Move to Orlando?

[nhpooh]

But I confess, it is kind of worth it not having to shovel snow every year!

Just trying to stress that Orlando is not a utopia...moving here is not a permanent vacation. I love it here, plan to stay for the foreseeable future, but I wouldn't want anyone pulling up their roots because of a mirage.

The big thing is not shoveling that white stuff anymore, that's a big plus

We wouldn't move to Orlando it self, it would be outside in the Orlando area. Also, depends on where DH finds a job. No more hour long traveling to work for him (that's one way). So it could be Deltona, Deland or some place closer to Orlando. Might even be in North Port where some other friends moved too.

 

[tinkspark]

I almost moved to the Orlando area twice . . . I met a Disney "scout", I guess you'd call him, at a college fair over my portfolio years and years ago, so almost went for Animation. Was engaged at the time and my fiancee didn't want to move there, so I didn't (good thing, huh?). Then my DH wanted to move there in 2004 so I could work there as a CM, but there's no way we could afford to live there on his SSD and a CM salary.

How could you pass up the opportunity to be an animator??? My DF would kill me if I did!

 

[Jason71]

Jason71, everyone seems to be painting Orlando with the same broad brush. How many people that post on the DIS actually live in Orlando? How many visitors have ever visited Orlando???? I know I didn't until I moved here. Just like when I lived outside a big city in PA I avoid the city.

12 miles from the parks doesn't put us that far away. I still don't think here in FL. that the traffic is as bad as areas around where I used to live in PA. Yes I do know where the major backups and delays are here in the Orlando area. The crime rate isn't any worse either. It seems a lot of people expect Orlando to be crime free because of Disney.

I can only speak for myself, I've lived in Orlando itself since April 2005, and spent over 5 years in Volusia County before that, working in Seminole County.

I agree about the crime--not horrible, you just have to know which areas to avoid, like most cities.

I have to stand my ground on the traffic issue, though. I've lived in Connecticut, north Jersey, outside Philly, in DC, and in Tampa. May not be worse, but it's as bad here as anywhere--no mass transit to speak of, too few highways (I-4 has overcrowded 17/92 as its only real alternate), and far more people on the roads than they were designed to handle. If it hasn't reached you yet, give it a decade, if that.

For the record, while I hate traffic when I am sitting in it, it's not always a bad thing--it's really a sign of a good economy. Camden, NJ, for example, has no traffic, even at rush hour. I'd much rather live here than Camden.

BTW, I agree 100% that the opportunity to take a "mini-vacation" to the parks on the weekend (or even after work) is priceless. Makes it worth putting up with the downsides here.

 

[Jason71]

We wouldn't move to Orlando it self, it would be outside in the Orlando area. Also, depends on where DH finds a job. No more hour long traveling to work for him (that's one way). So it could be Deltona, Deland or some place closer to Orlando. Might even be in North Port where some other friends moved too.

Assuming he found a job in Orlando, or even just Seminole County, he would still have a major commute from DeLand or even Deltona.

Based on my own experience, DeLand to Longwood would take me 45 minutes to an hour, barring a major accident wreaking havoc. DeLand to the far side of Orlando (by I-Drive) would take me an hour in the morning, hour and a half to two hours in the evening (yes, traffic was that much worse). Which is the main reason I broke down and moved here.

He can always look for a job over that way, but everything said about low wages in Orlando goes double for Volusia County. Honestly, the schools are worse, as well. As a former resident of that area, I encourage you to do a lot of homework before moving there.

 

[nhpooh]

Thanks Jason71, we will be doing our homework before moving. We will not have any kids in school so that's not a factor for us. My DD(17) will be in college, she is looking into schools down there.

We don't have to live in Deland or Deltona, he finds job and we live maybe 15 min's from there. This is what he is trying to do, we will see. I have atleast another year or more up here. In the mean time I will be looking at houses. Just to get a feel for what's out there. I have an idea of what I want.

Our friends that live there now she works in Deltona, he works in Orlando. He will take 417 alot. He works for the state, she works for the county.