Moving to Orlando! Cagan Crossings or Champions Gate??

[DJ Disney Kid]

Anyone familiar with these areas could give me some feedback??

 

[SandrA9810]

Cagans crossing is closer to more shopping, like Walmart, Target, and Publix, but it's also the hub bub of Cast Member housing.

Champions Gate is a bit more family suburbs, and there is a very nice Publix off the highway, but everything else is like 20min drive.

Orange county doesn't allow for short term rentals, so you wont wind up with touristy neighbors every week like you would in Osceola county. Not sure about Polk county.

Is there anything else that needs to be factored into living areas? Like kids, income, or closeness to shopping, type of housing?

 

[ilovefh]

We live close to Champion's Gate and frequent Cagan Crossings. What do you have for questions?

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

Well are both neighborhoods safe? Its just me and my wife and we are looking to start a family soon, so we'll eventually have a baby. Also, what place offers nicer amenities? And this may be an odd question, but Im a Disney nut obviously since Im posting here, but can you see or hear the fireworks from either of these locations?

 

[ilovefh]

Well are both neighborhoods safe? Its just me and my wife and we are looking to start a family soon, so we'll eventually have a baby. Also, what place offers nicer amenities? And this may be an odd question, but Im a Disney nut obviously since Im posting here, but can you see or hear the fireworks from either of these locations?

Cagan Crossings is in the middle of a busy area. Walmart and Lowes are right across the street and there are a bunch of fast food restaurants there too. Cagan Crossings has some restaurants and small stores. They have a farmers market on Fridays too.

Champion's Gate is a smaller area with 2 Publix stores within a mile of each other. There is Posner Park a few minutes away which has Target, Best Buy, Staples and more. They just opened a new backroad that connects us to Posner Park so we don't even have to go on 27!

I think both areas are safer. Champion's Gate may be a bit safer. We can't see fireworks but we can hear them. We know when it is 9:15 because we can hear Illuminations.

We like our area because it is quiet (much quieter than living off 27!) but still close to everything. We shop at Walmart across from Cagan Crossings and it's about 15 minutes away. We can be at Disney in less than 20 minutes.

Depending on where you live near Champion's Gate schools will either be Polk County or Osceola County. For Polk County schools I would only send my child to the elementary school he is zoned for. There is NO WAY he will be going to the middle school!!! If you're in within Osceola County boundaries I would send him to the K-8 that he is zoned for. I'd also send him to Celebration as an out of zone. I don't think I'd send him to the high school he would be zoned for.

Schools for Cagan Crossings are in Lake County. I am not too familiar with their schools. (I've worked at both Polk and Osceola schools)

In our neighborhood there are events that go on. Our neighbors are WONDERFUL! There are always kids and parents out playing in the afternoons. There are some vacation rentals, but the residents far outnumber the vacationers. It's quiet enough to feel like you're not in a tourist area, but close enough to get to everything within 20 minutes.

Good luck with your move! And if you have any other questions feel free to post or PM me!

 

[suzannews]

I live a few minutes north of Cagan's and love it! We've been in the area for 9 years so we've seen all the growth. A few coworkers of mine live in the apartments and only have good things to say about them. Another coworker is looking to move in and was told there is a 4 month minimum wait list. I feel that its a safe area and the only apartment complex I would recommend.

You have years yet for schools but my daughter is currently a high school junior and we've never had a problem with any of the schools she's attended. That was a major selling point for us when we also looked on the Polk county side of 27. I would not have sent my child to the middle or high school that we would have been zoned for.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Cagan Crossings is in the middle of a busy area. Walmart and Lowes are right across the street and there are a bunch of fast food restaurants there too. Cagan Crossings has some restaurants and small stores. They have a farmers market on Fridays too.

Champion's Gate is a smaller area with 2 Publix stores within a mile of each other. There is Posner Park a few minutes away which has Target, Best Buy, Staples and more. They just opened a new backroad that connects us to Posner Park so we don't even have to go on 27!

I think both areas are safer. Champion's Gate may be a bit safer. We can't see fireworks but we can hear them. We know when it is 9:15 because we can hear Illuminations.

We like our area because it is quiet (much quieter than living off 27!) but still close to everything. We shop at Walmart across from Cagan Crossings and it's about 15 minutes away. We can be at Disney in less than 20 minutes.

Depending on where you live near Champion's Gate schools will either be Polk County or Osceola County. For Polk County schools I would only send my child to the elementary school he is zoned for. There is NO WAY he will be going to the middle school!!! If you're in within Osceola County boundaries I would send him to the K-8 that he is zoned for. I'd also send him to Celebration as an out of zone. I don't think I'd send him to the high school he would be zoned for.

Schools for Cagan Crossings are in Lake County. I am not too familiar with their schools. (I've worked at both Polk and Osceola schools)

In our neighborhood there are events that go on. Our neighbors are WONDERFUL! There are always kids and parents out playing in the afternoons. There are some vacation rentals, but the residents far outnumber the vacationers. It's quiet enough to feel like you're not in a tourist area, but close enough to get to everything within 20 minutes.

Good luck with your move! And if you have any other questions feel free to post or PM me!

Do you mind telling me which middle school concerns you in Polk county? We are renting a home not too far from Champions Gate and have gotten conflicting information about what schools we are zoned into from the realtor. I plan to call the school district tomorrow to make sure but would love to have a heads up. My friend lives closer to 27 and her son goes to Discovery down in Lake Alfred. That seems a bit far to me! I will have an 8th grader and a Kindergartener.

Thanks for any advice. You can PM me if you don't want to post the info.

 

[SandrA9810]

If you're not sure everything you're looking for, go for a one year lease apartment, and get a feel for the area. 192 going west in the afternoons can be a mad house, Cagan's Crossing is huge for Animal Kingdom Cast Members. Since the park has shorter hours, there's usually only 2 shifts in the summer and 1 in the winter (meaning most open to close). So every one travels at the same time.

Even if you have a kid now, schools are five years down the road. A lot can change, and so can moving. I personally loved living in Kissimmee, and I have a friend that lives in Hunter's Creek, which takes about 30 minutes to get to Disney. Hunter's Creek is a great area, lots of shopping, dining, and parks. Pretty much your typical suburban middle class neighborhood. Great schools too. It's also just a few minutes to Sea World as well.

Clarabell: if you're concerned with your 8th grader going into a good high school, you can look into the specialty programs each school offers. Like the high school I went to in Miami offered the IB program, while the school I was zoned for had a computer science program. If I went into the IB program, I would've gotten automatic approval, instead I had to speak to the principal about approving the out of zone. You can also talk to the school board of the intended school you would your child to go to.

There are some hoops you can jump through if you're not happy with the school. You just have to provide the transportation if it's out of zone.

 

[PeterPan09]

I've lived in Cagan's for 4 years now and I hope I never have to leave. There are 3 levels, Aurora, Ridgepoint and the Glen. I live in the Glen and the apts are really nice. Yes, there are a lot of cast members here, but there are also a lot of retired people, young families and for lack of a better word-Yuppies that work in Orlando. It's a nice environment, I don't know about the schools because I have no kids though.

I don't find the 192 traffic all that bad, but then I came from the suburbs in NJ and spent time sitting in traffic that literally moved an inch at a time for hours. Florida traffic is nothing compared to I-80 westbound at 5pm on a Friday night.

 

[wdwfam]

DD and her husband live in Cagan Crossings, and they love it. It is a bit of a drive to work everyday, though. They live in a brand new unit, and the utilities have been very reasonable. They hope to stay there until they buy a house.

 

[wld]

Dds and their husbands have lived there for at least 3 years. They are in ridge point we have been there many times. There are always people of all ages walking around jogging walking dogs etc. I think it is pretty there as well there is also a library there. I have never felt unsafe walking around

 

[wdwfam]

Dds and their husbands have lived there for at least 3 years. They are in ridge point we have been there many times. There are always people of all ages walking around jogging walking dogs etc. I think it is pretty there as well there is also a library there. I have never felt unsafe walking around

Haha! They've probably seen DD and DSIL walking their dogs - they live in the Glen section. When we are there, I walk their dogs and ours. People have asked me if I'm the dog walker. Always lots of people of all ages walking their dogs. I feel very safe walking all times of day or night.