Driving at WDW

[TowMater92]

The parks don't have physical addresses. If you go to http://www.mousesavers.com/using-auto-gps-at-walt-disney-world/ you can download the all of Disney Worlds points of interest, including all the resorts, DTD, water parks, and the 4 main parks. It helps out a lot when you're driving to another resort. You can also add the other parks Universal and SeaWorld.

 

[PrincessKate's Mom]

I used our GPS at CBR in January, the only problem I had was that it wanted to lead us to the back entrance to CBR which is reserved for buses.
When the signs say one thing and the GPS says another, follow the signs.

 

[larryz]

If you get lost, or think you are, find a bus going to your destination and follow it.

 

[ready2vacation]

If I can offer 1 tip, when you see a sign that has your destination and says "Next Right" it means exit now. To me it would mean not this coming exit but the next one after that. Its probably just me. HAHA

Thank you! You've helped at least one person!! I am forever missing my turn with the GPS when I try to figure out if it literally means "this" one or the "next" one It has been a few years since we drove, so this will help for our trip next month.

Well I must be the exception becasue I don't think it's all that easy to drive around the World.

Yes, there are very large and colorful signs with lots of information on them, but sometimes that is not enough (for me). It's not as if there are no distractions. And if you miss your "exit" ... there are no signs to help you get back. If you follow the signs strictly you'll be fine. But once you get lost is can be really hard to figure out where you've got to go to fix your mistake. There's no street grid convention and it's hard to figure out which direction you're headed at any given time. An on board compass doesn't really help becasue you're always switching direction. Turns come up quickly becasue every road is curved. The roads can be crowded and prevent you from changing lanes when you need to. And the locals drive pretty fast.

The path from the main gate to Poly and GF is particularly tricky. You need to know in advance that you should be in the far right lane when you go through the parking booths becasue you need to take an immediate exit (single file lane) on the right to reach the access road. If you didn't know that in advance, you may have to cut accross about eight lanes of incoming guests.

Yes. after I made these mistakes a few times it got easier. But the first time can be a challenge. Good luck!

Reading your comments about grids, curves, and direction made me smile! I knew you must be from Illinois or the midwest because you sound exactly like my Dad complaining about Tennessee roads (he's from IL). Thanks for the laugh!

 

[Senator Tressel]

If I can offer 1 tip, when you see a sign that has your destination and says "Next Right" it means exit now. To me it would mean not this coming exit but the next one after that. Its probably just me. HAHA

That's so funny you mention that. There is a sign going to Animal Kingdom on Lake Buena Vista that says it is "Next Right". The right turn is literally a foot after the sign, so any reasonable person would think you take the right turn after that one. Nope. I missed rope drop the first time I drove to AK and I was not a happy camper.

 

[turftoega]

We have always driven. It just seems easier (a PP makes a great point about 6min in your car vs. 30min on the bus). The only time we take the bus is if we are going to MK. I have made a couple of wrong turns (found a back entrance to EPCOT ) but for the most part, it is very easy and well marked.

Now if you want to venture off property to go to the Target, Wal-Mart, etc. That is a whole other story....

 

[ejrj]

Thank you! You've helped at least one person!! I am forever missing my turn with the GPS when I try to figure out if it literally means "this" one or the "next" one It has been a few years since we drove, so this will help for our trip next month.



Reading your comments about grids, curves, and direction made me smile! I knew you must be from Illinois or the midwest because you sound exactly like my Dad complaining about Tennessee roads (he's from IL). Thanks for the laugh!

I was thinking the same thing! We live in AL but our family is all from NY/MI/ON and having the hills and curves in all our roads (even though we are in a small city) throws them off completely!!

 

[Q-man]

There are only three roads you really need to know; Buena Vista Dr, World Dr, and Osceola pkwy. The only poorly marked thing I can think of is the World Dr turn when going east on Osceola. Epcot center drive might be good for getting to Epcot from your CSR location.

Plenty of printable maps if you google for them.

 

[BriarRose25]

I agree with the other posters. Even the offsite signage is good. If you end up taking I-4 (the main highway) there is great signage for all area attractions. If you ever get lost, just pull into a gas station. Locals in that area are very friendly and know where pretty much everything is.

 

[andyman8]

Here's an official (from DisneyWorld.com) road map of WDW.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/me.../en_us/PDF/walt-disney-world-property-map.pdf

Here's another map from my blog.

As you can tell, the main road at Walt Disney World is World Drive. There are "side-roads" that stem off of it which will take you to Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, DTD, water parks, and all but five resorts. Just go north on World Drive to get to MK, TTC, PR, CR, GF, WL and FW.

 

[DOOM1001]

There's signs everywhere but pick up that property map at the resort to get an idea of the roads and where all the parks and attractions are located.

 

[gpeters93]

Reading your comments about grids, curves, and direction made me smile! I knew you must be from Illinois or the midwest because you sound exactly like my Dad complaining about Tennessee roads (he's from IL). Thanks for the laugh!

I have lived my entire life within 100 miles of Chicago, where people know how to organize traffic. Dont get me started on the heat, or the pizza.

Now get off my lawn you troublemaker.

 

[SaraJayne]

Since I'm also from the Midwest, I find driving in Florida to be a nightmare. There is no logic to how their roads are laid out and there is no easy "oops, missed the turn, turn around and go back" option.

Yes, it's easy to get to the parks/DTD/water parks in the morning from your resort. Coming back at night in the dark is a totally different ball game.

I've driven a couple times around WDW and if at all possible, we won't be doing it again.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Well I must be the exception becasue I don't think it's all that easy to drive around the World.

Yes, there are very large and colorful signs with lots of information on them, but sometimes that is not enough (for me). It's not as if there are no distractions. And if you miss your "exit" ... there are no signs to help you get back. If you follow the signs strictly you'll be fine. But once you get lost is can be really hard to figure out where you've got to go to fix your mistake. There's no street grid convention and it's hard to figure out which direction you're headed at any given time. An on board compass doesn't really help becasue you're always switching direction. Turns come up quickly becasue every road is curved. The roads can be crowded and prevent you from changing lanes when you need to. And the locals drive pretty fast.

The path from the main gate to Poly and GF is particularly tricky. You need to know in advance that you should be in the far right lane when you go through the parking booths becasue you need to take an immediate exit (single file lane) on the right to reach the access road. If you didn't know that in advance, you may have to cut accross about eight lanes of incoming guests.

Yes. after I made these mistakes a few times it got easier. But the first time can be a challenge. Good luck!

I am with you! I have always had problems driving around disney and would rather take disney transportation. Even after a few trips, I still get lost. I was even 30 min late for my Chef Mickeys ADR on my first trip because I kept ending up at MK instead of the Contemporary. I am actually surprised at how many people say its so easy but if you miss your turn as you say, its not that easy to get back on track...this year, I will be traveling to disney alone for the first time ever with my only my 2 kids and even tho I plan to take the buses for the most part, I will have no choice but to drive a few times as well and it worries me.

If I can offer 1 tip, when you see a sign that has your destination and says "Next Right" it means exit now. To me it would mean not this coming exit but the next one after that. Its probably just me. HAHA

Its great that you mention this because I have had this issue before and its not easy to find your way back.

 

[linzbear]

There is a sort of grid. World Drive goes N-S, with the Northern most point ending at the Magic Kingdom.

Lake Buena Vista Drive and Osceola Parkway run E-W and generally parallel to one another except at the western most point which is Animal Kingdom. The eastern most point of Lake Buena Vista is DTD.

Osceola parkway is the southern most border.

Where Lake Buena Vista and World Drive meet is DHS.

North of DHS on World Drive is Epcot Center drive (and Epcot). This starts going East, but curves South to intersect with Lake Buena Vista and Osceola Parkway. Stay on this road South and you can follow the signs to the airport.

Learn which park your resort is (Typhoon Lagoon is near DTD, Blizzard Beach near AK, both on Lake Buena Vista Drive), and you should be able to get there easily.

Hope this helps!

 

[PanamaMike]

An on board compass doesn't really help becasue you're always switching direction.

Isn't that when an on board compass is most helpful?

 

[goofyernmost]

Since I'm also from the Midwest, I find driving in Florida to be a nightmare. There is no logic to how their roads are laid out and there is no easy "oops, missed the turn, turn around and go back" option.

Yes, it's easy to get to the parks/DTD/water parks in the morning from your resort. Coming back at night in the dark is a totally different ball game.

I've driven a couple times around WDW and if at all possible, we won't be doing it again.

I realize that a lot of people have problems with direction and get lost easily. I have two daughters that until recently had the same problem. It didn't matter how many times they had been someplace they never knew how to go without a map or a GPS.

We had a discussion because I never was able to understand why. I never had that problem. If I had been someplace once, I never needed a map again. What I found out was that they were driving by following the road only. I always worked with landmarks. My eyes and my brain locked in certain visual things that told me where I was. They never did that. When I explained how that was done, their ability to navigate improved dramatically.

That said, I recently moved to the Raleigh, NC area and for the first time in my life...I had no idea where I was. It took me close to a year before I could go out to different places and easily find my way back. This area is designed in circles. Without the sunshine you have no way of knowing what direction you are driving in. You can get on a highway and drive for miles and without leaving that highway you will find yourself back where you started. WDW isn't like that, but it can be confusing. The signs very seldom repeat themselves. You may be driving along and see a sign that says Epcot Next Exit and the next sign you see will have things like Dolphin Resort, Downtown Disney, etc. exit here. It doesn't repeat Epcot but it is the exit that you were told about a few yards back. Take the first sign literally and don't let a second sign that doesn't reaffirm throw you.

I still find it easy to get around WDW but to be honest I also enjoy exploring. At some point in time I have been on every road in WDW. I have found other entrances that I never knew existed and I would imagine most do not. A lot are used by Disney Cast Members and not by the public generally.

 

[SpecialK]

I grew up in Chicago and learned to drive depending on the grid. That said, I have no issues with driving at WDW or in the surrounding area. We always take our car to the parks.

 

[sexyravenfan]

We have driven every time we have been to WDW stayed at the same resort and we still always find different roads that bring us out places we've never known before. The signage is very good though

 

[WaDiWo]

We rented a car this past trip for the first time in 30-something years of going to WDW, and I wish I had done it sooner!!

If you're staying on property, just pick up a Transportation Map at the resort. You can study it for a couple of minutes and you're good to go. I found that signage to the Parks were good, but you had to know ahead of time where a particular resort was to get there. For example, many of us know that the Boardwalk is near Epcot, but a sign that just says "Epcot resorts" is not that informative to many others.

Still, I found it a pleasure to drive around the World.