Driving around Disney/World

[Sajchinook2015]

How easy is it to drive the roads at Disney? I hate freeway driving and my sis informed me Disney roads are like driving the roads in Chicago. Cars are everywhere. My sis is also a back seat driver and exaggerates. Is it difficult to read the road signs and merge over etc? Thanks

 

[joelkfla]

Road signs are very clear for parks. For resorts, the signs often show a resort area rather than a specific resort: Epcot Area Resorts, or Disney Springs Resorts. The route to the Epcot Area Resorts is not always the same as the route to Epcot, for example. Once you get closer to a resort area, the signs point to the individual resorts.

Two of the major roads, Word Drive which is the entry to the MK area, and Epcot Center Drive which is the entry to Epcot, are freeway-like, but the speed limit is only 50. The only problem area right now is exiting the property on Epcot Center Drive to I-4, where the lanes and signage are somewhat confusing due to major reconstruction.

It's good to remember that it's virtually impossible to get truly lost on WDW property, so there's never a cause to panic. If you miss an exit, you can usually get off at the next one and signage will direct you to your destination. Or if you feel confused, just pull into any parking lot or resort entrance and ask the parking or security cm for directions.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just follow the signs. Know where you started and know where you're going. And trust the signs. The construction right now (or at least last month) made things look chaotic but they did a better job of making sure signs matched reality than my city!

My hisbamd has driven as a tourist and business person in Chicago and says it's nothing like wdw. Wdw is "way easier".

That said if she's going to be in the car with you, give her a job. Let her be the navigator and follow what she says. That way if she gets you lost (temporarily) it's 100% her fault.

 

[Donna M]

I find that the signs are good, but there is too much information on each one. Ask for the person in the passenger seat to read all the signs too since I find it easy to miss something. Don't go too fast and it might be helpful to stay in the right lane in case your exit comes up quickly, but there are left exits too. I missed an exit because a semi truck was on my right as the sign came up. Getting to the parks was the easiest. Know what resort area your hotel is in. Going to Google and looking at the satellite map has helped me get a feel for the place.
Merging has never been a problem for us, nor has the amount of traffic. Biggest issue was reading all the info before I passed the sign.

 

[FastPasser]

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[sympatico]

We're from a small community of about 400 people with one road through it and we have no problems driving around Disney or the whole area. I-4 can be busy but usually in the Disney area it slows down to a crawl most of the time.

 

[bumbershoot]

but there is too much information on each one.

So true. Just the fact that they feel the need to put "Disney's" before almost every hotel on the signs makes it hard to clear the clutter. I'm sure the lawyers told them they have to put it on there to defend their trademark or something but it's hard to work through in a hurry. Having a good navigator is lovely.

 

[Woodview]

Tell your Sis that she sits in front ..... gives good timely directions ..

All others in car be Quiet

Keep cool yourself Most drivers do not want a crash

 

[Chelley00]

Even when we stay onsite we drive everywhere. It's really easy. I4 can be intimidating depending on the time of day but around the parks and resorts is pretty easy. It's well marked and they give you a lot of notice to get into turn lanes.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Oh...my goodness. Driving at Disney is NOTHING like driving in Chicago! Not even close!! The directional signage is very good and easy to follow. I usually glance at Google maps before leaving home, and have my GPS on while on property. We've never been lost, or even taken a wrong turn, I don't think. Can't say the same about driving in Chicago (shudder)!

 

[loves to dive]

It's pretty easy but be aware that sometimes the resort signs can be turn right now. You will need to know the area your resort is in and if you miss it, no big deal, all the roads will lead you back. We don't drive on property but we do drive down, and yes, we have been lost but in our family that's kind of part of going anywhere. Just part of the whole adventure (in our family "I always wanted to see what was down that road" is sort of a mantra).

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

How easy is it to drive the roads at Disney? I hate freeway driving and my sis informed me Disney roads are like driving the roads in Chicago. Cars are everywhere. My sis is also a back seat driver and exaggerates. Is it difficult to read the road signs and merge over etc? Thanks

Disney's on-property roadways (which is essentially every road between everything there) are mostly two lanes wide (as is I-4). I live in Chicago, and I was shocked about that--they seemed so narrow to me! What is a little weird is that the signage is not standard highway signage. It's uniquiely designed for WDW. I would say what you really would need to get used to is the way people drive in the area. No signals. Suicidal merging from the on ramps. Also, that you'll be sharing the roads with lots and lots of Disney buses, at all hours.

 

[joelkfla]

Disney's on-property roadways (which is essentially every road between everything there) are mostly two lanes wide (as is I-4).

I assume you mean 2 lanes in each direction, or 4 lanes total. Not true; all main arterials are wider:

• No stretch of I-4 between Orlando & WDW is less than 6 lanes; parts are 8 or 10.
• World Dr., the main entrance road from I-4, is 6 or more lanes, except for a short stretch after the Epcot entrance splits off.
• Epcot Center Dr. is 6 lanes from I-4 to Epcot, and currently being widened at the I-4 end.
• Buena Vista Dr., the main east-west artery, is 6 lanes or more between World Dr. & Disney Springs; only the western end between World Dr. & All-Stars is 4 lanes.

 

[mco65]

Chicago!!! that's funny.. and that's a NO! not even close.
Navigating Disney is easy.. many vacationers are on busses so the traffic is fairly light... signs everywhere.. but you can still take a wrong turn.. oops.. still nothing like Chicago!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I assume you mean 2 lanes in each direction, or 4 lanes total. Not true; all main arterials are wider:

• No stretch of I-4 between Orlando & WDW is less than 6 lanes; parts are 8 or 10.
• World Dr., the main entrance road from I-4, is 6 or more lanes, except for a short stretch after the Epcot entrance splits off.
• Epcot Center Dr. is 6 lanes from I-4 to Epcot, and currently being widened at the I-4 end.
• Buena Vista Dr., the main east-west artery, is 6 lanes or more between World Dr. & Disney Springs; only the western end between World Dr. & All-Stars is 4 lanes.

Fine. Let me rephrase that. No matter how wide they are, they are so much narrower than the roadways I experience in Chicago that to me they're mostly narrow.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would say what you really would need to get used to is the way people drive in the area. No signals. Suicidal merging from the on ramps.

That's just tourist driving. Not about "the area". Just about scads of people from elsewhere who haven't clearly designated a navigator and a driver and are scared they are going to end up in Timbuktu and don't realize that Disney signs will take you in a big circle for as long as needed if you keep missing your exit LOL.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I would say what you really would need to get used to is the way people drive in the area. No signals. Suicidal merging from the on ramps.

...kinda like how people drive in Chicago...

 

[NH-to-FL]

As others have noted, I-4 can get busy at times. I have found that the signage is good. I have never had any issues driving in the area. The best suggestion I have is to spend a few minutes with Google Maps before your trip and become familiar with the major roads around and in Disney.

 

[Sajchinook2015]

I just watched a you tube video. Yep! You are all right. Nothing like Chicago. I know I can do it. I live in Minneapolis and have driven to Chicago. Thanks everyone...much appreciated

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

Driving at Disney is way way easier than driving in Atlanta. I can't speak for Chicago though.