Orlando / Kissimmee area help (Miami, Oviedo: insurance, condos, house)

[Charly77]

I just moved from Miami to Orlando a little over a month ago. We Love it!!!! It is so much nicer than Miami. My husband and I wanted a better education for our children. We got it. The schools here are awesome!

I am in the Lake Nona/Moss park area. It is south Orange County. Just off Narcoossee Road. Between the 417 and the 528. 20 minutes for the theme parks, but away from all the traffic. The people here are so nice. There are so any community events for the whole family. There is a nice mix of people from different places. White, Hispanic, Black, Asian, etc. They have a wonderful YMCA here as well.

When I went back to Miami during this last month, I looked around and thought to myself, I lived here! When you are there living in all the craziness of Miami you tend not to look outside the box. Life becomes normal to you. When you finally look else where you finally see that there is more to life.

I recommend that you take a trip up here and look around and see what area really suits your needs.

[Charly77]

I just moved from Miami to Orlando a little over a month ago. We Love it!!!! It is so much nicer than Miami. My husband and I wanted a better education for our children. We got it. The schools here are awesome!

I am in the Lake Nona/Moss park area. It is south Orange County. Just off Narcoossee Road. Between the 417 and the 528. 20 minutes for the theme parks, but away from all the traffic. The people here are so nice. There are so any community events for the whole family. There is a nice mix of people from different places. White, Hispanic, Black, Asian, etc. They have a wonderful YMCA here as well.

When I went back to Miami during this last month, I looked around and thought to myself, I lived here! When you are there living in all the craziness of Miami you tend not to look outside the box. Life becomes normal to you. When you finally look else where you finally see that there is more to life.

I recommend that you take a trip up here and look around and see what area really suits your needs.

[m.boogie]

Stay away from Kissimmee/Celebration.
Kissimmee is where you will need to be bi-lingual to have a job (unless you are wealthy and already retired in which case why you would look here is beyond me), plus if you are not british, forget it.
The entire housing market is geared (even published in the papers) for British.
They aren't as dainty as the movies either.. unless your a 24/7 chain smoker with no manners.
As of yesterday (in Osceola co alone) we've had 2 murders since we've been here and that's about a month or so.
They believe there is a serial killer parading around Orange Co. killing women.
A highschool kid was stabbed to death at school, a man with a gun was tearing around a elementary school which put the district on lock down for the 2nd time.. we've witnessed 7 different accidents including a fatality of a peace officer.

Celebration is the "upcoming" town.. in essence if your looking for NO diversity.. Celebration is your town, and its quite expensive with a 4month waiting list for a po box and most of it is still being "built".
If you don't have "the look" prepared to be snooted.
But if I had the money and the look.. it was a beautiful place to be.. infact they are building their homes to replicate the old style homes of Mass.
Just never leave the neighborhood.

The only plus side is living near Walt Disney World and Universal..
If those "ameninities" are what you are speaking of..
City walk and Pleasure Island have movie theatres that are nice and fun restaurants.. however.. KNOW YOUR SCHEDULE! and know your months of the year! (don't know if you have grandchildren or not)
They DID just have a shooting at Halloween Horror Nights and we were there not only an hour before. So be cautious.
For a family of 3 to go to Disney world on an annual pass its was over 1200.00 and for 3 for Universal it was cheaper at about 600.00+ but that doesn't include your 9.00 hamburgers and hotdogs.
That DOES NOT include their "event dates" so be prepared to spend about 120.00 more PER EVENT ontop of what you already spent.

There are lots of buffets and lobster fests as well as lots of gift shops on every corner.

My wife and my child we were so excited to come here on a whim and a prayer..but found a world of crap and terrible drivers instead.

Good luck, we were thinking of going getting out of here, can't take it anymore and we're already jipped on the pass's, I WISH WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE GETTING OURSELVES INTO! now we have to pay A LOT of money to get out of our lease and out of HERE.

[Proud Puertrican]

[quote=AJ67;133586]

Wow I truly can't believe what I was reading about Puertorican and Cubans according to your ignorant opinion or coment. I would like to educate you with in the History of Puertorican and Cuban brothers we PR don't hate Cubans. We are not at war with them I live in Poinciana and I have Cubans friends here and neighbors. Puerto Rico is the little sister of Cuba just in case you didn't know that and about Hispanic and blacks and KKK well THIS IS AMERICA GET A GRIP. You will see that in every place here in the US Poinciana is under construction in a lot of places people come here looking for improvement. Yes there is crimes here (like every where else) but our local police are doing what they can to stop it from growing I know that for a fact b/c I know a lot of Police officers and undercovers that work here. I you hear about any arrest that is not bad I think is good b/c it means that the police is doing their job about. About school Yes they can use more space of it but as I write this to you there is 3 schools under construction right now. Also there is a YMCA on its way and if you think that Poinciana is so bad why don't you show up for the towns meetings and give up your opinion there and be part of the solution and not part of the people that love to put others down and cry b/c everything is not going the way that they want. Stop being ignorant and talking about other races Whites, Blacks, Spanish, Indians, Arabic, Chinese etc. Why not raise your voice out and be a leader in our comunity and point out to the proper authorities what you see that needs improvement and make a change talk to the media make a movement that tells the so call thungs and the so called Puertoricans that bother you to stop their ways and come to a change until you are willing to do that then stop telling others that poinciana is bad, is not heaven but it sure is not hell.

To the person that wants to know how Poinciana is My friend is a place that is growing fast is under havy construction we will get a YMCA a Hospital, Police station, Movie teather more schools. If you go to the park on Sat & Sun you will see Puertoricans and Cubans playing side by side their other neighbor of deferent ethnic groups in harmony. I will not dare tell you that there is no problem b/c anybody that reads this from Poinc will tell you that I am lying, the traffic stinks in the morning I beat that by getting up early. I meet new people every day I talk to the youth b/c they are the future of our country & our comunity. If we run from Poinciana & go some where else we will be running to another comunity with the same problems that we have or even worst. At least I live in a place that I call my HOME & in MY Home I am the King and MY wife MY QUEEN & in our Kingdom everybody is the same no color makes you better I am PUERTORICAN my wife is WHITE IRISH my son is Dating AN AFRO AMERICAN YOUNG LADY, MY OHTER SON DATES A CUBAN YOUNG LADY they go to college graduated with all A's and they don't belong to gangs. Maybe this lady is not as lucky & I am but that has nothing to do with the Puertorican Cubans Blacks or the Whites. Her problems are in her ignorant point of view & lack of motivation on helping others. But she can't help anybody unless she opens her eyes & see her self and sees that the problem lies on her.
Sorry if I sound angry but it hurst me when people try to put war in two groups that are so closed to each other like are the Boricuas & the Cuban.

[AJ67]

To Proud PuertoRican,
sorry to offend you, i think you may have read me wrong, i have only one problem with the People who ever they are or where ever they are from not speaking ENGLISH, especially when i go to walmart, and am getting helped by someone that is speaking spanish to their co worker...First of all that is a no no customer service wise to having a conversation with a co worker in Any language while helping a customer...and in spanish it makes it worse.. but i speak some spanish, so it does'nt effect me i just laugh. because i for the most part of what they are saying,
And as for the Cubans not getting along with the Peurto Ricans, I have been told that by several of my Cuban Freinds so that is all i know..I would never just assumme that...
as far as me Being a racist , i think you mihgt want to go back and re read what i DID say about all the Differnt Ethnic groups i live by, I believe i said I they are great people,
I suppose i should if said , as ALL My Peurto Rican Friends say,, Its the NEW YOURICANS that give the Peurto Ricans a bad name ,i would not make that up, i would never even of thought any different about it, and that is not me saying it, For the most part i see the ones that my freinds talk about walking down the street with there GOLD dripping off their necks Driving a Car that has a better Stereo system then a engine,and they might not be just the "puerto ricans" who knows...the Puurto Ricans are so proud to be American then why don;t they Drape the America Flag over eveything instead of the PR flag? or do both!!!!
now on to the subject of Poinciana, I think it is a nice place its like a melting pot..However I see it becoming a bit of a Ghetto if you will mainly because of the no good APV manager, She is a do nothing alot of blah blah blah.. have you ever read her rebutle in the poinciana paper seems that she is always defending things and is very negitive, she does nothing good for this area, so what we have a YMCA do you know how long that has been in the works? a long time.....
I don't think the Sheriff can police all 47,000 acres appropriatley..there for the crime is going up, and its violent crime....Noi on the subject of getting involved instead of spouting of at the mouth ...I have gone to several meetings and its all about nothing, especially when the APV manager is there she shoots done everything eveyone tries to ask ..
So I have started to take things into my own hands around my neighborhood ( no im not gun wielding ) i come home late from work , around 12 mn or so and i have made several calls to the sheriff when i see kids out hanging out in the street in groups. thats just not cool, there are signs all around the neighborhood warning of thefts , im sure you have seen them, or or you in No crime area?...
Its a shame that Someone like you can call someone racsit because i said a mere statement about spanish speaking but hey this is America and freedom of speach right?

[Dee2e]

Originally Posted by rcnkat

hi sylvias
I live in Kissimmee...my whole life actually.....I live about 7 miles from
Poinciana.... back when Kissimmee was a cowtown...it is no more...
It has a huge hispanic population-fyi ---- I don't know who told you Osceola
and Polk schools are good...which is not the case....I chose a private school
because the schools are not good. I don't recommend living in Poinciana--
years ago it was considered a nice place to live...but traffic out of there
every morning is total gridlock...for a paralegal job you may want to consider
Orlando as you may get paid more....but you know Florida--the pay is not great....I would recommend St Cloud over Poinciana. or even try Hunters creek almost to Orlando newer homes and great shopping....
good luck. forgive me for my ignorance but if you are
spanish why do you want to get away from hispanic population? just curious?:

There is a new school opening this fall in this area.

They are widening Poinciana Blvd as we type and they will help with the traffic.

I hope they put in the I4 connector from Marigold and the Turnpike connector as discussed. That would be a boom for that area!

[Dreammachine]

I Would'nt Recommend Moving To Kissimmee To My Worse Enemy, The Place Is A Dump..,most Residents Are Disney Or Hospitality Employees ( Very Low Wages) With Very High Rents And Cost Of Living, Crime Is A Big Problem There, Every Time You Go Shopping You Will Get At Least 3 Or 4 Bums Begging You For A Dollar, Specially Around The Downtown Kissimmee Area, People Are Rude And Traffic Is Getting Worse Day By Day...even The Best Areas Of Orlando Are Getting Hit With Crime..

[AJ67]

Marigold is a NIGHTMARE right now, it amazes me that they have done work on both sides of mairgold every yr for the last 3 to 4 yrs, its under constant constuction...
They really need to get moving on the toll road , but of course Avatar won't part with any of its money to help.. well they have now but they have been talking about thjei toll road for at least 6 yrs...way before all the traffic,
Now Poinciana Blvd is another story, can you imagine the gridlock when that new highschool opens up? both on the blvd and pleasant hill!!!!..
To many people driving crazy down the blvd, causing accidents, and killing people I avoid that road as much as i can.
I truely truely think that the City Planners were smoking some serious Crack when they started developing poinciana, or lettting Avatar pay them off , and that them do as they want...
there are alot of angry people in this area, and living in poinciana makes it worse ( orlando angriest city)
there is nothing for the kids to do in poinciana, so they hang out on the corners of streets ..which looks terrible
Ihave to say i have seen the ONE patrol care ( poinciana use to have 6 ) slapping citation stickers, on cars that are illegally parked and big rigs that are parked infront of houses for to long, good its about time....
I hear alot of the people will be going to court soon for all the citations.. its about time .. Poinciana was getting to be GHETTO !

[FleeingFloridaForever]

I have lived in Kissimmee since 1989 (all of it along Columbia Avenue) and I have seen ALOT of changes!

Kissimmee used to be a nice, quiet, restful town. Now it looks just like Orlando! I do miss the cows grazing in the fields. Ever since Bermuda Avenue was renamed to become John Young Parkway, Kissimmee has lost her "flavor".

I remember the first influx of young, new Puerto Rican drivers that constantly barrelled down the streets with their music blarring SO loud and they RUN the red lights - - which cause me to have to wait a couple of seconds before I even try to venture into the intersection - - but, while I hesitate for that ONE second, I have another impatient Puerto Rican behind me blarring their car horn at me to move!!! The reason I knew they are Puerto Rican was because of their large Puerto Rican Flags on the their car windows ( I must admit, the car flags are now smaller and classier than when they first came over from "the island" ). I have alot of Puerto Rican co-workers and they have lamented to me, as well, that they find the "new" Puerto Ricans that just arrived from P.R. are usually loud and boisterous and after awhile they calm down.

As far as Poinciana goes, it is known as a flood zone. I had friends that lived there and they flooded all the time and snakes were constantly slithering into their house. And the frogs croaked all night while they attached themselves to their windows and front door. My Puerto Rican co-workers live in Poinciana and they are worried about the "ghetto" areas already popping up.

I also know friends that live in B.V.L. another flood zone.

Anyway, the Hispanic population has absolutely taken over Kissimmee and now the Hispanics are heading for Saint Cloud, as well. It is true, when I go into stores in Kissimmee, I don't know what most of the workers are saying. Everything is turning Spanish. Have you seen the billboards along 1-92 and along Osceola Parkway towards Disney? I have seen several billboards completely in Spanish...the company that advertises do not want anyone else to know what they're selling, I guess. In Canada, they are bi-lingual with the French Canadiens and they have the signs with BOTH languages. Maybe that is what Kissimmee should do as well to be fair.

That is all. Every city has growth. I just miss Kissimmee (the ol' sleepy Cow-town) that Orlando citizens used to make fun of, now it's like any other city.

P.S.-- the reason why I want to move from Kissimmee is the fact apartment renters, such as myself, are being squeezed out of the renters market with sky high rent!!!!!!!!!! We need affordable housing and more High Schools.

[Jammie]

Fleeing, stories like yours are so sad. It's awful that it was your home and you'll end up having to leave. You're right~they do also speak French because they are French Canadians. All Americans are not of Mexican descent so Spanish should not be required of us.