Disney’s Celebration Town, Florida 🇺🇸

Part of my Real Florida Guide

You could be forgiven by first entering the gated land of Celebration and thinking where in the hell am I? Think Stepford Wives, think the Trueman Show. Celebration can seem almost too perfect, a suburban utopia (or is it?).

Just a short distance south of the Disney parks, you’ll find the intriguing little town of Celebration, hidden away from the ‘raucous’ activity on the 192 strip. For those of you with cars, you can drive here easily, exiting at 62 off the Interstate-4.

It is here where the birds sing happily in the trees, the sidewalks are spotlessly clean, the people walk round with smiles on their faces and frankly, nothing is out of place.

The first thing that will strike you as you drive into Celebration is the gorgeous houses. They are amongst the most stunning you’ll see in central Florida, with perfectly manicured lawns complete with white picket fences. If you go during ‘holiday season’ (Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas), expect to see quite the display! Even if you don’t visit then, the porches will still be decorated with patriotic flags or a handcrafted floral wreath on the door. Just another sunny day in suburbia… 

A community created by Disney

Here’s the history: Celebration was created by none other than the Walt Disney Corporation back in the 1990s. It’s vision – to be the ‘perfect place to live’. The idea, to replicate the 1950s ‘American dream’.

With a $4 billion investment, this small town was designed with a plan in mind to be a safe haven where residents felt able not to lock their doors. It seems almost ludicrous to suggest such a possibility, given it’s neighbouring Kissimmee – but nonetheless, Disney saw this as an opportunity to build an idyllic neighbourhood where everyone was everyone’s friend and criminality had no place.

In a town so eager to be pure and clean, ‘crass’ billboards are strictly forbidden here, unlike in the rest of the state of Florida. No, you won’t see any adverts for Taco Bell, Wendy’s or some dubious law firm here. Heaven forbid!

In Disney’s words “Celebration would be a fresh start in a world gone wrong”. You could argue that with the Disney Corporation’s very own expensive and extensive money pit theme parks, they themselves are a contributor to the modern, material world. But, I ain’t here to judge!

Being within such close proximity to the Disney parks, yet tucked far enough away from the busy Orlando traffic, Celebration was always destined to be the desired place to live in Central Florida. It’s not every day your local taxi firm is a horse-drawn Cinderella carriage…

In fact, anyone wishing to purchase one of the prestigious first homes built within Celebration (of which there were over 400), had to be entered into a lottery to win the chance. Competition was that fierce!

Living in ‘The Bubble’

Celebration has a large community of neighbourhoods, separated into little ‘villages’. Residents enjoy everything their heart desires, right on their doorstep; a thriving cafe scene, cute independent shops, lakeside walks, a bank, a church, a hospital, a cinema, a dentist, a golf club, a school, a whole host of restaurants – you name it, Celebration probably has it!

Top Tip: On the subject of restaurants the restaurants, my favourite is Thai Thani for tasty, authentic cuisine. I also highly recommend the Town Hall Tavern for its delicious lobster rolls and indulgent ‘Mudslide’ cocktails, as well as Columbia for a refreshing jug of sangria….bliss.

As idyllic as it all sounds to call yourself a resident, you can’t buy property in Celebration unless you are willing to abide by the strict ‘Community Charter’. This 160-page document lays down a long series of rules, covering all manner of instructions. It will tell you what plants you are allowed to grow in your front garden, how high you must keep your grass and the fact that you must display ‘something Mickey Mouse’ in your home. No, I’m not kidding!

Some might understandably deem this set of rules somewhat ‘over the top’. To this end, Celebration has also earned itself a reputation as being pompous, out-of-touch and false, on top of the idyllic. Let’s face it, Celebration is a little like marmite – you either love it, or you’re freaked out by it. I’m still firmly in the camp of the former.

Murders? In Celebration? 😱

Surely not? But yes, it’s true. Even the most perfect places can have their share of grizzly goings on! Despite its ‘whiter than white’ reputation, there has, in fact, been a couple of murders that have taken place in Celebration since it was built in the 90s.

Back in November 2010, a teacher was strangled with a shoelace in his Celebration home and viciously bludgeoned to death. His body was not discovered until days later, by a neighbour. His killer, a homeless man, claimed that the victim had tried to sexually assault him, prompting the attack. Following his death, others in the Celebration community then came forward to claim that the deceased had indeed molestered children in his care.

More recently, in April 2022, a former physical therapist received life imprisonment, having been found guilty of murdering his wife, children and dog in their Celebration home!

This ain’t no Disneyland….

It just goes to show that you never know what goes on behind closed doors, white picketed fences and fixed smiles.

The Lakes around Celebration

Away from the deaths and back to the delights….Celebration is built on old swampland so it’s no surprise that the town is connected by a series of magnificent freshwater lakes.

On the main lake stands the oh-so-spectacular Bohemian Hotel, with waterside views to die for. I have been lucky enough to stay here on a few occasions and it has earned the title of ‘my favourite hotel of all time’. I just love it – classy, spacious, smells of expensive scented candles and perfectly situated to soak up all that Celebration has to offer, right on the doorstep.

It’s not cheap (around $200 a night, 2022 prices) but it’s worth it. Hey – you’re worth it.

Hours can pass in a heartbeat when you walk around these lakes, taking in the array of wildlife, impressive mansions and the Florida sunshine. Theres also a bike rental too, if you want to see the sights by saddle. No traffic, no chaos, just peace and tranquility. Now that has to beat hours spent queuing to ride a rollercoaster at a theme park!

Tip: The best place to start your lake walk is on Front Street, near to the Bohemian Hotel. The walk around the main lake is about a mile, but there are plenty of interlinking lakes to explore too. The paths and walkways make navigating your way around easy. No two visits around the lakes are ever the same, thanks to the ever changing flora and fauna.

If you love wildlife….

David Attenborough wannabes – get yourselves down to Celebration with your cameras! If feathery, furry (and scaly) creatures, big and small are of interest, you will be in seventh heaven in Celebration! The wildlife here is incredible and much like the flora and fauna, you’ll see different creatures each time you visit. Something interesting will be lurking in the bushes, hiding in the trees, walking on the paths or swimming around the lake.

It’s not too unusual to spot raccoons, deer, opossums, armadillos, grey foxes, wild turkeys, herons, cormorants, grasshoppers, snakes, squirrels, beetles and lizards. Perhaps the best of the bunch, however, is the alligators!

It still astounds me that you can be walking on a footpath, turn to look left and meet the gaze of a gator! They live right on the doorstep of the residents (quite literally sometimes)! More often than not, they will keep themselves to themselves, either swimming in the lakes or basking on the grass, soaking up the sun. Still, I’m not so sure I’d like to walk around the lakes in the hours of darkness!

Celebration loves a party!

Last but not least, if you find yourself at Celebration when it’s an annual holiday, you can be sure to have a VIP invite to the street parties and festivals, which always take place on Main Street.

Take Oktoberfest for example: during the last two weekends in October, Celebration goes mad for this autumnal event. Expect to see pop up stalls from local restaurants serving up food and drink, live music on a big stage, pumpkin painting and ‘falling leaves’ at timed periods throughout the evening.

Although I haven’t witnessed it first hand, I am led to believe that throughout December it even ‘snows’ in Celebration (somehow defying the heat) and Christmas music is piped from the ‘carefully disguised speakers’ throughout the town and across the lakes.

Good old Disney, nothing is too much effort!

So there you have it: Celebration. A hidden gem amongst the theme park chaos. A place where you can grab brunch with your eggs ‘sunny side up’, have an afternoon stroll amongst wildlife, play a spot of golf and finish up with some tasty food and a well earned drink…all served with a bright white smile! And that is exactly why I always make a trip to Celebration a priority, when I’m in Florida. Here’s the video evidence, too!

Have you ventured to Celebration? Love it or feel slightly perturbed by it? Answers below! 👇🏻