Today I had the pleasure of interviewing the Mark Vitek. For those of you that love following Disney blogs, you may have read some of Marks work at WDW Fan Zone, where he is a contributing columnist.
Meet The Vitek Family
Scott: Who took the plunge? Mark: Myself, my wife Jen Vitek and our children Catie and Ben.
Scott: When did you take the plunge? Mark: We took the plunge back in July, 2011.
Scott: Where did you move from? Mark: My family and I moved here from Fond du Lac, WI
Scott: What area of Florida did you move to? Mark: We moved to Clermont, FL which is in South Lake County.
Scott: Why did you choose that area? Mark: We wanted an area that was close to Disney but outside of the “tourist areas”. And Clermont is also very much like our old hometown.
Scott: Did you choose to buy or rent when you took your plunge and why? Mark: We chose to rent, primarily because we want to really know where we best want to move to when we do buy.
Scott: Why did you relocate to Florida? Mark: Disney and the weather. Yes, it is hot and humid; but we don’t shovel the heat or humidity. And we loved Disney too much to always have to leave.
Scott: Did you have any problem finding a job after you took the plunge? Mark: I had just begun working from home full-time just before we moved. It was the main reason we were able to move in 2011 and not in 2013/2014 as we had originally planned.
Scott: What was the most difficult thing about your move? Mark: For us, it was leaving our oldest son behind. He is in college and wanted to finish school there.
Scott: Now that you have taken the plunge, what are your 3 favorite things about living in Florida? Mark: Number one on that list is the great people we have met; those who had lived here, those who have since moved and those who visit on vacations. Second is the awesome weather between October and March. Our third favorite thing is being able to visit Disney on our ‘daycations’.
Scott: What advice would you offer to anyone considering taking the plunge? Mark: I would tell anyone considering to take the plunge to follow your heart and follow your dream; but be sure to do all your research (at least as much as you can) before you make any final decisions. We have met some people who learned too late that living in FL wasn’t all they expected or they missed family and friends they left behind. So make sure to think everything through.
Scott: How far from Walt Disney World do you live? Mark: We are about 15 miles ‘as the crow flies’, a 40 minute drive.
Scott: What is your family’s favorite Disney Park? Mark: The Magic Kingdom, because it is the center of the Magic.
Scott: What is your family’s favorite Disney attraction? Mark: As a family, we love Pirates of the Caribbean!
Scott: What is your family’s favorite Disney restaurant? Mark: It’s so hard to pick just one. Chef Mickey’s and The Crystal Palace currently tops our list of favorite Disney restaurants.
Scott: Who is your family’s favorite Disney character? Mark: Mickey, of course.
Scott: Do you have anything else you would like to share with the readers? Mark: Do not let anyone convince you to not follow your dream. Your dream is your dream and it is for you to follow, not for someone else to guide.
Scott: Mark, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to Taking the Florida Plunge. I’m honored to have your family follow our page and I look forward to your future columns at WDW Fan Zone. Hope to see you and the family in the parks soon!