Florida residents, are you grateful?

[Ziggie]

We've lived in Florida for the past 23 years and, as my sig line says, we've been visiting Mickey every 6 to 14 weeks for the past 12.5 years (need to update that )

My question is, are you grateful for the discounts we receive as residents? Do you take advantage of them? Do you like living so close to one of the world's greatest theme parks? Do you like being able to jump in the car and be there within hours (or, for some of you, "minutes")? What are your most favorite resorts?

I consider myself very lucky and I would seriously miss WDW if we ever had to move out-of-state.

Ziggie

 

[ducklite]

I'm not a Florida resident yet--although we have purchased a lot and are working with a builder to build a house there. I"ll have a view of the WDW fireworks from my lanai every night

We'll be about 20 minutes from WDW. I expect we'll go there once or twice a month, but I doubt it would be more than that.

As I see it once a month we'll spend a weekend day there with out of town company, and once a month DH and I will head over to eat dinner at one of the restaurants, and maybe catch Illuminations afterwards.

As of right now our favorite resorts are Epcot and AK, and I don't see that changing. We've been to WDW so much that we prefer to relax and look for the hidden treasures and the unexpected, which is something both of those parks provide a lot of. The other two are much more "Scripted".

I'm sure we'll be happy to get any Florida resident discounts, and will try to use them, but won't spend money on something we don't really want just because it's discounted...if that makes sense.

We're not moving to be close to WDW. We're moving for a better climate, and the ability to take the equity in our current house and get three times as much for it due to the lower housing costs in FL. We did a lot of researchon the entire state of Florida, and found the perfect sommunity, which just ahppened to be close to WDW.

Anne

 

[Kallison]

We had the chance to move to Florida last year and as a family we were very against it, the only bright spot would have been the AP's I would make DH purchase immediately. When DH told others I was very into Disney they all laughed and said "Only tourists go there"! I also have a friend who lives in a suburb of Miami and has only been to Disney three times each for only one day and under duress. She always complains everyone wants them to go to Disney to spend the day with them.

 

[Disney845]

I lived in FL for 20 years, 16 of which were spent on the east central FL coast (Melb. Beach area). I had AP for as long as I can remember. SO and I would go every 2-3 weekends. Sometimes we would just drive over for the day or evening and sometimes we would stay at an inexpensive off-site hotel (usually the crossroads area). We just didn't see the benefit of paying so much money to stay on site when we could drive to WDW in an hour and a half. Almost a year ago we moved up to Indy becuase of SO's job. I never knew how much I loved WDW till I was away from it. In Sept. of last year I stayed on site for the very first time ever at PO-Riverside. We stayed in the mansion section. We did not ask for anything specific as far as rooms go except for non-smoking in the mansion section. We got a corner room, which was so nice to have the extra window. I LOVED staying onsite and can not wait for our next trip "HOME" It will be awhile for us, as you can see in my countdown timer because we are building a new house this year and do not have the ability to go to WDW (I keep wishing though that something great will fall in my lap-and make us HAVE to go )

To more specifically answer your question. I was very greatful of the FL resident pass rates and certain discounts and "special" things it permitted us to do. I loved being so close, and WDW is what I miss more than anything about FL (well that and the fact that it doesn't snow for 5 months straight...ok slight exaggeration but it feels like it here in Indy to this FL girl).

 

[eeyore65]

YES! Grateful. With a 3 yo we just love to take a long weekend at Disney. We always stay on property and like to stay at the monorail hotels.

This sounds strange, but I find the world very relaxing. I think because it is so encompassing you just can't worry about your day to day problems.

 

[Joan S.]

Anne, Would you be able to Pm me and tell me where you bought a lot?? My DH and I will be living in Florida at least 6 months each year when he retires, he is in the Air Force. We have already started looking and are considering buying now before we need it. Thanks, Joan

 

[libmil]

I was born in Hollywood, FL. I love living 3 hours away from WDW. I have alway loved it. My whole life, the family would take summer vacations up to WDW. Now that I am grown, I love being able to go there whenever I want. I go almost every other month. I get alot of my friends to go there, and stay at a resort inside. They always love it too.
I am very appreciative of WDW giving us FL Res.'s a break. I have always gotten good rates. The magic is still there every time I go. I :again,Pinkbounc again again

 

[montessori]

I am very grateful to live 3 hours away from DW!
We buy annual passes and get great Florida Residents rates at the Resorts.
Our favorite resort is the Boardwalk Inn and we also rent points from DVC owners and stay at the Boardwalk Villas.
We are staying at Coronado Springs for our anniversary during Memorial Day weekend. Florida Resident rate -- $83 per night including tax.
We usually go to DW on Friday and come home Sunday night.
I go to work until about 9:30 am on Friday. By 2:00 in the afternoon, we are immersed in the magic!
Last time we went (about a month ago) I said to my husband,
"Just a little while ago, I was at work. Now I'm sitting on a bench in France, drinking a gin and tonic, watching a mime!"
It's such a good feeling!
When we were younger, we would go for just a day every once in a while.
We can't handle that anymore but sometimes we'll get up on Saturday morning and suddenly decide to go stay over Saturday night.
We go to DW often, it's close to home but we feel a million miles away when we are there.

 

[Luvinit]

Oh Yes!! More than ever now that I have children...We love to celebrate all of the happy times in our lives there...ie birthdays, anniversaries, Great report cards...whatever!!

People ask us "doesn't that take something away going so much?" They just don't understand... I feel like WDW is a part of our "heritage" of being Floridians (which we are both my DH and KIds)!!!

As for staying off site we try and use the FL RATES given to us...even though they might cost a little more than offsite. We don't want WDW to stop the great FL ress rates!!!

As for all of the Jersey Girls who are relocating!!! Welcome!!! I swear I have lived here my entire life, and every single person I have become close to is either from NJ or NY. If I couldn't be a FLA Girl.....then I would defintley be a JERSEY GIRL!!!

Tracy

 

[Poohbear123]

I wish I was closer though. And I wish I would drive so I could go MORE!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

we have the seasonal pass...(too hot & crowded for me in the summer) & go every ong weekend that we can (average every 6-8 weeks). In the summer when the blackout dates apply, we still go & usually stay at a deluxe (onsite) for 5-7 days and just relax.....and take full advantage of all the hotel ammenities.... just no parks...... I have been living here since 11/91!!!! My children cannot remember NOT going to Disney LOL They complain that we go tooooo much!

 

[Mouseteacher]

Thanks for a very interesting post. I have often wondered what it would be like to live close to WDW...to visit as often as you choose and not having it cost $$$$ (airfare, lengthy stays because you are traveling from far away). To be able to just pop over for dinner at a resort or a weekend stay - WOW. I would be grateful. I don't think I would get sick of a good thing - have any of you felt that visiting WDW becomes too routine because you live so close?

 

[montessori]

Originally posted by Mouseteacher
... have any of you felt that visiting WDW becomes too routine because you live so close?

It's kind of funny, every time I am planning a trip to DW, and on the way there, I think that just maybe this trip is not going to be
all that great. I think that the spell will be broken!


It never happens though.
Every DW vacation is better than the one before!

For us, a lot of that is because we are so comfortable and relaxed at the Disney resorts.
If I lived a few minutes away, I couldn't justify spending the money to stay at a resort, and I don't think I'd enjoy just going to the parks and back home again at the end of the day.
(enjoy AS MUCH, I should say)

A weekend away at DW is a quick fix, an escape from the "real" world, a chance to regroup and re-energize, a time to be silly and carefree, and an opportunity to find "magic" around every corner.

I guess we've stayed at Disney resorts over 50 times and we have had a FANTASTIC time EVERY time!

 

[lookingforward]

We just moved to Boca Raton this past summer and I can honestly say that I LOVE being able to hop in the car and get to WDW in a few hours. I have taken advantage of several FL resident specials including the disney dining card/events, hotel savings, and of course the discounted seasonal passes. That along with my husband's military discounts at the SOG make it quite tempting. We have been to WDW and Universal four times this year and it never gets old. I love living in Florida too. NO STATE INCOME TAX! YEA! And ducklite is right, the cost of living, even in Palm Beach County, is less than up north. For someone who loves WDW like I do..I highly recommend living here!

 

[Poohbear123]

Lives in Daytona Beach and goes quite often. When she doesn't want to visit the Parks, she parks at DTD and takes a bus to MK and her and her DD rides the Monorail and visits the petting Zoo at FW! She called me from there yesterday!

 

[susy]

I moved to FL from NJ when I was ten. I kicked and screamed all the way down.

I still keep in touch with my best friend from NJ. We grew up next door to each other, but have not seen each other since the day I moved! We are now both 36 and totally Disneyfied! The next time she comes down to FL I will definitely go up to Orlando to see her.

libmil-I'm in Hollywood, too. We live in Hillcrest Country Club.

Anne- the Dinsey dining experience would be a good deal, if you dine out a lot. If I lived that close I would have to do the AP instead of the seasonal pass. You even get a discount on that. If you want to be onsite for a few days, the rates are really nice, too.


Because of DH's job we can only go for quick weekend trips (the next being 4 nights at WL for Thanksgiving). When I am all done with my masters I will be on a teacher's schedule, so we have decided that we will do 1 week at Christmas and 1 in the summer. Also, DH and I have decided to do our anniverary for a weekend every year.

Growing up we went so often, I don't remember it at all. We always stayed at nice places, but never onsite. My mom says that is mostly due to the fact that our trips were spur of the moment.

My son (5) had six trips last year and is a little disney expert. He knows almost as much as we do and has so much fun planning.
He gets out all the guidemaps and watches our "Great Hotels" video (I have AKL, GF, YC/BC, WL).

The other day he asked me, "If Denise Austin and Samantha Brown got into a fight, who would you root for?"

 

[nowellsl]

It's definately nice being so close - I'm sure we wouldn't go so often if it involved flying!! The discounts are great and we have definately taken advantage of them this year (hotels and passes). Up until a few years ago we never stayed overnight - just driving down for the day. Now we're spoiled and have to stay at least one night, if not two, three, four or five .....as many as we can!!

 

[susy]

nowellsl-
I lived in Gainesville for three years, while attending UF. I was there from 89-92 (I was there during the murders ). I only went to WDW twice while there.

 

[florida res]

I absolutely love being a Fl Resd! We only live about an 1 hr. 15 min's away from Disney. We do a "vacation" trip twice a year but make many weekend trips. We haven't had annual passes those in a few years since my DH got "burned out" (I can't imagine that!) and he actually agreed to the Play 4 days passes for us and the kids for our annual 4th of July trip. Well, he couldnt wait any longer, so we drove over this last weekend without the kids and before I knew it, we were at the side entrance to Epcot, buying Annual passes, not the seasonal ones that he had "talked" about upgrading to after the 4 day ones, and we enjoyed a lovely lunch at Le Cellier and walked Epcot and MGM!
Now we'll be making many more weekend trips throughout the next year.

Only downside...I have always gotten great fl resd rates for the YC/BC..lowest for a reg room has been 179.00 then I upgrade to concierge. This year the lowest reg room was 238.00. I am holding out home that the AP rates, if they ever come out, will be lower!

 

[eeyore65]

We don't get sick of it. It seems there is always something new to discover. A restaurant you haven't been to, a show you haven't seen, etc. With our DS it seems everytime we go he likes something different that we go on over and over. While I'm quite capable of doing the commando vacation for visitors that want to see it all - we are Disney experts - when we are alone, it is much more relaxing and DS can choose to do whatever he wants.

Prior to DS - I used to do the DIsney Institute. I really miss that - always something new to learn the Disney way - I still use the cooking skills I developed there

We also stay at different resorts - we have our favorites - but we try new things too. We are also a short drive (2 hour) from the port - so Disney cruises are an option too!