Orlando, the happiest place on Earth

I'm not kidding that that's the sign that was only 10 minutes from my house for the 2 years that I lived right near Disney. I could watch their fireworks, take a quick drive to Downtown Disney in just a few minutes, and  watch all of my neighbors go to work in their hideous Disney "costumes" every day. Now I live near Universal Studios, even closer than I did to Disney in fact, so I can experience all of the traffic that leads there - like I did when I was near Disney - but I'm also only a few minutes from the movie theater, restaurants, and of course, the theme parks. Not too shabby, I'd say. But the happiest place on Earth? Not quite sure, but it can be fun.

I read in the Guinness Book of World Records (from 2009, I think) that the most visited city in the world is Orlando (Florida). Of course I'm not surprised. All you need to do is go to Downtown Disney during Christmas vacation and you'll see the streets PACKED with people. Watch a movie at the theater at Universal's CityWalk and you can't even count the crowds of people leave the parks to go home. On a Wednesday night in May.

This is where I live. I've been in the Orlando area for 4 years and consider it home. It's the only place that E really knows well in the United States, though we've traveled along the east coast and into the Midwest a bit. I often think about the fact that many people spend their whole lives saving to go on vacation in Orlando, and we've gone to the parks so many times for free that it seems unfair. I mean, in 6 years I've never paid to go to Universal Studios and have never paid full price to visit Disney. Sea World has always been free since I'm a public school teacher, as has been Kennedy Space Center. It's really been awesome. Oh yeah, and Busch Gardens is close by and we've not paid full price there. Not even for parking if I remember correctly (and that is up to $15 these days). 

I'm glad that I took the opportunity to live and work in Orlando and to call it home. I've made AMAZING friends and am pleased with the university I chose for graduate school. I've had good jobs here and will miss it more than I think I will.

So here are a few observations I've made over the years....

I'm used to every other person working at a theme park, or at least knowing someone who does. I'm used to seeing a million different license plates on my way to work. 

There are street signs, highway signs, and billboards with directions all over the city. This is a city built for tourists; you can literally never get lost.

Tons of Brits come to America.

Brazilians really boost the economy.

I live where people vacation.

Living in Orlando means lots of touristy things to do (i.e. Arabian Nights, Disney's Food & Wine, just a drive away from the beach, Comedy shows, etc).

Butter beer (from Harry Potter) tastes better than it appears in the books. 

Although I already knew it, roller coasters rock.

Orlando, although you may not be the happiest place on Earth in my eyes, I'll miss you and all that you've given my husband and me. Thanks for the AMC movies, the restaurants, the theme parks, the shopping centers, the friends, the teaching jobs and the perks that have gone with it, the university, the sun, the proximity to other cities, the coast, and everything else that has helped make central Florida my home. Oh yeah, and your attraction has brought people that I love to the city to visit. 

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