Moving to Florida for the parks.. am I crazy?

[EpcotPhoenician]

I was born and raised in the northeast, but due to a series of very unfortunate circumstances (including a heartbreaking divorce), I now have very little reason to stay in the northeast. My career is allowing me to go full remote, and I can live very comfortably in the Winter Garden/Winter Park area of Florida. Hearing the stories of everybody on the Dis and how they made the move, including Pete’s, is extremely encouraging.

I’m young (early 30s), and for the longest time have felt like I was leaving home when departing Orlando to head back to the northeast. Most of my immediate family is in Florida.

Am I crazy for wanting to follow a dream of being an hour or so from the parks and starting a YouTube channel? Has anybody else moved to Florida to be close to the parks?

I have an upcoming trip in which I would like to explore a few areas (Winter Garden, Winter Park, Lakeland, Tampa). I definitely want that hour or so of distance from Orlando to be out of the tourist centric roadways etc. Suggestions are welcome.

 

[Wendy1985]

As a Floridian yes I consider Disney my 2ed home and have not been in about 5yrs for me life gets in the way I see my family in CO every year

 

[kymom99]

If I had family there, I’d do it.

 

[anniemae]

I think it's great to take a leap like that. You don't want to regret not doing things in life. Just be cautious. Do your research. I think its good you are going down to scout out areas. Many have moved down and find it's not so great as when you visit on vacation and they don't like it. Yet many have moved and loved it. You won't know until you try. Worst case? You move back. If you have family down there it makes it easier. Do you have kids? If so, that makes it a little harder to find a good school system, if not then it's one less worry.

Not sure about the YouTube thing, that can be hit or miss. I would start that as a hobby not a main source of income.

Good Luck!

 

[White Cat]

Very good. Live your life. 1000 or so a day do it, so can you. I would settle in the Tampa area. But if you want Orlando area I would go with Winter Park. I wouldn’t consider Winter Garden but that could be because I have had a home in Orlando for longer than you have been alive !

 

[Disneylover99]

Go for it!

As you say, you have immediate family in Florida anyways. Seems like a good move.

 

[DisneYE]

If you're able to keep your job by working remotely and have no solid reasons to stay where you are, absolutely.
Florida is amazing (minus Miami - the traffic is insane). The weather alone is worth living here.
Unless jobs and family are major factors, I'll never understand why ppl live in the frozen wastelands of the north.
Life is too short to suffer through cold weather 1/2 of the year - and effectively half of your life.
Do it.

 

[VandVsmama]

The Disney Youtuber market is already saturated, so don't expect to be able to make a decent living off of that. Aside from that, I think all of your other reasons for moving to FL are sound. Go for it.

 

[2China2009]

Do it. You only live once!! You have all your ducks in a row. You are young and single. Now u can do what u want to do.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Go for it! Life is for living and you have found a home... DH and I always feel at home in FL and we do have lots of family in the Winter Park area.

Keep your day job working remotely as it will take time to build your side gig. I quit a good job at about 30 and opened a business and though DH and I worked around the clock, it was successful. We started it from the ground up with no funds to speak of. It can be done if you put your heart and soul into it and can be patient until it is time to transition out of your full time job. Hopefully you save, save, save so you have a big nest egg to fall back on. Best of luck!

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

Thank you all for the feedback and encouragement.

I am definitely not leaving my job for YouTube. The videos would strictly be for positivity in my personal life outside of work.

 

[shh]

my only advice is to make sure you spend at least a few weeks here between July to early Oct - the hottest, most humid time of the year. And understand that it is SWELTERING here a good 8-9 months of the year. Some love it, but many who move here leave because they didn't realize how much they'd hate hot weather year round. If you're good during this time, you're good!

 

[scrump]

Based on what you've shared, I would feel the draw to FL too - and my immediate reaction was Go for it!

And I like your reasons for your YouTube ambitions as well. Let it be personally fulfilling, and then grow it from there.

 

[mjkacmom]

If you're able to keep your job by working remotely and have no solid reasons to stay where you are, absolutely.
Florida is amazing (minus Miami - the traffic is insane). The weather alone is worth living here.
Unless jobs and family are major factors, I'll never understand why ppl live in the frozen wastelands of the north.
Life is too short to suffer through cold weather 1/2 of the year - and effectively half of your life.
Do it.

Our weather is pretty nice 8 months out of the year, I dislike hot and humid as much as cold and snowy.

 

[ashley0139]

Go for it! You can always leave if you don't end up liking it. It doesn't have to be permanent.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

I was born and raised in northeast, but due to a series of very unfortunate circumstances (including a heartbreaking divorce), I now have very little reason to stay in the northeast. My career is allowing me to go full remote, and I can live very comfortably in the Winter Garden/Winter Park area of Florida. Hearing the stories of everybody on the Dis and how they made the move, including Pete’s, is extremely encouraging.

I’m young (early 30s), and for the longest time have felt like I was leaving home when departing Orlando to head back to the northeast. Most of my immediate family is in Florida.

Am I crazy for wanting to follow a dream of being an hour or so from the parks and starting a YouTube channel? Has anybody else moved to Florida to be close to the parks?

I have an upcoming trip in which I would like to explore a few areas (Winter Garden, Winter Park, Lakeland, Tampa). I definitely want that hour or so of distance from Orlando to be out of the tourist centric roadways etc. Suggestions are welcome.

If you have family in FLA, try to get a better idea of travel distance vs travel time to WDW from your preferred areas.

(Lakeland & Tampa are cities with their own traffic/road issues (especially Tampa) that you would navigate to get to I-4 to reach the WDW tourist area.

Travel time is an issue if very frequent visits to the parks are in your future.

We relocated from NE area to a community "only 15 minutes" from WDW. There were MANY MANY days/nights the drive took an hour. (Don't believe google map info )

FLA hiway/road system is not like up north. Often there is only one main road to get into WDW area. We were near US-27 & I-4. Both looked ideal. Both weren't. One fender-bender or more often major accident or just WDW traffic & traffic backed up 4ever.

We did use a more local road often, but only one lane each direction & rarely under 45 minute drive. We realize now that all of the commercial/truck traffic through all of central FLA also must use US-27, I-4 & local road into WDW.

Bottom line: DRIVE A LOT when you're down there to become familiar before choosing a town, especially if considering west or south of WDW.

As to a You Tube channel for fun, why not? As a business venture, I'm sure you're online seeing that many are promoting their own or their employers travel agencies, which is the source of income.

PS. Back up north now. Staying only in DVC or on-site to stay in the WDW bubble

Best of luck to you!

 

[jen7233]

Not crazy, each person has some calling to why they want to live in a particular place or not. Sometimes it's not even a practical reason but a feeling. I'd say if you can afford moving and the job is remote going where you go and can afford the area, why not.

 

[riddlemethis]

I am from Apopka and Altamonte Springs. I would recommend looking into those areas and maybe Mount Dora as well. MD has a beautiful downtown area, Altamonte has plenty of shopping/restaurants and Apopka is a little less "city" then the other two.

 

[JimMIA]

As a Floridian, I personally think proximity to WDW is one of the worst reasons to move to Florida unless your livelihood depends on Disney.

That said, you do have several legitimate reasons for moving here and I would let those dictate what you do.

You're going through a difficult transition, and being near immediate family would be a big plus. They are probably the base of your support system, so having them nearby would be great.

And then there are the reasons why so many other people have moved to Florida in recent years that we are now the third most populous state, with our population exceeded only by California and Texas.

• Climate. Florida's climate varies more than you think, but we don't call it the Sunshine State for nothing. Our weather is typically warm and humid, but the more northern areas of Florida definitely get Fall and some winter weather. Florida's pleasant climate is one of our big selling points.
• Taxes. For a working person, Florida has NO personal income tax at all, and that is part of our Constitution and almost certain not to change. That's a big plus compared to many states. We have a 6% state sales tax, with some local-option additions -- for example, here in Miami our sales tax is 7%. Property taxes are moderate, and probably less than you paid in the NE.
• Business-friendly. There is a reason why so many businesses are moving to Florida. If you are planning on starting your own business, Florida won't get in your way. You'll face minimal taxes and regulatory requirements.
• Things to do. Here on the DIS, we focus hugely on WDW. But to regular Floridians, WDW is not a big deal -- it's a great source of tourist revenue, for which we are grateful, but not a focal point for people outside the immediate area. There are so many other things to do here -- dozens of great state parks all over the state, beaches (both touristy/crowded and very tranquil), some great history in places like St. Augustine (and many other places), natural wonders like the Everglades and Florida Keys. We also have several major metropolitan areas (Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville) which provide a lot of amenities like great shopping and dining, air travel options, major sports teams, cruise ports, cultural resources, etc, etc. And...oh yeah, we also have Disney, Busch Gardens, Universal, Sea World, and many other attractions.
• Affordability. Southeast Florida (from West Palm Beach south) is an expensive place to live, primarily due to high property valuations. But most of Florida is much more affordable, and MUCH less expensive than what you are used to in the NE.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

Update:

I am officially moving to Winter Garden in April! Following my dream, but I’ll be far enough away from Disney (30mins or so) and in a nice town to where I have other entertainment options, if desired.