Best way to avoid gridlock on I4?

[Holeshot1982]

We will be arriving to OKW on Dec 1st and I've heard things can be crazy on I-4, is there anyway to avoid that? We are driving down from SC and should be arriving around 2 or 3.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Oh yeah...there's a great way to skip I-4. We used the new back way last year on our trip and loved it.

When coming towards Orland on 91 (Reagon Turnpike), take exit 267A (429 south). You will be at mile marker 23. Stay on that for 15 miles, exiting at exit 8. This will dump you off on Western Way. Follow Western Way towards Disney. You will come out right by Coronado Springs.

The 15 mile trip down 429 is really neat for those of us that have been to Disney alot over the years. You are able to see all the Disney focal points from the backside. The Swan and the dolphin, the big Golf Ball, the Castle, the Contemporary Resort. Really a different angle and best of all NO TRAFFIC! Google earth shows this route very easily.

Best way to stay away from I4 gridlock is to never use I4!

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

If you are traveling from SC via I-95, the above post will not help you. I too would love to know an alternative, safe way to avoid I-4; my daughter will be driving from Savannah, GA soon.

I have only driven in that area a couple of times and I thought I-95 itself wasn't pleasant, but I-4 through Orlando was awful, and I am used to Atlanta traffic!

On the other hand, taking the turnpike at Wildwood and then Western Way are AWESOME if you're using I-75.

 

[vicki_c]

If you are traveling from SC via I-95, the above post will not help you. I too would love to know an alternative, safe way to avoid I-4; my daughter will be driving from Savannah, GA soon.

I have only driven in that area a couple of times and I thought I-95 itself wasn't pleasant, but I-4 through Orlando was awful, and I am used to Atlanta traffic!

On the other hand, taking the turnpike at Wildwood and then Western Way are AWESOME if you're using I-75.

On a recent trip, our GPS routed us around I4 traffic into the Dr. Phillips area. You could look on the map and see if that works for your DD. (we were on I4 already though). You can drive all the way to Cocoa and take the Beachline (528) over but that only avoids the early part of I4, not the Orlando piece. I'd have to look at a map to remember, but even when we lived in FL, we still took I4 after coming in on the Beachline.

That's 52eight- my iPad is showing me 52smileyface!

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

On a recent trip, our GPS routed us around I4 traffic into the Dr. Phillips area. You could look on the map and see if that works for your DD. (we were on I4 already though). You can drive all the way to Cocoa and take the Beachline (528) over but that only avoids the early part of I4, not the Orlando piece. I'd have to look at a map to remember, but even when we lived in FL, we still took I4 after coming in on the Beachline.

That's 52eight- my iPad is showing me 52smileyface!

Thanks for the info! Realistically I don't think she can avoid I-4 - I think it would be crazy not to exit I-95 at I-4, but I'm wondering where she could jump off before hitting too much yuckiness. State 414 to 429 might work, unless 414 is a problem too.

Or is all of I-4 from I-95 to WDW yucky?

 

[wishing4PA]

If I remember correctly, it was 429 we took, and it was marvelous! Of course you have some options as to what point you move over to 429 depending on how much of a hurry you are in vs. how much you prefer to get off the I-95 I-4 madness.

Personally, I'd be tempted to do the I-295 to I-10 then 17 to 19 route to get to 429, but that's because I used to do 17 and 19 a lot during my college years, so it feels like familiar territory to me. You get the occasional traffic jam, but avoid most of the madness.

DH, on the other hand, would deal with traffic spurting from 0 to 100 and back for hours just to avoid a two-lane road.

This is assuming you were taking 95 down from S.C.

 

[hgeisler]

On a recent trip, our GPS routed us around I4 traffic into the Dr. Phillips area. You could look on the map and see if that works for your DD. (we were on I4 already though). You can drive all the way to Cocoa and take the Beachline (528) over but that only avoids the early part of I4, not the Orlando piece. I'd have to look at a map to remember, but even when we lived in FL, we still took I4 after coming in on the Beachline.

That's 52eight- my iPad is showing me 52smileyface!

This,but isn't it called the Beeline?

 

[vicki_c]

This,but isn't it called the Beeline?

Not anymore. They changed it when we lived there (2004-2006) - now it's called the Beachline. Funny, I almost made a joke about it in my post, but I didn't!

 

[vicki_c]

Thanks for the info! Realistically I don't think she can avoid I-4 - I think it would be crazy not to exit I-95 at I-4, but I'm wondering where she could jump off before hitting too much yuckiness. State 414 to 429 might work, unless 414 is a problem too.

Or is all of I-4 from I-95 to WDW yucky?

I really don't think I-4 is bad until you get close to Orlando. That's the way we usually go and we never seem to have much trouble.

 

[kerri0616]

429 is my favorite highway!!! No traffic. It's like a secret entrance into WDW!

They have the same welcome sign that we all love to drive under!

K

 

[sharadoc]

Absolutely easy! Take I-4 from 95 and exit onto 417 at Sanford. You can take that all the way to Disney World, the exits are well-marked.

This is a toll road that is not crowded. Tolls will be $7.50, usually $1.00 or so at a time, so you have to stop 4 or 5 times. There are exact change lanes so we just bring a couple rolls of quarters and we're all set!

 

[Holeshot1982]

Thanks for the tips guide...Looks like I'll spend a little time with Google maps playing with the ideas..... We are planning on using 95 as far down as possible but won't object to an alternative route as long as I'm not barely moving.... I can't stand that!!

 

[jenlov]

We come from the west, so we take I-75 all the way down to 429, then to Western Way. I can't remember ever actually hitting any traffic along this route, actually. Easy Peasy!

 

[DVC-Don]

Absolutely easy! Take I-4 from 95 and exit onto 417 at Sanford. You can take that all the way to Disney World, the exits are well-marked.

This is a toll road that is not crowded. Tolls will be $7.50, usually $1.00 or so at a time, so you have to stop 4 or 5 times. There are exact change lanes so we just bring a couple rolls of quarters and we're all set!

Best way to go!

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

429 is my favorite highway!!! No traffic. It's like a secret entrance into WDW!

K

Isn't it awesome?!? My daughter, my younger son and I went to WDW right after it opened, and there was literally NO traffic in either direction. At one point one of the kids said, "Mom, are you sure this road is open?" The signage left a lot to be desired at that point - one tiny sign that said "Disney World" right at the exit didn't give much warning at all. The kids still tease me about careening off into that exit. Good times!

 

[Holeshot1982]

Best way to go!

Based on the Google map I did, this does seem like the best way to go... I like the highway but just can't stand driving for a inch then stopping!!!! It's about 20 miles outside of the regular way but I'll gladly drive and pay just to avoid a gridlock!!

Does I-4 pretty much always get gridlock? We'll be coming through there right after lunch time on Saturday Dec. 1st...

 

[DisneyDetective]

Why it go on the Turkey Lake Rd?

 

[fla4fun]

Does I-4 pretty much always get gridlock? We'll be coming through there right after lunch time on Saturday Dec. 1st...

It varies. Part of the issue is that the largest employers in the area (the hospitality industry, including the theme parks) have shift changes that don't jive with normal rush hour, and occur seven days a week. So you might see a traffic jam at 2pm or 3pm, but at 5pm it's not so bad. Sometimes the weekends are actually worse than the weekdays, especially around the turnpike and Universal exits headed west on I-4. I've made the trip in and out of Orlando taking I-4 up to/from I-95 and had no problems, so it's not impossible to do. The best suggestion I can give is to have an alternate (or two) in mind so if you do end up in a gridlock, you can get off the interstate and still get to your destination.

As to whether the Beachline method from I-95 would force you onto I-4, there is an exit from the Beachline to the 417 (the same toll road you can pick up off of I-4 near Sanford) that will take you into Disney without going on I-4 at all. It's just past the second toll booth if you are heading west on the Beachline from I-95, and the signs are labeled for Disney because we joke when we go to visit my sister on the coast about going to Disney instead.

 

[Holeshot1982]

I'll take a look at the beachline but I think I-4 to 417 seems ok. At least it gets us off I-4 before we get to Orlando.

 

[chewysmom]

I know this is a really old thread, but I'm wondering if the advice to take 417 to avoid I4 is still correct? I know there's been a lot of construction lately, so I just want to map things out as best I can. I want to avoid the madness of I4 there around Orlando if possible. It seems like no matter what time of day we roll through, we are almost rear ended/in lots of close calls just from the madness of everyone coming at you.

One huge question though: google maps shows 417 going over Lake Jessup. How big/long/high is that bridge? I literally have panic attacks when on high bridges (let's not talk about the ginormous bridge on 295!) so this is a very important question to me.

Thanks all!