Cycling on Disney World roads / Strava stuff

[Chrisizzle]

Hello all,

A didn’t see any search results for “cycling,” and “bike” only returned results about resort bike rentals. The lack of an existing thread may partially answer my question.

Are there any enthusiast level or higher cyclists out there who ride around on property?

I’m looking for comments from people who are comfortable riding on roads (around cars) in general and at a very healthy pace.

I was there in January and didn’t pay the attention I could have. Still, I got the impression Disney roadways weren’t designed to be bike friendly. Do the roads have reasonable shoulders? Do you often see cyclists riding around?

I see several Strava KOM segments around Disney. I am thinking of bringing my bike on a future trip to see how I measure up.

(Edit / Addendum: I saw two cyclists riding to the start of the 2020 Disney Marathon. I was in the monorail and their flashing tail lights caught my eye. They were just approaching the parking entrance booths in a mess of traffic. They were road bikes and seemed very confident riding through the cars. It was a wise move since traffic caused a 30-minute delay in race start.)

 

[KayaWildfire]

I haven't ever seen anyone cycling around Disney World. Ever. Not even once. The shoulder doesn't seem wide enough and there is tons of traffic. It's not something I would do, but it's your choice.

 

[Feralpeg]

I don't know about cycling, but many of the roads have signs prohibiting walking where there are no sidewalks.

Since I live in the area, I am on property a lot. I have never seen cyclists on property.

 

[OhMari]

The only area would be back by the Wilderness Campground. There is a path between The Wilderness and The Wilderness Campground. You could ride your bike around the campground, but it would be more of a leisure bike ride. The roads on property are 2 and 3 wide, more like interstate roads. I think it would be very dangerous.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Disney Security will probably tell you to get off the roads. With all the drivers who don't have a clue where they are going, I wouldn't chance it.

The only cyclists I have seen are Disney Security during RunDisney events.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I’ve never seen that and am on property a lot. I wouldn’t risk it with clueless drivers who have no idea where they are going and all the construction going on. I’ve seen multiple flipped cars in front of ESPN in the past few weeks.

There’s some awesome trails nearby if you’re interested though. Look up the West Orange Trail. Also I’ve seen plenty of cyclists around downtown Windermere (an easy 15 minutes or so from WDW property). Beautiful area with low speed limit roads.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I’ve never seen that and am on property a lot. I wouldn’t risk it with clueless drivers who have no idea where they are going and all the construction going on. I’ve seen multiple flipped cars in front of ESPN in the past few weeks.

There’s some awesome trails nearby if you’re interested though. Look up the West Orange Trail. Also I’ve seen plenty of cyclists around downtown Windermere (an easy 15 minutes or so from WDW property). Beautiful area with low speed limit roads.

When my son lived inWindermere, he would often ride his bicycle on the West Orange Trail with his friend.

 

[GreatLakes]

With the exception of private roads on Disney property, which are not the majority by a long shot, the exact same laws apply to cyclists and pedestrians as anywhere else in Florida.

Bicycles are treated as any other street legal vehicle in Florida and are allotted the same rights outside of a few restrictions like traveling in an Interstate.

You are also permitted to run or walk on any road where no sidewalk is present so don't let security tell you otherwise. That is not consistent with Florida law. It is literally spelled out in FL pedestrian law

I would have a PDF of the FL vehicle code on you, which is my recommendation in any state you cycle on the road, in case security or even an officer were to contradict the law.

I lived in Florida and cycled on the road for thousands of miles during my time there, it is perfectly legal to do so.

Here are the relevant sections of the Florida Statutes:

Pedestrians
Bicycles

As long as you follow these laws on the Disney roads you are perfectly legit.

 

[FastPasser.]

I spent many hours a week for many years on the roads at WDW and I have seen cyclists on the roads at WDW. As the PP indicated, they're public roads and the same rules apply.

 

[LovesTimone]

I would not bike on the Disney roadways, not unless you have a wish to get hit by a car .... You have people from all over US and the world, driving somewhere that they never have been to, folks from other countries that can not read or understand the signs, are lost and looking for a signs, cars going up the wrong way - driving in the bus lanes, doing U turn in the middle of the road, cutting off other drivers. People on the phone.... texting.... It really is to dangerous...

There are several bike trails, West Orange (Winter Garden) trail I think would be the closest one to Disney, Its very popular...

 

[tex1989]

My feel is that the biking opportunities offered are limited to certain areas and are for pleasure, Port Orleans walkways are wide for bikes, Wilderness Campgrounds and places like that. Biking of a more serious nature is not really accomidated there as I see it. I would be scared to death to ride on some of those roads whether it was legal or not.

 

[Jennasis]

It is not safe to do so. Security will actively discourage it. Honestly, one would have to be crazy to try.

 

[Chrisizzle]

Hello all and thanks for the replies. Every opinion has been useful.

The bike trails wouldn't be a good option for me. I'd be looking to ride between 40km - 60km (25 - 35 miles) at an average speed of 30kph (20mph)... and perhaps managing 60kph on a sprint.

Cycling around Disney doesn't have an online footprint, but someone must be doing it based on the hundreds of KOM attempts on these Strava maps.



I was able to find one cycling shop that seems to have group rides that at least pass through Disney World. Perhaps I'll see if I can join them. (Search for "Evolve Bikes" if anyone finds this post useful in the future).



And most helpful, I found this sole video showing the Disney roads from a cyclists POV. The roads do seem to have comfortably sized shoulders. Although, I will opt to wear something much more visible than his black cycling shirt. Neon green or orange would certainly be in order.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I actually watched a car hit another car on Disney property today. If you’re set on cycling those roads take every precaution imaginable. People aren’t paying attention to anything, and certainly aren’t expecting to be sharing the road with cyclists. Please be safe.

 

[mrodgers]

If I recall from when I was there (it was a long time ago) and coming from western PA where it is nothing but hills (you don't see the cars coming, but you do hear them a mile out in the country) and no shoulders hardly anywhere, the roads in Disney are huge and would be easy to cycle. I'm accustomed to riding on 2 lane roads that seem to be narrower than just one lane of the roads in southern States.

 

[Searc]

Hello all and thanks for the replies. Every opinion has been useful.

The bike trails wouldn't be a good option for me. I'd be looking to ride between 40km - 60km (25 - 35 miles) at an average speed of 30kph (20mph)... and perhaps managing 60kph on a sprint.

Cycling around Disney doesn't have an online footprint, but someone must be doing it based on the hundreds of KOM attempts on these Strava maps.



I was able to find one cycling shop that seems to have group rides that at least pass through Disney World. Perhaps I'll see if I can join them. (Search for "Evolve Bikes" if anyone finds this post useful in the future).



And most helpful, I found this sole video showing the Disney roads from a cyclists POV. The roads do seem to have comfortably sized shoulders. Although, I will opt to wear something much more visible than his black cycling shirt. Neon green or orange would certainly be in order.

Not all the roads have comfortably sized shoulders and most of them are not paved if there is a shoulder. Riding a bike on any road at Disney is foolish and dangerous.

 

[FastPasser.]

Cycling around Disney doesn't have an online footprint, but someone must be doing it based on the hundreds of KOM attempts on these Strava maps.

You sound like an experienced and responsible cyclist and can judge where you should and should not cycle. I think you'll be just fine at WDW should you decide to do it.

 

[John VN]

Not all the roads have comfortably sized shoulders and most of them are not paved if there is a shoulder. Riding a bike on any road at Disney is foolish and dangerous.

You sound like an experienced and responsible cyclist and can judge where you should and should not cycle. I think you'll be just fine at WDW should you decide to do it.

Did some WDW bicycle riding years ago without issues but not on my list any longer due to roads being more crowded with clueless drivers. 10,000 road miles last year, 11,000+ year before, 170 mile 1 day Cross Florida in a few weeks, bicycled on 65mph roads in Texas and will not ride the 45mph Disney property roads any longer. Come to think about it, being 69yo soon might also have something to do with not wanting to ride the WDW roads.

 

[MillauFr]

Disney needs to do a better job accommodating cyclists. They should convert some of the vehicle lanes into protected bicycle lanes. Getting around Disney by bicycle would be the most efficient way to get from A to B.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I can't speak for riding near WDW, but it's not at all uncommon to hear about bicyclists being killed here in South Florida. My DS likes to ride his bike, but he's very careful about where he rides it. Riding in an area where most people know the area & the rules of the road is very different from riding around people from multiple countries that don't obey road rules & may not even know what they are.

You have to be extra vigilant in a car. People will enter the right lane, because it's shorter, then cut in front of two lanes of traffic to turn left at a light. They often ignore traffic lights, so you have to watch out for that too. It's much more dangerous on a bike. Don't expect anyone to obey road rules or you'll be putting your life in danger. The same is true for people driving vehicles, but you're much more exposed on a bike.