I always thought they chose Lake Nona because it was the most expensive area they could afford.
Personally, I think they could have afforded (2018's prices) an established home in Winter Park, a nicer home in a gated part of MetroWest, gated parts of Lake Mary in Heathrow, etc. They could have afforded newer gated in Winter Garden.
Back then (2018's prices), they could have afforded in many nice subdivisions in Dr. Phillips. They would have been minutes to the parks (especially Disney but also by taking the backroads to SW or UO)
However, back when they bought, Nona was kinda the "it" place people were yapping about a lot, including with regard to newer developments, etc.
I don't recall anyone really focusing on the Disney-related stuff about Nona, if you were just talking to a random Orlandoan.
It was more about just the fact the place was fast-growing with brand new or newer homes and subdivisions, good schools, good medical facilities, etc.