Disney Retirement

[wdwmomof3]

There is a retired couple who live in our town who works at Disney a few times a year. I don't know any details, but I found that really neat. I would LOVE to do that once my children are out of the house.

 

[SleepingMonk]

...as I understand it, people in FL are choking up close to $500 a month from April thru October for air conditioning....

Florida native here, lived in the state 30+ years, and we have never paid more than $300 a month. That includes electric, water, sewer and garbage pickup. House is over 2k sq. ft and the AC stays on 74 all summer.

 

[garyhoov]

I've considered moving there, but I don't know if I'd want to work there. It seems like that would take the fun out of it.:shrug:

 

[MissM]

Generally speaking, retirees don't contribute all that much to the local economy. So while many retire there, the locals still have to struggle to get by. Retirees being able to buy houses outright artificially inflates the market so locals have a harder time making ends meet.

Economics like that are magnified by the kind of recession that hit recently.

Plus, being a state who's economy is based on tourism and construction, it's been extra tough. First off, we have many, many more minimum wage jobs versus career jobs due to the service industry. So it's hard to make a living wage. Add in the recession and less people come here and vacation, so less of those low-paying jobs out there. And, poor economy means no building and without construction, another huge segment of our workforce is without employment.

Florida lives and dies unfortunately by it's low-wage jobs and when things are bad in the country, it's magnified here.

But as I understand it, people in FL are choking up close to $500 a month from April thru October for air conditioning - heat in the winter in MI is far cheaper.

1,100sq ft apartment and my power bill was over $200 in July and around $175 the other months. Sadly, the rates keep going up and they punish you if you go over 1,000kwh a month and you pay a premium cost for usage above that. Depending on your home size, how cold you keep your air, how good your insulation and windows are and whether or not you have a pool - a HUGE energy suck - you can easily have a power bill around $300/month or more. I doubt it would get as high as $500 short of a gigantic home, but it's certainly possible. And we run our air for long, long periods of time because even when the temperature isn't that bad, the humidity is often still sticky and uncomfortable.

 

[kcs]

Sleeping Monk I thought $500 seemed like a lot. Thanks form the info. We had neighbors who moved to Sarasota and love it! I believe it is all dependent on what you want. I actually like the heat. We live in the midwest with high humidity and heat and I never turn my AC below 74. We are comfortable.

 

[Master Yoda]

Florida native here, lived in the state 30+ years, and we have never paid more than $300 a month. That includes electric, water, sewer and garbage pickup. House is over 2k sq. ft and the AC stays on 74 all summer.

Same here. We have 1900 square feet, vaulted ceilings, and a wife that I swear is part Eskimo that will not let me set the thermostat above 73 and we peek out in the $300-$350 range.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I'm all over retiring then driving busses or boats seasonally. Had a couple fairly lengthy conversations with bus drivers on the last trip.

 

[Phonedave]

There is a retired couple who live in our town who works at Disney a few times a year. I don't know any details, but I found that really neat. I would LOVE to do that once my children are out of the house.

That MIGHT appeal to me.

When I retire I plan to RETIRE. IF I could quit working right now (at age 40) I would. I have too many things that I like to do in my life to want to waste more time working.

However, if I was seasonal THAT might be interesting. However I assume seasonal is pretty much front line roles. Not necessarily what I would want to do.

I would think my skill sets (project management, civil engineering, construction, telecommunications - copper and fiber, computer systems design and support) are something WDW could use, but I don't think they would want me on a seasonal basis in that capacity.

-dave

 

[scpergj]

I suspect Disney would want us But as I understand it, people in FL are choking up close to $500 a month from April thru October for air conditioning - heat in the winter in MI is far cheaper. Housing in FL? Still thru the roof - we live in a newer 1900 square foot home that is paid off... it cost us 165K. Pension taxes? Dead even... no tax in either state.

Florida native here, lived in the state 30+ years, and we have never paid more than $300 a month. That includes electric, water, sewer and garbage pickup. House is over 2k sq. ft and the AC stays on 74 all summer.

Same here. We have 1900 square feet, vaulted ceilings, and a wife that I swear is part Eskimo that will not let me set the thermostat above 73 and we peek out in the $300-$350 range.

Our bill goes to $250 for about two months - usually July and August. We live in a new (built it 5 years ago) 2100 square foot home with 10 foot ceilings, and keep the air at 77 most of the time. I know people that live in 4000 square foot homes that have bills that high, but most of the people in my area are nowhere near that high...

 

[Master Yoda]

Our bill goes to $250 for about two months - usually July and August. We live in a new (built it 5 years ago) 2100 square foot home with 10 foot ceilings, and keep the air at 77 most of the time. I know people that live in 4000 square foot homes that have bills that high, but most of the people in my area are nowhere near that high...

Hopefully the next house we build will be 9" ICF. I have a customer that builds nothing but ICF homes and according to him he has done 3000-4000 square foot homes that peak at about $200 a month.

 

[rbbaker462]

I turned 51 this year and all I can think about is retiring and moving to Florida and working at WDW. I think this would be a great place to retire to. I know most of you are probably too young to think about this, but I wondered if anyone else is thinking like me? Do you want to do this or have you done this? Maybe I am in a midlife crisis:shrug:

Mid life crisis at 51? lol. Maybe almost end of life crisis is more appropriate.

 

[Phonedave]

Our bill goes to $250 for about two months - usually July and August. We live in a new (built it 5 years ago) 2100 square foot home with 10 foot ceilings, and keep the air at 77 most of the time. I know people that live in 4000 square foot homes that have bills that high, but most of the people in my area are nowhere near that high...

I think thats part of it. I don't set my heat to 77.

When I turn my air on here, it is set to 70 - 71

 

[David S.]

Same here. We have 1900 square feet, vaulted ceilings, and a wife that I swear is part Eskimo that will not let me set the thermostat above 73 and we peek out in the $300-$350 range.

That's interesting because most of my male friends who live with someone of the opposite gender are always complaining that they have to set the air higher then they like because their partners can't tolerate the cold.

I have fairly expensive summer bills as I like to keep my air set to cool at 68 degrees and never like to feel remotely humid or sticky. It evens out though in the winter, as I never run the heat and enjoy those nice cold snaps when I can get the interior air temperature down to an ultra-comfy 60 degrees or so without having to pay for it! And I am comfortable outdoors in just shorts and a t-shirt down to around 50 degrees before I feel like I might need long pants or a light sweater!

Just call me Snow Miser!

(and I'm from the south, go figure!)

 

[David S.]

Mid life crisis at 51? lol. Maybe almost end of life crisis is more appropriate.

How old are you, 10?

I know lots of people who are into their 90's and late 80's. 51 is nothing!

Age is but a state of mind. If you tell yourself your life is almost over when you reach 51, it probably will be!

 

[Firepath]

My DH talks about doing this all the time. We did the Backstage Magic tour and when they said the need 1. machinists 2. people with a background in electonics (he fits both those descriptions) to work on the aminatronics he found his retirement career.

Quite interesting. My DH just retired as a machinist. Years ago he actually made some of the parts for Pirates at DL. Perhaps if enough of those old guys got together, someone could get the Yeti working again!!

 

[DAKOTADISNEY]

My husband and I are in our late 40's and have talked about working at WDW for the winter once the girls are grown. We wouldn't live there year round but I would love the Florida sun instead of the South Dakota cold! My husband can fix about anything so maybe he can be on the Yeti committee and I could sell balloons!

 

[kcs]

rbbaker 462 obviously you aren't around anyone in their 50's.Believe it or not but we still jog, ski, mountain climb,hike, play volleyball, softball, and any sport that we want. We are considered midlife nowadays as most of us will live clear into our 90's and possibly 100. I am not planning my funeral for a very long time. Excuse me now as I have to go out for my 5 mile run.......

 

[ritchie56]

We are in this decision process right now. My husband retired last year, and the plan was to move to Florida. But I have to work full time for the health insurance, and with the economy so bad, I'm afraid to jump in case I can't find a job. It wouldn't have to pay much, just include insurance. I thought about working for Disney, but 60 hour a week mandatory overtime just isn't going to cut it. I don't want to work that much, and don't think I COULD. And I'd love to snowbird, but again, have to have that full time job for another ten years (till I hit 65). I just don't know what to do, so we haven't done anything. But someday, we will.

 

[Erika]

How old are you, 10?

I know lots of people who are into their 90's and late 80's. 51 is nothing!

Age is but a state of mind. If you tell yourself your life is almost over when you reach 51, it probably will be!

Agreed. I'm thinking he probably doesn't know a lot of 50somethings :lol:

My dad's a decade past that and still hitting up Vegas on a regular basis and probably will be for a looooooooooooong time yet. Yeah, he can hang :lol:

 

[Batphobic]

Retire?? Forget waiting until retirement. I work in "large corporate America" in Human Resources and ever since my first trip early 2009 I've been submitting applications to every Disney HR job in Orlando so I can move my young family down there.

Someone suggested it might take the fun out of Disney and I suppose they might be right (I have a cousin who works for Disney gaming and he says it's anything but "magical").

But I still think it would be pretty cool.