calling all WDW CM's

[forevermickey]

Hi:sohappy: My husband, 5 year daughter and I are in the stages of planning a move (we currently live in NY). Big hurdle ... first try to sell our house. It is between South Carolina or Florida. I told my husband the only way I may move to Florida is if we are in close enough proximity to WDW so I could work there.. (pipe dream of mine haha) so now that I have given that info. ....

1) Where is the best place to live for a family that is close enough to work at WDW
2) Being a Mom, is Disney flexible with their schedules

And this ones for everyone... Coming from NY... moving to Florida... man I'm nervous ...... I'm afraid I will miss the foliage of the Fall... not winters though.. can anyone give me some advice on such a move?

Thanks in advance to all the wdwmagic people taking time to read and respond.. I really appreciate it!:wave:

 

[mkt]

1- You specified the best.... that'd be Windermere (the town, not the outlying Windermere area). However, it doesn't come cheap.

2- They can be, but don't expect to work full time

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Remember: You don't work for Disney for the $$, but for the love of working for Disney.

If I could afford to work for Disney again, I would in an instant

 

[forevermickey]

Remember: You don't work for Disney for the $$, but for the love of working for Disney.

If I could afford to work for Disney again, I would in an instant

Absolutely... Did I make the impression I thought working at Disney would be very lucrative? Was inquiring where a nice place to live with a family and be in proximity to WDW. thanks

 

[mkt]

Absolutely... Did I make the impression I thought working at Disney would be very lucrative? Was inquiring where a nice place to live with a family and be in proximity to WDW. thanks

Do you have a spouse that will be earning a fair amount? I don't think it's possible to (comfortably) support a family on a Disney salary while still managing to spend time with them.

I remember several years ago, one of my fellow CM's bragging about how he broke $45k the previous year. He was topped out and working 5-10 hours of overtime per week... plus received hourly premiums for special skills/hazard/show pay part of the time.

I know of full time CM's who qualify for full government assistance. These aren't part timers, these are 40 hour/wk CM's who receive food stamps.

I don't mean to be a downer, but if you're planning on this, make sure you have other means to support your family.

 

[forevermickey]

Oh my word! I simply asked if I moved to Florida and wanted to work at WDW, where is a nice place to live with a family.....

I didn't ask if I could support a family on a salary from WDW.

I was really hoping to have some nice people from this site that work at WDW tell me of some nice neighborhoods within a reasonable driving distance. I guess when I visit in Sept. I will talk to the CM's then.......

 

[echovictor]

In response to your question about fall...

I don't know about FL but I live in coastal SC and can tell you that we don't get a display of fall foliage (unless someone has planted Bradford pear trees in their yard). Mostly live oaks and palm trees and they don't change. I would imagine that would be the case in much of FL as well. Only thing that really changes color around here in the fall is the marsh.
Upstate SC is beautiful in the fall though.

 

[stratman50th]

Oh my word! I simply asked if I moved to Florida and wanted to work at WDW, where is a nice place to live with a family.....

I didn't ask if I could support a family on a salary from WDW.

I was really hoping to have some nice people from this site that work at WDW tell me of some nice neighborhoods within a reasonable driving distance. I guess when I visit in Sept. I will talk to the CM's then.......

Wow. They were just trying to make sure you knew what you were getting into. Obviously finances aren't a concern for you, which is a good thing, but some people don't think of things like that when perusing a dream. They get kind of tunnel vision. You did get some nice people from this site responding to you, and you even got the name of a nice neighborhood.
Good luck in getting your questions answered.

 

[powlessfamily4]

I would phone a real estate broker and pose the question to them. Everyone has a different opinion on what a "nice" neighborhood is. I live in Georgia so I can't really tell you much about where to live.

I have told my husband when we retire we are moving to Florida and I am working at Disney!! There is no way it pays any less then a Wal-Mart greeter and why do that when you can be at your happy place everyday!!

I wish you luck in your adventure!!

 

[forevermickey]

In response to your question about fall...

I don't know about FL but I live in coastal SC and can tell you that we don't get a display of fall foliage (unless someone has planted Bradford pear trees in their yard). Mostly live oaks and palm trees and they don't change. I would imagine that would be the case in much of FL as well. Only thing that really changes color around here in the fall is the marsh.
Upstate SC is beautiful in the fall though.

Thank you so much for your response:wave:

 

[Coach81]

Don't take my job!!! I want to be the "old dude" in front of the Playhouse Disney Stage smiling and clapping with all the families!!!

 

[forevermickey]

Wow. They were just trying to make sure you knew what you were getting into. Obviously finances aren't a concern for you, which is a good thing, but some people don't think of things like that when perusing a dream. They get kind of tunnel vision. You did get some nice people from this site responding to you, and you even got the name of a nice neighborhood.
Good luck in getting your questions answered.

I understand what you are saying.. but I just asked a couple questions in which I was hoping to get some good responses to from current Florida residents.. I wasn't asking financial questions... of course I appreciate peoples concern and responses.....

 

[powlessfamily4]

Don't take my job!!! I want to be the "old dude" in front of the Playhouse Disney Stage smiling and clapping with all the families!!!

That sounds like soo much fun!! I bet you'll be great at it! I want to work in the Confectionary shop! I would love to see the expressions on everyones faces as they walk in and ooooh and ahhhh over the confections. :sohappy:

 

[Knightspast81]

I'm a transplant from NY, and I live in Clermont, FL now which is just outside the tourist area, but still close to the parks (my wife is a CM). I love it here, but you can also look into Winter Garden, Windermere, and Davenport. They have some nice areas too, and you can't beat the housing market around here, compared to NY, houses here are ridiculously cheaper....

 

[forevermickey]

I would phone a real estate broker and pose the question to them. Everyone has a different opinion on what a "nice" neighborhood is. I live in Georgia so I can't really tell you much about where to live.

I have told my husband when we retire we are moving to Florida and I am working at Disney!! There is no way it pays any less then a Wal-Mart greeter and why do that when you can be at your happy place everyday!!

I wish you luck in your adventure!!

thank you for your nice response:wave: I am a stay at home Mom at the time and will be heading back to work soon... Not sure if I am interested in a career again and was looking to work at a place a have a passion for and make a couple extra bucks.... just all in the thinking/planning stages.. Thank you again.

 

[forevermickey]

I'm a transplant from NY, and I live in Clermont, FL now which is just outside the tourist area, but still close to the parks (my wife is a CM). I love it here, but you can also look into Winter Garden, Windermere, and Davenport. They have some nice areas too, and you can't beat the housing market around here, compared to NY, houses here are ridiculously cheaper....

thank you, thank you, thank you I very much appreciate your response
Was it a hard transfer from NY to FL... How long have you lived in FL? How long did it take you to get use to it? thank again:wave:

 

[forevermickey]

Don't take my job!!! I want to be the "old dude" in front of the Playhouse Disney Stage smiling and clapping with all the families!!!

lol:ROFLOL: My daughter loves that show! She is so excited because we heard Jake and the Neverland Pirates are there now!!

 

[Knightspast81]

thank you, thank you, thank you I very much appreciate your response
Was it a hard transfer from NY to FL... How long have you lived in FL? How long did it take you to get use to it? thank again:wave:

The worst part of the move was the drive down lol. I've been down here for 3 years and it took me a good year to finally realize that I wasn't living in NY anymore. I still wake up some days not believing the fact that I can go to the theme parks whenever I want. And don't forget, finances do balance a bit because there is no state income tax in FL, I'm actually making more money in FL doing the same job I did in NY as a beverage distributor (one of the reasons I know the "good" areas and the "bad" areas).

 

[forevermickey]

The worst part of the move was the drive down lol. I've been down here for 3 years and it took me a good year to finally realize that I wasn't living in NY anymore. I still wake up some days not believing the fact that I can go to the theme parks whenever I want. And don't forget, finances do balance a bit because there is no state income tax in FL, I'm actually making more money in FL doing the same job I did in NY as a beverage distributor (one of the reasons I know the "good" areas and the "bad" areas).

Thank you so much! My husband works in heating/cooling. Obviously it would be all cooling if we moved to Florida. He would make as much or more money in Florida as well, and like you said no state tx! Does it get to hot for you. And being able to just drop by the parks.... WOW!!!

 

[Knightspast81]

Thank you so much! My husband works in heating/cooling. Obviously it would be all cooling if we moved to Florida. He would make as much or more money in Florida as well, and like you said no state tx! Does it get to hot for you. And being able to just drop by the parks.... WOW!!!

Summer time can be brutal at times, but that's why everyone has AC...and there are a TON of AC repair companies down here, so he shouldn't have an issue of finding a job, especially if he knows what he's doing..