Tampa to disney drive...... (Orlando, Clearwater: amusement park, wages, taxes)

[Spring Hillian]

I will split the difference with you. 80 miles. That would include the drive from I-4 to the gate.

Why are arguing 20 miles against your statement that there are only chain restaurants in FL, that there is nothing to do in Lakeland, etc etc. etc? If anyone needs to document what they post it is you.

Trust me, I have made the trip across I-4 from Tampa to Orlando many times (passing wdw each time)
I have never been on a trip where I was not slowed down to 40, 50mph in traffic for lengths of time, particularly between Davenport and the WDW exchanges which made my trip along the corridor more than 1.15 from Tampa to WDW. If you regularly do it in 1.15, that's great. Thanks for the offer on the ride, but from Spring Hill I am better off going East on 50 and catching the turnpike to WDW. No need for me to go South to go back North on I-4.

Originally Posted by algia

Read on the left, it is NOT 90 miles! Are YOU making this drive every weekend BY any chance? I am speaking from doing this trip from Lutz even, EVERY WEEKEND! It takes us an hour and 15 minutes, and it is 70 miles and NOT 90! Please document yourself before giving people false information. I made that map FROM downtown Tampa, where this OP will NOT live, to WDW. From Lutz it takes exactly 2 hours to get to downtown Orlando. WDW is way before DT Orlando.

Speed limit on I-4 is 70 FYI, and on 275 60. We haven't yet driven under that on either road. But hey, why don't you come down from SPRING HILL, and we'll take you for the ride, so you can see with your own eyes.

[llrain73]

Thanks all for the insight about the distances. Also this riverview town looks nice if we did it leaving not long over the 1 hr drive..and yes a job will be had prior to relocating...

[llrain73]

Not entirely for disney..mostly for weather ..and a change of environment...thats a good point about the work and live aspect

Originally Posted by FloridaKash

Are you really deciding to move to Orlando because DisneyWorld is there? That's almost silly.

I had some friends come visit Florida. They rented a huge hotel room. I work near I-4 and I-75 interchange. While they were here I stayed at their hotel and drove back and forth from work. Sadly, my commute from Orlando (near I-4 and Seaworld) to my job was faster than from my house in Carrollwood to my job. It was a further distance but a better commute.

If you are going to work in Tampa... live in Tampa. You go to work everyday... you will not go to Disney everyday and once you figure out when the busy days are at DisneyWorld you will only go when there are no crowds.

[punkfan39126]

The weather here in Florida isn't as ideal as you might think by the way. People up north often aren't prepared for Florida summers. It isn't that it is so hot, it's that it's hot all the time, day and night, for about seven straight months. And humid, sweating-sitting-in-your-house-with-the-ac-on humid. Be prepared to be moist all the time. And it also rains just about every afternoon in the Summer, sometimes quite violently, out of nowhere.

And be prepared for a really horrible economy that more closely resembles that of The Bahamas than that of the Northeast. Don't expect to make anywhere near what you made in New England. A lot of people here are very poor and down on their luck.

[tinytrump]

OMG folks my kids live near 192 the strip before Disneyworld etc- I in Clearwater Belcher & 60 -and my GPS tells me its 80 miles--- the speed on the road after you leave Tampa city limits is 70---I do not travel at 5 pm trafiic time so have to take that into consideration

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by algia

Name some then! with good reviews from service to food and beyond.

Between Tampa & Orlando.

Heres a few from Lakeland..
https://www.google.ca/#hl=en&sugexp=...iw=853&bih=510

[Spring Hillian]

The weather in Florida is ideal for a sub tropical location. Your description of weather in the tropics is on the money. For the rest of your post, look at any where in the USA and please tell me where the economy is great.

Originally Posted by punkfan39126

The weather here in Florida isn't as ideal as you might think by the way. People up north often aren't prepared for Florida summers. It isn't that it is so hot, it's that it's hot all the time, day and night, for about seven straight months. And humid, sweating-sitting-in-your-house-with-the-ac-on humid. Be prepared to be moist all the time. And it also rains just about every afternoon in the Summer, sometimes quite violently, out of nowhere.

And be prepared for a really horrible economy that more closely resembles that of The Bahamas than that of the Northeast. Don't expect to make anywhere near what you made in New England. A lot of people here are very poor and down on their luck.

[llrain73]

We were just there at the end of sept where it was literally 100% humidity ..cast members told us that thd last week is not normally that humid but was a good example of florida summers.....so if the summer months are like this then honestly that heat and humidity we experienced....we would be just fine...it felt so good to be in that weather

Originally Posted by punkfan39126

The weather here in Florida isn't as ideal as you might think by the way. People up north often aren't prepared for Florida summers. It isn't that it is so hot, it's that it's hot all the time, day and night, for about seven straight months. And humid, sweating-sitting-in-your-house-with-the-ac-on humid. Be prepared to be moist all the time. And it also rains just about every afternoon in the Summer, sometimes quite violently, out of nowhere.

And be prepared for a really horrible economy that more closely resembles that of The Bahamas than that of the Northeast. Don't expect to make anywhere near what you made in New England. A lot of people here are very poor and down on their luck.

[jambo101]

Click on the red dots on the interactive Lakeland map in that link and if you're looking for non chain restaurants you'll find many..

[punkfan39126]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

For the rest of your post, look at any where in the USA and please tell me where the economy is great.

The very nature of the economy in Florida has always been different than up north. The population here is transient and skilled people from here usually leave to find work elsewhere and the majority of the people that come here are either retired or come here for a "fresh start", which usually means that they don't exactly have their stuff together career-wise to begin with. The labor laws favor employers, Right To Work, etc. The largest industry is Hospitality which doesn't really pay well for the average Joe, provides very little upward mobility and typically very little profit stays in the community.

I'm actually looking to switch jobs because of a move, and I find it funny to read job postings for skilled, certified, experienced electricians, manufacturers, commercial drivers, etc offering $7.67/hour. I can post the ads, they really exist.