Where to Live When Working at Disney?

[SgtObiWan]

Hello all!
My wife and I are looking to buy a home near the Disney parks as we will be trying to gain employment with Walt Disney World. Does anyone have any good suggestions on neighborhoods. I hear Clermont, Devenport and Winter Garden are good area's. Are there any pros of renting instead of buying in the area? Thanks

 

[itsbetsyh]

I think Florida is coming back from the recession and it's a good time to buy, if that helps. I like Winter Park, not sure how far that is from Disney though.

 

[Yzma]

Winter Park is a bit of a drive - the closest areas depend on which side of the resort you want to be near. The north side (Magic Kingdom) is next to Windermere & Winter Garden, the south side (DAK) is closer to Celebration & Davenport. I know Hunter's Creek is popular among CMs, but you'd have to take the toll to and from work everyday.

 

[SgtObiWan]

Winter Park is a bit of a drive - the closest areas depend on which side of the resort you want to be near. The north side (Magic Kingdom) is next to Windermere & Winter Garden, the south side (DAK) is closer to Celebration & Davenport. I know Hunter's Creek is popular among CMs, but you'd have to take the toll to and from work everyday.

Is Hunter's Creek near Davenport or Clermont?

 

[KatMaria]

Hunters Creek is by Kissimmee which is sorta by Disney if you take tolls everyday. I live in Winter Garden and love it, not too close to Disney but not very far either. I take the 429 toll road everyday to work and it takes me about 20 minutes.

 

[SgtObiWan]

I have heard that it cost a lot to live in Winter Garden, is that true? How much are the tolls each day? How long have you worked for Disney?

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Hunters Creek sprung up on the east side of Disney as an alternative to the more expensive and upscale Celebration -- it is miles and miles and miles of similar-looking development and houses, condos, and apartments all look pretty much alike - there is large variety in costs. Tolls are minimal and with Fastpass almost negligible in the long run from that area. You pass through Hunters Creek on the way from the airport to WDW if you take DME -- its most notable for the really high Flagpole (cell tower) smack dab in the middle of it that you can see from everywhere. Winter Park also has a gazzilion CM's living there -- it has a wide variety of housing options from cheaper apartments to more expensive housing...Your best option if you are for sure moving is to not do it online, but go down for a couple days and do nothing but drive around and look at the areas and find housing options that you like -- or at a minimal find a realtor in the area you have selected.

 

[SgtObiWan]

We are taking a week long trip in august just for that reason. Wanted to drive around and check out several areas. What about the crime rates in the area?

 

[Tim_4]

I strongly recommend (northern) Davenport if you're looking for a deal. I'd use the intersection of Champions Gate Boulevard and Ronald Reagan as your starting point. There are a number of developments along there and most of them are cheaper than what you'd find in Windermere/Celebration/Dr. Phillips. The northern part of Davenport is right along the Osceola/Polk County line and has two VERY easy routes to Disney, either I-4 or Lake Wilson. I highly recommend living somewhere where your exit off of I-4 is lower than 67, or avoid 4 all together. The West side (67 and below) is pretty easy, while 68 is probably the worst exit in Central Florida and it's not much better all the way up through Kirkman (75).

 

[RonAnnArbor]

There are a lot of websites dedicated to all that information -- your best bet, when you find a place you like when you are looking, call the local police department and ask them about the crime stats in your particular location. Winter Garden, Hunters Creek, Celebration all generally low crime rates. The closer you get to Orlando proper, the more your crime rates will increase...just google the community you are looking at and you will find all that information

 

[KatMaria]

I have heard that it cost a lot to live in Winter Garden, is that true? How much are the tolls each day? How long have you worked for Disney?

I have sunpass which is a toll sticker that you put on your windshield and then your tolls are cheeper than just going everyday and paying with cash lol i think its about 75 cents with sunpass and two tolls. I think you are thinking about Windermere, which is the next town over, which is super expensive but Winter Garden is not that bad. Ive worked for Disney for 2 years.

 

[SgtObiWan]

Thanks for all suggestions. When applying to Disney is it better to just apply for everything then transfer to what you want after you've been there for a while? Also how hard is it to go from part time to full time? I was just wondering if I couldn't get a full time position right away.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Don't apply for food service and then think you can just switch to Rides a few months down the road -- doesn't work that way....and while they are not supposed to, you will find that applying as an adult with an existing work history and indicating that you are relocating to FL to live there and make your permanent career there, you will be approached much differently by casting than an 18-year old that is applying...ask about full time positions when interviewing and let them know this is a permanent lifetime career move.

 

[KatMaria]

I would agree, don't apply for foods unless you really want to do foods. Other than that anything else is safe pretty much, you can always transfer in 6 months usually but there can also be wait lists for areas. My advice is only apply for things you know you would be able to handle for a year or so because if there are wait lists, you might not be able to transfer right away.

 

[KatMaria]

Full time is depending on the area availability. If you get offered it, take it. If you get offered part time, it just depends on if they need full time or not for how long it can take to get it.

 

[SgtObiWan]

Why would you say don't do foods?

 

[KatMaria]

Foods is hard, and sometimes dirty work. It also is very fast paced. Just depends on whether or not you really want to make the food you love at the parks or not.

 

[Trixie573]

I was wondering what happened to SgtObiWan? Did you move? Were you able to get a job? I am considering the move myself but I am not a young 22 year old out of college and want to be sure I can get a job. I know you have to start from the bottom and work your way up but I'm even worried about getting in at the bottom!

 

[Jetdoctor]

Lake nona is nice expensive tolls but 20 mins drive

 

[Jetdoctor]

Soft open to all