Black family Chicago to Orlando (Tampa, Kissimmee: transplants, sales, amusement park)

[lushi]

My family and I (husband, daughter 2 yrs. old and eventually dad) are considering relocating to Orlando based on a wonderful job opportunity. My husband has been in law enforcement for 23 years; he will do a "soft" retire. His focus will be on getting 2YO settled and then he will look for non-stressful work (LOL) and/or school. Now, the things that we are looking for info on or are interested in, are:

- schools (2YO is in private pre-school now @ $1,400 mo. - education is extremely important)
- housing, colleagues strongly suggest Windermere/Dr. Philips, am I ignoring other great areas
- short commute - office is approx. 20 mins. from W/Dr. P
- restaurants
- culture (arts, entertainment), sports, old cars, live theatre, live music, museums, etc.
- churches
- shopping
- in most cities, esp. Chicago, you can rely on social media rankings, i.e., Yelp or others to find reviews on places. What's Orlando's real people review forum?
- is anyone in Orlando from Orlando, or is it primarily transitory?

THANKS!

[annerk]

Originally Posted by lushi

My family and I (husband, daughter 2 yrs. old and eventually dad) are considering relocating to Orlando based on a wonderful job opportunity. My husband has been in law enforcement for 23 years; he will do a "soft" retire. His focus will be on getting 2YO settled and then he will look for non-stressful work (LOL) and/or school. Now, the things that we are looking for info on or are interested in, are:

- schools (2YO is in private pre-school now @ $1,400 mo. - education is extremely important)

There are plenty of excellent choices in private schools. THe area you are looking at is also known for it's good public schools.

- housing, colleagues strongly suggest Windermere/Dr. Philips, am I ignoring other great areas

Seminole County and Lake Nona are also known for great housing and schools, however it would be a long commute for your husband.

- short commute - office is approx. 20 mins. from W/Dr. P

I'd stick with Windermere/Dr. Philips for housing then.

- restaurants

Dr. Phillips is the home of Restaurant Row--Google it and you see plenty of info.

- culture (arts, entertainment), sports, old cars, live theatre, live music, museums, etc.

All within 30-45 minutes or so.

- churches

More than you could imagine from small to mega.

- shopping

Plenty. Fresh Market and Whole Foods in Dr. Phillips. Millenia Mall 20 minutes away.

- in most cities, esp. Chicago, you can rely on social media rankings, i.e., Yelp or others to find reviews on places. What's Orlando's real people review forum?

I question the "esp Chicago" comment--I've used Yelp and many cities, large and small, it is not centered around Chicago with a few tidbits on other areas tossed in for measure.

You can use Yelp here as well.

- is anyone in Orlando from Orlando, or is it primarily transitory?

Nope, no one was ever born in Orlando.

This area is like most others--you'll meet people who were born here (or nearby), people who moved here many years ago and consider it "home," and people who come and go. The majority of people I know in this area have no plans on leaving--regardless of where they were born. I've been here since 2004 and plan on staying here for the remainder of my life.

[bjwest]

We're transplants from upstate NY and have been here for over 3 years now. We're expecting baby #2. Orlando is just all over the map. There are some great schools (especially in Windermere). You have plenty of private options, too. However, one thing to note is that educational standards as a whole are lower then we're used to having in NY. That was one of our biggest let downs. Even the private schools can be hit or miss, some just stick to the basic state curriculum and are sub par. We have our son at a private Montessori school and love it. My sister in law is in Winter Garden and her daughter is the same age...vastly different experience.

Restaurant Row is in Dr Phillips, but I've got to be honest, hubs and I would much rather drive to Winter Park/Mills50 for local eateries. Definitely a good food culture if you know where to look!

You'll find lots of transplants, but people generally tend to like it here. We find it lacking in some of the festivals/community feel that we're used to, but you can make it work.

[brinkofsunshine]

I absolutely love Dr. Phillips and Windermere, but you might also want to look at some of the downtown neighborhoods like Delaney Park. It has a great school district and will be a little closer to the cultural attractions that downtown offers. Thornton Park and College Park may be good options too.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by lushi

My family and I (husband, daughter 2 yrs. old and eventually dad) are considering relocating to Orlando based on a wonderful job opportunity. My husband has been in law enforcement for 23 years; he will do a "soft" retire. His focus will be on getting 2YO settled and then he will look for non-stressful work (LOL) and/or school. Now, the things that we are looking for info on or are interested in, are:


THANKS!

- schools (2YO is in private pre-school now @ $1,400 mo. - education is extremely important)
Usually schools work like this. With the exception of Boone, the further away you are from the city core, the better the schools. Also. more schools on the East, Southwest, and North side are highly regarded as learning temples.
- housing, colleagues strongly suggest Windermere/Dr. Philips, am I ignoring other great areas
Yes you are ignoring other great areas, but with all do respect Windermere and DP are some of the best around in Central Florida so ignoring other areas here isn't necessarily a bad thing. Windemere and DP are pretty damn big.
- short commute - office is approx. 20 mins. from W/Dr. P
Where exactly is the office? The commute from Windemere or DP assuming (Normal rush hours) will be longer than 20 minutes) if going downtown. If not going downtown then yes 20 minutes is by all means doable. I'dd just say 30 for assurance. This is Orlando. Ongoing construction on roads and constant traffic tie-ups happen. Not to mention the extra traffic from tourist until you learn the back roads, and weather sometimes.
- restaurants
Abundant. All over the area.
- culture (arts, entertainment), sports, old cars, live theatre, live music, museums, etc.
Orlando Magic - Amway Center
Orlando Solar Bears ECHL - Amway Center
Orlando Predators AFL - Amway Center
Orlando City - Citrus Bowl
UCF Knights - College Sports
Stetson University - College Sports
Rollins College - College Sports
Bowl Games - Florida Classic, Russel Athletic, Capitol One Bowl
Monster Truck Ralley - Citrus Bowl
Circus - Amway Center
Concerts Shows - Amway Center, UCF Sports Arena, Disney Wide World OF Sports
Golf Tournaments - All Over, Disney
New Years Eve Celebrations and Fireworks
4th of July Celebrations all over Central Florida, Orlando, Altamonte, Sanford, Kissimmee, Disney, Universal, Sea World, etc.
Old Town - Classic Car shows with older cars newer cars and fresh rides every Friday or Saturday night I think. It's also a mini theme park with various amusement rides and great food and live music. Bands,
etc.
FunSpot America - Amusement park. Cheaper than the theme park and smaller but still packs a lot of fun for it's punch.
Of Course International Drive as a whole can be entertaining and fun even not as a tourist.
Orlando Museum Of Art
Orlando Science Center
Leu Gardens
Orange County Regional History Museum
The Mennello Museum of American Art
Maitland Art Center Galleries
Kennedy Space Center a short drive to the east.
Orlando Public Library has events and classes etc etc year round. Very interesting.
Mad Cow Theatre
Orlando Improv
SAK Comedy Club
Zora Neal Hurston Fetival
Mount Dora Arts Festival
Orlando Film Fetival
Gasperilla Festival in Tampa about an hour drive or so
Central Florida Fair
Martin Luther King Jr Day Parades and Festivities
Performing Artts Center currently under construction
Downtown Orlando is nice. Parades, clubs, bars, restaurants, parks , etc.
Lake Eola always has events as well as family fun scenes year round.
Disney World has more going on than just theme parks.
UNiversal Orlando - And City walk always make for an entertaining night. Have plenty of events, concerts, performances through the year.
Sea World is family oriented through the year with events
Gatorland.
Atlantic Beaches about an hour hour 20 minutes drive to the east from Windermere
Gulf Beaches about an hour drive hour 20 minutes to the west from Windermere area.

Also I want to mention that smaller communities such as Winderemer have establishments withing those cities for residents as well. You don't necessarily have to come to Orlando for everything.
- churches
Plenty around
- shopping
Not a big shopping person. I don't have to have the latest and greatest blah blah, but from watching my friends you can get anything. I never have an issue getting anything I need or want. Florida Mall is my favorite mall, followed by the outlets. They always have great sales
- in most cities, esp. Chicago, you can rely on social media rankings, i.e., Yelp or others to find reviews on places. What's Orlando's real people review forum?
- is anyone in Orlando from Orlando, or is it primarily transitory?
Yes there are many people from Orlando still here. We are laid back and enjoy our city while we can before more people continue to flock here. In order to keep a happy mind, we accept the fact it's changing and deal with it as it continues to blossom. It's an up and coming city and it's changed so much even in the past 5 years. Just be ready to meet people from other places more so than from Orlando. I'm a natural born Floridian/Orlandoan and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love being from here.

[Philly Stress]

Originally Posted by lushi

My family and I (husband, daughter 2 yrs. old and eventually dad) are considering relocating to Orlando based on a wonderful job opportunity. My husband has been in law enforcement for 23 years; he will do a "soft" retire. His focus will be on getting 2YO settled and then he will look for non-stressful work (LOL) and/or school. Now, the things that we are looking for info on or are interested in, are:

- schools (2YO is in private pre-school now @ $1,400 mo. - education is extremely important)
- housing, colleagues strongly suggest Windermere/Dr. Philips, am I ignoring other great areas
- short commute - office is approx. 20 mins. from W/Dr. P
- restaurants
- culture (arts, entertainment), sports, old cars, live theatre, live music, museums, etc.
- churches
- shopping
- in most cities, esp. Chicago, you can rely on social media rankings, i.e., Yelp or others to find reviews on places. What's Orlando's real people review forum?
- is anyone in Orlando from Orlando, or is it primarily transitory?

THANKS!

My advice to you is to NOT move to here.

1) The Summers here are unbearable.

2) The job market is UGLY for lack of a better term. Discrimination IN the workplace are practiced OPENLY!

3) Orlando is fairly devoid of culture. It's a place of endless sprawl, sprawling into nothing. It's just a sloppy tourist town.

4) The locals are fairly dunce, superficial and delusional (not all but many).

5) Never let anyone tell you Orlando is a melting pot. It's an quietly developing sinkhole.There are many nationalities here but but besides Black and White it's mostly Puerto Rican with a healthy dose of South Americans, Haitians and West Indian. However it's here but it's very much divided. Even among the Black groups there are highly suspicious of each other. And I'm not talking everyone being in love with one another either, I'm just talking about just being cordial and decent toward each other. Most people here are very prejudice toward Haitians especially latinos.

In Florida WAY too many Blacks are comfortable with nothing and PROUD to be ignorant and slow. Of course you could find parallels anywhere but here it's little worst. This place is socially retarded in many ways. In fact things playout almost like a 3rd world country in many ways. You'll find folks a shade lighter (or darker) than you not only denying or down playing there obvious African appearance as if they were a spaniard. Many latinos here are more racist that you're stereotypical southern White in Florida.

Feel free to pm for more on this swamp with a mouse in the middle.

[Granny Sue]

Originally Posted by Philly Stress

My advice to you is to NOT move to here.

1) The Summers here are unbearable.

2) The job market is UGLY for lack of a better term. Discrimination IN the workplace are practiced OPENLY!

3) Orlando is fairly devoid of culture. It's a place of endless sprawl, sprawling into nothing. It's just a sloppy tourist town.

4) The locals are fairly dunce, superficial and delusional (not all but many).

5) Never let anyone tell you Orlando is a melting pot. It's an quietly developing sinkhole.There are many nationalities here but but besides Black and White it's mostly Puerto Rican with a healthy dose of South Americans, Haitians and West Indian. However it's here but it's very much divided. Even among the Black groups there are highly suspicious of each other. And I'm not talking everyone being in love with one another either, I'm just talking about just being cordial and decent toward each other. Most people here are very prejudice toward Haitians especially latinos.

In Florida WAY too many Blacks are comfortable with nothing and PROUD to be ignorant and slow. Of course you could find parallels anywhere but here it's little worst. This place is socially retarded in many ways. In fact things playout almost like a 3rd world country in many ways. You'll find folks a shade lighter (or darker) than you not only denying or down playing there obvious African appearance as if they were a spaniard. Many latinos here are more racist that you're stereotypical southern White in Florida.

Feel free to pm for more on this swamp with a mouse in the middle.

ROFL....

As you can see there are some that don't care for it much, Posts with this many extremes should be taken with a grain of salt.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by Philly Stress

My advice to you is to NOT move to here.

1) The Summers here are unbearable.

2) The job market is UGLY for lack of a better term. Discrimination IN the workplace are practiced OPENLY!

3) Orlando is fairly devoid of culture. It's a place of endless sprawl, sprawling into nothing. It's just a sloppy tourist town.

4) The locals are fairly dunce, superficial and delusional (not all but many).

5) Never let anyone tell you Orlando is a melting pot. It's an quietly developing sinkhole.There are many nationalities here but but besides Black and White it's mostly Puerto Rican with a healthy dose of South Americans, Haitians and West Indian. However it's here but it's very much divided. Even among the Black groups there are highly suspicious of each other. And I'm not talking everyone being in love with one another either, I'm just talking about just being cordial and decent toward each other. Most people here are very prejudice toward Haitians especially latinos.

In Florida WAY too many Blacks are comfortable with nothing and PROUD to be ignorant and slow. Of course you could find parallels anywhere but here it's little worst. This place is socially retarded in many ways. In fact things playout almost like a 3rd world country in many ways. You'll find folks a shade lighter (or darker) than you not only denying or down playing there obvious African appearance as if they were a spaniard. Many latinos here are more racist that you're stereotypical southern White in Florida.

Feel free to pm for more on this swamp with a mouse in the middle.

1) The Summers here are unbearable.
SUBJECTIVE, HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE! IF anything, the Winters are unbearable here. I'll explain why if needed.

2) The job market is UGLY for lack of a better term. Discrimination IN the workplace are practiced OPENLY!
This is true to an extent. But it's not that bad. You can still find employment without any problems at many companies here. Most of the times it has to do with ones qualifications as well which many people here normally don't have the desired skills for the high paying jobs.

3) Orlando is fairly devoid of culture. It's a place of endless sprawl, sprawling into nothing. It's just a sloppy tourist town.
It's new and fresh, developing a culture. A City that has not been here as long as some of these other cities will not have the same level of culture and living extras. Why is that a hard concept to understand?

4) The locals are fairly dunce, superficial and delusional (not all but many).
Really now? From my experience and understanding it's transplants (Mostly north, northeast) who are the fairy telled , Disney, delusional freaks who come here expecting and desires so much from a state and local metro that moves slow. Only thing Florida moves fast on is getting electricity back on for Hurricanes but that's simply because the process is well known and it keeps the state going. EVERYTHING ELSE, construction projecting, building more dense, already having wider roads, train transit, etc etc, is not how these people were thinking back when. The concept of "Boom" applies to Florida as a great example of why "Building it and they will come" is not a terrible way of thinking such as wide roads, or denser neighborhoods, etc. But can you blame a place for going at the pace they thought would happen? I mean most bigger cities done the same, just for much longer of a time.

5) Never let anyone tell you Orlando is a melting pot. It's an quietly developing sinkhole.There are many nationalities here but but besides Black and White it's mostly Puerto Rican with a healthy dose of South Americans, Haitians and West Indian. However it's here but it's very much divided. Even among the Black groups there are highly suspicious of each other. And I'm not talking everyone being in love with one another either, I'm just talking about just being cordial and decent toward each other. Most people here are very prejudice toward Haitians especially latinos.
This is true. I Know because in a way I am. When people come from wherever they come from and don't care about the neighborhood or have lower living standards , in other words the "Settling for whatever" attitude, then yes I don't desire to live or be around them over people that do care. Am I going to outright get my sh*t and move out because I don't like them or their ways?, No of course not but I would much prefer to stay around some who cared better about their lives now and their future tomorrow. I understand these people trying to make a living, go to work,l come home and thats it but I mean, there is as much to life to get as much as you are willing to receive.

But for the most part people here seem to do well with understanding, respecting, and getting along with the many cultures, and lifestyles that are here now. There isn't much racial crime or hate towards each other, just discomfort and questions because it's going to take some time (Decades) of getting used to things that are different. Since I've been born in Orlando, not much has stayed the same. And the people moving here wherever they from or whatever they are need to realize that in order to keep some sanity with the full array of lifestyles and beliefs here.

In Florida WAY too many Blacks are comfortable with nothing and PROUD to be ignorant and slow. Of course you could find parallels anywhere but here it's little worst. This place is socially retarded in many ways. In fact things playout almost like a 3rd world country in many ways. You'll find folks a shade lighter (or darker) than you not only denying or down playing there obvious African appearance as if they were a spaniard. Many latinos here are more racist that you're stereotypical southern White in Florida.
As a black guy, this statement is true. My whole thing about the lower income people (no matter skin color) settling. No where near a third world though. It's just people follow trends far too often and attach it to their lifestyle. But these are the same people that if given opportunity they could care about more just as much as the next person.

[Philly Stress]

his is true. I Know because in a way I am. When people come from wherever they come from and don't care about the neighborhood or have lower living standards , in other words the "Settling for whatever" attitude, then yes I don't desire to live or be around them over people that do care.

Funny thing is most Haitian are truly cool people. However PR's/DR's/Latinos talk about Black people like DOGS and don't want to wait on you in line if you come to there stores etc. And YET you turn a blind eye to that. But you'll disrespect Haitians? You need to pick up a book and some history under your belt. They are really the some of the main ones that put in work (wetwork at that) against the oppressor of our people, but I digress. I'm really not shocked because I rarely meet conscious brothers and sisters here in Orlando unless they from somewhere else. A lot southern Orlando Blacks here are still proud slaves and Oreos.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by IAm_FloridaBorn

Really now? From my experience and understanding it's transplants (Mostly north, northeast) who are the fairy telled , Disney, delusional freaks who come here expecting and desires so much from a state and local metro that moves slow.

As a northern transplant, I came with my eyes WIDE open and not for the mouse. I spent 15 years pondering my decision, researching various parts of the state, and waiting until I was at the right point in my life to move. I came with job skills and experience, and enough money to support myself for five years without dipping into retirement savings.

Most of the northern transplants that I know in this area moved here because their jobs transferred them. Many haven't been to Disney in years. I just went for the first time in over three years, and it's not for lack of finances, but rather because there are plenty of other things to do that I find more organic and enjoyable.