Yes, I do realize that Orlando is huge. However, my boyfriend will be going to school in Lake Mary, so I am trying to find a somewhat middle ground inbetween Lake Mary and Disney World, which are 45 miles away from each other.
Ouch. Trust me, it feels a lot longer than that even during rush hour. And the middle ground--downtown Orlando--is made up of mostly way overpriced condos and a lot of "unsafe" neighborhoods.
With that being said, yes I would love more info
So you are saying that the nice places behind WDW will be over a grand? Good lord. Even so, I would love to know which complexes they are. What are the complexes near seaworld called? Am I being unrealistic in my hopes of finding a one or two bedroom for around $800 around 900 square feet that is actually nice and not falling apart? What should I realistically expect for that price?
A decent-sized two-bedroom bumps up near $1,000 here in tourist town; you may get a smallish two-bedroom for around $950, if you hunt, but rents will probably be going up as more people lease than buy.
For $800 and change, you can get a one-bedroom around here, but it won't be anywhere near 900 sq. feet. For comparison, I pay $820 for 535 sq. feet, and people think that's a good deal.
As I said, there are four big places on Westwood Blvd.--Monterrey Lakes (the cheapest, generally, a bit run-down), the Vinings at Westwood (where I live, still decent tho slipping under the new management company), Lexington and Broadwater. A couple condo places on I-Drive rent, but I forget the names. It might be worth googling the four above to get an idea for the area.
I need to stress, your b/f would be looking at an hour plus commute if he does it during rush hour. Winter Garden/Davenport would be even worse (although you can get a lot better deals there, price-wise).
Closer to Lake Mary, there are a ton of places on 436, a lot through Casselberry. Traffic on 436 is a bear in and of itself, tho, and the neighborhoods seem to vary from from "alright, I guess" to "pretty decent." You might look at Oveido, as well, but I don't know what prices are like there.
You might also want to look at Deltona, which is just east of Lake Mary/Seminole County. Mostly houses, not a lot of apartments, but still may be good deals to be had there. Would be a lot more tolerable of a commute for him, although again, could be over an hour for you if you're working over here. I know friends who do make that commute, but I don't know how they keep their sanity.
Are you definitely looking to work for the Mouse? Or just planning on visiting frequently?