Driving at WDW

[NJRRK]

I grew up, and still live, in northern NJ, where it is illegal to build a straight road, really it is.
That and the tragic traffic, at home and Disney is a breeze! Well signed and if you look at a decent map very easy to get around. I don't normally drive around disney but that's only because I'm cheap and rather rely on free transportation, before ME, I always rented a car.

 

[SaraJayne]

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.

Honestly, I'm great with direction/s, any other place than Disney. I can go somewhere once and never need directions to get there again (like you). I don't have a GPS.

I also use landmarks to navigate, but for some reason, driving in and around Disney gets me all turned around. I don't really know why.

So we just use the transportation system and everyone is happy.

 

[DisneyDetective]

Where your resort is, you're surrounded by streets signs pointing you in the correct direction. Plus cast members at the resort will point you the right (or left) way.

 

[danceintherain]

All this has made me believe that it wouldn't be a good idea for us to drive at Disney, which I had already expected. I have a general idea of where things are located, but I don't think DH does, and he always insists on driving. He expects me to navigate, then doesn't listen to anything I tell him.

I'm sure we'll try it at some point though, and see how it goes.

 

[Urugami]

I have a general idea of where things are located, but I don't think DH does, and he always insists on driving. He expects me to navigate, then doesn't listen to anything I tell him.

Mom, is that you?
Seriously, as another post said, as many signs as there are, you can still end up somewhere completely different than you were expecting. I can't tell you how many times I've missed the same turn and had to make the loop around EPCOT. It's embarassing, really, and I always have to resist the urge to crash through the gate onto the speedway and drive a few laps until the MousePolice catch me
And it's not like I don't have any sense of direction. Around here, there is no grid; the road layout follows the Miss. River, so parallel roads meet on a regular basis. Heck, even my wife says I have a great internal compass, but I still get turned around in the World, signs or no signs.
Using a GPS isn't any better, this last trip (our 4th), we wound up in some back-lot areas that guests aren't intended to see. I didn't turn wrong, it's just that Google Nav doesn't know the layout, and just charts a course on the roads that are there.
Be that as it may, try driving. It is MUCH faster than the bus, and it gives you the flexibility to go from one park to another, or from park to dining res and then to your own resort. And if you do get turned around, backtrack, try again, and don't worry about it... you're on vacation at Disney

 

[raidermatt]

WDW is the easiest place to drive I have ever been. Signage is great, and you can get an easy to read map from the resort or rental car company. Wheneve we have missed a turn (not often), we have come to another sign that pointed us in the right direction.

Staying at CBR, you can certainly use the bus transportation if you wish. but even if you are directionally challenged you will lose far more of your vacation time to the busses than you would to driving.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

All this has made me believe that it wouldn't be a good idea for us to drive at Disney, which I had already expected. I have a general idea of where things are located, but I don't think DH does, and he always insists on driving. He expects me to navigate, then doesn't listen to anything I tell him.

I'm sure we'll try it at some point though, and see how it goes.

My ex always used to do the same thing. He would drive around WDW and I had to tell him where to go but then he went the way he wanted to anyway. Men and directions!!! lol

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

No one has brought up this, so I will. While I can drive around WDW without much trouble I choose not to because of the traffic. Call me crazy but those are some busy roads filled with people who don't know where they are going, and tons of buses and delivery trucks. To each his own, but for me, no thank you.

 

[NJRRK]

No one has brought up this, so I will. While I can drive around WDW without much trouble I choose not to because of the traffic. Call me crazy but those are some busy roads filled with people who don't know where they are going, and tons of buses and delivery trucks. To each his own, but for me, no thank you.

The amount of traffic in disney is bad for some people, others, especially those of us in major metropolitan areas, find the traffic to be light. Try driving NJ route 4, then you will see traffic, even the locals try to avoid that road.

 

[Murron]

On these very boards, there is a list of every WDW address -- resorts and parks. I loaded them all into my GPS. Yes I agree the signs are ok, but there are some spots that can get confusing. AK hotel vs park...Wilderness Lodge.etc. I've given my GPS a name...her name is Vera (feminine of Vero) and she is my backup to the signs. Works well for us!

 

[Murron]

The amount of traffic in disney is bad for some people, others, especially those of us in major metropolitan areas, find the traffic to be light. Try driving NJ route 4, then you will see traffic, even the locals try to avoid that road.

Love this....my DD is in Morristown and lord I can relate to NJ traffic!!

 

[goofyernmost]

On these very boards, there is a list of every WDW address -- resorts and parks. I loaded them all into my GPS. Yes I agree the signs are ok, but there are some spots that can get confusing. AK hotel vs park...Wilderness Lodge.etc. I've given my GPS a name...her name is Vera (feminine of Vero) and she is my backup to the signs. Works well for us!

My GPS is named Ida after my mother. Helpful but constantly nagging me to turn here or turn there or go straight. I find that one especially annoying because I wasn't planning to turn until she told me too anyway. She got mad at me once for ignoring most of her directions and told me to turn Left into a swamp...NOW!

 

[ready2vacation]

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.

I couldn't resist!!

 

[canopynut66]

we avoid driving around WDW at all costs. used to but now has became part of our vacation to relax get on ME at the air port and be done with it for two weeks.. traffic down ther eis horrendious

 

[FigmentChick]

The amount of traffic in disney is bad for some people, others, especially those of us in major metropolitan areas, find the traffic to be light. Try driving NJ route 4, then you will see traffic, even the locals try to avoid that road.

I'm from South Jersey and I find this accurate! LOL Having driven in the Wilmington area and Philly when I need to (and 295 around the Walt Whitman Bridge), I find driving at WDW relaxing. For me, I find that there is next to no traffic. We usually do rope drops and will either go back to the resort or park hop mid-day, but traffic is never bad at all. And this is coming from someone who lives in farm country! lol

 

[mripirate]

If you stay at wdw resorts, but drive your vehicle to parks, do you have to pay the parking fee?

 

[Reddog1134]

If you stay at wdw resorts, but drive your vehicle to parks, do you have to pay the parking fee?

No. Parking is free to resort guests and AP holders.


Also, I always bring my GPS but only turn it on when I leave property.

 

[mripirate]

Thx 4 the info

 

[mickeysgirl17]

On these very boards, there is a list of every WDW address -- resorts and parks. I loaded them all into my GPS. Yes I agree the signs are ok, but there are some spots that can get confusing. AK hotel vs park...Wilderness Lodge.etc. I've given my GPS a name...her name is Vera (feminine of Vero) and she is my backup to the signs. Works well for us!

Do you by any chance have the link to the thread?

 

[khertz]

We have driven to the parks for our last 3 trips, and find the signs around WDW property to be great for getting you where you need to go. We have stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, which is nearby to CBR also and found all of the parks very easy and quick to get to. Because the parks don't have a physical address, we found our GPS took us to delivery or back entrances the one time we tried to us it, so we just rely on the signs to get us where we need to go! I thought we would miss using the Disney transportation, but I'm a total drive to the parks convert.