So,. I'm in Orlando

[Lippa]

I'm in Orlando until Thursday for work. I've heard people tell me how awful this place is, including a friend who moved here and then moved back within 6 months. I thought they were exaggerating. They weren't. Observations:

-The entire town is one big strip mall. It's all really long, really straight divided roads lined with stores.
-If Cops was a staged show, the streets of Orlando would be the set.
-Every building seems to have a courtyard, and they all have that same, cheap, ceramic look to them.
-There are no neighborhoods. Everything is just a housing development that's attached to the main, divided road.
-The colleges look like apartment complexes
-The food sucks, and sucks bad. First, everything is a chain reataurant. Second, something about the food justs tastes off. I was talking to a guy who is originally from New York, he says it's because they can't get the dough right because of the water. He's been down here for 4 years and say he has yet to find a decent slice of pizza. I got a meatball sub from this place that everyone was raving about. The sauce was the same generic crap you get at every fast food joint.
-On the plus side, the women are hot.

[Razzy]

Orlando never struck me as a place to have a lot of charm.

I read Cyurbia http://www.cyburbia.org/ , a website about city planning and talks about the desireability (or lack of) different cities, and no one there had much good to say about Orlando either.

[Turd Ferguson]

Look at the bright side - if you find yourself in need of a T-shirt, you should be within walking distance of at least 5 or 6 T-shirt shops.

[_#7]

QUOTE(Lippa @ Nov 9 2005, 08:14 AM) Quoted post

I'm in Orlando until Thursday for work. I've heard people tell me how awful this place is, including a friend who moved here and then moved back within 6 months. I thought they were exaggerating. They weren't. Observations:

-The entire town is one big strip mall. It's all really long, really straight divided roads lined with stores.
-If Cops was a staged show, the streets of Orlando would be the set.
-Every building seems to have a courtyard, and they all have that same, cheap, ceramic look to them.
-There are no neighborhoods. Everything is just a housing development that's attached to the main, divided road.
-The colleges look like apartment complexes
-The food sucks, and sucks bad. First, everything is a chain reataurant. Second, something about the food justs tastes off. I was talking to a guy who is originally from New York, he says it's because they can't get the dough right because of the water. He's been down here for 4 years and say he has yet to find a decent slice of pizza. I got a meatball sub from this place that everyone was raving about. The sauce was the same generic crap you get at every fast food joint.
-On the plus side, the women are hot.
[/b][/quote]



Could be worse, you could be stuck in NJ thru Friday, like me. Brunswick at that. Go back home for Sat then back on the bird to Jax on Sunday for next week.

And yea, the I've heard the excuse aboot the water and pizza dough before. I thought the guy was full of it. Must not have been.

[ChiTownBluesFan]

Orlando is fine as an airport destination for heading to Disney World.

Aside from that, everything Lippa said is true.

And I'm noticing a lot of the same qualities in Atlanta.

[AWSmith98]

I won't go back to Orlando again unless I'm staying on property at either Disney or Universal. I was there for a conference 2 years ago and hated it, we were on International Drive.

[Dr.Gonzo]

Uhg.

I-4 constuction is infuriating.

[Lippa]

It seems devoid of any kind of culture, charm or personality.

[Dr.Gonzo]

QUOTE(Lippa @ Nov 9 2005, 08:36 AM) Quoted post

It seems devoid of any kind of culture, charm or personality.
[/b][/quote]

Thank Walt for that one.

[Moe_Szyslak]

It's one of the worst, IMO. I dread it. Airport security lines going home are awful, too.

Hard for me to understand why so many super wealthy athletes live there.

[Moon Man]

In general, Florida just plain sucks.

Its only redeeming virtue is the Keys.

Moon

[Turd Ferguson]

QUOTE(Moon Man @ Nov 9 2005, 08:58 AM) Quoted post

In general, Florida just plain sucks.

Its only redeeming virtue is the Keys.

Moon
[/b][/quote]
I hear Pahokee is a vibrant community filled with interesting people* and lovely historical buildings**.
















* migrant workers
** boarded up ratholes

[AWSmith98]

I was in Orlando over Labor Day weekend, coming home they had 3 lines of security open....

[ChiTownBluesFan]

Lippa...

If you're at all near Disney, there are some good places to eat there if you can find them.

The one off the top of my head - there's an Italian place inside the Swan or Dolphin (forget which one) that's pretty good, although a little pricey.

If you had the time and money, I'd suggest getting a ticket to Epoct - I think their wine and food festival is still going on there. Along with the restaurants in the coutries themsevles (Canada has a pretty damn good steak place - at least by orlando standards), they have 27 booths set up with food and wine/beer from different countries. Pretty damn good, but even at $3.50 a portion (average - smaller portions) for both food and booze, the prices can still add up. Still highly recommended.

[AWSmith98]

If you're close to Disney, there is a restaurant at the Polynesian called Ohana....you'll drop about 30 bucks on the meal, but it's all you can eat chicken, steak, pork and shrimp.

I agree with ChiTownBlues, go to Epcot if you can.....