OMG...we are moving to Orlando!

[BeccaGrace]

Thanks Peggy!!! Good to know he could bypass I-4!

Thanks so much to everyone for all your help

 

[DisDarling]

Thanks Peggy!!! Good to know he could bypass I-4!

Thanks so much to everyone for all your help

Hi Becca! I am the owner of the relocatedtourist.com and we live in Kissimmee and if you need any help - let me know. The whole point of our blog is to help others, and I also have an 11 year old daughter, so maybe we could arrange a play date

Amy

 

[BeccaGrace]

Hi Becca! I am the owner of the relocatedtourist.com and we live in Kissimmee and if you need any help - let me know. The whole point of our blog is to help others, and I also have an 11 year old daughter, so maybe we could arrange a play date

Amy

Thanks Amy! I LOVE your blog!!! Thanks so much for the offer

 

[CentralFloridian99]

Thanks! Your Star Wars Weekend signature just made me realize that we can finally go to our first one next year! And OMG, I can go to the food & wine festival! AND MNSSHP!!!! There are so many things I want to do that I have never done.

But I have to be honest...I've never been to any of the Orlando theme parks other than WDW.

Being a local has it's benefits!

 

[BeccaGrace]

Just saw a Disney commercial and the running joke in my family is that I cry whenever I see the castle...Becca turned to me and said, "Are you going to cry every day when we live there?" Which is funny for two reasons: a) I think she thinks we are going to live in the castle and b) wow, will I still cry everytime I see it?

 

[Feralpeg]

Just saw a Disney commercial and the running joke in my family is that I cry whenever I see the castle...Becca turned to me and said, "Are you going to cry every day when we live there?" Which is funny for two reasons: a) I think she thinks we are going to live in the castle and b) wow, will I still cry everytime I see it?

You'll get over it! When I moved to Orlando, I was really surprised at how many Disney commercials play on local television. If you cried every time they play those commercials here, you'd need stock in a tissue company.

 

[Revulkcor]

Congrats!! I live in Mount Dora, it's 45 minutes from Disney. It's a small town but pretty wonderful to live in. We've got an Arts Festival and a Crafts Festival, one in the spring and the other in the fall, and pretty good schools. I graduated from a private christian school that is Pre-K to 12th Grade. Check out Mount Dora or the surrounding areas here if it's not too far for you.

 

[BeccaGrace]

Congrats!! I live in Mount Dora, it's 45 minutes from Disney. It's a small town but pretty wonderful to live in. We've got an Arts Festival and a Crafts Festival, one in the spring and the other in the fall, and pretty good schools. I graduated from a private christian school that is Pre-K to 12th Grade. Check out Mount Dora or the surrounding areas here if it's not too far for you.

Thanks so much!

 

[lthiesfeld07]

How exciting!! I Look forward to hear about the move!
I am looking for a job in central Florida, but no luck so far.

 

[BeccaGrace]

How exciting!! I Look forward to hear about the move!
I am looking for a job in central Florida, but no luck so far.

Good luck in your job search!

 

[Polyluvr]

Just wanted to chime in and say I know exactly how you are feeling! My husband just got a transfer within his company to Melbourne, FL and my job is transferring me too! Only we're on our way down the first week in April We don't have kids though, so that's a little easier! We're looking at moving into an apartment first, then building a house. We just announced it to our family & friends last week. It's so hard to keep all that excitement inside!

Our original plan was to move to the Orlando area (it's closer to family) but then decided that it would be too much traffic and be too busy for us. But I have to agree with others on Windermere. Winter Garden was also on our radar.

I went down in January to look at houses (and to make sure we liked Melbourne before moving there!) and I have to agree with a PP that mentioned to not rely on photos. Make sure you hook up with a good Realtor and physically visit the neighborhoods. I was shocked at some of the houses where I said "that can't be the same house!"

Check out this blog that I stumbled across: http://therelocatedtourist.com/ It's someone who moved from the midwest to the Orlando area. I think it would be a good resource for you. It's not as helpful for me since I will be moving to outside the Orlando area.

Also, I grew up in Philly, so I think I know what chain you're talking about. If true, my parents will be excited!

My parents live in W Melbourne~ my dad works for Harris. We just got back from Florida~ and we are also going to move; DH and I are nurses so we can find work anywhere~ but I am also thinking of either W. Melbourne or Windemere. I love the area my parents live in~ gated community called Heritage Oaks @ the Preserve~ we even checked out a few model homes
Now the havng to get my house ready to sell~ oh joy LOL

Good Luck !!!

 

[ChristmasElf]

Me again! Looks like he will be working near where Orange Blossom Trail meets the Central Florida Parkway...so that seems farther from the towns we were originally looking at (Winter Park and Lake Mary) and closer to the Dr. Philips and Windermere area...am I looking at the map right? So now I need more advice! Can you guys give me some driving distances to towns in the area that we might want to look at?

You will want to look at areas like Dr Phillips, Windermere, Winter Garden, Ocoee, Hunters Creek,Gotha,

Stay out of Pine Hills aka Crime Hills.

Dr Phillips has good schools
Winter Garden has good schools (Lake Whitney elem and Bridgewater Middle ar very good) West Orange was completely demolished and rebuilt a couple years ago. Good school.

Hunters Creek is straight down John Young (South) the drive time to Central FL Parkway and OBT would be about 10-15 mins tops depending on time of day.
Hunters Creek has a couple elem schools and Hunters Creek Middle is a nice school. Freedom High School is fairly new as well. Shopping good here too.

Windermere can be pricey depending on the neighborhood. Not uncommon to see a huge newly built mansion directly next door to a shack either.

Winter Garden is nice but you would have to deal with a longer drive and the 429 is a toll road so then there is more costs involved. The drive time would increase to approx 30 mins depending on time of day. (About a 26 mile drive) Nice outdoor mall at corner of CR535 and the 429 aka Western Beltway. People just call it the 429 though.

Try not to live in Osceola county. (Kissimmee) Schools not as good and just not that nice an area to live in.

 

[Dr.Girlfriend]

Hi Becca! I am the owner of the relocatedtourist.com and we live in Kissimmee and if you need any help - let me know. The whole point of our blog is to help others, and I also have an 11 year old daughter, so maybe we could arrange a play date

Amy

Ha...I'm also a blogger, in Windermere, with an 11 year old daughter We should meet up!

 

[BeccaGrace]

You will want to look at areas like Dr Phillips, Windermere, Winter Garden, Ocoee, Hunters Creek,Gotha,

Stay out of Pine Hills aka Crime Hills.

Dr Phillips has good schools
Winter Garden has good schools (Lake Whitney elem and Bridgewater Middle ar very good) West Orange was completely demolished and rebuilt a couple years ago. Good school.

Hunters Creek is straight down John Young (South) the drive time to Central FL Parkway and OBT would be about 10-15 mins tops depending on time of day.
Hunters Creek has a couple elem schools and Hunters Creek Middle is a nice school. Freedom High School is fairly new as well. Shopping good here too.

Windermere can be pricey depending on the neighborhood. Not uncommon to see a huge newly built mansion directly next door to a shack either.

Winter Garden is nice but you would have to deal with a longer drive and the 429 is a toll road so then there is more costs involved. The drive time would increase to approx 30 mins depending on time of day. (About a 26 mile drive) Nice outdoor mall at corner of CR535 and the 429 aka Western Beltway. People just call it the 429 though.

Try not to live in Osceola county. (Kissimmee) Schools not as good and just not that nice an area to live in.

That was so detailed...thank you so much!!!!!!

 

[BeccaGrace]

Ha...I'm also a blogger, in Windermere, with an 11 year old daughter We should meet up!

What kind of blog do you write?
I was contemplating blogging our relocation process but I figured I should focus on the urgent stuff, like getting my house ready to sell, before I started writing!

Good to know Grace might find some Dis friends her age...especially since I'm sure at some point she will have question about the area and might like someone her age to ask.

 

[Dr.Girlfriend]

What kind of blog do you write?
I was contemplating blogging our relocation process but I figured I should focus on the urgent stuff, like getting my house ready to sell, before I started writing!

Good to know Grace might find some Dis friends her age...especially since I'm sure at some point she will have question about the area and might like someone her age to ask.

I sent you a PM but the address is www.goobermonkey.com

I also have a son who is a toddler - and we're always in the Disney parks on the weekends

 

[BeccaGrace]

We are one step closer!!!!!!!!!!! After all my freaking out, we listed our house on Thursday and we accepted an offer yesterday!!!!!!!!!! I still can't believe it and still saying lots of prayers that nothing goes wrong because this all seems too good to be true! I am so overwhelmed and emotional but SO happy most of all. This is REALLY happening!

 

[doombuggy]

I have lived in Winter Springs and currently live in Oviedo in my first townhouse. both communites are great, but I can't say anything about the schools since I don't have kids.

Someone posted earlier in the thread about living closer to where your husband's WaWa will be - I remember hearing they were coming I just can't remember where in the area they are going to be - not sure if it will be around here. With gas prices going up, that might figure in to your "looking" areas of where to live (although price and scholls should be top). A co-worker lives in Avalon Park area and loves it. Waterford lakes is near by and has lots of shopping and a big Regal. But she drives 15 miles to get here to the office each day....I drive 3 miles. I have to say I do drive 30 miles to get to Disney when I am working on the weekends, but that is just 2 days a week.

Good luck with your move!

 

[Dgh1973]

So tell us what happened? We are moving this summer. We've been looking at Clermont. Fill us in!

 

[NewRVLady]

edited-ONCE AGAIN I responded to a ZOMBIE thread....how do people FIND these things?????