Thinking of moving to Orlando
Mar 3rd 2014, 7:38 pm
#16
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Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Belle Isle, Florida
Posts: 594
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
Mar 3rd 2014, 7:53 pm
#18
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,446
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
.... Response to Celebration has been mixed, some feeling it is creepy, one resident even admitting it is "Stepford Wife-like, .....
Last edited by Pulaski; Mar 3rd 2014 at 9:00 pm.
Mar 3rd 2014, 8:45 pm
#19
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Location: Belle Isle, Florida
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Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
I have - lots and lots of times (I live close by), but in a more natural, established and people-oriented community, that wasn't 'imagineered' by Walt Disney Corporation and designed by an up it's own arse consultancy based in California.
The link posted above is right on the money - creepy is exactly what it is.
I agree maybe nice for a fleeting visit - coffee and scones by the (fake) lake - but anyone who would want to live in such a plastic environment is as mad as cheese.
The link posted above is right on the money - creepy is exactly what it is.
I agree maybe nice for a fleeting visit - coffee and scones by the (fake) lake - but anyone who would want to live in such a plastic environment is as mad as cheese.
Mar 3rd 2014, 8:57 pm
#20
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 265
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
I have - lots and lots of times (I live close by), but in a more natural, established and people-oriented community, that wasn't 'imagineered' by Walt Disney Corporation and designed by an up it's own arse consultancy based in California.
The link posted above is right on the money - creepy is exactly what it is.
I agree maybe nice for a fleeting visit - coffee and scones by the (fake) lake - but anyone who would want to live in such a plastic environment is as mad as cheese.
The link posted above is right on the money - creepy is exactly what it is.
I agree maybe nice for a fleeting visit - coffee and scones by the (fake) lake - but anyone who would want to live in such a plastic environment is as mad as cheese.
Mar 3rd 2014, 9:31 pm
#23
Northern Monkey!
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 530
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
I have - lots and lots of times (I live close by), but in a more natural, established and people-oriented community, that wasn't 'imagineered' by Walt Disney Corporation and designed by an up it's own arse consultancy based in California.
The link posted above is right on the money - creepy is exactly what it is.
I agree maybe nice for a fleeting visit - coffee and scones by the (fake) lake - but anyone who would want to live in such a plastic environment is as mad as cheese.
The link posted above is right on the money - creepy is exactly what it is.
I agree maybe nice for a fleeting visit - coffee and scones by the (fake) lake - but anyone who would want to live in such a plastic environment is as mad as cheese.
Mar 4th 2014, 7:12 pm
#24
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 12
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
In terms of square miles 'footprint', Orlando is a big, big place. A big influencer is going to be where you need to be work-wise, because rush-hour traffic here is pretty horrendous.
Granted it was 12 years ago, but when I moved here, I had some quite specific must-have's in mind. I needed to be close to the airport, in a residential community that wasn't zoned for short-term (vacation) rental, established, rather than new 'cookie-cutter' developments that look like they're on the surface of the moon, not ethnically un-balanced (because Orlando is a very ethnically polarized city) and safe, based on publicly available crime stats.
Those requirements ruled out a lot of places for me. I didn't want to live downtown - and very close to downtown is quite skanky - verging on downright dangerous - but lots of younger singles find city living to be more appropriate (if you can afford it).
It may be more appropriate to suggest places you might want to avoid:
Eatonville
Pine Hills
Parramore
Sky Lake
Oak Ridge
Alafaya
Anywhere on or near SR 50
Metro West
Ocoee
Apopka
A little more knowledge of your circumstances may help….
Granted it was 12 years ago, but when I moved here, I had some quite specific must-have's in mind. I needed to be close to the airport, in a residential community that wasn't zoned for short-term (vacation) rental, established, rather than new 'cookie-cutter' developments that look like they're on the surface of the moon, not ethnically un-balanced (because Orlando is a very ethnically polarized city) and safe, based on publicly available crime stats.
Those requirements ruled out a lot of places for me. I didn't want to live downtown - and very close to downtown is quite skanky - verging on downright dangerous - but lots of younger singles find city living to be more appropriate (if you can afford it).
It may be more appropriate to suggest places you might want to avoid:
Eatonville
Pine Hills
Parramore
Sky Lake
Oak Ridge
Alafaya
Anywhere on or near SR 50
Metro West
Ocoee
Apopka
A little more knowledge of your circumstances may help….
Once again thanks for the feedback. A list of 'avoids' is certainly helpful!
I'll be working just South East of Orlando and I am happy to commute up to 45 mins each way. However far that gets me!
It's just me coming over so don't need a huge place or near good schools. Just some nice local stores/park would be nice. Main thing is avoiding a ghetto, although I currently live in Canary Wharf inLondon which is adjacent to Poplar which is not the greatest!
I have just got off the phone to my HR dept. They are flying me out in a week to get a lay of the land. Guess the best way to find out is have a look around and get a feel for the place!
Mar 5th 2014, 1:42 pm
#25
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Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Belle Isle, Florida
Posts: 594
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
Once again thanks for the feedback. A list of 'avoids' is certainly helpful!
I'll be working just South East of Orlando and I am happy to commute up to 45 mins each way. However far that gets me!
It's just me coming over so don't need a huge place or near good schools. Just some nice local stores/park would be nice. Main thing is avoiding a ghetto, although I currently live in Canary Wharf inLondon which is adjacent to Poplar which is not the greatest!
I have just got off the phone to my HR dept. They are flying me out in a week to get a lay of the land. Guess the best way to find out is have a look around and get a feel for the place!
I'll be working just South East of Orlando and I am happy to commute up to 45 mins each way. However far that gets me!
It's just me coming over so don't need a huge place or near good schools. Just some nice local stores/park would be nice. Main thing is avoiding a ghetto, although I currently live in Canary Wharf inLondon which is adjacent to Poplar which is not the greatest!
I have just got off the phone to my HR dept. They are flying me out in a week to get a lay of the land. Guess the best way to find out is have a look around and get a feel for the place!
Mar 5th 2014, 11:13 pm
#26
BE Co-Founder
Joined: Feb 2000
Location: Florida
Posts: 25,928
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
I think the older neighbourhoods have more character and are far more pedestrians friendly than the newer neighbourhoods, and as much as Celebration is pretty to look at I do agree that it's very synthetic, although they have some lovely restaurants and houses there. It does seem strange watching all the mums in their tennis gear ferrying the kids to school in their souped up golf carts though. 
So as well as the places suggested by Awesome Welles look at Thornton Park, College Park, and Delaney Park etc. Hunters Creek has some nice schools too.
Overall the closer to mouse land you get the worse the traffic is, not to mention the I4 near the city. But any city has a lot of traffic.
Personally if you are looking for great places to bring up kids I would choose somewhere other than Florida, for example the Carolinas, but it's horses for courses really and we all want different things
Best of luck with your reccie!
So as well as the places suggested by Awesome Welles look at Thornton Park, College Park, and Delaney Park etc. Hunters Creek has some nice schools too.
Overall the closer to mouse land you get the worse the traffic is, not to mention the I4 near the city. But any city has a lot of traffic.
Personally if you are looking for great places to bring up kids I would choose somewhere other than Florida, for example the Carolinas, but it's horses for courses really and we all want different things
Best of luck with your reccie!
Mar 5th 2014, 11:20 pm
#27
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 265
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
Living there would be weird, like living on a movie set. Even some of the residents apparently think it's weird:
Apparently in the autumn the lamp posts blow out leaf shaped confetti to simulate leaves falling, and at Christmas they blow out soapy foam to simulate snow. WTF!?!?!?
Apparently in the autumn the lamp posts blow out leaf shaped confetti to simulate leaves falling, and at Christmas they blow out soapy foam to simulate snow. WTF!?!?!?
Mar 6th 2014, 8:43 pm
#28
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 10
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
Thanks all, for some reason I only got an email when the first couple of responses to my original post went up so have missed the useful ones.
You couldn't pay me to live in Ohio so I guess we all have something in common
I work from home and travel a bit so the airport is good to know.
I will not be visiting the attractions much without visitors from the UK I guess, which is very much like the status quo here. I only really venture to Manhattan with work or visitors so its already rare.
The feedback has been useful. Other towns/cities in Florida may be of interest and I am using the great comments here to start my in depth research.
Thanks again. And its nice to see a "moving to the US" comment not being bombarded with visa questions. does make it sound a bit elitist on here at times when i read those responses about what you can and can't do.
You couldn't pay me to live in Ohio so I guess we all have something in common
I work from home and travel a bit so the airport is good to know.
I will not be visiting the attractions much without visitors from the UK I guess, which is very much like the status quo here. I only really venture to Manhattan with work or visitors so its already rare.
The feedback has been useful. Other towns/cities in Florida may be of interest and I am using the great comments here to start my in depth research.
Thanks again. And its nice to see a "moving to the US" comment not being bombarded with visa questions. does make it sound a bit elitist on here at times when i read those responses about what you can and can't do.
Mar 6th 2014, 8:54 pm
#29
Deep in the woods of CT
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,002
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
Why would you be asked that question when you stated upfront that you already live in the US? That question is posed when people start looking for a neighbourhood without first having addressed the question of the visa.
Mar 7th 2014, 12:18 pm
#30
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 10
Re: Thinking of moving to Orlando
Indeed, but we had a newbie, Osmosis, join in part way through who is about to move out.