Best places to live in or near Orlando Florida?

I'm starting a new job in Orlando and thus have to relocate. I don't want to live somewhere where everything screams Disney. Instead I'd love to move to a nice suburban area with low crime rates, good schools and with all the essentials (shopping etc) close by. Any recommendations? Please explain in your answer why you picked a specific place. Thank you very much!

Public Comments

1. actually kissimmee is the one that screams disney, cuz thats where disney is....most of orlando is nice though, kinda expensive in some parts, but nice. good luck
2. I would suggest Hunter's Creek. This is a nice area that is just outside of the parks, but not too close. It is not in the city but it is close to stores and activity. I definitely would not pick Kissimmee. That area is pure tourists and not a very cleanly area. Here is a website that might be helpful to you. Just put in a zip code and it will list registered sex offenders in that area. http://meganslaw.com/ One of the zip codes in Kissimmee is 34746. Best of luck to you and your new job.
3. I live in Orlando, well on the outskirts of Maitland, it is great! It is far enough from Disney and all the hub-bub, but close enough so we can go anytime. It takes up about a half hour to get to Disney. I would recommend Mailtland because there are a lot of nice neighborhoods and it is so close to great restaurants and shopping, as well as other things to do! I also recommend Altamonte Springs, right next to Maitland, just a little north. Lake Mary is also nice and has really good schools (if you have kids) but is a little further north (east). Winter Park is ultra nice, but on the expensive side. WInter Park has a great village with a movie theater, lots of restaurants and shops, but then again, you can find this anywhere in Florida. Winter Gargen is a cute little area... it all depends on how far away from everything you want to be and how much you want to or can afford to spend on a house. Winter Park is going to be the most $$, along with Celebration, Windermere and Heathrow. The more moderately priced communities are in Maitland, Altamonte, Winter Park.... Hunters Creek is in Kissimmee, but in the nice part of Kissimmee. It too is sort of close to shopping and restaurants, but it is a HUGE neighborhood and kind of far from all of the really god things Orlando has to offer. Hope this helps!
4. MetroWest! One of the best places I've ever lived in Orlando and I grew up in Orlando, from Altamonte Springs to Oviedo to Maitland and Longwood, I've lived there. MetroWest is by far the best community I've ever lived in. Dr. Phillips, another great area is just 10 minutes from MetroWest. It's a short commute to downtown Orlando (15 minutes). It's a short commute to Universal for a great night out at City Walk (15 minutes). It's a short commute the best mall in Orlando, the Millenia Mall (10 minutes). It's a short commute to some of the best restaurants like Roy's Steakhouse and Timpano's Chop House (10 minutes). MetroWest is a very safe community located around a golf course, so almost every apartment in every complex has a golf course view. You regularly see people riding their bikes, jogging or roller blading through the community from 6 in the morning to late in the evening. The community is always taken care of with well manicured lawns and flower beds. The local grocery store, Publix is located within the heart of the community less than 5 minutes from within MetroWest. The local elementary school is an A+ rated school. I highly recommend this community. :)
5. I fell in love with the town of Celebration this year. I'm trying to convince my husband to move us there! It is located 3 miles from Disney World and is owned by a Disney sub company, but it in no way screams Disney. It has the best hospital in Orlando right outside it's gates, is quiet, has a terrific school, and is charming beyond all belief. Check it out at: http://www.celebrationfl.com/
6. orlandohomes4rent.com that is the site for remax's rentals in the area metrowest is good i live out there . it has the map function so you can see were the apts are located metrowest , dr philips stay away from south semoran blvd and the pine hills area . good luck with your move the JOB market down here is on fire . classifieds are in the Orlando sentinel news paper .
7. Depends on your price range and if you want a house/apartment/condo, etc... Someone mentioned Metro West which is a nice area as long as you stay closer towards Conroy-Windermere RD and not Colonial (aka 50), although it is definitely a huge price difference within that short distance. Dr.Phiilips is nearly identical to Metro West just a little pricier, nicer, and "older". Windermere is a gorgeous area not far from Disney (about 20minutes) but no where near tourists. A lot of Orlando celebrities stay in Windermere so it definitely is "high end" and pricey. Celebration I've seen from afar but know that it is pricey to stay there. Someone said that they have the best hospital in Orlando area, I disagree 100%, they were the rudest bunch I have ever met the few times I had to go there. Kissimmee is not the place for you if you want to get away from Disney, nothing but tourists there. Hunter's Creek is where 90% of Hispanics live, and there are Spanish shops and restaurants everywhere, but a real nice area. Currently I live in Clermont, just down the road from Disney and is a fairly new area so prices are probably the lowest in the area that you can get. Although the closest mall is FL Mall and about 45minutes away. I have lived in Central FL for the past few yrs and graduated from high school here, so if you have any more questions please feel free to ask.
8. dont move to florida stay up north
9. having lived there 10 years before moving out here to SoCal I would look at Winter Park and Maitland. A+ schools, shopping, little crime. Hunters Creek is in the boon docks unless your going to the airport everyday, Metro West is nice if you stay in the community and don't venture far from it, Kissimmee is like Vegas minus the casinos. Don't go anywhere near Orange Blossum Trail, and most of all prepare yourself for oppresive heat and humidity 9 months of the year. Good luck and see if you can get a transfer to California!
10. College park, just Northwest of downtown. I lived there for 4 years. I could walk or ride a bicycle anywhere I needed to go. Edgewater High School is nearby and rated one of the best in the area.
11. Anywhere in Zip Code 32837 is nice, new and not that expensive. Close to everything, good schools, malls close by and lots and lots of restaurants close by.
12. Hunters Creek, or Dr Phillips area - if you are looking for good schools don't come to Florida.
13. Myself have lived in orlando for 10 years lived in two areas one is younger then the other. Altamonte Springs/Longwood, Great school, Lake Brantley top rated high school in the country can't go wrong. But the area is alittle older, in age of the population and not as much new building going on since it is all built up. I recently moved out toward, Waterford Lakes/Avalon park area great young side of town, plenty to do and lots of shoping plus you don't need to bother with I-4 you have a qucker painless drive on the toll roads. Great young area it is where most of the graduates of the UCF have been settling down.
14. Maitland or Winter Park, definately! They are right next to eachother so I won't go into detail about each one. They are very nice suburban areas with lots to offer. The crime rates are very low as far as I know. I never had a problem while living there. The schools are excellent. Lake Sybelia and Dommerich(possibly Lockhardt and Lakemont) are some of the best in Orange County. Followed by Maitlland, Lockhardt, or Glenridge Middle schools. Maitland is the best and has been an A school for many consecutive years. They have the most to offer with excellent music and athletic programs. The High Schools are Winter Park and Edgewater. Winter Park is an A school with outstanding extra curriculars and Edgewater is a nice C school, almost a B. Shopping is awesome. Altamonte Mall is 5 minutes away, and there is a new publix right in town. More construction is being done for more office buildings and to make the existing ones nicer. They are also 15 minutes away from downtown taking I-4. Other recommended cities closeby: Altamonte Springs Longwood