If you’re wondering what it’s like to live in Orlando, there’s no better place to look than the Internet.
One of the beauties of the Internet is the point that people can express their opinions and not be afraid of any repercussion. The illusion is, at any rate, that you can tweet what you want and hide behind some handle and nobody will be the wiser. This means people will blurt whatever is on their minds without much hesitation.
For example, one visitor notes Orlando has a decent sized Asian community — “more specifically Vietnamese businesses/restaurants on East Colonial/North Mills.”
Assuming that’s an honest assessment, if the presence of an Asian culture is something you are looking for, you will find one of a decent size when you get there.
What’s also important? Disney Land versus Disney World. “First off, Orlandoans may freak out if you confuse Disney World [which is in Florida – ed.] and Disney Land [which is in California – ed.],” wrote one observer.
Good point. Certainly, this shouldn’t be the case for someone moving from southern California to Orlando, but buyer beware, nonetheless. In the words of that writer: “We have some Disney freaks here in Otown,” she wrote, using Otown as a substitute for Orlando.
Sometimes it helps to get the local patter down, as well. Orlando is O-town at times, although the official nickname (I never heard of this before) is “The City Beautiful.”
Beyond that, an article entitled “Random Nicknames for Orlando, Florida,” can also be found online. That article jumps right in and lists these local euphemisms: Tollando, Jalando, Orli, the 407, Mouse-town and Florida’s Bellybutton.” That should make a newcomer feel right at home, when he doesn’t have to someone says, “How was your move to Mouse-town.” The Mouse, of course, is Mickey, who is the symbol for Walt Disney La- … I mean World, which is a dominant force in local economics.
Another observer writes that Orlando has “a huge military/modeling & simulation presence, so there might be a god chance for … jobs in that industry.” Good point. Look in Research Park by UCF, referring to the University of Central Florida, the home of the mighty Knights with a mascot called Knightro.
You’ll also want to commit to memory these two words if you move to Orlando: Lockheed Martin.
The huge company with a presence in many states runs two plants in Orlando that employ about 11,000 people. So the fate of Lockheed Martin and their defense contracting concerns have much to do with the quality of life in Orlando.
Great weather, a tourist town atmosphere and all that entails — great restaurants and ready-to-please service companies.
You need cross country movers to get from coast to coast or you need to price out storage units for your possessions until you find a place to settle down. Zillow lists 2,868 homes on the market in the Orlando area, making it a good place to step into the market with all those listings.
The last word: “Pros: Various cultures. Wide variety of foods. Not far from … beaches. … Kind of close to everything, shops wise. Always some kind of 5k every weekend. Oblivion Taproom,” writes another observer.
Another nickname I’d like to add is “the Capital of the Sun Belt.”
After all, in Orlando, the weather is unbeatable, the surf is nearby (Cocoa Beach is listed as a 65 minute drive from Orlando) and the nightlife is always happening. Orlando has an international airport, a commuter rail system, a bus system, 359 restaurants (listed on the Visit Orlando Web site), 18 golf courses, hometown and upscale shopping and 10 different theme parks.
And the Oblivion Taproom — of course.
Becky Wilcox is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about beauty, fashion, technology and more. She writes for Life with Lisa as well as several other blogs and websites. Check back soon for more from Becky.
