Best way to get to AK from north east of town?

[marius97]

We may be hitting AK while we are staying in Daytona Beach. What is the best way to get there and avoid as much of the morning Orlando traffic? It looks like there are beltways around the east and west sides of Orlando. Would one be better than the other?

 

[seashoreCM]

If you really want speed from Daytona Beach to WDW, you would go south on I-95 and change to I-4 as usual, but shortly down I-4 get off on Toll 417 (Greene's beltway) southbound (long before downtown Orlando).

This takes you around the horn to the east of the airport. Get off 417 onto Osceola Parkway (exact change exit toll booth there) and it is a straight shot to Animal Kingdom.

At several toll plazas you must take what looks like an exit ramp to pay in cash; the main lanes are for Florida electronic tolls only.)

The slowest part of that journey is from the Daytona Beach sand just above the waterline onto the main drag out of town.

 

[marius97]

Thanks. I was wondering which way around town was better. I would have thought the west side, but that is why I asked.

 

[seashoreCM]

If you were to go around to the west, by the time you reached those beltways (Holland's East West expressway to 429 Daniel Webster Western Beltway) you are already in the thick of I-4 traffic.