Just got back home from Orlando (Pine Hills, Altamonte Springs: condos, vacation, job)

[doogie88]

Back in Canada after 4.5 days in Orlando and 3 days in NC.

Going down I was worried about:

1. Awful drivers.
2. Mexicans everywhere not speaking english.
3. Walking down the street without getting robbed.
4. Rude people.

Maybe expecting the worse was the best thing that could have happened because I seen absolutely none of the above. I will say there are some bad drivers, and I wasn't driving so I didn't have to deal with it... but there are bad drivers here with about 1/10 the amount of traffic, so with that much more traffic I can expect it. Rush hour is pretty bad too, I'm glad I don't have to work and deal with traffic, I admit that. Luckily I don't live a 9-5 job.

2. I seen majority white people, and all foreigners spoke english.
3. I was in Millenia area, Altamonte Springs area, and drove thru Pine Hills.
I felt safe in any of those areas, and wouldn't feel threatened even at night. Pine Hills I admit possibly, and I was only on the main road so I'm sure it gets worse, but other than that, I didn't find it 'rough' at all.
4. I didn't run into a lot of people on the street, but when holding the door for someone, they always said thank you, and every single store/restaurant I went into, the workers were all polite. Even places with workers that looked like 'thugs', were polite as well.

After visiting, i would say the complainers here either a) Are used to living in a perfect world before population boomed, and it's now like every other city... and they aren't used to it. or b) Just don't like their life and looking for something to ***** at at every chance they get.

I have people cutting me off every day, and like I said, the traffic is 1/10 the amount it is in Orlando... and you just deal with it, you don't get making a post on a forum so everyone knows someone almost hit you.

All and all enjoyed it, though it was on and off rain every day.
Am thinking about renting down there.
FYI I was staying at the Park Central condos, and it's a very nice complex.

[pianogal]

Thank you, Doogie. You have confirmed what most of us have been saying all along. Orlando is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly isn't the 'landfill' it has been called.

[backtofla]

"Maybe expecting the worse was the best thing that could have happened because I seen absolutely none of the above."


was this in nc or orlando? my guess is in nc.

you kinda lost me when you said we had 1/10th the traffic you have in canada.

[doogie88]

Orlando.

1/10th the traffic, I live in a smaller city with very little cars on the roads. We don't even have freeways.

[backtofla]

you still saw orlando through the eyes of a visitor/vactioner. not your fault, it's just different when u live here, believe me

[**NoodLes**]

"After visiting, i would say the complainers here either a) Are used to living in a perfect world before population boomed, and it's now like every other city... and they aren't used to it. or b) Just don't like their life and looking for something to ***** at at every chance they get."

Right on with that, sure sometimes I hate living here too, mostly because of the economics, but I still enjoy most my time here. Alot of ppl paint Orlando out to be a craphole, but that's because they want something to complain about. Personally I'm trying to leave but I'm not going to cry to everybody that it sucks here everyday.

[Mach50]

2. Mexicans everywhere not speaking english

Are there really a lot of Mexicans in Orlando? I lived there 2 years ago and it seemed to be mainly Puerto Ricans and Cubans...hardly any Mexicans, I am Mexican American BTW I would know lol.

Or does this Canadian just call all Hispanics Mexicans?

[THASPECIAL]

Originally Posted by Mach50Thunderdart

Are there really a lot of Mexicans in Orlando? I lived there 2 years ago and it seemed to be mainly Puerto Ricans and Cubans...hardly any Mexicans, I am Mexican American BTW I would know lol.

Or does this Canadian just call all Hispanics Mexicans?

That's true.....i never once heard anyone on here say there were alot of Mexicans here.....i would much rather prefer Mexicans than Puerto Ricans to tell you the truth.....


This guy is a frikin expert after visiting here for 4 days.....LOL.....and the people that live out in outskirts of Orlando in 200k-300k houses now have someone to agree with on here

[Rhett_Butler]

Originally Posted by doogie88

Back in Canada after 4.5 days in Orlando and 3 days in NC.

Going down I was worried about:

1. Awful drivers.
2. Mexicans everywhere not speaking english.
3. Walking down the street without getting robbed.
4. Rude people.

Maybe expecting the worse was the best thing that could have happened because I seen absolutely none of the above. I will say there are some bad drivers, and I wasn't driving so I didn't have to deal with it... but there are bad drivers here with about 1/10 the amount of traffic, so with that much more traffic I can expect it. Rush hour is pretty bad too, I'm glad I don't have to work and deal with traffic, I admit that. Luckily I don't live a 9-5 job.

2. I seen majority white people, and all foreigners spoke english.
3. I was in Millenia area, Altamonte Springs area, and drove thru Pine Hills.
I felt safe in any of those areas, and wouldn't feel threatened even at night. Pine Hills I admit possibly, and I was only on the main road so I'm sure it gets worse, but other than that, I didn't find it 'rough' at all.
4. I didn't run into a lot of people on the street, but when holding the door for someone, they always said thank you, and every single store/restaurant I went into, the workers were all polite. Even places with workers that looked like 'thugs', were polite as well.

After visiting, i would say the complainers here either a) Are used to living in a perfect world before population boomed, and it's now like every other city... and they aren't used to it. or b) Just don't like their life and looking for something to ***** at at every chance they get.

I have people cutting me off every day, and like I said, the traffic is 1/10 the amount it is in Orlando... and you just deal with it, you don't get making a post on a forum so everyone knows someone almost hit you.

All and all enjoyed it, though it was on and off rain every day.
Am thinking about renting down there.
FYI I was staying at the Park Central condos, and it's a very nice complex.

You were staying at Millenia and drove through Pine Hills, why???

[markhunt]

Originally Posted by pianogal

Thank you, Doogie. You have confirmed what most of us have been saying all along. Orlando is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly isn't the 'landfill' it has been called.

To me he just confirmed what a lot of other people have been saying also:

It's a nice place to visit, but not to live. Besides how can you honestly get a feel for a city enough to pass that kind of judgement after vacationing here for less than a week????

The majority of the people I see on these boards havent even lived here more than 15 years and then wind up moving out before then anyway.

I should have seen the signs when I was living in Connecticut and spoke to lots of people within the few months before I moved down that have moved to Florida and then came right back. I met lot's of them in Connecticut. Down here in Florida, I have met 1 person in 4 years that was actually from Connecticut living here.