First Trip to Orlando (Miami, Kissimmee: living, restaurants, shopping mall)

[motonenterprises]

My kids, my sisters, and I spent time in Orlando the past 4 days and I wanted to tell you all about my experience. We landed at Sanford from Greenville, SC. After I rented a car we drove from Sanford to Hwy 192 in the Kissimmee(check spelling) area. Right near Disney. The whole area was very clean and nice I thought. At least where we were. Disney and Universal Studios were a blast. I didn't get around to anywhere much outside of the park areas as I didn't know much about Orlando and didn't want to venture off too much. I actually have a cousin there who is a news reporter, but he was working and I didn't want to bother him. Overall a very nice area! But very humid. Is my experience pretty indicative of how life in Orlando is? We could make this an annual trip.

[annerk]

It doesn' matter if you are taking about a trip to the Orlando theme parks or a cabin in northern California, living and vacationing in a place are very different.

The Orlando area is overall vibrant and a great place to live, but most of the people who live here spend very little time in the prefab world of the theme parks and tourist corridors.

[blackhype]

Originally Posted by annerk

The Orlando area is overall vibrant and a great place to live, but most of the people who live here spend very little time in the prefab world of the theme parks and tourist corridors.

That is true, I spend an insignificant time at any tourist attractions.

[MiamiRob]

uh no Orlando is not like anything you expirenced at the theme parks. Those are insulated bubbles. Go drive through many parts of Orlando and you may be shocked.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

uh no Orlando is not like anything you expirenced at the theme parks. Those are insulated bubbles. Go drive through many parts of Orlando and you may be shocked.

You mean at how cool and pretty the downtown is that nobody knows about? Yeah, most people are shocked. But yeah, many other areas are shocking in the wrong way too.

[**NoodLes**]

Originally Posted by Pete C

You mean at how cool and pretty the downtown is that nobody knows about? Yeah, most people are shocked. But yeah, many other areas are shocking in the wrong way too.

Nobody knows about it because its not a "real" downtown. Its a joke. And yeah Orlando is cool for a visit but not much more.

Here's a real downtown.

[motonenterprises]

Well either way we had a blast down there and I feel you have a beautiful city. Very clean and didn't seem gritty like a lot of places, but as you folks said I stayed in the tourist areas.

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by motonenterprises

Well either way we had a blast down there and I feel you have a beautiful city. Very clean and didn't seem gritty like a lot of places, but as you folks said I stayed in the tourist areas.

Glad you enjoyed it! FL is really nice. I've lived here for over 9 years and like with any other city, there are nice parts and not so nice parts. Even had you ventured out of the theme parks, you would have seen some very nice areas. I agree it is very clean here and everything is very nicely landscaped. I have to agree, once you move here, it kind of ruins your vacation spot. You don't go to the parks or do the things that you used to do on vactation. Overall, it is a nice place to travel to with alot going on. I'd say come on back for your next vacation, but I'd recommend coming in the winter. As you observed, yes it is humid here in the summer.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

Nobody knows about it because its not a "real" downtown. Its a joke. And yeah Orlando is cool for a visit but not much more.

Here's a real downtown.

What about it isn't real? I've visted plenty of "real" downtowns...NYC, Philly, Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, LA, and lived in Atlanta for many years. There is nothing fake about downtown Orlando. While small, it's walkable and pretty with lots of entertainment options and a beautiful lake. I don't see what's not to like. Everyone that I have shown it too is like, wow...this place is way more happening than I ever though it would be.

BTW, that real downtown picture of yours looks like a computer rendering. What is that supposed to be?

[beenthere65]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. We LOVE Orlando. We live two miles NORTH of Disney and go there five days a week, with our Florida passes. We have a "beautiful" new outdoor shopping mall, two miles away with tons of restaurants and stores. Orlando is a beautiful city and the area, I prefer is West Orlando, South of highway 50, Winter Garden and Windermere, corrider along 535. It's wondeful.