You’ve had an amazing day at one of the Disney parks, the sun sets, and the fireworks end. You make that last walk down Main Street before your vacation ends and it hits you: that “Disney Depression”. At that point, even a Disney churro won’t cure your sadness. You make your way back to your hotel or your car and you already start thinking about when you’ll be back to the parks.
MOVING TO THE MOUSE
Many of us Disney fans have the dream of moving closer to the magic, whether it’s Anaheim or Orlando. We join Facebook groups, watch YouTube videos, and join forums related to real estate near the theme parks. Our goal is to be able to live as close to them as possible so that we can buy an annual pass and be able to visit them to our hearts’ content because we love Disney THAT MUCH. And you know what? That’s perfectly okay!
Many of our friends and family think we’re crazy to want to move for a theme park. They say that it’s foolish, or ask why we’d move so far away from family, or that we’ll get tired of the parks. However, there’s nothing wrong with moving somewhere that’ll make you happy, even if you have to make some sacrifices.
On all our trips to Disneyland, I never wanted to leave and I literally wanted to cry once we started driving off and we passed by the Disneyland sign. To help me with the “Disney Depression” once I got back home, I would listen to Disney podcasts, or watch Disney vloggers on YouTube to give me my daily dose of Disney.
DESTINATION: ORLANDO, FLORIDA
As I got older and started thinking about retirement & my fondness for Disney parks, I decided that I want to move near Disneyworld in Florida and started doing research on neighborhoods near Orlando. I joined Facebook groups, watch vlogs about neighborhoods near Disneyworld, read blogs about the experiences of people that moved there, and I gathered as much information as I can about making the move from the Bay Area, California to Central Florida.
I realized that I’m not alone and so many Disney fans want to make that move from wherever they lived in the United States. Even though I can’t make the move just yet, since I still have a long way until retirement, I love researching to see if it will be the right decision for me and my family. Before I make any life choices, I will definitely plan a 2-week long Disney trip to Florida to check out the parks, the neighborhoods, and the lifestyle OUTSIDE of the parks and see if it’s a right fit for me.
PROS OF MOVING NEAR DISNEY
PROXIMITY TO DISNEY & OTHER THEME PARKS
I’ve always dreamed of being an annual pass holder and being able to visit Disneyland or Disneyworld any time of the year. I envision myself going to work then going to one of the parks for some dinner, drinks, snacks, or a couple of rides, shows, or just hanging out and people-watching.
SAVING MONEY ON AIRFARE & HOTEL
Instead of spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on airfare plus the stress of travel, wouldn’t it be better to be closer to where your “heart’s desire” is? Most Disney fans make as many Disney park trips as often as they can, but you can cut costs the closer you are to your happy place.
FLORIDA RESIDENT DISCOUNTS
As a Florida resident, you get discounts on Disney cruises since most of their ships depart there. You can purchase the following annual passes below (when available) which are highly discounted compared to their top tier “Disney Incredi-Pass” for all guests at $1399 (as of April 2023):
- “Disney Pixie Dust Pass” for $399
- “Disney Pirate Pass” for $749
- “Disney Sorcerer Pass” for $969
- “Disney Incredi-Pass for $1399
BEING ABLE TO TAKE YOUR TIME
When you’re on vacation, you’re on limited time and you sometimes feel like you have to rush from one attraction to another. It can be stressful and you can be left feeling like you didn’t get to do enough, especially since some attractions can have long lines. When you live close to the parks, you can take your time, without all the stress of feeling like you have to do EVERYTHING. You can enjoy all the different seasonal events like Epcot Food & Wine or Epcot Flower & Garden. I love the ambiance of the parks during Halloween and Christmas and being able to experience all those events year-round is just magical with something to look forward to every season.
DISNEY BUDDIES
When you live near Disney, you will be around other kids & adults that love Disney as much as you do so you’ll always have that happiness to share with those around you who appreciate the magic. Or, if you are an introvert or like to navigate the parks alone, you have the comfort of always knowing you can hop in a car or other transportation and enjoy the parks at your own pace or choose a quieter time to go with fewer crowds.
STAYCATION & RESORTS
There are over 25 Disney resorts to visit or stay at near Disneyworld. Living near Disney, you can opt to do a “staycation”, choose a Disney resort and utilize the Monorail, Skyliner, boats, or buses to get to your park of choice. You can also go resort-hopping and enjoy all the architecture, art, restaurants, snacks, bars, and free activities that Disney has to offer. Disney Springs is also a cool place to visit when you want to find new Disney merchandise, new foods to try, go watch a movie, or just walk around and window shop.
NO MORE “FOMO” (FEAR OF MISSING OUT)
A lot of us Disney fans experience FOMO when we scroll through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube when we see everyone else experiencing Disney attractions, shows, foods, snacks, cavalcades, parades, events, characters, and all the other magic the parks provide. How awesome would it be to be able to enjoy all these things instead of your phone or computer, but in person without the stress of having to cram everything all in one day?
THE CONS OF MOVING TO ORLANDO
Of course with the positives, there are also the negatives to factor in that many people that made the move to Orlando have mentioned. There is the Florida heat, traffic, tourists, hurricanes, bugs, alligators, and other factors to consider before relocating to be closer to the magic. I always take in the recommendations of people that have made the move to take a non-Disney-related visit to the Orlando area and see what neighborhoods you may possibly want to move into. After all, vacation is VERY different from real life.
Lower wages in Central Florida are also a factor you should consider when relocating. Many people that moved to Florida in 2020 up to now, have been fortunate enough to be able to work remotely and can afford to purchase a home in an Orlando neighborhood with the same work wages as the state they left. In my case, I’ve been deemed an essential worker and it’s not easy to just pick up and leave my home state and the majority of my family resides in California.
A DREAM IS A WISH YOUR HEART MAKES
As I take in all the advice from different people that have made the move, my dream of moving to Orlando is on the horizon. It may or may not come true, but it definitely is a goal I’d love to pursue even though living next to San Francisco, California has its perks too. Disneyland has its charm, knowing that the park was designed by Walt Disney himself and knowing that he walked down the same Main Street as you are when you’re there is pretty amazing.
Even if I’m unable to make the move to Orlando just yet, I still do a lot of research on the topic, and I love watching people document their experiences online that have followed their dreams and moved near Disney. I guess I live vicariously through them for now, and even though their lives aren’t “perfect” (because no one’s life is), I see that with the majority of Disney fans, they didn’t regret their move. I always say, go where your heart is happy, and Disney is my happy place, so maybe sometime in the future, I’ll be living ever-closer to the magic.