Which interstate exit has the main gate sign?

[TeamEvansGo]

We will be driving for the first time and want to make sure we enter through the giant WDW sign everyone takes photos of. Is this sign on one entrance only? I see theres a few different exits from the interstate to get to WDW and not sure which one has it.

 

[CarolynFH]

I think they all do! We've been coming in from 429 lately and there's one there, so the exits from I-4 should all have them.

I'm glad you said "we" because someone who's not driving needs to be ready to take the photo. You can NOT stop the car, pull over, or even slow down substantially - too many cars and it's not safe.

 

[LaurenT]

I think they all do! We've been coming in from 429 lately and there's one there, so the exits from I-4 should all have them.

I'm glad you said "we" because someone who's not driving needs to be ready to take the photo. You can NOT stop the car, pull over, or even slow down substantially - too many cars and it's not safe.

This! There are big flashing signs saying DO NOT STOP!

 

[ajwolfe]

I'll have to remember this..the last 2 times our GPS has brought us in different ways - both which did not have a huge sign.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

192 is the highway number (not exit number) you wish to exit from I-4'if you want a pic of the "main one". You will follow the signs and then take another exit off of 192 to head into Disney. But they have a duplicates taking exit 3 (Heading to MK, DHS, or AK) and I am pretty sure for exit 6 (heading to EPCOT) off of 417 (toll rd from the airport).

 

[I M Fearless]

The one on World Drive is by far the best, which you go through coming from the 192. This is by far the best as it is split across several lanes of traffic.

The ones on Osceola and Epcot Center Drive are both a close second behind the largest one on World Drive.

Heading in through Western Way is somewhat lacklustre in my opinion.

Don't even mention going in through DTD, the traffic is a nightmare and the signage is much more discrete.

Unless you deliberately come in any of the lesser known entrances, such as Sherbeth Road or Reams Road (which you won't do, unless you really look for them) you will pass one of them, many folks are unaware that there are several albeit similar arches.

 

[MrKnight]

There are four official entrances into WDW property, the three entrances at World Drive (from 192), Western Way (from 429), and Epcot Center Drive (from I-4) are the main entrances with the large WDW welcome signs. The fourth entrance at Hotel Plaza Blvd (Downtown Disney Area) does not have a large welcome sign, it has a smaller welcome sign and is the least impressive entrance, it is also extremely congested, DO NOT use this entrance unless you have to.

As far as the three entrances with the large welcome signs, just keep in mind that you CANNOT pull over to take pictures as it is a moving highway, they have cracked down on this in recent years due to people pulling over, ruining the grass, and causing accidents, they even added road signs marking it is illegal to pull over.

 

[sharadoc]

If you take the 417 toll road, which I HIGHLY recommend, use exit 3. It takes you past Gaylord Palms, then through the main gate. It's the Magic Kingdom exit if you're not sure.

 

[lroger01]

Once you decide on a route you can "drive" it on google maps street view to see if it has what you want.

 

[POOHsie]

There's at least 3 exits off I-4 (from either direction) that will take you to a WDW Welcome Sign (marked with yellow box).
The northern-most exit off I-4 is to Epcot Center Drive.
The middle exit off I-4 is to W Osceola Pkwy.
The southern-most exit off I-4 is to 192/W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy -- then North on World Drive.

 

[goofyernmost]

We should point out that the signs are similar at each "main" entrance, but, the original Main Gate is off 192 onto World Drive. To my recollection the World Drive entrance is the only one with the 3D promotional signs after the Welcome to Walt Disney World sign.

There's at least 3 exits off I-4 (from either direction) that will take you to a WDW Welcome Sign (marked with yellow box).
The northern-most exit off I-4 is to Epcot Center Drive.
The middle exit off I-4 is to W Osceola Pkwy.
The southern-most exit off I-4 is to 192/W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy -- then North on World Drive.
View attachment 90619

 

[Micca]

The best photo is one you can get from the web. It's not like you're going to be in the pic since you can't stop & get out to pose by the sign. I'll bet a lot of the photos turn out a blurry mess. OTOH, if you think you'd enjoy the thrill of driving underneath the sign...

 

[Tomh]

Nice information in this thread. I actually never realized that there were different arches at different entrances. We have always stayed at Port Orleans Riverside and so entered by DTD at EPCOT Center Drive. I remember the first time we drove through, thinking that the sign wasn't as big and impressive as I remembered it, but then I figured I was only a kid the last time I'd seen it, and chalked it up to a kids perspective.

 

[DOOM1001]

I believe there's 4,
1.World Dr.
2.Epcot Center Dr (536)
3.Osceola Pkwy
4.Western Way

The 535/Hotel plaza blvd entrance also does have a sign but its not like the others that you drive underneath it,its simply a sign at the intersection.The least themed way to get into WDW property is Sherberth rd which is literally just a service access rd.And then you have the Reams rd entrance behind MK when coming from the Windermere area.

 

[sheila <3 WDW]

Last year was our first time driving and I was anxiously looking for the big Walt Disney World sign I would see from DME. All of a sudden I saw Space Mountain then the Castle! Not sure exactly which way we went (using GPS to POR), but we totally did not see any big signs. LOL Oh, well. It was awesome to be surprised by the castle.

 

[Day-Day]

The best photo is one you can get from the web. It's not like you're going to be in the pic since you can't stop & get out to pose by the sign. I'll bet a lot of the photos turn out a blurry mess. OTOH, if you think you'd enjoy the thrill of driving underneath the sign...

We drove to WDW for our first visit and driving past the main sign upon our arrival did seem pretty special. Also, its fun to photo and text to someone back home when we are vacationing at Disney and they are stuck at home working; of course, this could be done with a downloaded photo as well.

 

[POOHsie]

View from DME.

 

[DOOM1001]

Last year was our first time driving and I was anxiously looking for the big Walt Disney World sign I would see from DME. All of a sudden I saw Space Mountain then the Castle! Not sure exactly which way we went (using GPS to POR), but we totally did not see any big signs. LOL Oh, well. It was awesome to be surprised by the castle.

Did you see anything else Disney before seeing Space Mountain,like maybe Ft.Wilderness?If you did you may have gone in by Vista blvd from 535.If not and you saw some backstage warehouses and CM parking then you may have gone in through the backstage Reams rd entrance.There are too many stories of people getting lost or sent to backstage entrances by using GPS.The best thing to do is a combination of studying the map to see the best way to go and to then follow the signs you went over when studying the map.

 

[sheila <3 WDW]

Did you see anything else Disney before seeing Space Mountain,like maybe Ft.Wilderness?If you did you may have gone in by Vista blvd from 535.If not and you saw some backstage warehouses and CM parking then you may have gone in through the backstage Reams rd entrance.There are too many stories of people getting lost or sent to backstage entrances by using GPS.The best thing to do is a combination of studying the map to see the best way to go and to then follow the signs you went over when studying the map.

We definitely saw some backstage cast member locations. I didn't mind coming in the back way, I was just very surprised when I suddenly saw the castle.

 

[DOOM1001]

We definitely saw some backstage cast member locations. I didn't mind coming in the back way, I was just very surprised when I suddenly saw the castle.

If you did come in through the Reams rd entrance my question is how did you even get back there,that street leads mostly to residential areas that don't have very close access to the more traveled streets.