Works for me! (-: - 5/11/2023

I made the decision to move to Orlando when I was 20. My father was a contractor so by then I'd lived in many different states & countries so I have a unique perspective. I stared at a map of the U.S. & finally decided on Orlando... 25 years later I am so glad I did! Caveat #1: I have a child & raising a child in Orlando is amazing so that is a big part of my review. If you are not planning on having children, it may not be as amazing. I see people struggle to save up thousands to afford a trip to a theme park & my kid has always been able to go regularly because I don't have to pay for a hotel or airfare. The city is made for kids & that part has been amazing. Caveat #2: I love the weather here 10 months out of the year... but I'm fairly thin. Most Americans are overweight (& some slender folks are hot-natured) so if you are wearing a body-blanket or are hot-natured, don't come- it will be too hot for you for at least half the year. (We swim 7 or 8 months out of the year to give you an idea of the climate.) As for me, I love swimming, gardening, nature, biking, skating, etc... so being able to go outside year-round is very important to me. When it does rain, it's usually only an afternoon shower for 40 minutes while I'm at work so by the time I leave at 5 it's sunny again. I have spent a lot of time in terribly cloudy and rainy places like Seattle and London and for me, the sunshine is very important- I just don't feel as happy when it's cloudy and gray. Caveat #3) A big part of why I moved here was I planned to attend the university (it's the largest university in the nation) so that was also a factor for me that may be different for your situation... This takes us back to the kid thing because my kid will likely attend college here as well. So, my 2 cents are that Orlando is amazing- there are tons of amazing restaurants & parks & fun things to do... but there are those 3 caveats that may not be relevant for others. Shoot I just thought of a few more: 4) We don't pay state taxes... That sounds like a great thing but it's why we have toll roads. You never *have* to take a toll road- you can always take a longer way and hit the traffic lights or get a job close to home, etc... 5) If you have mental health issues, we are at the bottom of all 50 states in terms of our ability to deal with that because we don't pay state taxes and we haven't expanded Medicaid (our leaders are very myopic in this way and hopefully will get a clue and expand Medicaid soon). I work in mental health and substance abuse, so I see this as a huge problem in Florida. 6) The housing prices here have SKYROCKETED since I came so- make sure you can afford it! Finally, I am a very friendly, outgoing person... because so many people transplant here either for work, school or the weather... a lot of people are new here. If you are shy and/or pessimistic, you might have a hard time finding friends but that's the case if you're new anywhere as an adult. It's not like grade school where you can call someone your best friend on the second day... Good luck in your decision-making process and remember, "Wherever you go, there you are!" Your sense of gratitude and optimism is what will make the place nice. If you are feeling good on the inside, you will see your surroundings much differently- all the important moves are to be done within. But I digress... Good luck in your search! (-:

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One of the best and worst places to live - 4/14/2023

I have lived and worked in the Orlando area for more than 10 years. I really wish I could give Orlando two ratings because half the year it is wonderful and other half is less than magical (actually really bad). Summers are long, hot and humid/muggy - probably 6-8 months with temps in the 80s or higher. We even occasionally have 85F days in January. Orlando is basically a swamp flanked by beaches - so keep that in mind. On the plus side, we are far enough inland that hurricanes aren't a huge issue. Honestly, Ian (tropical storm) was a bigger deal than Irma (a cat 2 hurricane) because of flooding. However, the winters are glorious and are really what most folks call "fall" or "spring" with mornings in the 50s but in the 70s by lunchtime with relatively low humidity. We do have an occasional cold snap that dips into the 40s, but that's rare. Our dry season (less rainy) is from November until early March. The rest of the time it rains nearly every day about mid-afternoon. This isn't some misty Seattle rain, no this is full-on bucket-challenge downpour. Sometimes it is for about 20-30 minutes, but often it is off and on the rest of the afternoon - only clearing up just in time for fireworks. You might think this is a bad thing, but believe me, it is so freaking hot that a bonesoaking storm is welcomed relief - as long as you have an umbrella, and sometimes an ark. Not just the weather but the bugs and other critters too (snakes, spiders, gators). Mosquitos will freaking eat you alive. We have four venomous snakes (2 rattlesnakes, cottonmouth, and coral snake). Cottonmouths are the worse since they are actively aggressive. Thankfully we are just too far north for the invasive pythons in the Everglades. Black Widows are the only spiders to really worry about here, we are too far south for the Brown Recluse. Alligators are deceptively fast - faster than you - even on land - normally they aren't aggressive - but there are exceptions. Yes, they can get into your pool even with a screen enclosure - look before jumping in. This is a golfer's paradise since they tend to be early risers anyway - able to tee off year-round. However, all bets are off by noon - either too hot or already raining. Theme parks are a lot of fun as long as you don't go during the summer, last two weeks of the year, spring break, or holiday weekends. Pick a Wednesday, call in a mental health day at work/school and "recover" at Sea World or some place like that. Access to the beaches is pretty good - about 90 minutes to FL west coast beaches and 45 minutes to east coast beaches - water is good from April until late October, otherwise it is too cold without a wetsuit. If you are more the indoors type or a homebody, then Orlando might be the perfect place. Overall Florida schools are pretty good but Orlando area is very hit or miss. Real Estate agents are not allowed to discuss schools or crime - so you need to do your own research. We have colleges and universities pretty well set. Valencia has several campuses around the area and is relatively affordable while UCF has one of the largest campuses in the country. Most homes have pools but almost none of them have basements. Housing has been going crazy in the past 2 years as a top relocation destination. A 1 bedroom apartment starts in the $1700 range and quickly goes up. Average selling price of a house in Orlando is over $500k. At least you can get a better value by going further out (Clermont, Davenport, Lakeland, etc), but then you have a longer commute if you work downtown. Thankfully, there are several work locations outside of downtown - especially in hospitality or medical. We do have odd traffic - I've been in gridlock at midnight in Kissimmee because the parks let out at 11pm. If you move here, you are not on permanent vacation if you still work - we have rush hour traffic too. Our public transit is pretty bad - Disney has a better bus system. We have a lightrail system but it currently only goes north-south and doesn't even service the airport or any entertainment districts or run on the weekends. I'm hoping they fix that soon. Brightline is opening up a station at the Orlando airport for service to/from the South Florida metro area. Central Florida has lots of toll roads - you basically can't leave the airport without paying since it is surrounded by toll roads. Technically there are ways, but it takes way longer. Until I went fully remote, I had to pay a toll every day to get to work - so I had to factor that into my budget. Other folks have to deal with I-4 - so you either pay with time or money (or both). We have paved multipurpose trails, like extra large sidewalks, for biking, walking, etc - some of these are converted old rail lines. My favorite is the West Orange Trail near downtown Winter Garden - but there are several interconnected trails like this in the area and some nearby - with well over 300 miles of off-street paved bike trails in Greater Orlando. However, I would never ride a bicycle on an Orlando street - bike lanes are inconsistent and not well observed. If I had the money, I would be snowbird. Go north for the summers and return to Orlando for winter. Most folks I see complain about the winters where they live, I do the opposite. Half the year this is the best place to live, the other half it is darn near the worst. Hades might be warmer, but we have more humidity. There are plenty of folks that flock here and love it. I both love it and hate it here - depending on the season. If narrowing down to just Florida, Orlando is hard to beat - just depends on your lifestyle and priorities.

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A good place to live - 8/17/2022

I have lived in Orlando for 6 years. The environment, living costs, and housing costs are good. There are many fun places around Orlando. It's a good place to live in my opinion. Unfortunately, I couldn't find many jobs within my field. I may have to relocate to find a new one.

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My thoughts on my life in Orlando - 3/22/2022

A lot of the reviews here are ridiculous. I will do my best to give an accurate take of my experience. I've lived in Orlando for 31 years - my entire life. I've lived near UCF, in Oviedo, Azalea Park, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, and Kissimmee. I haven't lived downtown, but I've spent a ton of time there and in the Mills 50 and Milk District areas. I should note that I am a single guy, and this is from my perspective. I'll try to break down my experience point by point. Climate: it is brutally hot here. I've heard some people claim that it's only been too hot as of the past few years - absolutely untrue. 9 months out of the year, it is very, very hot. 85 degrees or hotter, and it does not cool down much at night. 6 months out of the year, it's over 90 degrees, sometimes well over that approaching the 100s. It's also extremely humid here. It often feels like I'm walking into an oven leaving my house. If you really, really like the heat, Orlando may be for you. But in my experience, many end up staying indoors to avoid the heat when it gets really hot, like in the summer. Kind of defeats the purpose of moving here. There really aren't normal seasons. It's summer, brutal summer, and light/inconsistent winter here. It can get quite cold here during the winter months, down into the 30s (this is more so rare), but it might be 80 degrees or hotter the next day. You really can't expect the weather to stay consistently cool here. But, when it is cool, it feels pretty good here. I just wish it lasted longer. The sun is abnormally bright here as well. Invest in sunglasses or glasses with transition lenses and wear them outside every day. Your eyes will be in a constant squint otherwise; trust me. You'll have to constantly look down because it's so bright. People: I'd characterize the people as generally unfriendly. Not devils who are out to get you, but people who are self-involved and don't think much outside of that. People avoid eye contact here and will sometimes outright ignore your attempts to wave or talk to them. Most do not smile at you unprovoked. I have met some gems here, but generally my experience is that people are self-centered and not community minded. Southern hospitality doesn't exist here; don't think otherwise. It is very ethnically diverse here and there are a lot of Hispanic people. My high school was over 60% Hispanic. You will hear a lot of Reggaeton, Salsa, Bachata etc. blasting in people’s cars and you'll meet many people who do not speak English. That's just how it is. I worked at a pizza place in Azalea Park and had many people call in and order in Spanish. We had one guy who could understand them, but if he was out, they either wouldn't be able to order or they would reveal that they did actually know English, just didn't want to speak it. People here are mostly transplants, and no one seems to be on team Orlando. They rep the city that they left to come here. My experience at Orlando Magic games is that the fans are generally for the other team because they are from there. Driving: I'd say it's quite bad. Traffic is pretty bad, but certainly not NYC or LA bad. There’s just a lot of people here, and the infrastructure of the city can’t keep up. I always avoid driving between 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM on weekdays; I generally just don't do it. People drive unfriendly as well. A patented Orlando technique is to turn your blinker on at the very last second before getting over, because otherwise, people will speed up to not let you in. This is the norm. When I let people over, I can tell they are shocked because they hesitate for a really long time before changing lanes. Some people just won't come over; they'll wait until you speed up so they can get behind you. You'll see a lot of bad drivers here both in city and on the highway, speeding up and then slamming on the brakes when they hit traffic, repeat. It's what I'd call self-centered driving. In my opinion, people seem stressed and angry here, and it can make you feel that way as well. It shows in how they drive and act in general. Entertainment: There are certainly things to do here. Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure, Disney, Water Parks, places to bike, trails to hike, bars, restaurants, shopping centers, professional sports events, cultural events etc. I’ve not been to the Dr. Phillips Center of the Performing Arts, but the building is beautiful and it’d probably be great to check out for a concert. The beach is roughly an hour away. I do think FL is a great place to swim in general; I’d highly recommend getting a pool. You’ll be able to swim for 6-8 months out of the year at the least. I would not call Orlando boring, but if you have issues with the other things I’ve listed, namely the climate, you may not be motivated to go out and enjoy what it has to offer. Nature: This is purely preferential. There are a lot of rivers, swampy areas, pine forests, lakes, etc. The dirt is sandy here. There are nice parks that are certainly worth checking out if you dig the nature here. There are natural springs as well which are pretty neat, though they can get quite cold. New Smyrna, Daytona, and Cocoa beach are all roughly an hour away, depending on your area. I think New Smyrna is a great beach and that’s the one I’d recommend if you don’t want to drive too far. Orlando is as flat as a board – there are certainly no mountains here. I’m sure there is more I’m missing, but I don’t get out in nature as much as I’d like due to the hot weather. Crime: This one is a little hard. I’ve been lucky personally, but crime is absolutely here just like other cities. Unfortunately, that includes violent crime. I should note that at my high school, a boy was shot and killed before I was a student there. While I was a student there, two boys got into a fight, and one fatally stabbed the other in the neck. I’ve had strange things happen like someone followed me in their car all the way to my house (if this ever happens to you anywhere, drive to the police station). I would not call these common occurrences, but they did occur. I think you’ll generally be safe here, but you need to take note and stay out of the very bad areas such as Pine Hills. If there are bars on every single window in a neighborhood, it’s likely not too safe. Housing / Cost of Living: People have been moving here like crazy for my entire life. Thus, apartments and housing developments are being built indefinitely. The rent might be going up a bit, but this probably has a lot to do with the current state of things, including COVID. This is still one of the cheaper cities to live in. Taxes are generally low, and cost of living is pretty cheap in my experience. You get paid less here, as well. You just have to weigh everything out and see if it works for you. I think it's fair to say it's pretty affordable here, as long as you don’t live right in downtown Orlando. Schools: Can’t really speak to this. My public schooling was not great, but there are nice areas here that provide good schooling from what I've heard. Lake Brantley is one of the better ones in the Altamonte Springs area. However, it is getting pretty expensive to live there. You’ll have to research and see what works for you. Overall, Orlando is a 2/5 for me. It isn’t for me. If you despise the cold and 85-95-degree weather most of the year interests you, you love the beach and theme parks, you might really love it here. This is probably a better place to raise a family rather than living single. Ultimately, I can’t recommend it based off of my experience. I think there are better options out there. Certainly worse, as well.

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Orlando is a great place to live and work - 9/30/2021

I have lived in East Orlando for over 23 years. We do have some hot muggy summers, but generally, the weather is great almost all year round. There is so much to do, not just in Orlando but neighboring cities as well. We are also an hour drive from the coast. Orlando is a rapidly growing city with lots of new housing and city beatifulcation projects.

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Don't bother - 7/20/2021

This place is horrible. Traffic is hell, cost of living is insane and there are no "seasons".......just heat and humidity 10 months out of the year. When it does finally cool off some, half of New York and New Jersey comes here. The people are jerks and you better be bilingual.moving to this shizzlehole was a huge mistake.

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Truly on the worst places in America. - 12/17/2020

I lived in Orlando, FL for 10 (almost 11) years. I have lived in multiple areas of Orlando. It is truly one of the worst places I have ever lived in. Here are a few reasons why: 1. The amount people are paid versus the cost of living is astronomical. People truly are being told they are paid well when they can barely afford their rent and have to live with multiple people to get by. On average, someone working a professional job makes an average of $12.00/hr if they are lucky. The cost of rest for a 1 bedroom is about $1,200-$1,300 and that does not include everything else on top. The cost of a bedroom in a house with other people can cost about $650.00 to $900.00 and that is for a pretty crappy run-down place. It is also VERY hard to find a full-time job as most companies do not want to pay for full-time benefits. 2. You can make good money if you are a server or a few various other jobs, but expect to be selling your soul to whatever company you work for in doing the jobs. 3. The people truly are terrible. Native Floridians normalize certain behaviors such as lying, cheating, stealing, sexual harassment, and rape. It is more common to hear of people committing these acts (and repeating these behavior patterns) and getting away with it, or worse seemingly being rewarded for it. 4. Alcoholism and drug use are also normalized. People glamorize their need to rely on these substances as a form of "dealing with their issues" make decisions that continue to hurt themselves or others and then wake up and continue to repeat the same abuse over and over again. 5. They have the weird backward "bless your heart" mentality (AKA, be mean, gossipy, and judgemental, lie to people's faces) and consider being straightforward "mean." - I have found many people from the other places of America end up leaving Orlando because they find they can not communicate with those are originally from the area. It truly is not considered okay to say "please don't do x, y, and z" or setting a boundary, because to natural-born Floridians they consider that mean. 6. The people who do have morals or values often leave because they can no longer stand being around people who normalize hurting others on purpose or using drugs and alcohol to the excess of which many people in Orlando do. In conclusion, Orlando is a strange messed-up place with what many consider to be some of the worst humans on the planet. Once you leave and move to another place, you realize there is a better life with kinder people who do not make it a habit to lie, cheat, or steal. The average pay is better in other parts of the world and the cost of living (depending on where you go) is much more reasonable.

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Orlando has gone downhill - 11/12/2020

As a person who’s lived in Florida for 6 years trust me there’s no lies in these reviews 90% of them are spot on especially about orlando see the city has so much potential to be great but yet the arrogant, disrespectful people that live here will drive you away this is not disney far from it please do your homework before coming here I’d suggest to visit for at least a minimum of 3 weeks to really capture the overall vibe and even then you’d need a little more time because it looks nice does not make it nice , yes the weather is great year round for those escaping the snow up north or other parts yes your close to the beaches but I’d really consider anywhere else before orlando this is not a city you come to for advancement in life whatsoever the obvious is what you get paid anywhere else you won’t make here the overall rent is running up something crazy the homes values are sky rocketing as well if your intentions are to settle down get a good paying job , raise a family eventually buy a home I’d seriously suggest you look into texas or somewhere cheaper and friendlier not to say Florida as whole is bad because that isn’t the case the country sides are beautiful and still have affordable houses and if your bent on a city in fl go for Tampa before you go for Orlando honestly much of what I say may not matter until you come and get that feel because your friends or family probably make you believe otherwise but you’ve have to come and see it with your own eyes spend time in the city , driving around in i4 , 528 , 417 or 192 , even maybe us-27 head to the nearby stores walmart and anywhere you’d go to for essentials, food etc and then you’ll realize this is what it consists of everyday for the rest of your duration here if that’s the move you’d like to make btw no one here uses turning signals I understand that may also be the case in a lot of other major cities but if your not use to seeing that understand that to merge your always risking your life.

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Orlando, not really for me. - 10/14/2020

Long time Central Floridian. Orlando in some ways has gotten better, and some ways it has gotten worse. It just keeps getting hotter every year here. Only 3 comfortable months: January, Feb, March, and sometimes April. Otherwise you are looking at near 90F days, no seasons. My brains literally boil here. If that's your thing, have at it. During those 3 months however, the weather can be beautiful. Florida is excellent if you practice year round sports such as tennis or golf. I am a big tennis player, and it can be too hot at times, but you'll have more days out playing here than way up north. The traffic in orlando is not too bad compared to other cities like Atlanta and DC. It usually always flows if you know how to stay away from areas like west orlando I-4. There are a lot of regular people that live in Orlando....in other words, to me Orlando is not a "trendy" city. Real estate is still somewhat reasonable here. It's not like Seattle, Boise, Denver, where you can't buy a house for under $600k. The city of Orlando is not filled with tech bros or wallstreet bros. It's not a city full of educated people or academics. The bulk of Orlando is a melting pot of regular people mixed with rednecks, and a huge influx of immigrants that come from Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and other South/Central American countries or Island nations. Some of these groups of people do not get along, but overall it is a big mix. A lot of low level service workers, theme park employees that may or may not be out of work, hotel/restaurant/bar employees, and aerospace contract workers. This is good and bad. I appreciate the fact that there seem to still be "regular" people here, and I've lived in a place with a lot of tech/wallstreet bros, or trend chasers - and it's just annoying. The bad is that there's a lack of food scene and dense excitement to be offered other than the massive tourism blight of west orlando , which is not my scene. Orlando is not a foodie city. In fact, the food scene in Orlando has been absolute garbage and is just now only slightly getting better. You want James Beard and Michelin award winners, this is not your place. A lot of chains. If you know where to go and what to look for, you can find some nice spots. Winter park, winter garden, some areas around downtown, dr. phillips, lake nona, ect all have decent spots to hang. Florida guys are generally rough around the edges and less sophisticated - but you can find some educated ones that left the state and came back or whatever. There are also a lot of transplants. Florida women can be similar. Dating scene in Orlando is active but again, lacking educated and sophisticated people. I've found some good looking and genuinely nice women here, just have to really filter out the filth. There's a lot of trash, it's work to find the gems. A fair amount of nice looking transgender people here as well compared with other cities, the LGBT community is pretty decent in Orlando. It use to be nice to find positive multicultural people here coming to work from other countries like Japan, China, Thailand, Germany, France, ect ...but now that's less and less due to COVID and current political climate. Orlando is a spread out city, and you are constantly driving to get from one point to another. It's not a dense city. This lends itself to being in a place that feels like you have a lot of space to roam, and are not ever "trapped" in the city. But it also can be very inconvenient and draining to have to drive a lot just to get from here or there. Because it's boiling hot here most of the year, and a melting pot of different clashing immigrants along with rednecks - you have the loud and dumb people that just like to make noise either with their fart can exhausts, huge trucks, blasting stereos, street racing, juvenile and uneducated type behavior. A lot of angry and pissed jungle freaks everywhere all the time. The huge immigrant families that move here stuff like 12 people into one rented matchstick house with zero lot lines, and you'll see a lot of action at times coming from those neighborhoods. The rednecks from the surrounding counties are also pervasive. Some of them are harmless, and then some of them are a little too proud, loud, and dumb as bricks. Same with the immigrants. You got a jungle of trash on both sides. The "middle" regular and moderate type of people are shrinking in Orlando. You've had a general movement to extremes in social behavior and politics because one voice got louder, and the other countered just as hard. Very few people in the middle anymore, and it's not just Orlando - but I feel everywhere has become divided more than ever and people are choosing sides with very few reasonable types left in the middle road. Orlando lacks education, educated people, food, arts/performing arts, the trendy and sophisticated scene. I guess it might have it.....but it's far too spread out to sometimes even notice. Just like the people....there's some good ones in there, but a lot of cretins and gremlin type people clouding it all. Stupidity is rampant and growing....not just here, but everywhere.

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NO GO FOR SINGLE BRO! - 7/4/2020

Born in Jersey, lived in the heart of NYC my entire life, so a part of me will always love NY. Anyway, got into my 30’s and started looking at my future regarding marriage and kids, felt it was time to leave because I didn’t want to raise kids in the city. NY is great for a single guy, but I didn’t want to be selfish and date a women only to have her leave her friends and family behind just for me. Originally I went to L.A and absolutely hated the scene there with the whole celebrity, wannabe famous, who do you know social image nonsense. Went to San Fran and loved it but it was too expensive. Was planning to go to Texas but had a College buddy living in Lake Mary which was 20 min north of Orlando who offered a stay, so why not. Seriously you can experience everything Orlando has to offer by just going there on vacation. For a single dude it was completely underwhelming and sometimes dreadful. My bud had one of those dating apps and most of the girls I saw on there were average looking. I always been a fitness buff so most of the women I meet and dated were from the Gyms I worked out at. But even then, other than their nice bodies I never clicked or felt excited for any of them, the dates were just boring and so were the conversations. It is one of those cities that the girls let their Instagram illusion do all the talking but are very uninteresting in person. Even their personalities sometimes were a turn off. I seen girls reject and be very nasty to guys when I would go downtown, then turn around and be very nice to me with all smiles while playing with their hair. You would think I shouldn’t complain, but what that showed me is that the women there were selfish and only nice to certain people, a fakeness and that they genuinely didn’t have kind hearts. Cannot speak for everyone but those are not the type of women I want to introduce to my family. It just wasn’t the place for me. Was in Orlando for a little less than a year when I started looking at other cities in Florida. Jacksonville I didn't like, Tampa had a nice beach but still felt too Orlando-ish then finally I got to Miami and OMG! if you are a single dude I highly suggest, and I repeat HIGHLY suggest Miami. I promise you will see and meet some of the most sweetest and most beautiful women you will ever see walking the face of the earth. In one month, I’ve meet more attractive and genuinely good women, then in my entire time in Orlando. Funny enough after I moved down, my bud from Lake Mary came to visit for a week. A few weeks later he paid his way out of his lease and moved down as well lol. Will warn you Miami is more expensive but what is great about the city is anyone can make it here. You just need to hustle and aggressively look for good pay. Moving here with a friend will definitely help financially. But honestly, for guys who puts effort into their appearance and preferably have a College degree, don’t even bother with Orlando, it's more for kids and social media junkies.

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My thoughts on Orlando - - 5/11/2020

I moved from the Northeast to Florida about 12 years ago to escape the constant grey, cold and generally crappy weather that's a mainstay 8 months out of the year - lived in Orlando off and on for about 10 years and this is the deal..."uptown" Orlando is vacation land and is beautiful - people are generally happy because they're there on vacation and is a nice place to be - on the other hand, "downtown" Orlando is full of crime and homelessness just as any other city would be. I was shocked the first time I experienced the downtown area because I was under the illusion that all of Orlando was Disney World - not true. On the up side, if you're the type of person (like me) who despises the cold and wants a better quality of life more than 4 months out of the year, Florida is the place to be but instead of Orlando, I'd highly recommend the city of Stuart instead...it's on the Southeast coast about 25 minutes North of West Palm Beach and is positively gorgeous! Minimal crime and homelessness - 5 minutes from the ocean, it's been called a tropical paradise and when you get here, you'll see why! I recommend folks thinking of coming to Florida to stay away from the larger cities such as Tampa, Ft Lauderdale and Miami and stick to a smaller city or town... sending love from Stuart Florida! ??

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Meh - 1/15/2020

Hi, first I’ll like to say I don’t live in Orlando. I’m from San Diego but been working here on contract for almost 2 years and have the option to go home once a week per every month. Reading the reviews, I’d agree with most of them. One thing I notice is that it seems the men and women here don’t have friends of the opposite sex. Most guys I’ve come to know only have guy friends, and the women seem like it has the be something romantic or nothing at all. It’s odd because back home my friend ratios are 50/50. Is there something I’m missing!?? It has been ok experience here. I got to visit the tourist attractions which was cool and got to see a few Rocket launches from the coast, which was another highlight. But other then that!? Think people’s perception of Orlando is that it's one big Magic Castle surrounded by houses. Some other reviews mention it perfectly…its just a regular city. Think it your coming from the middle of nowhere Michigan or upstate New York, Orlando or any place for that matter is an upgrade. I lived in San Diego for almost 7 years now, Henderson, NV for 3, Atlanta for 2, Charlotte, NC for 2 and spent summers in NYC and Miami. I really don’t see the hype about Orlando, its been nice to see a new part of the country but there’s honestly nothing special here. Every city has traffic I’m just use to it now. Being from California, I do enjoy the weather because it is a little similar. But you do begin the miss the seasons change, because YES San Diego does have Winter. In Orlando it’s just always too hott 24/7 with minor cold fronts the last a few days. People here are rude, not really the friendliest place I’ve been TBH. I really can’t put my finger on it. but the atmosphere feels like people here are just angry, it just feels negative. My contract ends July 2020. I can’t wait to go back home. It was nice to visit but I really don’t understand why someone would leave everything behind to come here. My best advise would be visit Orlando first on a vacation for about a week or two. But don’t just stay near the attractions were things seems nice. Hang out at the local places to get a true feel for Orlando because it may or may not be for you. Also TRAVEL!!!! It’s a big country and there are MANY places out there that may be a better fit for you. Your not missing out on much here.

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Heres what I've learned - 11/8/2019

Honest, unbias and fair review. Lived here coming up on 9 years. Orlando's traffic isnt as horrible as some say. Just alot over very dumb drivers (40mph in a 70). But if you drive calculated and dont use your phone you can cut time. It's about the same in other cities. Haven't seen too many major accidents. Lived and visited many places and have to say Orlando comes in last next to Baltimore. The population is sky rocketing along with the cost of living. There"s 3 major Colleges in the area UCF, Valencia (5 campuses) and Rollins. With an ever growing population and alot of competition from College grads the "Good" salaries are getting hard to get. Its becoming a major issue. People cant save due to high rent and low salaries, i've heard many say they feel trapped. Average is 1100 for a small 1 bedroom. There's a housing shortage due to population. Might find something on the outskirts but for what u pay, 260k plus, you get a cheap cookie cutter house. Orlando has hands down some of the most unfriendly people i've ever meet. No one says Hi, no manners, alot of people have that "too cool for school" kiss my feet, egotistcal mentality. Sad to say its common. Dating wise, will admit i've done well as a single Man, few dozen 1 night stands, lot of dates. But long term relationship wise, it's not the place for it. Orlando is nothing but a temporary transitional city. Seen dozens of people both male and female get into relationships, only to see them single again less then a year later. Orlando was rated #1 for Cheaters (check AshleyMadison.com stats.) No character ,no culture just simply a cut and paste basic city. Orlando has swamp heat, very humid, Arizona is hot but nothing like this. However, well say the Spring weather can be nice. Crime is getting bad. Seems theres alot more murders and rapes lately. This is not happening in the sterotypical "Hood" its everywhere. Check Orlando's crime map to get a better idea. There is indeed alot to do. Themeparks, beaches, clubs, concerts etc are fun but dont expect to be living the fairytale. This is not everyday life. Overall I would give Orlando a 4 out of 10. You can come and have your fun but let it be temporary. Have afew months left on my Degree, once finished i'll be leaving. Most of my closer more sucessful friends have already left. Men, come have your fun, but if your looking for a quality attractive, smart Women for longterm possible Marraige/kids..check out Cali, Arizona or Miami. Ladies, you can have fun too, but will say my best friends (both attractive females). Went on many dates but decided to remain single. They left to other states, 1 is now engaged the other been dating for 3 years. According to them Orlando guys were fake. Retirees, save your money and check out Savannah, GA, SC, the Panhandle or Naples, FL. Being there they looked perfect for retirement. Families, I can't say, might be good considering the activities, but just take note of what I mentioned above. Hope this helps!

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Orlando, love it, lived lots of places, friendly - 9/17/2018

I do not understand why all the negative press on Orlando??? Maybe some of the people have only lived in Orlando area, or FL... I have lived in 8 states and Spain... I have lived in mostly metro areas on the east coast and mid west. My last move (just me, no one is with me) was from Boston to Orlando, I was done with the snow, the high cost of EVERYTHING (food, taxes, drinks, housing insane, utilities, etc... I could go on and on), the traffic of Boston (noon in Boston inner loop heading into Boston 10 miles is 1 hour, to give people perspective), etc... The only thing I am missing is the deep history of Boston/New England and my friends up there... Compared to other parts of the country Orlando is very friendly, I have no problem making friends, meeting people (Meetup), and finding things to do (meetup, events boards, etc...). Like many people have said on this blog Orlando metro area is very international, people from all over the world are here... just as much as the Boston metro area, they have specialty markets for several different nationalities here, festivals very low cost or free (much better than Boston). You can go to most places and hear different languages especially in the theme parks area. If you are a FL resident you can get FL resident annual passes to all the parks that would be paid for itself you went to any disney park 6 times (not all 6 times each, just 6 times), universal studios 2 times, etc... Epcot has concerts after 4pm, festivals, 20% off food, etc... all the other theme parks, 1 hour to 1.5 hour to the or Atlantic or Gulf coast, Tampa 1 hour to 1.5 hour, Daytona 1.5 hours, Miami 3 hours, lots of state parks that are cheap. Housing compared to comparable size metro areas on the East Coast this is one of the cheaper renting or buying. To give perspective in Boston I have friends that rent a room (not in Boston 15 miles out) for $1000 a month... with only bathroom privileges (no kitchen sharing). Apartment studio old, beat 15 miles out $1600+utilities... buying LOL... you need about $150k+ income to buy or drive 1.5 hours each way to work. Where I lived buying ranged from $500k (total knock down) to $2M+, again not in Boston... in Boston not in the ritzy area Studio basement condo $800k to start. There is NO STATE INCOME TAX in FL, you save 5-8% year just on that. Whether you rent or own a place you are going to have access to a pool (you are going to want this in the summer definitely). Is it hot in the summer, yes... but it is hot up north too in the summer, but I can were shorts, sandals, dresses, capri's all year round. Golf cheap unless you are in a private club, lots of rivers, lakes for boating/fishing... shopping tons of it if that is your thing... Cheap state colleges that are good, private secondary education is reasonable compared to other similar sized metro areas. I could go on and on... if you are the type of person that does not go out and explore and find your way in a new place, be open to meet new people and adventures you won't be happy in any move... you have to put out the effort to make new friends, connections, people.... if you are not more of an extrovert and outgoing you might have a hard time meeting people. I have had conversation with strangers at restaurants, department stores, etc... long conversations that ended into a friendship and do things together. I have lived here officially 7 month, I lived here for 2 years as a kid.

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Disgusting city - 9/3/2018

Orlando is not Disneyworld. I moved there for an executive job after being in South Florida for 8 years. It was a huge mistake and left the area exactly one year later. It's a bunch of rude people trying to hustle at the expense of others. Pretend to be your friend to see what you can give them. People walk by in the mall, on the street, just bumping in to people. No respect for others. It's all scams. Every man for themselves, no sense of community. The phrase I heard alot there is, 'no worries.' You should worry if you decide to move there. It's dirty and gross. Sitting at a red light outside the FL Mall one day I saw a rat the size of a cat walking along the median. Fly by night stores in strip malls line the entire area, And watch the local news. Constant home invasions and murders, even in the 'nice' areas. One morning I was up very early to take my dog out. A guy (50's, 60's) and very young girl at 5am demanded I let them through the security gate of my apartments even though they didn't live there. Said they had to visit someone in apartment 140.

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"Average" as can be - 5/7/2018

I lived in Orlando for five years as a young adult. The best way to sum up the city is average as can be. Orlando is fairly diverse but what nobody likes to mention is that it is extremely segregated. There are certainly well defined black neighborhoods, Puerto Rican neighborhoods, a small Vietnamese area with tons of their own businesses, and white families living just about everywhere else. It is more LGBT friendly than the average city in Florida. The city overall is very family focused with lots to do with kids. In general, people are not particularly nice or mean. They're friendlier than Miami's residents but definitely do not bring the southern hospitality and charm. Transport: Orlando is spread out with horrible traffic and never ending construction. A car is a must as the city is not at all bike friendly and not safe for motorcycles. During rush hour it can take nearly 2 hours to travel from West Orlando to East Orlando. Public transportation is lacking and the buses unreliable but the Sunrail offers those lucky enough to live near a station and work near a station great public transport. East Orlando/UCF area is notorious for drunk drivers and wrecks. West Orlando is nearly as bad since everyone driving is a lost tourist. Housing: Housing had only gotten drastically more expensive each year I lived there. Many apt complexes have waiting lists and houses for rent are difficult to come by. There are lots of planned communities further from Downtown and really is a "suburban dream life." Think tons of houses that look the same thrown up over night. Downtown, College Park, and Winter Park still have charming homes that don't fit that mold but they're becoming increasingly rare. Culture: Orlando does not have any real culture compared to other big cities and I'd say thats its biggest downfall. There are several art museums and big concert venues but this is not the place to move if you're looking for hole in the wall bars, local music, pop up art venues, co ops etc. People like to mention Mills Ave every time this comes up but 1 street sprinkled with the occasional unique shop is not culture imo. There is a thriving Disney culture with self proclaimed "Disney girls" just about everywhere. Orlandoans are huge Orlando City soccer fans. There are people of all religions in Orlando but mega churches and Christian radio stations do have a noticeable presence. There are some good restaurants and you can find any type of food but for the most part Orlando has a ton of chains. Entertainment: If you're not a fan of theme parks you're out of luck. There's movie theaters and bowling alleys, a few nice gardens, and great kayaking just north of Orlando but just walking around and checking things out isn't really a thing there at all. The beach is about an hour away. There are some okay bars downtown and near UCF but nothing to write home about. The thriving party scene is pretty limited to UCF which is basically it's own city anyways. It's not exciting. It's not horrible. It's not a great place for young adults if you're not a UCF student. It's not a 24/7 city but not sleepy. It's a good place for families.

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I will destroy the fantasy - 3/2/2018

I moved down here thinking everything was going to work. Well it didn't. If your not making management than you have to open up your own business or get some professional job. Good luck. The company's are making people do part time so they don't have to pay medical coverage. Some jobs want you to be by the phone. YOU HAVE TO GO to collage down here to get a degree is some profession if you want to live down here. The people and the traffic is the same wherever you live. All depends are luck, but the jobs was a nightmare. I would go back to where I once lived and start over again. Visit FLORIDA. Don't live in FLORIDA.

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I love Orlando but admit its not perfect - 9/20/2017

The over exaggerations of the negative compelled me to write this review, because the truth is that while yes Orlando is relatively low pay and high rent, it has many good things going for it. I have lived in Orlando for about 10 years and graduated from Valencia and UCF, working my up from starting at $7.25 an hour and now I make 50k. Of all the places I have lived (Illinois, Wisconsin, California, and Florida) Orlando is my favorite place I have lived. A few things you need to realize: -Yes certain parts of Orlando are over-run with tourists, but you don't need to live in a touristy area. Most areas of the city are not like that. However, yes if you do live in one of those areas (anywhere right next to Disney or I-Drive) the stores are always packed with long lines and it feels like you are the only American there. -Orlando is a very diverse city with lots of different things going on. Imagine large swaths of latino's, lilly white suburbia, northeastern expats, europeans, haitian's, and redneck south all rolled into one area. It's actually really neat and in my opinion is not a bad thing, I have lived in several different areas of the city and each has its own quirks. The diversity of cultures is one of the things that makes living here unique and fun. If you work in the travel/tourism industry you see so many different people from all over the world that after a while can tell where someone is from and what language they speak just by looking at them. If you can't stand heat then don't live here. It's hot almost all of the time. Period. If you are fine with it then, well, no problem! If you are in need of affordable higher education Valencia and UCF are both excellent and very affordable compared to what many other states higher ed has to offer. I don't know why there are so many negative comments about health care: Orlando has very good healthcare facilities. Florida Hospital and Orlando Health are the main two state subsidized "chains," I use Florida Hospital and my father uses Orlando Health, both are fine (my father just got his hip replaced and the care has been very good, the facilities are in very good shape, and they send doctors and physical therapists to his apartment). The state spends a ton of money on health care. Yes it's pretty much impossible to pay for without good insurance plan but it's like that everywhere in the USA not just Orlando. Oh, and by the way. If you're looking for awesome entertainment. -Disney: 4 parks (and the amazing new avatar land), 2 waterparks, and Disney Springs. -Universal: 2 theme parks (and the amazing Wizarding World of Harry Potter) and a water park. -Sea World has not only the park but an excellent waterpark as well (and Discovery Cove!). -Legoland -I drive 360 with the eye and aquarium. -Busch Gardens is not far away. -You are literally right in between Cocoa Beach and Clearwater Beach, then just up to the north are Daytona and Jacksonville, and if you want to go to Miami its a three hour or so drive (though I never go there because I like Central and North Florida a lot better). Also while yes most of the city is working poor, if you work your way up and live in (the newer part of) Winter Garden, Windermere, or Dr Phillips they are among some of the best places to live in the country. They are beautiful, have great amenities, close to everything, and really aren't that expensive in comparison to "upscale" in the rest of the country.

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Zero stars if I could... - 7/12/2017

I took my kids to Universal this past week. While Universal is wonderful, the city of Orlando itself is in shambles! Road construction is going on everywhere and we almost wrecked a few times due to the incompetent road sign placement from street workers. Our hotel was on International Drive near the Orlando Eye. While that area was built-up for tourism, I felt unwelcomed. Racial tension, domestic fighting, and compete disregard for others' personal space are what I encountered outside of the tourist areas. I didn't know I was going to Miami in central Florida! Like stated in the other reviews, I remember when Orlando was on top of its game decades ago. Now it's become a cest pool full of gun ammo strip malls, pay day loan centers, and generic chain stores. There's no respect for each other here. People will run you over in a crosswalk if it means getting their way first. Orlando used to be about family and fun. Now it's clear the only concern on residents' minds are getting their paycheck and doing the bare minimum. Orlando (not Disney or Universal) = poor to no quality or concern for others well-being.

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Orlando used to be great in the 90s - 7/11/2017

Not anymore! TRASH immigrants have overrun this city. There is no customer service, absolutely zero. So much for southern hospitality huh? The new residents don't respect this place at all. There's garbage alongside the roads, city water tastes nasty, and everything is overpriced. I'd be hard pressed to let my family stay anywhere outside of Disney. What a shame, not the Orlando that once was.

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