Is Orlando really Disney World? (Tampa, Kissimmee: vacation home, neighborhood, schools)

[jdaryl2002]

The other day I drove my family the 15 minute drive from home to Disney Word. We entered the Magic Kingdom and headed down Main Street USA. As we walked down the street we noticed the strangest thing. Out of the hundreds walking with us we did not recognize one person. Most of the people looked as if they were “Not from here” or from some other county. Some dressed a little funny and they all had a look on their face as if they were in another world. We shopped in the lovely shops and ate at a nice outdoor café. But still not a person in sight who we knew. Today, our family went out shopping in our own little part of Orlando. It was like déjà vu all over again. We visited the local lifestyle center with lovely streets with gas lamps and quant shops. As we walked the main street with hundreds we noticed the strangest thing. Not one person did we know. Everyone looked as if they were “Not from here” From shop to shop to the corner café and still not a soul in sight who we knew. What I am trying to understand is why I don’t know these people. We have so much in common. We all live in identical houses. Even down to the same color. We even go through the same routine. We all leave for work at the same time. When we return home late evening we enter the same code that opens the gates and welcomes us to our lovely tree lined streets. We drive by two nice lakes with fountains and two empty playgrounds that are connected by 3 miles of unused sidewalks. We rush our cars into the garage and before the car door is open the garage door has been closed. We are now nested in our own little world for the night. Tomorrow land is another day and maybe, just maybe, we’ll run into someone we know on our trip to fantasyland.

[bamboosmom]

Isn't it sad that we don't have the friendlyness that we once had when we were growing up? It's the same down here in SW Florida. If you belong to a group then maybe you can meet some nice people. If not, then you are pretty much lonely.
Nobody sits out front anymore. Nobody has the time in this busy world to really stop and say hi and mean it. It is sad.
We really need to stop and take the time to appreciate our friends and family.
This is one reason why we are selling here and moving back closer to our families. At least when you walk through the door you get a big hug and they mean it!

[OneBadApple]

You are much better off not knowing about 95% of the general public anyway.

Read a book.

[jdaryl2002]

I was born in a small town and in fact moving back to a small town where I hope just the opposite of what OneBadApple said is true. I would love to know the 95%. The reason I posted this post in the first place was to show my frustration with the lack of real a community spirit in Florida. In my development we have 64 homes. It was finished 8 years ago and as of today there are only 6 original home owners left. In Florida everyone is always on the move. No one is from here. If you go to the Florida Marlins or Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball game you’ll find more fans in the stands for the visiting teams. I want to live in a place where we care for each other. If someone is sick or has a death in the family the community comes together. I’m not saying real communities are only found in small towns. I bet you’ll get lots of response from people who live in big cities that will tell you they live in their little corner of town in a close knit community. I just don’t think you’re going to find it here in Florida.

[Pigsty333]

I believe it is up to you as an individual to make the acquaintance of your neighbors. I moved into a PUD - there are 1049 homes here. However, I made it a point to attend the meetings, introduce myself to the board and the other homeowners. I attend the gatherings, volunteer for events, etc. I have also made it a point to introduce myself to my neighbors. We have become friends, share meals, spent holidays together, carpool, etc. If you want to stay inside your house and close the garage door, that's fine. That is not me. I go out, plant, weed and wave at all. Guess what, they all wave back and stop and talk.

You have to go out there and break the ice, if not it will grow into a glacier.

Go out and meet your neighbors - you will see the difference.

[Prichard]

Orlando is not Disney World, it is a fairly large central city and perhaps 100 smaller cities that make up Greator Orlando. It is a smaller version of LA and Atlanta.

Furthermore, Disney World is not Orlando. It is located about 20 minutes SW of Orlando, with it's own police, fire, even schools (i.e. Celebration). People who come to this region from all over the country and world visit an area formerly known as unincorporated west Kissimmee, not Orlando.

[Granny Sue]

As I was reading this thread the same thoughts went through my head. I am basically a shy person but made the effort to get to know my city (Orlando) and my neighbors. I now can rarely go anywhere without running into someone I know.
It's up to you people!!!! Don't sit around waiting for someone to ring YOUR bell.

[jdaryl2002]

I agree with all the pervious post. You have to make an effort to be a good neighbor. As for our family we did have friends in Florida. We were involved in a local church and our kids were active in community and school activities.

The problem is our neighborhood was in constant change. We lived in a PUD with over 900 homes. We have homes 64 in our little development within the PUD. Like I said at the time of my first posting that we had only 6 original home owners left out of the 64. In the last 4 months that has changed and now only 4 remain. Many homes have sold over 3 or more times. Three homes on our street are occupied by winter only residences. BTY our development is only 9 years old. We were the forth family to move in when it was new. As soon as we bonded with friend’s next thing we knew they were gone. .

There is no community hub were people gather. I here many on this forum speak of Windermere and what a quant town it is. That much is true and that was my home for 9 years. But what people don’t understand is it’s not a town where people walk down the street and wave at their neighbors sitting on front porches on their way to town. I don’t think Florida has any towns like that.

I understand most of what I said could be translated to many big cities. But saying that I do think Florida is unique in the fact that there are so many vacation homes here. I don’t hate Florida nor think those who want to move should reconsider. I just think if you come from a close knit community you’ll need to rethink what the word “Community” implies in Florida.

[dyt937]

disney world is in kissimmie

[Travel'r]

Originally Posted by jdaryl2002

. But what people don’t understand is it’s not a town where people walk down the street and wave at their neighbors sitting on front porches on their way to town.

One thing I have noticed in many different states/towns is that people are all on their cell phones, while having to drive everyplace -- even if it's only several blocks away.