enigmaticorange
Chronic Lurker
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2009
- Messages
- 63
Hi everyone! I notice that people often post questions about moving to Florida. Many people say that they would like to move in the next five years (the magic number!) or would like to move down but aren't sure what "real Orlando" is like outside of the resorts. We were in the later category, and we moved down here in mid July after a year of planning and years of talking about it. (Mostly my husband saying no.) Being a family with three children, two of which are school aged- this was not a decision we took lightly. I am lucky enough to be a nurse, so finding a job down here was easy. My husband is still looking, but he couldn't find a job where we came from anyway. Now we are are at least in an area with actual jobs in his field! (tech support)
So here we are, almost 3 months in. I will give you the pros and cons while everything is still fresh, as well as what we didn't anticipate.
What we didn't anticipate:
Moving is deceptively expensive. In a horrendous way. I wont give you the long run down of all of the crazy things that popped up, but I will say that Disney has yet to be visited.
The summer was not bad. honestly. We rode our bikes all summer after I got off of work. It was lovely to ride under the trees. (that is the secret! Stay in the shade!)It has been rainy here lately and we haven't gone.
Pros:
1. Great schools. Where the schools are top notch, expect less crime. We looked at crime maps and top school areas and triangulated neighborhoods this way. I love love love my kids new schools!!
2. Everything you could want is nearby. Seriously. I used to drive three hours to reach a lot of the places that are now five minutes away. You want a trampoline park? which one? Waterpark? Ocean? Safari? and IKEA!!! I am especially lucky to be a bike ride away from a shopping center with a ridiculous amount of awesome stuff. Coffee, sushi, tapas, you name it.
3. Sidewalks. This one sounds funny but I really, really appreciate it. Communities from the last 20 years are all built like resorts, and the surrounding roads connect the communities, gated or not. I can ride bikes from my house with my family for 15 miles, easy, on safe, wide sidewalks.
4. Nature. We lived in a "city" before- but we were surrounded by lots of trees and farms. We now joke that we live in a jungle. Our backyard is fenced and behind it is a nature preserve. On a daily basis we have lizards, bugs out! (We have honestly not a had a problem with bugs yet. Lizards, tree frogs, butterflies, herons, etc. We love the lizards because they keep the bugs out! Because we haven't been to Disney, we have spent time in Florida's natural Springs, the Gulf Beaches, Cape Canaveral, Fort Christmas, (that is a real Fort!) and enjoyed the natural beauty of Florida that we never even knew existed!
5. Rain. yes, it is a pro! I love rain. We were thinking about going to Seattle because I love rain so much (and because they are just my kind of people.) Here, we get a proper drenching and then the sun comes out! Along with the rain is the crazy clouds and massive skies. You can watch a giant black cloud raining down across the city and have sunshine above your head.
6. We can afford a nice house here! We rented for a year just to make sure that we found the neighborhood that we wanted (we did!) What we can get in a home compared to MD is just crazy.
7. The people. Almost everyone here is a transplant. They came here to have a better life and are very happy to be here. There are a lot of rednecks outside of the city. I was really confused the first time I saw a truck sticker with "Florida Cracker" on it!
8. toll roads. A weird pro, I know. The main highways other than I-4 are well maintained and other than rush hour, are an easy ride. I love it, though it gets expensive quickly.
9. I get to watch a Ravens Game for $60. In Baltimore the same seat is $200.
Cons:
1. Traffic. We are on the lighter traffic side of town, but rush hour makes a 15 minute commute turn into an hour. The non-toll roads are always busy and congested. People turn into lunatics when it rains.
2. Lack of Culture. Orlando is a baby city. It is clean and if you have ever been to Jersey, New York, Baltimore, D.C,- then you are wondering where the graffiti and bums are. They aren't here! But neither is the Smithsonian. My kids have been spoiled with bi monthly visits to Smithsonian museums since birth and they didn't know it. The Orlando Art museum is eh, Science center is Eh, and neither is free. They DO have a blooming performing arts scene, however. The Shakespeare Theater, The new Dr. Phillips Center, The Bob Carr Center, etc. Lots of Ballet and Broadway.
uh, I can't think of any more cons. Give me some time. Our biggest cons were the anchors that were (and are) keeping us tied to MD.
Like I said, we haven't seen the mouse yet. Our budget does not give the green light for our annual passes until next month. (so close!! yay!!)
In the planning process, we thought our home would sell more quickly than it did and for more money than it did. Though we aren't in the hole- our plans have changed a bit. We both look at it as a sacrifice that we made to give our children a better life. A lot of people gave us the whole "grass is greener" talk before we moved. I am beginning to laugh at that expression. My husband had serious reservations about moving here, and we are now both so happy that we came.
If you want to move here to be close to Disney- bad decision. We moved here after creating a long list of demands. Out of the entire United States- this place offered everything we wanted. Our list is most likely different from your list, but please feel free to ask me any questions.
What do you other Orlando transplants think? Were you happy after you came? How long have you been here?
So here we are, almost 3 months in. I will give you the pros and cons while everything is still fresh, as well as what we didn't anticipate.
What we didn't anticipate:
Moving is deceptively expensive. In a horrendous way. I wont give you the long run down of all of the crazy things that popped up, but I will say that Disney has yet to be visited.
The summer was not bad. honestly. We rode our bikes all summer after I got off of work. It was lovely to ride under the trees. (that is the secret! Stay in the shade!)It has been rainy here lately and we haven't gone.
Pros:
1. Great schools. Where the schools are top notch, expect less crime. We looked at crime maps and top school areas and triangulated neighborhoods this way. I love love love my kids new schools!!
2. Everything you could want is nearby. Seriously. I used to drive three hours to reach a lot of the places that are now five minutes away. You want a trampoline park? which one? Waterpark? Ocean? Safari? and IKEA!!! I am especially lucky to be a bike ride away from a shopping center with a ridiculous amount of awesome stuff. Coffee, sushi, tapas, you name it.
3. Sidewalks. This one sounds funny but I really, really appreciate it. Communities from the last 20 years are all built like resorts, and the surrounding roads connect the communities, gated or not. I can ride bikes from my house with my family for 15 miles, easy, on safe, wide sidewalks.
4. Nature. We lived in a "city" before- but we were surrounded by lots of trees and farms. We now joke that we live in a jungle. Our backyard is fenced and behind it is a nature preserve. On a daily basis we have lizards, bugs out! (We have honestly not a had a problem with bugs yet. Lizards, tree frogs, butterflies, herons, etc. We love the lizards because they keep the bugs out! Because we haven't been to Disney, we have spent time in Florida's natural Springs, the Gulf Beaches, Cape Canaveral, Fort Christmas, (that is a real Fort!) and enjoyed the natural beauty of Florida that we never even knew existed!
5. Rain. yes, it is a pro! I love rain. We were thinking about going to Seattle because I love rain so much (and because they are just my kind of people.) Here, we get a proper drenching and then the sun comes out! Along with the rain is the crazy clouds and massive skies. You can watch a giant black cloud raining down across the city and have sunshine above your head.
6. We can afford a nice house here! We rented for a year just to make sure that we found the neighborhood that we wanted (we did!) What we can get in a home compared to MD is just crazy.
7. The people. Almost everyone here is a transplant. They came here to have a better life and are very happy to be here. There are a lot of rednecks outside of the city. I was really confused the first time I saw a truck sticker with "Florida Cracker" on it!
8. toll roads. A weird pro, I know. The main highways other than I-4 are well maintained and other than rush hour, are an easy ride. I love it, though it gets expensive quickly.
9. I get to watch a Ravens Game for $60. In Baltimore the same seat is $200.
Cons:
1. Traffic. We are on the lighter traffic side of town, but rush hour makes a 15 minute commute turn into an hour. The non-toll roads are always busy and congested. People turn into lunatics when it rains.
2. Lack of Culture. Orlando is a baby city. It is clean and if you have ever been to Jersey, New York, Baltimore, D.C,- then you are wondering where the graffiti and bums are. They aren't here! But neither is the Smithsonian. My kids have been spoiled with bi monthly visits to Smithsonian museums since birth and they didn't know it. The Orlando Art museum is eh, Science center is Eh, and neither is free. They DO have a blooming performing arts scene, however. The Shakespeare Theater, The new Dr. Phillips Center, The Bob Carr Center, etc. Lots of Ballet and Broadway.
uh, I can't think of any more cons. Give me some time. Our biggest cons were the anchors that were (and are) keeping us tied to MD.
Like I said, we haven't seen the mouse yet. Our budget does not give the green light for our annual passes until next month. (so close!! yay!!)
In the planning process, we thought our home would sell more quickly than it did and for more money than it did. Though we aren't in the hole- our plans have changed a bit. We both look at it as a sacrifice that we made to give our children a better life. A lot of people gave us the whole "grass is greener" talk before we moved. I am beginning to laugh at that expression. My husband had serious reservations about moving here, and we are now both so happy that we came.
If you want to move here to be close to Disney- bad decision. We moved here after creating a long list of demands. Out of the entire United States- this place offered everything we wanted. Our list is most likely different from your list, but please feel free to ask me any questions.
What do you other Orlando transplants think? Were you happy after you came? How long have you been here?
(originally from Michigan so I know snow!!)
Mid-Aug through Sept sucks the life out of me, and it's when I most miss northern fall weather. But once Oct. comes I'm good again! 
