Town of Celebration552

Taking a drive through the town of Celebration feels like a ride in a theme park - perfectly matching manicured homes, parks, stores, restaurants, and a hotel. If the people were operated by audio-animitronics, it would be like visiting the Magic Kingdom.

In part, the theme park experience is true. The master-planned community was actually developed by The Walt Disney Company - which later sold its interest in the town - and reflects Walt Disney's desire for a "perfect community" where children can play outside and families can live and work in the same area.

Celebration offers plenty to see and do, which makes the town a popular tourist destination - something locals both appreciate and dislike at the same time. Strike up a conversation with any of the residents (store employees are usually happy to chat) and you're almost guaranteed to hear the low-down on the good and bad of living in such a perfectly designed city.

Most buildings in the downtown area - including Town Hall and the AMC Movie Theater - were designed by renowned architects. Plenty of specialty stores line the streets and offer everything from children's clothes at the Lollipop Cottage to a travel agency and eye care center.

Residents and visitors alike frequent the downtown restaurants, which include take-out pizza at Upper Crust, American cuisine at Market Street Cafe, fancy Italian at Cafe D'Antonio, and more. A new block of commercial property at the entrance to town includes stores and additional restaurants like Joe's Crab Shack and Moe's Southwest Grill.

Community parks offer playgrounds, benches, and places to picnic and the entire town is connected with miles of walking paths and bicycle paths. There's also a state-of-the-art hospital and fitness center, ensuring that residents who don't want to leave don't have to.

The town hosts special events throughout the year, including a Farmer's Market, and holiday celebrations.