baby1disney
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 1, 2007
Thanks Andy for your tips!!
If she lived across from Valencia CC, she did not live in MetroWest. Kirkman Road is the divider and anything in that area on the Valencia side of Kirkman Road is MW...the other side is not. It sounds like she lived on the wrong side of the street. That area backs up to the Carver Shores/Kirkman North areas which is a high crime, drug strewn area. I lived in MW for two years when I moved here and had absolutely no issues of any kind. I studied many complexes before moving down and the complex I chose was very nice and quiet. And...it was ungated. Sorry she had so many problems but again...she picked the wrong side of the street to live on.The worst place she lived was MetroWest, when she first arrived in Orlando and didn't know the area or any friends. This place was really awful. She had to have neighbors check on her apartment ever 6 to 12 hours when she was out of town. She had some homeless (we assume) pretty much stalk her and would come and bang on her door and windows at night. The police response was less than desirable (1 hour). The complex she lived in eventually stopped closing the gate because it was hendering the police from being able to quickly respond to various types of crime. It was horrific and traumatizing. This was literally right across from the street from the Valencia main campus
After that she went to Winter Garden (Not Winter Park) and that is a nice area as well. Much safer.
Those are our experiences with the area.
Disney had nothing to do with my move here. I moved from a smaller town in Virginia and wanted to live somewhere different with more to do. I was also sick of the cold weather in the winter. Having the theme parks here is just a perk but since I haven't been to WDW in almost two years, I don't miss it. I spend more time at Universal now. It is nice having them right down the road though.For those of you posting, was Disney and the surrounding tourist area one of the main purposes of purchasing where you did?
Hopefully, you can find something and move down!! That would be great...good luck to ya!!!I too am looking to move to the Orlando area, once I gain employment. (Which is very difficult. Job market is very competitive in Orlando)
I looked at a place in the Lake Mary area. (Northern suburb) I LOVED it! It was $750 + a month for a basic (gorgeous) apartment. I liked Lake Mary, and Winter Springs because the areas felt more like "towns," instead of tourist and business traps.
As for schools, I am a teacher and I was looking in Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. Seminole county was my favorite. My cousin works in Seminole county and she really likes her school. (Lake Mary and Winter Springs are in Seminole county)
Seminole County is about 30-45 minutes from Disney, on good day. (Depends on traffic)
Happy Hunting! I hope you find a job. I looked last year for a teaching position, and was unlucky. I am hoping to this year!
As far as I'm concerned, I've LOOOOVED Florida since I was little girl. My grandparents use to live in Cape Coral yeeeaaars ago..before it was developed the way it is now and there was just something homey about Florida. I really fell in love with it again when I took my first trip to Disney in Orlando back in 2006. I took a vacation down there last summer and did absolutely nothing!!! And LOVED IT!!! I've always wanted to move but jobs, family, marriage wouldn't allow me. I was even gonna move earlier this winter, but then I met a wonderful man and his kids and I couldn't part from them. Well, now he's dumped me for someone else and we still live together..I know..so this is/was maybe a sign that it's my time to finally move down there. I've been doing a lot of research lately and I've came across some good areas as well as not so good. But, this is my dream and I'll be making it come true very soon!!!Do you mind if I ask a question. This is just for my own curiosity.
For those of you posting, was Disney and the surrounding tourist area one of the main purposes of purchasing where you did?
The reason why I ask is that I and formerly from Long Island, NY, now living in Charlotte NC. We are big Disney fans, we have our annual passes, and we do make several trips to Disney every year. Our next trip actually being MLK Jr. holiday, where my kids actually have a 4 day weekend, and our trip is just an 8 hour drive.
But, my point was are you living closer to Disney because you plan on going there every Friday Night type of thing? Feel free to replace Disney with your favorite attraction in the Orlando area. Or is it possible that you are hoping to perhaps work there part-time (as a second income, or as something to do in retirement)?
Again, just curious. Thanks.
I haven't thought about the Tampa area, but maybe I will now. I'm going to go and look at some things there right now!!It's a little further than an hour (depending on where), but have you considered the Tampa Bay area? We are just over an hour from Disney, about 1-1/2 from Universal if the traffic is a bit slowed on I4, and I live in Land O Lakes, north of the city of Tampa. LandoLakes High School is rated in the top 10 in the US. Plus we are also within 45 minutes of the beach, which is wonderful, and costs are somewhat lower in the Tampa area than in Orlando area in my experience, since we aren't quite the tourist mecca that Orlando is. Also, Lakeland, which is between Orlando and Tampa, is a nice area, though I can't speak to the schools.
It's a little further than an hour (depending on where), but have you considered the Tampa Bay area? We are just over an hour from Disney, about 1-1/2 from Universal if the traffic is a bit slowed on I4, and I live in Land O Lakes, north of the city of Tampa. LandoLakes High School is rated in the top 10 in the US. Plus we are also within 45 minutes of the beach, which is wonderful, and costs are somewhat lower in the Tampa area than in Orlando area in my experience, since we aren't quite the tourist mecca that Orlando is. Also, Lakeland, which is between Orlando and Tampa, is a nice area, though I can't speak to the schools.
Why in the world would anyone want to move into the tourist area surrounding Disney? It's way too crowded most of the time.
wfjny said:Do you mind if I ask a question. This is just for my own curiosity.
For those of you posting, was Disney and the surrounding tourist area one of the main purposes of purchasing where you did?
The reason why I ask is that I and formerly from Long Island, NY, now living in Charlotte NC. We are big Disney fans, we have our annual passes, and we do make several trips to Disney every year. Our next trip actually being MLK Jr. holiday, where my kids actually have a 4 day weekend, and our trip is just an 8 hour drive.
But, my point was are you living closer to Disney because you plan on going there every Friday Night type of thing? Feel free to replace Disney with your favorite attraction in the Orlando area. Or is it possible that you are hoping to perhaps work there part-time (as a second income, or as something to do in retirement)?
Again, just curious. Thanks.
Disney had nothing to do with my move here. I moved from a smaller town in Virginia and wanted to live somewhere different with more to do. I was also sick of the cold weather in the winter. Having the theme parks here is just a perk but since I haven't been to WDW in almost two years, I don't miss it. I spend more time at Universal now. It is nice having them right down the road though.
Why in the world would anyone want to move into the tourist area surrounding Disney? It's way too crowded most of the time.
baby1disney said:Everyone has been soo helpful with all of the tips and suggestions and I'm soo proud!! I just found out that I might possibly have cancer and this move might be the best thing..I wanna live somewhere where I've always wanted to and this is definitely a place I wanna move to!! I guess my biggest fear is not making friends while I'm down there and that scares me a bit. Thank you once again for all the support and reality checks