Anyone here moved to Florida mainly for Disney?

[PigletsPal2]

I live in the Kissimmee zip code, but about as far from the city of Kissimmee as you can get. I live in the Lindfields housing development, which is pretty well kept up, but quite a few houses for rent or sale. You could pick up a very good bargain here. Also, we have no HOA. We're in what's referred to as Four Corners: we live in Osceola County; directly across Rt. 192 at the entrance to Lindfields is Orange County; about 3 miles west on that side of 192 is Lake County (high taxes!) and if you cross back to this side of 192 at the Publix grocery store, you're in Polk County!

We whine about being the step-children of Osceola Co. as we never see police patrolling, (no crime? not likely) and we have no county amenities (libraries, DMV offices, etc) anywhere near us up here. Politicians even ignore us! (Maybe that's a good thing...)

Having said all that, we love it here. We love the weather and having the option of saying "it's such a nice day, let's go to the parks!" There's lots to do from Tampa to Daytona to Kennedy Space Center to St. Augustine. If you're bored, you aren't trying!

Queen Colleen

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

If you are financially able, then I say go for it! Do it before your kids get into elementary school and make a lot of friends then have to move.

I live in Florida, not for wdw but because family is here, and I love it! It is humid but still lovely.

 

[IdesOmarch]

I just love Florida in general, we're moving primarily to be on the beach full time, but besides that and the weather, Universal and Disney are good reasons too, but down the list of them. If Disney and Universal were in Alabama, we still probably be moving to florida for the beach, that's the main reason, 2 b on the beach.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

We moved to Orlando for nothing but Disney - DH got a job at Disney four years ago, so we moved from Austin to Orlando.

 

[fall08CP]

I moved to Orlando a few years ago to pursue my dream of working for the mouse. I loved the people I met, the guest interaction, and my job. However, it wasn't a career so I decided to leave. I now live up north and although the winters are brutal, I don't regret my decision to leave. I got sick of going to the parks (who would have guessed?) and the area I lived in Orlando was too big city for me- I missed local shops, walking everywhere, and a community. Instead it was expensive chains, tons of tourists, and I lived right off three main roads so I couldn't walk anywhere. I had a lot of fun, but I wouldn't settle down and raise a family there. However, if you venture outside of Orlando there are some great areas in central FL. I want to settle somewhere more moderate like NC/SC/VA/TN. I like the excitement of planning a trip to Disney, not just driving 5 miles down the road

 

[FireDancer]

I moved to the Tampa area (Clearwater specifically) for a job for two years from 2003-2005. While there were positives about living in Florida there were also drawbacks and when I decided to look for a new job I looked back in Cleveland. I'm not saying you shouldn't try but vacationing in FL and living down there are very different things and if you don't put that into perspective I think you'll be disappointed.

Also, as much as I love WDW I would never move there just to be close to it. View it as a perk, not a reason (unless you get a job working for them). I also traveled around FL a lot my two years down there and I much preferred the Tampa area to any others so, at least for me, I'd move back to that area before Disney. I still had an AP and made it to Disney a lot (it really doesn't get old) but I liked Hillsborough and Pinellas counties better.

I'd also make sure I have a job lined up before heading down there and would rent for a while before buying anything so you know you like the area you choose.

 

[LisaR]

Hi everyone. I have a wife and kids (3 - girl and 5 - boy). We live in Seattle. After a few trips to Disneyland and Disney World, my wife and I are seriously contemplating moving to Florida for two reasons:

1. Disney & other theme parks (aka, stuff to do)
2. Better weather

We've both lived in Seattle pretty much our whole lives (30 years) and we know Florida is a drastic change from Seattle. Also, all of our family lives here, and we'd be moving to the other side of the country away from them. But we LOVE Disney World, we LOVE the tropical weather of Florida, and our current financial and work situation allows for us to move anywhere. If we could, we'd go to Disney parks pretty much every weekend.

I do like Seattle but the past few years it has brought us down because there isn't a ton to do here unless you are big active-outdoors people, which we are not (skiing, climbing, hiking, fishing, etc), and the weather just really sucks. I hate how cold it is all the time here without a lot of sun. And cold rain sucks when it's from Sept-May every year. And it's dark in the winter here too. I will always love Seattle, and it's beautiful, but man, the 70+ degree days here are really far and few between.

My question is really this:

Has anyone else moved to a Disney area for the same reason (Florida or California) from a long distance? What is your experience, did you love it or move back home? Is mid-Florida all it's cracked up to be, or am I nuts?

Just looking to hear from others experiences here (not from people who have grown up in or near Florida please, I'm looking for a MOVING perspective).

Thanks!

Ethan

I guess it is all in what you like. In terms of Seattle vs. Orlando with things to do, Seattle would win by a mile in my book. Again, it is all about what you enjoy doing. You say you don't really like outdoor type activities. I find most of FL to be all about four things: Disney, golf, tennis and the beach. For me, I miss the culture that I had living in other areas. This is not an area that prides itself on theater or art. It isn't full of museums and I don't even find it to be big on sports. The other plus of Seattle for me would be easier access to places like Portland, national parks, all of CA, etc.

The weather is great for half the year and the rest of the time we sweat profusely!

I've said this a million times but I will say it again. I would never move to this area without spending at least a month here in the middle of summer so you can get a real feel for everything. I also suggest not spending that month in vacation mode. Rent a house, cook your meals, grocery shop locally, eat out at the local places, etc. One can assume you won't be eating every night at Disney if you were to move here and you need to experience the traffic and weather for yourself.

Also, like the rest of the nation, we are struggling economically so make sure you have a job lined up first.

Good luck!

 

[Feralpeg]

The company I work for started back in 2006 doing research on a city to open up a second location in (we were in Memphis at the time.) I was mainly in charge of that research, and narrowing our choices down to 5 cities along the east coast. We had a bunch of Disney lovers, including myself on the committee, and while we mulled over the other cities, we had already pretty much decided on Orlando because of all the things to do, weather, etc. I then had the fortune to move here (Winter Park) and open up our second location in 2008.

I have NEVER regretted that decision. I LOVE living in Central Florida. You just have to be realistic in your decision making. Yes, we have crime, the traffic is terrible, there's not a lot of high paying jobs, and we have all the problems that any other major city has, but I feel like as long as people don't come here having unrealistic expectations that it's going to be all fun and games, then it can work out for you. You need to remember that while we have a lot of fun stuff to do, we are still a regular town with regular problems. You need to know what you're going to do for employment, you need to look at schools for your children, all the real life stuff.

However, I never run out of stuff to do. I have a Disney AP & a Universal AP, I love the beach, there's a lot of wonderful state parks, St. Augustine is close, Tampa is close, we have the cruise ports that we can get good rates out of, Sea World is around, and sometimes it's nice to just sit in the backyard and enjoy the beautiful sunshine.

Let me know if you have any questions on moving. There's a lot of parts of town that are nice, and away from the touristy areas. I'm up in Winter Park, Altamonte Springs is nice, then there's Winter Garden, Windermere, Maitland. Good luck in your decision making!

I totally agree with the above. I moved with my DD to Windermere about seven years ago from Kansas City. I'd lived in the Midwest my entire life. I have no intentions of ever moving again. I love Central Florida. To many people judge Central Florida based on their theme park experiences. Regular life here is not like visiting WDW on vacation.

I know that you think you would spend every weekend at WDW. I doubt it. We have APs for WDW and Universal, but we don't spend every weekend there. We go often, but there are so many other things to do beyond the theme parks.

As mentioned by the previous poster, Orlando has all the issues associated with most big cities, but they are no worse then most. I feel totally safe in Orlando and I run all around the city on a regular basis. The only place I see tourists are near the theme parks, Kissimmee and the I-Drive areas. Other than that, I see locals. I rarely see a tourist or snow-bird in my area.

The weather is hot during the summer, but not that much different from many parts of the country and better than some. You sure can't beat our winters!

Don't move to Central Florida thinking your daily life will be just one long vacation and you will be fine.

 

[shaylyn]

I sympathize with ya OP. We too live in Washington and are just about sick of the rain. Nine months of rain every year wears on ya. The summers here can't be beat, but the rest of the year is miserable. My husband and I are looking to move out of this area to a climate that is a little more agreeable. Unfortunately my husband has to stay west of the Mississippi. We're gonna save the move to Florida for retirement. Best of wishes to you on your move.

I'm in Oregon, moved here from Arizona in '99. The first 10 years were okay, but Dh and I (and our teens) are now FED UP with the constant cold and dreary rain. Summer really does not start until July, and then lasts maybe 2-3 months before it rains non-stop again

Consider other places besides Florida too. AZ might be an option, or perhaps TX. Make sure you go there during the absolute worst of the heat and stay for as looongggg as you can, even a month or more. The reason we moved to the Pacific NW was because Dh and I were so tired of the constant heat. Now we can't stand the rain! We would move out of state but are tied here for awhile while the kids finish school.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I remember being stoked about moving to FL. Timing was off as I would be attending a third high school...but Disney was on our minds.

One of my sore points with our need to leave the state last year due to employment...giving up that FL resident discount.

If you have a job---try it. But that will be one expensive move. Ours from FL to VA was $7000 for a moving company. I can't imagine from Seattle.

I am ready to move back!

But I gotta tell you--FL isn't all Disney, all the time. Living here is very different than a stay at the Polynesian. There are people who cannot stand FL. I'm not saying you will be one if them. It just isnt for everybody. (Much to my dismay, my DH doesn't seem to miss FL as much as I do.)

 

[smb6]

I have never lived in/moved to FL. But several years ago we did move to a state where we knew no one/away from all our family. It was a great couple of years, filled with lots of great memories. I have no regrets, but we were very glad to move back to our "home" state and to be around family again.
You only live once, if it is something you really want to do and you can afford to do so- I say go for it. But don't be suprised if (even though you love FL and have great experiences) you end up in back in Seattle after a year or two

 

[TeresaNJ]

We moved to Kissimmee 4 1/2 years ago for my husband's job, from southern NJ. It was something we dreamed of doing for a long time, being huge Disney lovers, plus my husband really likes warm weather.

We thought we did a good job researching where we wanted to live in the central Florida area. For the previous two years prior to moving, every time we went to WDW, which was about 3-4 times a year, we would rent a car and drive all over the area. When it came time to moving, we decided on a beautiful community at the far end of Kissimmee, very near to Poinciana. Little did we know what a nightmare our commute would be. One major road in and out, with bumper to bumper traffic. It took me an hour to drive what should have been 20 minutes. First mistake.

Second mistake: The community was great, right on Lake Toho, gorgeous pool and clubhouse, plenty of water views, home right on water. Thank God we didn't buy, but instead chose to lease-purchase. We would be royally screwed right now if we had bought. Half of the homes were empty, and some housed questionable renters. I was soooooo homesick!

Third mistake: Not speaking Spanish. I was an RN at two local hospital ER's working per diem. I couldn't understand at least half of the patients. Very scary when you are trying to assess a patient on the urgency of their medical condition.

Fourth mistake: Going to work for Disney. I found my dream job, so I thought, being a DVC associate sales assistant. I left my nursing positions, making $30+/hr for a $10/hr job, which by the way, is the highest paying hourly job at Disney. We would also get commission on how many tours we booked. I never dreamt how hard that job would be. The pressure we were put under was extreme. You have three months to meet and pass your quota. You don't do it, you're gone. Of course, management would help you find another position within Disney. The benefits were good. I ended up starting to hate Disney, and Florida for that matter.

I had an extremely hard time adjusting. Having been raised in the Northeast, I just felt so alone and isolated. I'm sure it would have been easier had we moved to a real town, and not a manufactured community dropped out of the sky onto land bordering a highway.

Where was the good bread, pizza, hoagies, Jewish & Italian delis, etc? LOL, you don't think these things will bother you, but it does. Getting to go to WDW every week does not make up for the familiarty you will lose.

We ended up moving home a year later, mainly because of a health issue of my mom's, but I was ready to go. We moved back in September, and seeing pumpkins and fields of cornstalks never looked so good.

My husband would like to go back to Florida sometime in the not too distant future. We'll see. This time I'm much more prepared and ready. I know where I would move to, and Kissimmee isn't it! Windermere, Dr Phillips perhaps. Just make sure you travel the area during rush hour, and see how far it is if you need to run out to buy a gallon of milk, before making a decision of where to live. Oh, and do have a good job prior to coming, because the odds of finding one once you're here are not promising.

Don't want to discourage anyone, just wish someone had told me these things.

 

[LisaR]

Where was the good bread, pizza, hoagies, Jewish & Italian delis, etc? LOL, you don't think these things will bother you, but it does. Getting to go to WDW every week does not make up for the familiarty you will lose.

I ask myself this question almost everyday. I have friends/relatives spread throughout FL and those things are missing all around the state. Seems so bizarre to me.

 

[DawnM]

We moved away from Disneyland and I would move back in a heartbeat. Florida doesn't really appeal to me for living there though.

Dawn

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I ask myself this question almost everyday. I have friends/relatives spread throughout FL and those things are missing all around the state. Seems so bizarre to me.

Lol an hour west of Philadelphia and we don't have those things! I wish we hwd a REAL bakery or deli that isn't inside a grocery store. Italian food? We have Carrabbas. Bleccchh...

 

[Green Tea]

I would move someplace for a better job. I would not move someplace for an amusement park.

 

[ilovefh]

We moved here back in June. I'd be lying if I said Disney didn't play some part in it.

We moved because the strain of trying to conceive was just too much for me. Every big decision we were making was based on "when we have kids." We had planned to sell our house and almost bought the one next to our parents. When we finally realized that the baby thing might not happen we decided to stop making decisions based on "when we have kids."

I had lived in FL, NC and NH at that point, DH had only lived in NH and MA. He finally decided that he was sick of shoveling so we started house hunting in FL.

He stopped working at the end of May and went down to FL before me. We found a house and closed on it within two weeks. We went without jobs but within 4 days of closing I had a teaching job and three weeks later DH had a job. We were very lucky in a few aspects....our house sold for enough that we could pay cash for our house here and have a good chunk left over and we got jobs right away.

As you can see by my ticker...turns out we just needed a change of pace for the baby thing to work! (which FYI was NOT in our plans at all, we had plans to stop trying for two years and then reevaluate)

When we were deciding on where to live near WDW was a consideration. If we couldn't just up and go when we wanted, it was not worth it to us. We have AP's at WDW, Universal and Sea World. We go a few times a month. Our schedules are off since I am a teacher and DH works evenings as a bus driver, so we don't go as often. I like being able to go to all the special events though!

We love it here so far. Everything we could ever want is within a 30 minute drive. The only thing we're looking to change is my commute. I'd like to work closer to home.

My family comes down every few months and my parents come for the winter so we still see everyone, just not for Sunday dinner anymore.

I think as long as you're realistic you'll like it.

 

[jodifla]

My husband and I moved to the Midwest six years ago, and I think we are both ready to return to Florida (I certainly am). I grew up in Florida and miss that way of life. There's SO much to DO in Florida!


OP, I suggest you try it out. Since your jobs are portable, get a 6 month rental in the off-season, like May-October. That will put you through the summer so you can get a taste of it.

 

[dlhvac]

trouble is i dont like the heat but can tolerate it and we are moving because in my field their is 25 times the work at the same pay as new york area my dw loves the heat and beach. i like fishing and hunting

 

[Mama_Dis]

We are considering it. DH was laid off at the beginning of the year and has kind of hit the ceiling in his field in this area. We are opening up our job search to include central FL also. We figure if we are going to be moving for a job anyway, why not there