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Old 04-19-2018, 10:37 PM
vzx vzx started this thread
 
17 posts, read 33,364 times
Reputation: 16

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I'm joining UCF med school as faculty this summer. Offices will be in Lake Nona and Osceola regional medical center. We are moving from the midwest and really want to be in the thick of action. We will be renting a house for a year before deciding on buying a house.

Requirements include 4 beds, 2+ bath, 2-3 car garage. Proximity to public parks, daycare/school and easy access to highway. I'm OK with a 35-40 min commute but would prefer something shorter if possible

Some of the areas that we have looked into are Dr. phillips and windermere. Below are my impressions/thoughts on these areas. I wanted to know if the community has any thoughts on these observations or recommendations.

Dr. Phillips
Pros: Close to major parks, attractions. We actually looked (online) at a few neighborhoods close to the new Dr. Phillips community park. Loved the area but not sure if there are any good daycare/schools in proximity.
Cons: travel time would be relatively longer (close to 35 min). Southern side of Dr. Phillips (closer to disney) is somewhat isolated. Would need to travel north on 435 to get anywhere fun.

Windermere
Pro: newest construction. more area for the money. Most daycare/schools will be en route to work.
Cons: very few good parks for kids. longest commute times (40-45 min).

How are the schools in Dr. phillips or windermere area? which one is better? I have a 4 year old who will be starting pre-K next year. We are also looking at good pre-school programs.

Any help would be appreciated
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Old 04-19-2018, 11:49 PM
 
24,340 posts, read 26,761,691 times
Reputation: 19792
Quote:
Originally Posted by vzx View Post
I'm joining UCF med school as faculty this summer. Offices will be in Lake Nona and Osceola regional medical center. We are moving from the midwest and really want to be in the thick of action. We will be renting a house for a year before deciding on buying a house.

Requirements include 4 beds, 2+ bath, 2-3 car garage. Proximity to public parks, daycare/school and easy access to highway. I'm OK with a 35-40 min commute but would prefer something shorter if possible

Some of the areas that we have looked into are Dr. phillips and windermere. Below are my impressions/thoughts on these areas. I wanted to know if the community has any thoughts on these observations or recommendations.

Dr. Phillips
Pros: Close to major parks, attractions. We actually looked (online) at a few neighborhoods close to the new Dr. Phillips community park. Loved the area but not sure if there are any good daycare/schools in proximity.
Cons: travel time would be relatively longer (close to 35 min). Southern side of Dr. Phillips (closer to disney) is somewhat isolated. Would need to travel north on 435 to get anywhere fun.

Windermere
Pro: newest construction. more area for the money. Most daycare/schools will be en route to work.
Cons: very few good parks for kids. longest commute times (40-45 min).

How are the schools in Dr. phillips or windermere area? which one is better? I have a 4 year old who will be starting pre-K next year. We are also looking at good pre-school programs.

Any help would be appreciated
Welcome to the area, it's always nice to have more doctors in the community!

So, first, to be thick in the action, while wanting a decent commute, your only option is Dr. Phillips, which is a great option. I live here and own multiple properties here. I work from home, so I could have chosen any part of Orlando, but I also value being in the thick of the action, which is basically Dr. Phillips, Downtown Orlando and Winter Park (in my opinion), but Dr. Phillips took the grand prize for it's proximity to the theme parks, water parks, outlet malls, disney springs, shopping malls, international drive, etc.

Windermere, I see you are talking about "New Windermere" is definitely not in the thick of the action, it's quite the opposite. Your only grocery stores are Publix and there are only a handful of mediocre restaurants to choose from. In Dr. Phillips, anywhere in Dr. Phillips, you have easy access to Trader Joes, Publix, Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Walmart, soon to be Lucky's Market, tons and tons of restaurants, shopping, bars, attractions, just everything is nearby. There are day cares and pre-k as well.

Windermere is a very nice safe family orientated community that has a "leave it to beaver" vibe, but for me it's too far from things for me to want to live there. It's still a great area, but not for someone who wants to be near the action. The schools are also great too compared to other schools in Central Florida. Dr. Phillips is also a very safe family friendly community, but it is definitely developed, neighborhoods, houses vary greatly, where as everything in "New" Windermere looks very similar to each other.

As I mentioned before, anywhere in Dr. Phillips will have a central location to attractions, activities, restaurants, etc especially when compared to "New" Windermere. The South part of Dr. Phillips is also near a lot of restaurants, shopping areas and attractions. For example, Disney Springs, Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets, Restaurant Row, Trader Joes, plenty of restaurants, bars etc. Also, regarding parks, I think Dr. Phillips is better than Windermere. The Dr. Phillips Community Park is hard to beat, it has everything from bike trails, jogging trails, a kids splash park, beach volleyball courts, basketball courts, bbq areas, soccer field, baseball field, playgrounds, dog park etc.

Windermere as mentioned before has some of the best public schools in Orange County. However, Dr. Phillips also has good schools, they have a pretty long history for attracting families looking for good schools. In Dr. Phillips, I'd focus on these schools:

Elementary Schools, Sand Lake, Dr. Phillips, Bay Meadows, for Middle Schools, I'd focus on Southwest, for High Schools, Olympia and Dr. Phillips are both fine. Olympia has a slight edge over Dr. Phillips IMO, but since your children are young, I'd look for a house along S. Apopka Vineland Road, South of Sand Lake Road. First, Bay Meadows, Sand Lake, Southwest are zoned for this area. Second, they are going to build a state of the art high school adjacent to Dr. Phillips Community Park, which will be zoned for this area. If you want recommendations on specific neighborhoods in Dr. Phillips let me know, but include your max budget. There are also numerous new construction projects as well.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask me.

Last edited by bmw335xi; 04-20-2018 at 12:23 AM..
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Old 04-20-2018, 03:56 PM
 
Location: NYC/Orlando
2,124 posts, read 4,488,086 times
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It sounds like Dr. Phillips would be a great fit for you. I grew up there and still live nearby and love it. The public schools are good, but there’s also Montessori World School which is wonderful, if that method appeals to you. I think it’s fantastic for preschoolers.
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Old 04-20-2018, 06:51 PM
 
12,017 posts, read 14,243,406 times
Reputation: 5981
Lake nona does seem to improve each year, but yes it's no Dr Phillips
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Old 05-03-2018, 09:36 PM
 
Location: Orlando
12 posts, read 10,840 times
Reputation: 19
All 3 of these areas have great schools but you always have to check the ratings as they seem to change often but consistently Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips and Windermere have good schools (see links).

Dr. Phillips - There are so many beautiful neighborhoods. You have Restaurant Row, great grocery stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods. You are a stone's throw to Universal. Disney is also a short drive away. You will be near all the malls, outlets and attractions. Close to everything, great communities, several with gates and security guards.

Windermere is a beautiful clean town located near Disney. Though it is conveniently located by the theme parks, Windermere does not feel like a hectic tourist area as some neighboring towns may feel. The cost of living in Windermere is high, but many of my friends and clients feel the convenience without the chaos is worth the price. It is home to many prestigious public and private schools, so many families move here for their children. They have their own Police station and Fire Department or all nearby. Disney, Sea World, Universal, Fun spot, Water Parks and the Orlando Eye are all just around the corner.

Lake Nona - one of the hottest growing communities in Orlando. Major research and hospital facilities, such as University of Central Florida's Health Science Campus, Nemours Children's Hospital and many others, make this one of the most prestigious medical research collectives in Florida, and almost 30 percent of the community's residents work here. Lots of Green Space, Soccer Fields, Dog Parks, Aquatic Center, and so much more. This area is popular with affluent, educated young professionals. Most residents here are in their early 30s and have college degrees. Close to the airport, lots of new construction.

https://www.greatschools.org/search/...0FL&distance=5

https://www.greatschools.org/search/...0FL&distance=5

https://www.greatschools.org/florida...rmere/schools/

All of these areas have very different "feels". Once you come to visit you'll see where you fit in. Winter Garden is a wonderful area and growing as fast or faster than Lake Nona. Many families move there for the Schools and housing. It depends on your daily drive. It would be about 35-40 minutes from Osceola Regional Medical Center.

Best of luck. Let us know where you end up! Welcome to the City Beautiful.
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