Natasha27

Hi there!!!

Im new to this but i just wanted to say hello to some fellow Brits. I'll be moving out to Florida very soon. My fiance works in Orlando but currently lives in Winter Garden so i will be out that way! We will be looking to move when i head out there though. Any suggestions for a newbie on which areas you have found to be the safest ? And wondered how you find living in and around Orlando in general. Im starting to get a bit nervous at the huge life style shift ive got to come ahead... or is it not really that big of a deal ? Would be so grateful of anybody that wants to give light on their personal experiences. Look forward to chatting and maybe one day meeting some of you guys!

NCSox

I live in lake Mary, about 15miles North of Orlando. If you don't have a car, then florida and Orlando Especially is a nuisance to navigate around. In terms of safety I haven't encountered any issues thus far (within 1 year) it is a big lifestyle change but if you can work as soon as you come over then I think that will be beneficial. Good luck

Natasha27

Thanks for your reply @NCSox. I have a friend that lives in Lake Mary (when he's not back in the UK). I was looking at apartments up that way also. Although living in Orlando would have the perks for being closer to everything, it seemed more appealing living more North. My partner has a car, but i wont to begin with which will be very hard to adjust to. As for working, from what ive researched, im not entitled to work until i have my employment permit, which can take up to 90 days to receive. We have gone down the K-visa for Fiances so i have to adjust status of residency before i am entitled to do anymore unfortunately. Glad your still enjoying living there!

Jerseygirl

Hi there...welcome to BE.

I have moved your posts out of the Meet-ups forum and opened a new thread in the general US Forum. We have quite a few members who live in Florida...several of which live in the Orlando area. I'm sure they will help you with questions about Orlando/Florida.

Natasha27

Ahhh thank you... I thought I was just replying ... Turns out I wasn't haha! Still getting the hang of the website...oops ! Thanks for changing it for me!

kins

I would do your absolute best to get a car so you can get out and about.

If you do want somewhere vaguely walkable then Winter Park is very nice.

Good luck!

Natasha27

Yeah i agree! Thats one thing that is kinda disappointing that public transport isn't too great or its non existent. Thanks for your advice!

tim_orl

Hi Natasha,
I have lived in Orlando for six years and also went through the same K-1 visa process as you, I am now a US citizen. We live in College Park which is close to downtown Orlando, this is convenient for my work (10min drive) and for my wife who currently is attending college at Florida Hospital (5min drive). We have also lived in Longwood and downtown Orlando.
We also lived in College Park when I first moved here and chose this location because I could walk to the store/shops and also the Lynx (bus) station downtown to get around. The Lynx bus takes ages to get anywhere so is not ideal but I used it for a two years before getting a car, I also had a bicycle for short distances, you can't ride too far because it is just too hot!
Orlando is a pretty nice town, the only area to avoid is Pine Hills everywhere else is very safe.
Personally I don't like the touristy areas in the south of Orlando and much prefer north Orlando where there are no tourists. There is plenty to keep you busy for a few years.
If you want to know anything else just let me know, I would be happy to help.

Natasha27

Wow thank you so much for that! I hadn't looked into College Park. I remember seeing the name though, il definitely have to check it out!! Really amazing thank you!! I'm glad your visa worked out for you! I'm shocked as to how intense it can be, and it's not even started il soon be over so ATLeast one phase of it will be over! Thanks again!

Awesome Welles

With the greatest of respect this is very inaccurate information. Despite being "The happiest place on earth", Orlando does not rank well in terms of the safest cities in the US.

Safety is a quite general term, because risk of being murdered is quite different to risk of having your care stereo swiped, but both can be construed as safety issues.

Needless to say, where you live in this city is very dependent on your budget too - are you looking for a lakefront mansion or an apartment complex, or something in between?

I am not an expert in terms of where is 'safe' and where isn't, but my daughter is an Orange County Sheriffs Deputy and she and her colleagues are.

Here are some suggestions regarding where to avoid because of very high rates of crime and why....

Apopka - domestic burglary
Ocoee - domestic burglary, car crime
Pine Hills - domestic burglary, crimes against the person
Eatonville - crimes against the person
Lockhart - domestic burglary, car crime
Parramore - everything you can imagine
Metro West - domestic burglary, car theft
All of the numbered streets either side of South OBT between SR408 and Holden Ave - street crime
Americana/Texas Ave - street/car crime
Tangelo Park/Millenia/S Kirkman Ave - street crime
Taft - car crime
Goldenrod - street crime
Bithlo - crimes against humanity (and goats)
West Oak Ridge - street crime

Of course nowhere is totally safe, because the crims like to steal nice stuff, so they tend to prey on people living in nicer neighborhoods, as well as victimizing their own neighbors.

I've lived in Belle Isle (south of downtown - to the west of the airport) for about 15 years. Any kind of crime is rare here (usually stuff getting nicked out of garages when the door has been left open). It's mainly down to us having a dedicated and very proactive police dept and neighbors who look out for each other.

Natasha27

Wow thank you so much for that information, that's exactly what I was looking for. I've been lucky enough to live in quaint towns in the UK and in different areas of Europe when I travelled previous to me meeting my fiancé, so I've always been lucky in living in areas where crime wasn't a major factor. Since doing research - I've noticed florida is apparently one of the worse off States for crime in general, (sorry if I'm totally wrong on that), and some of the areas Ive seen around orlando, weren't the best! I will definitely bare that in mind.

This is a very general question, but as a person living in Florida talking to somebody who has never lived there, do you have any tips regarding orlando and its outskirts. I.e do people tend to be friendly, you said the "happiest place on earth"? Why's that?

I hope you don't mind me asking. I would love to be very prepared before arriving and any persons personal experience is always great to have as advice.

Jerseygirl

Disney's The Magic Kingdom is referred to as the happiest place on earth for obvious reasons. It does not refer to Florida...Florida is known as the armpit of the US. You only have to travel round the state to know why.

Natasha27

Sorry, I'm not following what you mean by Florida being the armpit to the rest of the USA?

Nutmegger

I think she's invoking "it's a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there . . . "

Awesome Welles

I think it's kind of fashionable to rip on Florida on this forum. I'm not certain why, because it's like staying that the United Kingdom is the armpit of Europe because it contains Castleford and Slough.

Camden NJ is the most terrifying place in the US from a crime perspective, but that doesn't mean all of New Jersey is an armpit either.

I have to say I didn't choose Florida, my job dictated where I moved to, but I do enjoy living here very much. The summer climate is a bit overpowering for some people - I got used to it very quickly. There is no 'winter' here, which some lament, but I don't yearn to shovel snow for 4 months of the year either.

I travel with my work very extensively, so being very close to an international airport suits me very well too.

I have found this to be an easy place to live in, navigate around and connect elsewhere. Property is dirt cheap - property taxes and insurance are not. I cannot imagine what it would be like without a car - totally untenable as far as I'm concerned. I have never gone out of my way to socialize with other UK expats, but there are many thousands of them in the metro area. I have lots of American friends, who are wonderful, genuine and warm people - they were just as keen to know me as we were them - though meeting English people is hardly a novelty here (given the numbers that vacation here every year).

Metro Orlando is geographically very big (a footprint that would cover 35 sq miles). Where you live is bound to depend on your work, income, social requirements, age and demographic preferences.

We are empty nesters (our daughter lives in Avalon Park - a new planned community in east Orlando - she loves it, but she's young - we wouldn't want to live somewhere quite so 'contrived'). We both work in a professional capacity and like to enjoy the free time we have - the neighborhood that we live in gives us the ability to have fun close to home - big, clean lakes, safe to walk and cycle, well policed, clean, well cared for, beautiful, huge trees, civilized neighbors, close to great dining, shopping, beach (40 mins east of us) and downtown.