Driving around Disney and Florida

[ziggybaby]

Hi there
I will be a first time driver in the U.S
Any hints or tips for having a safe journey.
Many thanks​

 

[Mischa]

Well, I have three hints:

1. Follow the road signs,
2. obey the speed limit (or you might get a "souvenir" (ticket) you'd rather not have), and
3. although you might encounter some discourteous drivers - don't let that get to you (they probably need some Disney magic).

Have fun and be careful!

 

[Cee]

....have you had driving on the "wrong" side of the road? Or the wrong side of
the car for that matter!? It will be very disorienting at first. Just find some
time to practice and you'll be fine. Everybody here is in a big hurry for some
reason so just pick your lane and stay there. You'll get to your Disney destination eventually. You're on vacation. Your first order of business is to
relax and ENJOY!

 

[charity]

Don't get a manual shift car, it will be so much more easy with a auto. I had the problem when I lived in England of a manual car and it made things a pain!
The only other tip I can give is when you pull out of a parking lot or onto a road - stop and think of the side you need to be on, I had a hard time when I moved back here because I wanted to just pull out onto the wrong side!!
Even the small roads are larger in the us so you should be fine.
Have fun!

 

[DisneyJo]

We're renting a car for the first time this year too and want some info too. Is there some rule about 4 way junctions or something and at a stop sign you must stop yeah? (sounds daft but we mostly have give way signs!) Also we have a fast and slow lane on our motorways (freeways) do you?

 

[mmessler]

Generally the left lane is the "fast" lane and the far right the "slow" lane, but there's not really a steadfast rule about it.

Allow extra time whenever your trip involves I-4, there always seems to be something going on to tie up traffic around the general Orlando area, whether it be traffic or an accident.

Definitely be mindful of the speed limits, as cops in this country (or at least MY part of the country) love to tag tourists or out-of-town drivers.

If you're planning on driving to the Disney parks, beware. Some people can be awful pushy and reckless when there's thousands trying to exit all at once.

But rest assured, driving around Disney is definitely not a problem at all, everything is well signed and not too easy to get lost. And also, keep in mind most hotel and resort guest services areas have ready made business cards with directions to popular destinations on and off property, so rather than relying solely on maps and your own navigational skills, do ask there for help ahead of time.

Keep the phone # of your resort programmed in a cell phone (or in the car, if you don't have one) just in the odd event that you find yourself misplaced.

And most importantly...have fun!

 

[kat08]

A 4 way stop (4 stop signs at the same junction - NOT stop lights) has these rules: The first person who gets to the stop sign goes first and each person continues to stop and let the next person go. If 2 or more people get there at the same time, the person on the right goes first (although a lot of people in the US don't know this, so just wave the other person through if you have a doubt.)

If a traffic light is red, you may turn after stopping, as long as there are no other cars coming. The only exception to this rule is if it is posted "No Turn on Red." That sign would normally be posted on the wire that the traffic light is hanging on, nearest to the far right light. If in doubt, just stop and wait for the light to turn green and ignore the dork behind you who is honking his horn.

I don't know what's different where you are, so it's tough for me to tell you what to expect. KWIM?

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

One thing we noticed, is that U-turns at intersections controlled by traffic lights is OK in Florida (which is something we are not used to here in Canada -I believe in most provinces here in Canada it's illegal)

Bonny