Who lives in Orlando?

[jezebella]

Great timing….we too are considering moving to Orlando. We live in Milwaukee,WI and just can’t deal with the cold winters anymore. We have two DDs (4&6) and I hate being stuck inside for 6 months out of the year. We don’t ski and don’t enjoy the snow….I don’t even own boots. =)
Anyway, we considered several locations with warmer climates, but have finally come to the conclusion that if we moved anywhere else, we would always be wishing we were in Orlando.

Any suggestions for neighborhoods? Great schools and a family friendly neighborhood are two top priorities for us. We heard Lake Mary is very nice, but I am afraid it is too far away from Downtown and WDW. Someone mentioned SW Orange County. What city/suburb would you recommend?

Windermere and Winter Garden.....

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Windermere and Winter Garden.....

Do both of those areas go to West Orange High School? What is that school like now? I know it wasn't the greatest back when I lived in the area 15 years ago.

My oldest will be a Junior when we move so a great high school is a must!

 

[NoFlashPhotography]

I've lived here for six years - the first year I totally hated it and thought it was really hard and wanted to move home lol I am originally from Ohio and it seemed like the BUGS were different the GRASS is different the PEOPLE are different the HEAT is different and so on and so on - What really got me thrilled about living here was I started taking trips all over the state on the weekends - so so many beaches and lakes and rivers and festivals and events and food and offerings to partake in - if you are someone who loves having someplace to go and something to do this is a FANTASTIC place to live - and I don't care what anyone says I never ever get tired of going to the House of Mouse - even if it's just to take a spin on the teacups! I rarely think of going back north anymore and if I do I remind myself of how nice it is to barbecue in my shorts on New Years Day!!!

 

[jezebella]

Do both of those areas go to West Orange High School? What is that school like now? I know it wasn't the greatest back when I lived in the area 15 years ago.

My oldest will be a Junior when we move so a great high school is a must!

Actually they are just finishing up building a brand new WOHS right in front of the old one. I believe it should be open for the 2008-2009 school year. It looks fabulous!!!

 

[Gabby&Liv's Mommy]

I am so excited. I just received a phone call to schedule a phone interview for a job located in Lake Mary. I have heard Lake Mary is very nice, although pretty far from Downtown Orlando nd Disney. A few questions for you lucky local folks….
-Assuming average traffic, how long of a drive is it from Lake Mary to Disney. I have heard approximately 45 minutes, but I don’t know if that is without traffic.
-If we would want to live a bit closer to Downtown Orlando and Disney but still stay within reasonable driving distance from Lake Mary (20 minutes or so), what communities do you recommend that have good schools and are family friendly?

Wish me luck!!!!

 

[PixyDusted]

I'm from Long Island and I've lived in Orlando for 2 years. I could speak volumes on the pros and cons.

A LOT of people send their kids to private schools here b/c the public schools aren't the best. And I don't think the real estate is as great a deal as peoplep think it is. Maybe 15 years ago but not now.

In my opinion, I'm not sure why anyone would want to live here if they weren't looking to be in the theme park industry in one form or another but hey - that's just me.

Feel free to PM me with specific questions about the area or my opinions.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Another transplant here. That last winter with black ice made my "moving to Florida" decision for me (1997).

Moved to the south west originally. Family responsibility brought us to the Orlando area. Initially rented about three miles north of Universal. Now live in Winter Garden area.

Rentals are expensive for the most part. Also, apartments are small, and garages are often extra. Make absolutely certain you are in a "good area" before you sign the lease. Absolutely.

Traffic. The greater Orlando area (maybe Florida overall?) does not know how to MERGE!!! Drives me NUTS!!! Tourists are not the only traffic hazard. There are tourist areas that are more hazardous than others, but they cannot be blamed for all the problems. Slow moving traffic is a daily event and people plan their days around those slow moving times.

Orlando, contrary to what you will be told, is not a city. It is a sprawling "town." There are no "districts" no ethnic shopping areas, no "Little anythings" except for the small Little Vietnam on 50 just east of I-4. A great place to go for Asian shopping (food and tailors) and restaurants.

Proximity to WDW. Be prepared to have the excitement and novelty of WDW morph into a comfortable old shoe. We have APs and are DVC owners but WDW is more of a home town place now, than a vacation destination. We vacation elsewhere. WDW is usually weekend visits or short stays over major holidays. It's nice to get comfortable with WDW, but the trade off is the WDW excitement.

Restaurants: Odd. There are all those Disney ones of course, but unless you are willing to plan like a tourist and book your meal weeks ahead, don't plan on walking in. That is long over. Restaurants close to Disney, although offsite, tend to be less dedicated to providing you with a good experience. It's as if they know they are in the heart of the tourist section and don't care about repeat visitors. Not all mind, but enough.

I'd love a good Ethiopian restaurant in the area. Yum! Cuban restaurants are available, but the best are small ones deep in Orlando.

Surprisingly, forget good pizza, good Chinese, and good seafood. Seriously. I've never seen anything like it, but this area is bereft of those three.

I travel a lot for work, and right now I'm in Maryland. Some of the things that struck me: I was stunned by the rudeness of the people. The grocery shops are basic, with nothing to really recommend them. The prices are quite similar to Florida's. The hills are nice to travel once again. The barns are beautiful. The lack of a decent, non chain place to eat is so disappointing. Cell phone reception is terrible, as is gps service. Now, before anyone gets in an uproar, these are observations, not pronouncements. I know residents of Maryland love their state just as much as Floridians (natives and transplants) love theirs.

Work: If you are a nurse, come on down! You'll find signup bonuses and nice salaries. Finding employment can take a discouragingly long time. Be prepared.

WDW wages will not keep you in shoes, food and housing (not to mention gas) without help. Several apartment complexes offer discounts to Disney employees. WDW is often criticized for keeping local wages artificially low. I can't speak to that.

It will take you time to get your mind around "summer here is your winter there." By that I mean, here in the summer you don't plan outdoor things. Your AC is on so your energy bill is higher. Thunderstorms ruin the best plans as do winter blizzards. One positive? You know when the hurricane is coming and you can plan for it.

Wildlife: Bugs, bugs and more bugs. Some will get in your house. It is a fact of life as is the monthly pest control bill. Little lizards are a fact of life too. Learn to love them or you will be miserable. If there is a body of unprotected water in Florida, there will be a 'gator in it. This includes your swimming pool. It is ILLEGAL (and breathtakingly stupid to feed a 'gator). There are incredibly beautiful birds here. I saw more hawks, eagles, osprey, and other birds of prey in ONE MONTH of living in Florida than I did in an entire lifetime of living in the north east. Snakes. Some are poisonous. Learn them. Keep away from them. 'Nuff said.

Research, research, research. Do not rely on word of mouth. We'll all do our best to give you our honest opinions, but you have to form your own. To do that you'll need to see and explore for yourselves, and arm yourself with all the information you can gather.

Good luck to you.

 

[Gabby&Liv's Mommy]

Thank you very much for the feedback. I don’t know about the rest of the members of this thread, but, while we plan to visit, we will not be working at WDW. We both have upper to middle management jobs and will not move unless one of us has a good job secured.

I think some of this is relative….compared to Milwaukee, WI (especially the suburbs) you can get so much more house in Orlando. And the property taxes in Orlando are less.

No state income taxes is a plus….looking at just my paycheck that will save $550/month. I have heard that wages are lower, but from what I have seen, at least in my field, the wages are comparable.

I am interested to learn more about the weather. At first I thought that July – September would be like winter in Milwaukee…..stay inside all of the time, but after talking to several friends/coworkers that live in Tampa, they disagreed. In Milwaukee we don’t spend anytime outside in the winter (unless the kids are playing in the snow). In Florida I have heard that there are at least days that you can take an evening walk, or take the kids to the park in the evening or go to the waterpark during the day. Do you feel this is accurate?

 

[madcoco]

hello again neighbors.Traffic is bad but not that bad imho. Guess it's what you are used to.Yes it can be h*ll on I-4. That's what backroads are for. ;-)

In about the last two weeks the travels have taken me Coast to Coast and back and travel h*ll. Drive over to Sebastian/Vero Beach. Private plane to KeyWest for the day then back. Drive back to Orlando. Off to Vegas in the AM turnaround then to NYC on a redeye. With the ride to/from JFK at rush hour Enough said.
Off to Anaheim/LA,Newport Beach. The 5, the 101 rush hours Enough said.(DL was wonderful though) Back home just to turn around head right to Las Vegas for a few days. If you think people drive like idiots just live in Vegas for awhile. Not going to crack 100 today. Who cares. It's a dry heat. Can't wait to get back home home this weekend and take a nice bike ride around the neighborhood, sweat my* off ,enjoy the wildlife and scenery and forget about planes, trains and automobiles. Well maybe not the trains. A good ride on the Roy E Disney may be just what the psychiatrist will prescribe.

 

[Gabby&Liv's Mommy]

Oh boy, and I thought I traveled a lot!!!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Thank you very much for the feedback. I don’t know about the rest of the members of this thread, but, while we plan to visit, we will not be working at WDW. We both have upper to middle management jobs and will not move unless one of us has a good job secured.

I think some of this is relative….compared to Milwaukee, WI (especially the suburbs) you can get so much more house in Orlando. And the property taxes in Orlando are less.

No state income taxes is a plus….looking at just my paycheck that will save $550/month. I have heard that wages are lower, but from what I have seen, at least in my field, the wages are comparable.

I am interested to learn more about the weather. At first I thought that July – September would be like winter in Milwaukee…..stay inside all of the time, but after talking to several friends/coworkers that live in Tampa, they disagreed. In Milwaukee we don’t spend anytime outside in the winter (unless the kids are playing in the snow). In Florida I have heard that there are at least days that you can take an evening walk, or take the kids to the park in the evening or go to the waterpark during the day. Do you feel this is accurate?

I lived in Orlando for 7 years and we plan to move back in 2 years (Army willing) to settle. Honestly, the heat and humidity get rough in July and August but it isn't "so bad" that you stay inside all day. We were always out by the pool or even at the parks - just take plenty of breaks in the a/c and stay hydrated and use tons of sunblock. You get used to the heat and humidity eventually. There is usually a thunderstorm every afternoon (between 3pm and 4pm) and after that it is MORE humid but still not unbearable. Evenings are nice but stock up on bug spray because the mosquitoes are plentiful.

Winters are a non-issue in FL. I saw snow flurries ONCE in 7 years and that stuff didn't even stick to the ground. The pipes froze one year but that is a rarity. If you enjoy a change of seasons, FL is not for you!

Even though I wasn't born there, I consider Orlando my home. I have wanted to move back ever since I left. I was a CM when I lived there and I hope to return to WDW if they have a management position open. I do have several friends with the company in middle and upper management so hoping that will give me a foot in the door.

Honestly, like a PP mentioned, if you are wanting to move to Orlando because you think you will be on vacation all the time then you will be disappointed. You still have to do all the normal kinds of things - school, work, grocery shop, dentist, etc... It's not all Disney every day!

 

[lizardqueen]

Can someone tell me about the Winter Garden area. I'm considering a couple of complexes in that area and would like to know if it is safe/quiet/clean. It will be just myself (no DH, kids, pets -- nothing but me) and I'd like to get some "firsthand" opinions.

 

[Jason71]

I am so excited. I just received a phone call to schedule a phone interview for a job located in Lake Mary. I have heard Lake Mary is very nice, although pretty far from Downtown Orlando nd Disney. A few questions for you lucky local folks….
-Assuming average traffic, how long of a drive is it from Lake Mary to Disney. I have heard approximately 45 minutes, but I don’t know if that is without traffic.
-If we would want to live a bit closer to Downtown Orlando and Disney but still stay within reasonable driving distance from Lake Mary (20 minutes or so), what communities do you recommend that have good schools and are family friendly?

Wish me luck!!!!

Lake Mary is very nice--it's technically in a separate county from Orlando (Seminole), although at this point suburban sprawl has turned that into a matter of semantics. Some very nice restaurants, schools about as good as they get in FL, fairly convenient to two better malls and the Winter Park area. Not that hard to get to the beach, either.

I would say closer to 30 minutes to WDW when there is no traffic, but much longer during rush hour--I've had it take over an hour and a half on Friday afternoons. Depends how much time you have to spend on surface streets to get to I-4, as well--Lake Mary Blvd., the main road, can be worse than the freeway (whatever you do, do not stop on the train tracks on that road--Lake Mary police love to bust drivers for that).

And actually Lake Mary is fairly convenient to downtown--maybe around 15 minutes without traffic. Winter Park and Baldwin Park are both a bit closer, worth looking into. But given a choice, ultimately, it's far better for your sanity to be close to work than close to WDW.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Winter Garden. A little city. Think Village. The "downtown" has been refurbished to be cute and psuedo historic.

There is "old" Winter Garden and "new" Winter Garden. Old Winter Garden is much what you would expect from any village with some age on it. Some very nice older homes, some quite nice middle of the road homes and then pockets of rundown poverty stricken areas.

Route 50 runs right through it. Most of the newer developments are south of 50 (which runs east and west). There are price points for housing that start in the low $200's (for single family free standing) into the millions (on Lake Butler, etc.).

Can't speak to the schools, but can say that crime isn't as high as in Orlando.

It's about 15-20 minutes from WDW, depending upon where you live.

Again, depending upon location you are minutes from 50, the Turnpike, 429, 408, 535 and 545. Quick to get many places.

People seem to be accepting and quiet. There are small ethnic representations of Mexican folk, Spanish folk, Middle Eastern, Folks from India, Poland... heck, from all over the world!

One oddity, a holdover from the "old days" is the blue law still in effect on Sunday. No alcohol can be purchased/sold in the city limits of Winter Garden. It's no big deal though, simply go a bit further to the next town over.

Does that help at all? If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me and I'll do my best to answer.

 

[madcoco]

One oddity, a holdover from the "old days" is the blue law still in effect on Sunday. No alcohol can be purchased/sold in the city limits of Winter Garden.

Found that out when World Market first opened at WG Village and headed to the checkout counter with a buggy full of wine. LOL They can still serve alcohol in the restaurants.

Here is an old link to the area behind the MK that in the grand scheme of things is called "Horizon West" the unicorporated part of SW Orange County in the Winter Garden/Windermere area. For now the housing/economy slump has put a delay in/slowed down the original plans.
http://www.terrain.org/unsprawl/14/


A new middle school(Bridgewater) has opened in Independence( the connector to 429 has not opened yet to New Independence Pkwy. though the signs have been up for over year.) A private school is to open in '09 across the street from the Independence entrance.
http://www.crenshawschool.com/main.htm

 

[Metro West]

NW Orlando checking in!

 

[elf]

I wrote before about being from NY (Long Island) moved to NC last year for a year and this week moved to Winter Springs. I have to say I feel more comfortable here in a few days than I did in NC after being there a year.

I feel right at home, traffic and grumpy people and all. LOL kidding met some great people here. It has more of a Cosmopolitan feel, people are from all over. I like having all different cultures and something to do every weekend. This weekend we will visit Mt. Dora and visit their nature walk, then a local sculpture museum has free entry for Dads. Next weekend the beach. I look forward to a overnight trip to clearwater area. We've so far been to the local pool, free kids movies for the summer at a local theatre (on Tues morn). We can't swing the Disney passes yet but I have a list of other things to do.

Lots of lizards, gekkos and beautiful birds. We are enjoying the nature here (except the red ants).

I learned alot from www.city-data forum. We even found great pizza. Still looking for Chinese. I'd say spend a week here outside of the parks in an area that you are interested in and do some local activities, go to local restaurants (try some Mom & Pop places) to get a feel of a place.

 

[HeatherPage]

Elf, where did you live in NC? I've lived in NC off and on since grade school (Raleigh/Clayton area) (I'm now 35) and my husband is from Jacksonville, FL. We would eventually love to move to Florida and have been looking at the Winter Springs area ourselves. We have one son (6) so we'd like an area with decent schools, safe, all that good stuff.

Do you think Winter Springs would fit the bill?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Winter Springs, in some respects. Winter Park, too. Oviedo has Trinity Prep which is a pretty good private school. As with all areas in the greater Orlando area. Be careful of the immediate surroundings. One street will be wonderful, the next dangerous as all get out.