Would/Have you moved to FL (in part) for WDW?

[Disnee4Me]

Well thats THE BIG DREAM anyway. Retirement years in WDW. DW says we can each work for Disney.... I said heck no... retirement is to have fun, not work. When I retire all I want to do is play all day. She says I'll get bored cause I work so much now, workaholic. I say let me try being a playaholic.

Except I have been working full time since September 22, 1975 ... with the exception of two 3-month maternity leaves and a 7 month layoff (was getting paid for a whole year so I took my time finding a job). I am used to working ... so becoming a part-time cast member in my golden years would be fun!!

 

[ElvisMickey]

I did this. It was great for a year. Then it was okay for a year. Then I hated it for a year. I moved back up north and my first trip back down to WDW was ten times better than any I had experienced when I lived 15 minutes away. I had always thought "WDW can't get old!" but it definitely did.

I worried that it might turn into this for me too but I've been here for over a year and a half now and while the fact that I can go to WDW anytime I want to is not as jaw dropping as it was when I first got here, I definitely still recognize and appreciate that fact. And, considering that I live in Lake Mary which is North of the city, and work full time, it's not like I'm spending tons of time there anyway. As anyone who's lived here knows, the traffic is a nightmare getting through downtown and the touristy parts unless you strategically plan your drive. I try to go to one of the parks for a few hours every Saturday morning and I'm usually out my door by 7AM. At that time, I can get to WDW in less than 30 minutes taking I4. Usually by lunch time, I'm out of there and back in LM for a nap lol. Granted, if it wasn't for the traffic I'd probably go more often.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

My running motto is as soon as the kids are both graduated from High School, I'm in Florida. I don't mind the heat and humidity. We just got back a couple of weeks ago and my wife is re-thinking things because it was just so rainy on our stay. We were in the midst of that 20+ days straight of bad rain with that low pressure system sitting in the Gulf near Tampa. Everything was musty and wet the whole time we were at the Beach. My counter argument is that it does rain during hurricane season, but it is cold and miserable here for 5 or 6 months of the year. The win to Florida in that battle. I'd deal with some rain for a couple of months to have nice weather the rest of the time.

I would like to situate myself away from the tourist part and closer to the Gulf side than Orlando. I just love the beach and water so much. I would love to live right on the beach, but I don't have millions to spend on a place.

First, Florida has a lot of coastline, and within 1 to 2 miles of the beach is very affordable (but will obviously vary from place to place.) We bought a house a little over a mile from the beach at a very low price in the Fort Lauderdale area.

Next, a lot of people move here for 2 to 3 years based on their vacations and then move back after they go through a solid time period of the heat, humidity, and weather/hurricanes. I don't want to jinx it, but we in So Fla have been lucky with the hurricanes for the last 5 years or more, so you forget how bad it is sometimes when there is a direct hit or even a near miss. I lost a car once in a tropical storm, not even a hurricane. I agree with you, though, I'd rather deal with that than snow and ice - especially the way they seem to have gotten more vicious up there in the last few years.

They say the gulf coast has nicer beaches. I lived in Tampa for less than a year and just thought it was dirty and too spotty. I really didn't like it. Even if you find a nice neighborhood, a lot of "downtown" is just not cute.

If you guys like Disney, I'd go closer to Disney. Or again, the Melbourne area is not too far and very nice. And I think closer areas like Winter Park and so forth are nicer than Orlando or Tampa. JMO!

 

[JIMINYCR]

Except I have been working full time since September 22, 1975 ... with the exception of two 3-month maternity leaves and a 7 month layoff (was getting paid for a whole year so I took my time finding a job). I am used to working ... so becoming a part-time cast member in my golden years would be fun!!

I agree it would be fun..... but I would like to try being a Disney bum for a while and just play all day .... like Pan......

not clock in or worry about pleasing a boss. I've run my own business for 30+ years and it would be a real adjustment having to take orders from someone. DW can work if she wants to.

 

[jengrey]

I would move there in a heartbeat, but my husband is a cold weather guy. Maybe we could reach a compromise someday and move closer to Florida at least.

 

[POLY LOVER]

First, Florida has a lot of coastline, and within 1 to 2 miles of the beach is very affordable (but will obviously vary from place to place.) We bought a house a little over a mile from the beach at a very low price in the Fort Lauderdale area.

Next, a lot of people move here for 2 to 3 years based on their vacations and then move back after they go through a solid time period of the heat, humidity, and weather/hurricanes. I don't want to jinx it, but we in So Fla have been lucky with the hurricanes for the last 5 years or more, so you forget how bad it is sometimes when there is a direct hit or even a near miss. I lost a car once in a tropical storm, not even a hurricane. I agree with you, though, I'd rather deal with that than snow and ice - especially the way they seem to have gotten more vicious up there in the last few years.

They say the gulf coast has nicer beaches. I lived in Tampa for less than a year and just thought it was dirty and too spotty. I really didn't like it. Even if you find a nice neighborhood, a lot of "downtown" is just not cute.

If you guys like Disney, I'd go closer to Disney. Or again, the Melbourne area is not too far and very nice. And I think closer areas like Winter Park and so forth are nicer than Orlando or Tampa. JMO!

Im sure most can't wait to escapse the heat and humidity for the cold, Ice and snow storms

 

[thomas998]

Sometimes I go back and forth in my thoughts on moving to Florida to be closer to WDW. If I did ever move down there, I could honestly see being closer to WDW as being one of the main reasons and I'd most likely be there fairly often. On the other hand, the excitement and anticipation I always feel for an upcoming WDW trip is a "high" that can't easily be duplicated, and I'd probably lose that if I was in a position of "well I can just go over anytime I want".

Have any of you who have moved to or within Florida done so with WDW being a big reason?

I've lived in Florida before and to be honest I have gone to WDW more now that I live a plane flight away than I ever did when I was only a short drive away. Maybe if I had lived in the Orlando Area it would have been different I was closer to Miami and there was so much other things to occupy your time that were right there going to WDW just seemed pointless.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I keep hoping and praying something will come for me and fate knocks on my door with an Opportunity out in Florida.....I've literally have had it with IL...One park and it's only open 6 months out of the year and I really want to live in a place where I can call my own home someday...

 

[Ben_since_1971]

I don't know that I would want to live too close to WDW and risk it getting old. Even though I go every year, it never gets old. While being able to go anytime I want would be exciting, if I were too close it could lose some magic. Making it a short drive would make it more manageable. Far enough away to make it a good day trip, but not close enough to make it within 'on a whim'. My ideal retirement place would be within a few miles if not on many golf courses, and within a bout a 60-90 minute drive of WDW. Too bad Central FL doesn't have any of that .

 

[zurgandfriend]

My brother in law did, after his kids were grown, he and his wife divorced and he said he wanted to move to Orlando, he lives about 3 miles from WDW. Every trip we get together for a few days and he always says when you retire "come on down."

 

[mf1972]

I've heard about a community down there. I believe it's called college park. didn't research it much, but sounds like a nice area. anyone hear of it?

 

[Mickey_777]

My wife and I want to move to central FL for a variety of reasons with the theme parks being a major perk. Where we live now, we get the brutal humidity every summer so we're used to the heat. Don't mind it actually. -15 in the winter? That I do mind. Living in FL would allow us to not be couped up in the house for 5 months out of the year. Oh and cruise ports and coastline as far as the eye can see too...

 

[Chernaboggles]

We've absolutely talked about it, but aren't ready to commit. We've been experimenting with snowbirding the last couple years, and will be doing a total of 9 weeks in Orlando once the weather turns, divided into two trips (3 weeks and 6 weeks, before and after the holidays). Depending on how that goes, we may look into getting a condo or townhouse down there and splitting the year.

 

[POLY LOVER]

My wife and I want to move to central FL for a variety of reasons with the theme parks being a major perk. Where we live now, we get the brutal humidity every summer so we're used to the heat. Don't mind it actually. -15 in the winter? That I do mind. Living in FL would allow us to not be couped up in the house for 5 months out of the year. Oh and cruise ports and coastline as far as the eye can see too...

Yes, I agree I can no longer take the winters and the winter blues being shut in the house. Check out the towne of Celebration Fl. really nice and close to WDW and not far from the coast and port Canaveral.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I worried that it might turn into this for me too but I've been here for over a year and a half now and while the fact that I can go to WDW anytime I want to is not as jaw dropping as it was when I first got here, I definitely still recognize and appreciate that fact. And, considering that I live in Lake Mary which is North of the city, and work full time, it's not like I'm spending tons of time there anyway. As anyone who's lived here knows, the traffic is a nightmare getting through downtown and the touristy parts unless you strategically plan your drive. I try to go to one of the parks for a few hours every Saturday morning and I'm usually out my door by 7AM. At that time, I can get to WDW in less than 30 minutes taking I4. Usually by lunch time, I'm out of there and back in LM for a nap lol. Granted, if it wasn't for the traffic I'd probably go more often.

That's probably part of why I got burned out so quickly. I rented up by Universal for awhile then bought a house in Championsgate so it was really only 10 minutes and I was there CONSTANTLY. Never really experienced much else that Orlando had to offer because driving up past WDW and the outlets was such a nightmare.

 

[Seanual757]

Come on down from the cold up north I have a nice 3BR, 2BA, 2 car garage house I am getting ready to put on the market for $177k (St Cloud 2 minutes from the TPK ,and 23 min from WDW via TPK to Osceola Pkwy) well under the average price in Central Florida

 

[Chernaboggles]

I moved from PA to Orlando in January of 2007 just to work at Disney. I spent 7.5 years with WDW and 6 years with Universal. It was an incredible experience to perform for both parks. After I graduated college I moved back to PA to be closer to Philly and NYC for work.

Having lived in both places, would you want to move back if you could get the same job in or near Orlando? Was it something interesting to do for a while or would you want to live there again full time?

 

[Mickey_777]

Come on down from the cold up north I have a nice 3BR, 2BA, 2 car garage house I am getting ready to put on the market for $177k (St Cloud 2 minutes from the TPK ,and 23 min from WDW via TPK to Osceola Pkwy) well under the average price in Central Florida

Pictures?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

When you live somewhere touristy, you are less likely to put up with the barriers you know you have to deal with on vacation. For example: just the parking situation near the beach is enough to keep me in my backyard. If I were on vacation, it would be an expected inconvenience and expense. I live 10 minutes from the beach but it can take 20 minutes to park. So I could see living near WDW and thinking hmmm...go eat at Be Our Guest or our local restaurant? Well, if I have to go through the whole parking routine at WDW, it might be easier to just go more often to our local place. No wading through children and strollers, no (sigh) tourists - you'll be surprised how quickly you start talking about tourists that way LOL.

I tentatively plan to retire in Florida (weather, cost of living, and Disney) and this is a worry of mine also, I moved to Las Vegas over a decade ago because I loved to vacation here and I don't think I've stepped foot on the strip in 5 years unless with visiting friends or family. I still love living in Las Vegas (great weather most of the year, decent cost of living, good pay, close enough to DL for quick trips) but avoid the tourist areas at all costs because they are too busy, too expensive, and too hard to get to.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I tentatively plan to retire in Florida (weather, cost of living, and Disney) and this is a worry of mine also, I moved to Las Vegas over a decade ago because I loved to vacation here and I don't think I've stepped foot on the strip in 5 years unless with visiting friends or family. I still love living in Las Vegas (great weather most of the year, decent cost of living, good pay, close enough to DL for quick trips) but avoid the tourist areas at all costs because they are too busy, too expensive, and too hard to get to.

Vegas was one of the places I spent the most time on my 4 year trip around the country. I used to stay at an extended stay hotel that was called The Hearthside (it has a new name now) that was just south of The Strip. This was in the early 2000's and it was around $200 per week. I'm in the music business (CDs/records) and every year for a few years I'd go to Los Angeles in early November to load up on inventory and then stay in that hotel in Vegas until January, selling everything online. I got to know a lot of locals and pretty much never went to the casinos - but I loved that it was a 24-hour town (I was in my 30's and having a great time) - and I was "this close" to moving there. I called ahead to a friend and asked her to research some 1-BR apts for me. I started heading west and don't even remember what it was that made me turn around, but it never happened.

Anyway, being from Vegas, you'll be used to how transient Florida is, especially in Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, etc.

Once again I find myself recommending the Melbourne area - it's close enough to get there in under two hours, but far enough to not be in the shadow of Disney. Plus there are beaches, fishing, good places to eat, a small-town feel (if you like that.) Otherwise I'd go to West Palm or something like that - it shaves a good 40 minutes off my ride up. Plus you can also drive south to the Keys for something different.