Would you move to orlando?

[sbell111]

I lived in Winter Park (just north of Orlando) for two years while going to graduate school and currently live in Franklin, TN, just south of Nashville. If an opportunity arose, we would move back to central Florida in a heartbeat. Maybe faster.

 

[swandiverpatt]

Moving to the Orlando area from Indiana 3 years ago was a no brainer for us. My only daughter moved here about 16 years ago. We are up in Lake County, too -- away from the hustle and bustle of DisneyWorld, but close enough to drive down if we want to (mainly only when visitors are in town -- I work at the World and I like to go home in the evenings ... )

Having lived in an area in Indiana where everything is close, it took some getting used to driving a half hour to get just about anywhere we needed to go. I think I have been in downtown Orlando twice since we moved here.

Whether you have school-aged children could be a big factor in decisions. From what I hear, the school systems here aren't that good. Crime, also, is amazingly scary compared to our college town in Indiana. The 11:00 news was really an eye-opener after we moved here.

Summers are hot, but they were hot and humid in Indiana, too. I agree with whomever said you don't have that nasty gray that seems to hang for 4 months in the winter in the Midwest. The sun has done amazing things for me and I feel a lot better here. We've had mild hurricane seasons since we moved down here (knocking on wood), and we always say we don't have to shovel rain or scrape it off the car windows (though I have had to scrape frost off of my car a few times this winter here!)

Even though we've been here 3 years, we really haven't availed ourselves to much travel within the state (but we didn't in Indiana either).

I've only seen one black snake around our house last year. Mockingbirds were doing a good job of chasing it across the back yard. The little anoles (geckos) are on our back porch and unfortunately sneak into the house every once in a while .... and with 4 cats, the poor little things don't stand a chance! I like the little guys.

We had big hairy field spiders in Indiana, which we don't have here.

I miss my Midwestern birds (robins, red-winged blackbirds, juncos), but trade off with sandhill cranes, blue herons, mockingbirds and other large water fowl.

Cost of living seems to be about the same beyond the housing market -- housing is *way* more expensive here than it was in Indiana. The job market has tightened down, but that's national, too. I would not move here if I didn't already have a job lined up!

So, that's what I've found.

 

[Buckalew11]

Ummm, that's Memphis.

yes, but doesn't he live in Nashville now? Sorry, I could not resist. RIP, Elvis. I know you really died.


We're already talking about being snowbirds. Months in TN, months in FL. I am excited for the day that we can at least try it out. My parents did it for about 5 years and LOVED it.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I have lived and worked in both Orlando and Nashville and LOVE both places.

I grew up in the Deep South and Nashville has more of that Southern Hospitality feel than Orlando. I always said that the people in Nashville would find out you were new in town and invite you home to dinner. I love the culture surrounding Nashville mixed in with the honkytonk country music image. Schools in Nashville are pretty good in the Brentwood and Franklin areas as well as in some of the surrounding areas like Mt Juliet. What I did not like about Nashville - the winter ice storms!

I went to college in Orlando and lived there about 7 years working as a CM at WDW. I absolutely love Orlando but I agree with the other posters that you really have to look at the school systems. Windermere, Dr Phillips and the outlying areas in Seminole County have the better schools. We have a friend that lives in Osceola County that hates the schools there and is moving because of them. I love the weather in Orlando - even the heat of the summer is much better to me than the cold of a Maryland winter (where we live now).

We are moving next summer to either Orlando or Tampa (I am hoping for Orlando!) and we have been researching schools and the job situation. If we head to Orlando we will try to find a home in the Windermere area.

If I had to move anywhere in the US then Orlando would be my first choice but Nashville would definitely be my second.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[ChristmasElf]

True, but you pay through the nose just to drive anywhere in Orlando. Is Nashville full of tolls?

Oh, and Orlando is the only town I've been in where a red light means 'keep going' or are merely suggestions. When the light turns green, we sit and wait because we have nearly been t-boned by the locals on numerous occasions. Yes, people run lights elsewhere but it's really bad in O-twon.

Not anymore!!! The whole area (especially Orange county) has installed red light cameras to catch drivers in the act. Fine $187.50

 

[Feralpeg]

Not anymore!!! The whole area (especially Orange county) has installed red light cameras to catch drivers in the act. Fine $187.50

Thank goodness! And, it isn't limited to Orlando. Red light running was a big problem when I lived in Missouri five years ago. People are just in such a hurry. Drivers are very aggressive everywhere. I don't think the drivers are that much worse in Orlando than many other places. We just have a ton of traffic.

 

[Chernabog#1fan]

Not anymore!!! The whole area (especially Orange county) has installed red light cameras to catch drivers in the act. Fine $187.50

They raised it to $211, and from what I remember, they can not use the pictures yet as a way to ticket you. Something to do with changing the laws and I have not heard that has been accomplished yet, but I could be wrong.

With that said, the majority of the people that do not drive well are the tourists from what I have experienced.

 

[Rora]

I wouldn't move to Orlando. It's too tourist-y and crowded. Also, outside the WDW area there is a considerable amount of crime (not that there isn't in all big cities), according to people I knew who went to the University of Central Florida (about 30min of WDW).

 

[safetymom]

I love the fact that I moved to FL. I live 12 miles from the parks and go quite often. The thrill is still there when I visit.

When I look out my back window I can see cows grazing and orange groves.

 

[rie'smom]

In Nashville, you'd have 4 seasons. In Orlando, you'll have 2-hot and hotter with a little chill thrown in sometimes.

I'd choose Nashville even though I cannot stand country music. It seems like people have more roots there and it isn't as transient a city as Orlando has become.

 

[Feralpeg]

I wouldn't move to Orlando. It's too tourist-y and crowded. Also, outside the WDW area there is a considerable amount of crime (not that there isn't in all big cities), according to people I knew who went to the University of Central Florida (about 30min of WDW).

Many areas of Orlando are not touristy. By the way, the area near UCF is a higher crime area. Many areas do not have excessive crime. It is like any other big city. You learn what areas to avoid. I run around all the time in Orlando and I don't worry about crime.

 

[Feralpeg]

In Nashville, you'd have 4 seasons. In Orlando, you'll have 2-hot and hotter with a little chill thrown in sometimes.

I'd choose Nashville even though I cannot stand country music. It seems like people have more roots there and it isn't as transient a city as Orlando has become.

Not entirely true. We do have seasons. During the winter months (November through February), our temps tend to be in the 60s to mid-70s. Very pleasant! During those time periods, some of the trees lose their leaves. Some even turn different colors.

 

[lookingforward]

I would choose Nashville because the economy is much healthier there. Here in Florida (central and south) housing has tanked and jobs are scarce. Insurance is high and we do deal with rough weather in the form of hurricanes, although not so much in the past few years.

I personally prefer a few seasons a year and a great college town atmosphere which Nashville has much more than Orlando. Finally, as a police advocate the crime rate in Florida and specifically in Orlando is through the roof.

Good luck with your decision.