A question for outsiders views on the Orlando area (Oviedo: environment, relocating)

[PMack]

I have lived in Orlando for five years and now I am back in Chicago and I would give anything to get back to Orlando (well almost anything) I lived in the Hunters Creek and Lake Mary areas and I would highly recommend these locations to anyone. I am currently looking for another home in Orlando now as a get away and eventually I will return!! This is definately the right time to consider buying for anyone who is thinking about it stop thinking and go for it!!

[jaimeblt]

I have lived outside of Orlando for the past 6 years in various parts of the country, and thus have encountered many outsiders' perceptions of the city. In short, most people don't know a lot about the city and tend to make assumptions.

Most people don't know or realize how large Orlando is. Usually, people think Disney is the only significant part of Orlando. Most people have never heard of Islands of Adventure, and don't know that the city has a downtown about 17 miles from Disney. Most people are surprised when I tell them the metro has 2 million people; I suppose people think it's much smaller.

Also, almost every person I've spoken with did not understand that the economy of Orlando is more diversified than other tourist cities (i.e. Las Vegas), and that large numbers of Orlando residents do not work in anything related to tourism.

Oddly, some people either assume Orlando is Southern, while some others think it is heavily Cuban. Most people realize that Orlando "isn't really the South," although few people know the largest ethnic minority is Puerto Rican and not Cuban.

People will often "know" that Orlando has a lot of old people (or that Florida does and extrapolate from that fact that Orlando must as well).

People don't know the politics of the metro, and tend to assume that the city is Republican.

No one has ever known that the city has a lot of gay people, and that Disney attracts creative types and actors.

The people I have encountered in Central Europe only had very vague notions of Orlando. ("Yea, that's Mickey, right?") Some people were genuinely disinterested (imagine if someone started talking to you about Shijiazhuang or Guayaquil, both cities around the size of Orlando). People tended to know and admire/love/cherish San Francisco, however. It was astounding how many Central Europeans (especially gay Central Europeans) loved the idea of San Francisco because it was free/liberated and wealthy ("The jobs pay so much better over there than here!").

[2martins]

i have visited orlando as a regular tourist and most recently looking for houses to move there (temporarily).

I am from the south, so it does not seem southern to me at all. the traffic is horrible and the drivers are rude. winter park seems quite a bit nicer than the kissimmee area which is chock full of check cashing stores, strip malls and thrift stores. granted, i like buying used books at the thrift stores, but i don't really want to live near them.

the science center seemed very nice and the area right around it had pretty trees. seasons 52 is a nice restaurant and there are lots of outlet malls which is nice when you want to get in a day of shopping, although the prices really arent't that great at many of those places, especially considering how much you have to pick thru to find something.

it's flat and brown and sunny. i like trees and hills and shade, so it's not my cup of tea!. Still, winter park seems pretty shady comparatively and the ymca seems pretty nice there. I am starting to think it will be fine living there now that i have found a nice place to live, although it was more money than i wanted to spend originally. I still think i am going to be very happy to be able to come home when this is all over, but I am going to try to enjoy the time I have there. I won't be going to MetroWest or downtown much aside from the science center, I am going to avoid colonial, OBT, and other hot crime areas. I am going to get a monitored alarm system which I do not have in Nashville. i am going to have to adjust to the cockroaches and alligators and mosquitos year round.

The locals seem wary of outsiders. Almost all the real estate agents I met with seemed to think I was lying to them, and/or wouldn't actually show up to see the property I said I wanted to see, and that my uncle was a real estate agent even though I TOLD them I was not bringing a real estate agent. I did not encounter that when I was looking for houses in nashville 4 years ago.

I also met someone at Whole Foods and we were chatting and she said "wow, it's really nice to meet someone friendly" and I thought, "uh oh, you mean no one else is friendly?" but then, *she was*, so maybe there are more friendly people out there, they just won't say anything unless you say something first. i can live with that. i did say something else to someone else in whole foods and she looked at me like i was an insane person talking to myself at the park or something, so clearly *everyone* isn't terribly friendly. but you run into someone like that every now and then no matter where you are- even in Nashville. not often, but it happens.

so that's my outsider impression.

[dbansal]

Originally Posted by kateuk29

Hi

I havent posted on here for a while because, to be honest, all the negativity was starting to annoy me. My husband, daughter (2yr old) and I have just bought a business in the Clermont area and are awaiting our visas to move over. We absolutely love Orlando (and for all you smart a**** out there - no not just the Disney area!). We have travelled all over Orlando looking at places to live before deciding on making the move. Yes we do know there is areas of Orlando we need to stay clear of, but for all of those who say Orlando is a terrible place to live, I ask - have you ever lived in the u.k? I'm guessing probably not. We have exactly the same problems over here, add to that ridiculously high cost of living, rude/ignorant people (before everyone jumps at me, Im not saying all Brits are rude or ignorant but Im sure you'll agree that some are), crappy weather, rubbish government (see todays local elections for confirmation of what we think about our government!) and I could go on but Im sure this post would be removed!! LOL!!
The ONLY thing we will miss form this country is the family that we're leaving behind. To sum it up (getting slightly off thread here) , we think Orlando is a great place, and we cant wait to get there.......

Disgruntled Brit!

I love Orlando too and am getting tired of all the mindless bashing as well. I've lived in Lake Mary since 2000 and can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be, and I've lived pretty much all over the country. Every city has it's problems, but for me Lake Mary is the best place I've ever lived. Let's spread a little positive energy for a change...

[luvthatmouse]

I do like Winter Park and the area around the OMA/Harry P Leu Gardens. I like living in Celebration but it is too new for my tastes long term. The sun is nice in the winter and we love being close to WDW but it boggles my mind when I hear of people from Europe wanting to move to Orlando. My family spent a lot of time in Europe (aunt and uncle had a house in Ireland) and the beauty of the countries there blow Orlando away. You have real history, real museums, rolling hills, excellent transportation and great health care. You could not pay me enough to move to Central Florida from the UK or France!

[cfIfan]

Its great to hear such great positive views about the area, and im glad so many people have posted their views because there is alot of negativity on these threads. In the defense of Europeans moving here (being from the UK originally), all i can say that in the UK we have a rich history, great architecture, beautiful scenary. All of which i love. However, we also have alot of negatives. Cost of living is very high. Taxes are high, we pay over 3 times the amount for things like gas and for me most importantly the weather is awful. I love my country and will always defend it, but i find i love it alot more now i dont live there and i can enjoy it from afar. My wife and daughter are American and i love taking them to visit and showing them the different areas, but for me, and most Brits i suspect, its a fantastic place to visit, but i wouldnt even consider it an option to live anymore, even though all my family are still there.

[Keeper]

Feel free to post a 'good' only thread for Orlando.

I think we could all use some happy post.

I know there are negatives no matter you live.. but there has to be some good or else Orlando would be a ghost town.

Please report any post you feel is 'off topic' or send me a DM.

[Alphaman]

@2martins

Mosquito's are not year round here I can go outside right now with no shirt and not encounter any.

no rain= no mosquitoes.

[Magnulus]

Orlando wasn't always "Puerto Rican". As little as 10-15 years ago I would say the Latino influence, while there, wasn't that signiifcant, and there were alot more Cubans in the area too. Many parts of Orlando were indeed Southern, with alot of older retirees living here from the North.

[Wilshire81182]

Originally Posted by dbansal

I love Orlando too and am getting tired of all the mindless bashing as well. I've lived in Lake Mary since 2000 and can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be, and I've lived pretty much all over the country. Every city has it's problems, but for me Lake Mary is the best place I've ever lived. Let's spread a little positive energy for a change...

Oh I totally feel the same way. I went to see my family in Portland, Oregon a week ago and I love that area too, but I would never move back there. As an area equivalent in size to Orlando but with different problems and advantages, I do not think the quality of life is as high as it is here. There is something to the horrible weather that gets to me. That in itself opens me up to appreciate all the other advantages to this area. I love the greenery, the lakes, the homes, landscaping, better retail, cooler historic areas, better beaches, a better airport, more entertainment, better clubs, less isolated, etc. The only advantages that I could think they had over us are better mass transit, safer, and more of a community feel in general. I came back and fell in love all over again!