Driving directions to Fort

[SouthAlabama5er]

Haha yea, Toll Rd 429 is Florida's best hidden secret.

 

[daemom]

So is there a better route to take coming from the east? We've always used I-4, but the comment about pulling the camper through traffic......

 

[ruthies12]

I'll be coming down I-75 as well so I'm making notes of all you've said- thanks everyone!!

 

[Teamubr]

So is there a better route to take coming from the east? We've always used I-4, but the comment about pulling the camper through traffic......

Pulling the camper in traffic is the reality of owning one. No matter how we try to avoid it, it's going to happen eventually. As for coming in from Tampa, I've made that trip a bunch when my parents owned condos in St Pete. I don't know of a good way. We always came in to 27, then up to 192 and in. That avoids the 192 exit at Celebration. Unfortunately, I-4 seems to start slowing down out by Lakeland (or before) in the summer.

j

 

[ruthies12]

When we come in on I75 we get onto the Ronald Reagan Turnpike (Hwy 91) at Wildwood. We go down to Hwy 429 and go south. We get off and come into Disney on the Western Way. This brings you into Disney at Coronado Springs. Take a left on West Buena Vista Drive and then left onto World Drive. You want to be in the 2nd lane from the right when you pass through the entryway at Magic Kingdom. As soon as you go through the entryway, immediately move over to the right lane (the bus lane) and your turn to the right onto Vista Blvd. The Fort is just a little way down on your left. This way is toll roads but worth it to avoid the heavier traffic pulling a camper.

Hope this helps.

You can buy a SunPass mini transponder to stick on your windshield at the first Turnpike Service Plaza after you turn onto the Turnpike from I75. (which I think was undergoing an entire refurb when I went by in January). Or you can buy it on-line and they will mail it to you: https://www.sunpass.com/index (see the link that says "Click Here to Purchase" and choose the mini).

I keep a minimum amount of money on it and automatically adds when balance gets low. I go to that part of Florida maybe once-twice a year and it's nice to roll through the toll booths like a local. The Florida Turnpike from Ocala/Wildwood down to about West Palm Beach (which includes the Orlando area) are still using manned booths or the SunPass. Hwy 429 that tiggerdad mentions, like some other toll roads around Florida that aren't officially part of the Turnpike system, use the SunPass or cash as well. Below West Palm, somewhere around Lauderdale there are no more manned toll booths on the Turnpike and it's Sunpass only.

Thing about the SunPass is to list BOTH the tow vehicle VIN/plate as well as the trailer VIN/plate. Even though my trailer is small, I like not having to come to a complete stop at a manned booth and then accelerate back up to speed. So if you're going no further than Orlando and won't be coming often, just pay the cash tolls at the manned booths. Or get the Mini and roll on through.

Bama Ed

Tiggerdad and Bama- can you tell me more about how many tolls would be on the route that Tiggerdad suggests? We are coming from Kentucky down I-75 to Orlando. We'll be driving a 35 foot class A and towing a jeep Cherokee dinghy tow. After reading this thread last night I took a look at that mini transponder that you stick on the windshield that Ed talked about and we are thinking it might be well worth the 5 bucks for it if it saves us the time of having to stop at the tollbooths and also the gas of having to speed back up in our gas hog.

I tried to do their toll rate calculator online and it wasn't very clear. Any idea about how many tollbooths we are talking? If it is only one or two then I won't be buying the transponder but if it is 3 or more we will definitely be considering that option. I have plenty of time for them to mail it to me.

 

[bama_ed]

Ruthies12,

Specifically there is one toll booth on the turnpike and one on Hwy 429 on the way south and same on the way back.

The one on the Turnpike is just past the Hwy 27 exit. The SunPass lanes were on the left side IIRC and you had to slow down while going through (memory says 25mph) but I go through a little faster. For 4 axles the calculator says you would pay $8.55 with a SunPass (roll through) and $9.00 cash (stop/go). Same going northbound.http://www.floridasturnpike.com/TollCalcV3/index.htm

On Hwy 429 south, you exit the FL turnpike at Exit 23 of Hwy 429 and drive down to Exit 8 Hertzog Road/Western Way/WDW. Between Exit/Mile Marker 15 and 19 is the toll booth in both directions. Calculator here says $2.46 with SunPass (keep driving at highway speed - stay in the main lanes and the overhead gizmo picks up the transponder. this is the way Miami area does it). https://www.cfxway.com/TravelersExpressways/TravelResources/TollCalculator.aspx Cash calculates as $2.50 and again, this is with 4 axles. For cash, you have to pull into the side lanes, come to a stop, pay the person, and then accelerate back to speed.

So only 2 booths each way. I like the idea of keeping moving myself and there is little money involved in having a SunPass.

Bama Ed

PS - Western Way comes into Disney next to Coronado Springs. Turn left at the T-intersection and drive up over World Drive and turn left down the ramp to merge onto World Drive, pass through the MK parking booth, and then head to the Fort. SunPass for me isn't about saving money on tolls - it's about keeping moving and not having to stop/go.

 

[tigger92662]

Sun Pass is definitely worth it. I'm not sure about Florida, but up here in Illinois, if you pay cash the toll is TWICE the amount!

 

[PaHunter]

So is there a better route to take coming from the east? We've always used I-4, but the comment about pulling the camper through traffic......

We just came in I4 from the east this past week and had no real delays or problems. We did roll thru on Sunday in the morning and left around the same time. But was not too bad.

 

[garneska]

Bama Ed, can you use the same sun pass transponder on both the turnpike and 429? For some reason I thought the turnpike had a different system and I would need two different transponders.

 

[bama_ed]

Bama Ed, can you use the same sun pass transponder on both the turnpike and 429? For some reason I thought the turnpike had a different system and I would need two different transponders.

Kris, actually the SunPass works on 429 which is technically a toll road operated by the Central Florida Expressway Authority. Their system uses a transponder called E-pass (with its own logo). On the SunPass website on the "roads and bridges" page there is a line about halfway down that says "In the Orlando area SunPass works on E-pass Roads". https://www.sunpass.com/roadsAndBridges Here is a link to an Orlando area map from the CFEA website that says in the corner SunPass works on all these roads shown. So it also works on the toll road out to MCO/Orlando airport from the south entrance (coming from Disney) as well as the road to the East Coast/Canaveral/Cocoa side of FL. https://www.cfxway.com/Portals/0/Images/travelers/ExpressMap2015.pdf

It also worked on the Tampa area toll road I used back in January. Not sure it works on EVERY toll road/bridge/lot in the state but this page above is the one to check.



Hey, ran my last Half Marathon of the season last weekend - eight minutes slower than Disney but I hadn't been training with the same level of commitment since then. (this course had hills whereas Disney doesn't). Hope you've recovered with your knees and are healing.

Bama Ed

 

[garneska]

[QUOTE="bama_ed, post: 53249269, member: 73820



Hey, ran my last Half Marathon of the season last weekend - eight minutes slower than Disney but I hadn't been training with the same level of commitment since then. (this course had hills whereas Disney doesn't). Hope you've recovered with your knees and are healing.

Bama Ed[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the link. Looks promising but won't have time to get it before the next trip to Disney.

Yes those pesky hills stink. At least you were doing it. So you hang up the running shoes when the heat turns up? I have been running, but only on the treadmill. Today I am going to tackle outside. The knee seems better. Hoping to join my running group again after I am back from disney. I have added swimming to my routine and only 3 days of running a week instead of 4.

 

[Flametamr]

The Sunpass worked on the toll bridge near Destin FL. Pulling a camper through there was kind of expensive and I won't go that way again because it didn't seem like it was a big help on time or convenience.