• Mark Kaley moved to Orlando along with his spouse in 2004 to boost their household there.
• They moved into a much bigger residence, purchased annual passes to Disney World, and loved the hotter climate.
• Even as soon as his youngsters transfer out, he has no plan to go away Florida and prefers it over New York.

This as-told-to essay is predicated on a dialog with Mark Kaley, a 49-year-old PR supervisor who’s based mostly in Orlando. The next has been edited for size and readability.

I used to be born and raised in New York Metropolis however all the time knew I might ultimately transfer to Florida. I spent plenty of time vacationing there as a child and my spouse and I went to Disney World for our honeymoon.

I beloved the year-round heat climate and the slower tempo of life in Florida. Plus, my spouse and I needed to start out a household there as a result of the price of residing in New York Metropolis was too excessive.

We moved to Orlando in 2004. There was one thing concerning the life-style, the closeness to theme parks, and the climate that made me suppose it could be a superb place to name residence and lift children.

We purchased a four-bedroom home two miles behind Disney World. Earlier than we moved, we paid $1,500 a month in lease for our two-bedroom residence in New York, and the mortgage on our home was 33% greater than that, but it surely got here with extra space, a yard, a patio, and a storage.

We have lived right here for 16 years and have had three youngsters right here. Here is what it is wish to work, play, and lift children with Disney World in your yard.

There’s extra to Orlando than Disney World

Probably the greatest components about rising up in New York Metropolis was how there was all the time one thing fascinating to see. We might spend weekends exploring museums, making an attempt out several types of cuisines, strolling round completely different neighborhoods, and stumbling upon avenue gala’s. I needed my children to have an identical upbringing.

We dwell inside a number of miles of Epcot, Common Studios, SeaWorld, and Legoland. We go to these kinds of points of interest a couple of times a month, however we additionally do loads of different actions as a household.

Since over 70 million folks go to Orlando yearly, town is filled with actions and locations to see, resembling concert events or occasions on the Dr. Phillips Middle for the Performing Arts, Orlando Metropolis SC video games, spring-training baseball, the Orlando Science Middle, and the quaint downtown districts of Winter Backyard and Mount Dora.

A advantage of residing in Florida is the year-round heat climate, which lets us faucet into distinctive out of doors actions, resembling local people occasions and festivals, out of doors winter-sports applications, and swimming. I additionally coach my youngsters year-round in soccer, basketball, and flag soccer.

I do miss the seasons up north, however I nonetheless favor Florida.

Not everybody who lives right here is obsessive about Disney

Our household has plenty of love for Disney World, however not everybody in our neighborhood is Disney-obsessed. We’ve associates in our group who do not go to the parks as steadily as we do and a few who do not take their children in any respect as a result of both the fee is prohibitive or they simply do not prefer it.

Some individuals who aren’t obsessive about Disney dwell locally as a result of being so near Disney can improve the worth of their houses. Others select to dwell close by as a result of if a hurricane hits and houses lose energy, we frequently get our energy restored shortly since we share a grid with Disney World.

Lots of people in our space work at Disney World or at a associated property, however there are many different booming industries right here as properly. I am a PR supervisor at Otter Public Relations, which is not related to the theme parks in any respect.

It isn’t as costly because it appears to eat and play right here

Disney World is understood to be costly, however we now have annual passes. A day cross for one of many parks begins at $109 an individual. For $799 an individual a yr, which is what we pay — or $1,500 for non-Florida residents — my household and I can go to the parks each time we would like throughout the yr, apart from on sure blackout dates. On common, we go two or 3 times a month. It is value it for us — and the cross additionally comes with a 20% low cost on eating and merchandise.

Regardless that we dwell in a touristy space, there are fairly priced eating choices, particularly in the event you go a number of miles away from the parks. A few of the greatest Italian meals I’ve ever had is barely about two miles from our home and dinner for 4 is about half the value it’s within the touristy locations. I additionally discovered a neighborhood, fairly priced Chinese language spot that jogs my memory of the meals I had in New York.

If we need to eat in a preferred restaurant throughout peak trip instances, we’ll typically wait an hour or two to get a desk. It may be irritating, so I simply do not put myself in these conditions. It might be good to must plan much less typically, in fact, however there are trade-offs to residing in any space.

I’ve realized how one can keep away from busy areas and streets

Residing close to Disney World does include visitors and avenue congestion, however you discover ways to keep away from it by taking aspect streets or studying the optimum instances to go away the home for the day.

We additionally know that it is best to keep away from the theme parks throughout Christmas, Thanksgiving, or another lengthy weekend. Every part is extra crowded and it is not as pleasant for us locals to be within the combine. Throughout busier instances, we discover different lesser-known points of interest, resembling Enjoyable Spot America or the Crayola Expertise.

I am fortunate I do not have to be within the extra-crowded Magic Kingdom to observe the particular New 12 months’s Eve fireworks — I can watch them from my yard.

Regardless that my spouse and I’ll quickly be empty nesters, we now have no plans to go away. It is the place we set our roots, raised our household, and gave our children one thing that few different children can develop up with — magic of their yard.