework or repair, taking the dog to the vet, laundry....you get the idea. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from moving to FL...trust me. I'm just pointing out that very few of live Club / Concierge level. No one puts out appetizers and drinks during the day and the maid service is non-existent.

The better side of all of that is that the sun shines most of the time....even when it's cold. That was a huge thing for me. I lived in the Albany area of New York State and it seemed that from October 1st through the end of May....it was dark, cold, dreary and the sky was usually a dull steel gray. Thats diffenet in FL. It;s usually a bright sunny day outside.....so bright and sunny that the rare rainy day is almost a welcome change.

Before I get emails and posts telling me that you have snow to your armpits.....I understand. I lived that for 35 years. That being said.....it does occasionally get very cold here. It was 35 degrees last night. That's cold in FL. Our houses are built for WARM weather. They are built to stay as cool as possible. They are not highly insulated. Our windows are not energy efficient thermal, double paned windows. Our windows are a sheet of glass....period. They are built to be window and storm resistant....but they are not built to keep us WARM...we are almost always too warm.

Florida also has a change of seasons. It is FAR more subtle than other parts of the country and it may take you a year or two to notice the subtle changes, but they are there. The Cyrus tree leaves turn a dark reddish bron and then fall. Magnolia leaves go from a beautiful deep, dark green to a brown leathery feel. The seasons change....you just have to be more mindful of it.

To finish up.....here is a random list of things I love about living here:

- I live near Disney World
- The beach is an hour away in either direction
- The weather...even though it's been a chilly winter
- You can be outside all year long
- Your friends and family always want to visit
- There is no state income tax
- I'm within a day's drive of some great cities Miami, Tampa, Naples
- It does snow nor do I have to deal with sleet or freezing rain
- Houses are less expensive
- Having a convertible makes sense
- We have an awesome airport
- Port Canaveral is an hour away making Disney cruises very easy.
- There are tons of outdoor events (farmer's markets, street fairs, art shows,
etc)

And to be fair and honest....a list of things I'm not crazy about:

- Traffic can be horrible.
- Florida police do not believe in moving even the most minor of traffic
accidents out of the road. A fender bender can tie up traffic for hours.
- Our local news is basically tabloid journalism
- I cant find a decent radio station.
- I miss GOOD ethnic food. It's hard to find good pizza, chinese, deli etc
- The assumption that because you live here, you are on permanent vacation
and can drop everything and go to the parks for a whole day.
- Florida can be a bit behind in "liberal issues". There is a still a "good ole
boy" mentality.

With all of that being said......I'm not moving from Florida. As Jimmy Buffet so elegantly sings...."I have found me a home">

[WaltD4Me]

Originally Posted by dpuck1998

Some things holding us back, Floridians are crazy! All the crazy crap on the news seems to happen in Florida. I know its all rare, but how come all the pshycos seem to strike down there.

I laughed when I read this because I've wondered this myself. Seems like everytime I happen to watch Nancy Grace for a minute she is talking about some horrific or bizarre crime that happened in Florida. Just on Thursday it was about the poor Hooters waitress shot in broad daylight. And if I ever did decide to take the plunge, I know I wouldn't move anywhere near Satsuma, that whole town seems to be the craziest of the crazy.

[mrzrich]

Originally Posted by disneydad78

. She gets overtime alot(sometimes 60 hrs a week)heard no overtime at florida hospitals) and she makes (with night dif,charge nurse and weekend dif) right at $43 an hr.she made $120,000 last yr. she is PRN plus and we do have to pay for our own insurance. She said she will not move unless she finds a nursing job with close to or around that pay. does anyone that lives there ,and is an RN tell me if she can ,with her RNC ,she is specialized in NICU care also. Starting RN's here in Alexandria ,Louisiana make around $21-$23 and hr,so my pay would pretty much be the same in Florida for new nurses. But she did say she will go down to $37, no less...
So will my WDW dreams ever come true??

There is overtime in FL hospitals, just depends on where you work. I will say you have a better chance at OT in the winter when the snowbirds are here. Some hospitals give contracts (between $1500- $6000) if you agree to work a certain # of days a week during the busy months. I've seen less of these contracts in the past few years. The hospitals are usually less busy during the summer, and some don't use their PRN staff during this time. (During the summer I've even seen FT nurses cancelled when census dropped forcing them to use PTO or take the time without pay)

$120,000 a year for an RN in FL is gonna be tough to find. If she finds work at that salary please let me know where. Most RN's in FL don't even make half that. I was recently offered a DON position with a salary of $54,000. I turned it down because it was a salaried position for which OT wasn't available. More responsibility and less pay.

[disneydad78]

Originally Posted by WaltD4Me

I laughed when I read this because I've wondered this myself. Seems like everytime I happen to watch Nancy Grace for a minute she is talking about some horrific or bizarre crime that happened in Florida. Just on Thursday it was about the poor Hooters waitress shot in broad daylight. And if I ever did decide to take the plunge, I know I wouldn't move anywhere near Satsuma, that whole town seems to be the craziest of the crazy.

WOW my wife and I said the samething!! Seems like all the kidnappings happen in FL. alot of crazy things happen in FL.What's in the water.

[dpuck1998]

Originally Posted by DisneyKevin

Hey Don....

If you have the ability to buy a home in FL....now is the time to do it. Between foreclosures, short sales and regular lower prices, you probably wont find better deals than you will now. The house John and I live in is currently valued the same as it was in 1990.

As for where to live....that's harder to quantify. Orlando is a small city (the actual city center is small) but it's made up of many smaller towns.

It's hard to explain but Winter Park has some of the nicest and most expensive homes in central Florida. We found what we considered to be a beautiful home that we were excited about. It looked like it would for John and I plus my folks. We went and saw it several times and finally called a real estate agent.....1.6 million for what we thought was a $200,000 house.

Dont get me wrong.....there are beautiful and less expensive homes available and since this was several years ago....I'm betting that house is now half of the original price.

There are some terrific places to live around Central Florida. Some of the places that we think are terrific are the Hunter's Creek area of Kissimmee, The Dr Phillips area of Orlando, Windemere, Celebration, Clermont, Winter Garden, Winter Park.....all nice areas, but because they are nicer, with more amenities....prices will be higher.

We live in St Cloud, which up until just a few years ago would best be descibed as a sleepy little place. That has changed. St Cloud has grown treendously in the last couple years....but it still has a small town feel.

Another area that seems to be booming is the Narcoossee area. It's adjacent to St Cloud but closer to the airport. Up until recently, it was rather rural and woodsy and something you traveled through to get to the airport.

This has all changed with the recent announcement that a new hospital complex is being built. I believe it's Nemour hospital, with a research facility and if I am not mistaken a Veteran's hospital.

This is going to be a happening place for a while.

As for the school districts....the one we hear about (at least for high school) is the Dr Phillips school district. The high school is supposedly one of the best in the state if not country. The high school sits right behind Jurrasic Park at Universal. There are other well regarded school districts in the area, but I'm not well versed as I dont have any stake in that area.

Most (not all...but most) people that live in Central Florida, moved here from somewhere else. I think the feeling is that while I live here, my roots are somewhere else. I've never felt that way. I brought my roots with me. I think John feels the same way although his family lives back in NJ. We've made this home. Florida can also be a bit transient. We often hear about someone moving "back home".

I think Florida has a certain romance about it. People love to vacation here. All of the stresses of home and work and relatives are 1000's of miles away. Life is a Jimmy Buffet song. Grab a beer, put on your flip flops and hang by the beach or pool.....or better yet....go to Disney.

I think people need to have a realistic expectation of what living here is like. It's just like where you live, but hotter and without good pizza or a decent deli. I'm joking but I'm not. Life follows you here. All of the things you have to do where you live now, have to be done here as well.

You still have DR appts, trips to the dry cleaner, housework or repair, taking the dog to the vet, laundry....you get the idea. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from moving to FL...trust me. I'm just pointing out that very few of live Club / Concierge level. No one puts out appetizers and drinks during the day and the maid service is non-existent.

The better side of all of that is that the sun shines most of the time....even when it's cold. That was a huge thing for me. I lived in the Albany area of New York State and it seemed that from October 1st through the end of May....it was dark, cold, dreary and the sky was usually a dull steel gray. Thats diffenet in FL. It;s usually a bright sunny day outside.....so bright and sunny that the rare rainy day is almost a welcome change.

Before I get emails and posts telling me that you have snow to your armpits.....I understand. I lived that for 35 years. That being said.....it does occasionally get very cold here. It was 35 degrees last night. That's cold in FL. Our houses are built for WARM weather. They are built to stay as cool as possible. They are not highly insulated. Our windows are not energy efficient thermal, double paned windows. Our windows are a sheet of glass....period. They are built to be window and storm resistant....but they are not built to keep us WARM...we are almost always too warm.

Florida also has a change of seasons. It is FAR more subtle than other parts of the country and it may take you a year or two to notice the subtle changes, but they are there. The Cyrus tree leaves turn a dark reddish bron and then fall. Magnolia leaves go from a beautiful deep, dark green to a brown leathery feel. The seasons change....you just have to be more mindful of it.

To finish up.....here is a random list of things I love about living here:

- I live near Disney World
- The beach is an hour away in either direction
- The weather...even though it's been a chilly winter
- You can be outside all year long
- Your friends and family always want to visit
- There is no state income tax
- I'm within a day's drive of some great cities Miami, Tampa, Naples
- It does snow nor do I have to deal with sleet or freezing rain
- Houses are less expensive
- Having a convertible makes sense
- We have an awesome airport
- Port Canaveral is an hour away making Disney cruises very easy.
- There are tons of outdoor events (farmer's markets, street fairs, art shows,
etc)

And to be fair and honest....a list of things I'm not crazy about:

- Traffic can be horrible.
- Florida police do not believe in moving even the most minor of traffic
accidents out of the road. A fender bender can tie up traffic for hours.
- Our local news is basically tabloid journalism
- I cant find a decent radio station.
- I miss GOOD ethnic food. It's hard to find good pizza, chinese, deli etc
- The assumption that because you live here, you are on permanent vacation
and can drop everything and go to the parks for a whole day.
- Florida can be a bit behind in "liberal issues". There is a still a "good ole
boy" mentality.

With all of that being said......I'm not moving from Florida. As Jimmy Buffet so elegantly sings...."I have found me a home">

Thanks Kevin for the well thought out and thorough response. I'm sure you are well aware, this is a life changing and tough decision. We waffle almost every day trying to decide what is best for us and our family. I have 10 years in at the school now, so at least I'd qualify for retirement if I choose to leave the school. Hard to leave a job you enjoy though and risk getting a job that feels much more like work. For me that is what is holding me back right now. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, we are going to talk to the kids (at least the boys) and see what the say about moving. I think they are a good age where they can make friends quickly in a new location.

Sidenote, spent the morning outside playing in the show and sledding.....it was nice (snow isn't bad when the sun is out and temps aren't crazy cold)

Anyone wanna buy a nice house in Vicksburg?

[kaligal]

Originally Posted by DisneyKevin

The Dr Phillips area...

I often take a few hours out of vacation to drive around (just me) and look at the area. And I always end up here at some point. I always wonder just who the hell Dr. Phillips is/was, lol.

Before I get emails and posts telling me that you have snow to your armpits.....I understand. I lived that for 35 years. That being said.....it does occasionally get very cold here. It was 35 degrees last night. That's cold in FL. Our houses are built for WARM weather. They are built to stay as cool as possible. They are not highly insulated. Our windows are not energy efficient thermal, double paned windows. Our windows are a sheet of glass....period. They are built to be window and storm resistant....but they are not built to keep us WARM...we are almost always too warm.

Kevin, cry me a river, why don't you. We get so much snow here that we're all making fun of these big babies who do the news and whine for a week every time they get a real snow in New York or Washington.

A week or two of having to - gasp - run the heat!...will not phase me.

I live near Disney World
The beach is an hour away in either direction
The weather...even though it's been a chilly winter
You can be outside all year long
Your friends and family always want to visit
There is no state income tax
I'm within a day's drive of some great cities Miami, Tampa, Naples It does not snow nor do I have to deal with sleet or freezing rain
Houses are less expensive
- Having a convertible makes sense
- We have an awesome airport
Port Canaveral is an hour away making Disney cruises very easy.
- There are tons of outdoor events (farmer's markets, street fairs, art shows,
etc)

And to be fair and honest....a list of things I'm not crazy about:

Traffic can be horrible.
Florida police do not believe in moving even the most minor of traffic
accidents out of the road. A fender bender can tie up traffic for hours.
- Our local news is basically tabloid journalism
I cant find a decent radio station.
- I miss GOOD ethnic food. It's hard to find good pizza, chinese, deli etc
The assumption that because you live here, you are on permanent vacation
and can drop everything and go to the parks for a whole day.
- Florida can be a bit behind in "liberal issues". There is a still a "good ole
boy" mentality.

With all of that being said......I'm not moving from Florida. As Jimmy Buffet so elegantly sings...."I have found me a home"

-------------------------------

I like that song, too. A lot. I'll start you a radio station. I know you like show tunes and Jimmy, so we're in synch there. The station will also have a lot of Motown (heavy on the Supremes), lots of "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes" type songs from the 60s and 70s, a little George Thourogood, MANY peppy girl songs and some 80s hair bands. Scattered assorted hits from the '90 and today, but not much. You can call in an request a song, too. I'll put your voice on the radio.

If you don't join me, I'll be the ONLY person listening to that station, lol.

I'm sure some people think that if they move to where they vacation, their whole life will be a vacation. But I don't. I wonder why you guys always mention that. Were you one of those folks? Did you think it would be "All Magic, All The Time?" Was real life a big disappointment?

You don't miss all that snow, do you?????

[MM32830]

Originally Posted by kaligal

I always wonder just who the hell Dr. Phillips is/was, lol.

The Dr. Phillips area of Orlando is named after Dr. Phillip Phillips. He was a very well known person in the citrus back in the late 1800s/early 1900s. He bought land in the Sand Lake area (now known as the Dr. Philips area) to start his citrus business. He continued buying more and more land. He was also recognized for creating innovative solutions for processing and packaging citrus.

He died in 1959 but his wealth continues to enrich lives of people living in Orlando and surrounding areas. His philanthropy continues through the Dr. Phillips Foundation.





___________________
Armand

[DisneyKevin]

Originally Posted by kaligal

I'll start you a radio station. I know you like show tunes and Jimmy, so we're in synch there. The station will also have a lot of Motown (heavy on the Supremes), lots of "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes" type songs from the 60s and 70s, a little George Thourogood, MANY peppy girl songs and some 80s hair bands. Scattered assorted hits from the '90 and today, but not much. You can call in an request a song, too. I'll put your voice on the radio.

If you don't join me, I'll be the ONLY person listening to that station, lol.

I'm sure some people think that if they move to where they vacation, their whole life will be a vacation. But I don't. I wonder why you guys always mention that. Were you one of those folks? Did you think it would be "All Magic, All The Time?" Was real life a big disappointment?

You don't miss all that snow, do you?????

My musical taste runs the gamut. I like many different styles of music.

I'm not a fan of the recent trend to synthesize the singers voice until they sound like robots on helium (almost any Brittany Spears song). I'm also not a fan of hip hop. I know that that makes me an old fogey and I'm willing to own that. I like singers who can sing.

As for the reason we keep telling folks that life in FL will not be a constant vacation.....because that's what we hear from people.

"You can go to the parks whenever you want."

"We'll be in town for 8 days.....would you like to come to the parks and hang out with us while we're there?"

"I can spend all of my time at the _____ (fill in the blank....beach, pool, spa, water park)."

"Don't you love to be able to just go walk around the Magic Kingdom after work?"

The podcast team has said many times that we all thought...."oh...this will be great. We'll get annual passes and every night we'll walk around the lagoon at Epcot. It'll be great excercise."

That just doesnt happen...especially if you want clean clothes for work the next day, food in the house, the dogd to go for a walk....I could go on, but you get the idea.

I just want folks to think about their reasons for moving here so as to avoid disappointment or being disillusioned by the reality of the situation.

Several people did this for me prior to my moving here....and I appreaciate everything they did. I moved to Florida and have never regretted it or considered leaving.

Hope that helps.

[mrzrich]

I've lived in FL for the last 15 years. I did not move here for WDW. I would NEVER suggest that anybody move here for WDW, but truthfully, WDW IS one of the things that keeps me from moving away. Does that make sense?

[denise]

Originally Posted by MM32830

The Dr. Phillips area of Orlando is named after Dr. Phillip Phillips. He was a very well known person in the citrus back in the late 1800s/early 1900s. He bought land in the Sand Lake area (now known as the Dr. Philips area) to start his citrus business. He continued buying more and more land. He was also recognized for creating innovative solutions for processing and packaging citrus.

He died in 1959 but his wealth continues to enrich lives of people living in Orlando and surrounding areas. His philanthropy continues through the Dr. Phillips Foundation.


___________________
Armand

So it has nothing to do with Dr. Phillip's Milk of Magnesia? We looked at homes there 18 years and were told that by the real estate person. Guess we should have moved there then?
So now the plan is in 2 years to move there.....when we retire. We are starting to get rid of stuff now to make the move easier

[kaligal]

Originally Posted by MM32830

The Dr. Phillips area of Orlando is named after Dr. Phillip Phillips.

Philip Phillips.

Thank you for sharing that info. I really did wonder that a lot!

Originally Posted by DisneyKevin

As for the reason we keep telling folks that life in FL will not be a constant vacation.....because that's what we hear from people.

"You can go to the parks whenever you want."

"We'll be in town for 8 days.....would you like to come to the parks and hang out with us while we're there?"

"I can spend all of my time at the _____ (fill in the blank....beach, pool, spa, water park)."

"Don't you love to be able to just go walk around the Magic Kingdom after work?"

The podcast team has said many times that we all thought...."oh...this will be great. We'll get annual passes and every night we'll walk around the lagoon at Epcot. It'll be great excercise."

That just doesnt happen...especially if you want clean clothes for work the next day, food in the house, the dogd to go for a walk....I could go on, but you get the idea.

I just want folks to think about their reasons for moving here so as to avoid disappointment or being disillusioned by the reality of the situation.

Several people did this for me prior to my moving here....and I appreaciate everything they did. I moved to Florida and have never regretted it or considered leaving.

Hope that helps.

Who needs clean clothes when you can spend all your time at the beach?

I just mention to people that I want to move to Orlando and they talk about visiting me and going to Disney, lol. I can see that being a chore.

I don't think I'd regret it, either...but I'd love to find out!

Thanks for sharing. It's so nice to hear people talk about what it is actually like to live your dream.