Driving From Sanford...I-4 or Greenway URGENT HELP NEEDED

[DarthGoofy]

This weekend will be our first flight into Sanford so we will be renting a car for the week. For those of you who have driven to WDW from Sanford, which way do you go and why? Do you take I-4 or do you take Greenway?


Thanks

 

[Edd]

You would probably want to take 417 or the Greenway (same road). I-4 can get nasty at certain times of the day.

 

[DarthGoofy]

bump

 

[Samsma]

We are planning to take 417 from Sanford next month. It looks like a straight shot. Somewhere on this site are directions from both airport to each resort. I'll try to find it and post a link.

Okay- this is the one I found

http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/directions.php

 

[bavaria]

DG, 417 may look longer, but it is faster. I-4 gets you tied up in traffic. I was in the Sanford area for many weeks and did both 417 and I-4 both directions - my vote is for 417....

 

[cherylp3]

If its a weekend, I'd say I4 , also do not forget that the greenway is a toll road and to have plenty of quarters.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I took I-4 a few times but since discovering 417 I'll always use it over I-4. The Greenway/417 is a dream to drive. Traffic has been very light by anyone's standards every time I've driven it except once - and even then it was much calmer than I-4.

 

[Edd]

You don't need quarters until the Osceola exit. Just give the open booths dollars and they will give you change on the .75 cent tolls. Total cost to Disney $5.50. Chump change for those who want to spare the agony of I-4.

 

[ducklite]

If its a weekend, I'd say I4 , also do not forget that the greenway is a toll road and to have plenty of quarters.

I disagree. I-4 can get terribly backed up around the 528 interchange, Milennia, and Universal Studios on the weekends.

With that choice the 417 (Greenway) is the only logical way to go.

Anne

 

[cherylp3]

Note sometimes the booths can have lines ( which is why I suggest change) so you can use the exact change lines.

Also no matter which way you go, watch your speed and the speed limits.

 

[DonnaL]

Definitely 417.....

 

[safetymom]

Another vote for 417. No traffic like on I-4.

 

[DarthGoofy]

Thanks everyone. We are headed out tomorrow and will definatel be taking 417.

 

[bavaria]

Thanks everyone. We are headed out tomorrow and will definatel be taking 417.

Enjoy the relaxing drive - it's surrounded by green space for most of the trip, and is definitely a better start to a vaction!

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

This sounds like a good alternative to my usual route of I-4 from Daytona. We will be driving down from VA at the end of April and in the past I have always taken I-4 (and, of course, by the time we get to Orlando it is just in time for the late-afternoon/early evening rush hour (which between the traffic and the construction added nearly an hour to our trip in 2002). If we took I-4 as far as Sanford, where might we hook up with 417 so we could skip going through Orlando?

 

[Samsma]

Try my link above to Allears.net

 

[Edd]

When you cross Lake Monroe and see the Seminole Shopping Center get all the way to the right on I-4. There will be a sign saying exit 417 south. Take the slip off and circle around back on 417. Continue south on 417 into Disney.

 

[cranbiz]

To be honest, I use both I4 and 417.

Alot depends on the time of day. I am coming from Deltona and rely on the motorist road signs and TV/Radio reports. If I4 is clear, it's faster and cheaper, If I4 is a mess then 417 is be far the better route.

Weekends, I4 is usually OK. I will be getting a much better feel for the ways to Disney on the weekends now as I have just become a CM and will be wearing purple pants on the weekends

 

[tecodis]

I think I would have to vote for 417.

I'd been using 417 for several years. Not a bad drive but I was getting tired of the tolls. This past year I've been using I4 from Sanford. It was usually not too bad, being normally on a weekend, but always pretty jumbled up around downtown. Still pretty manageable though.

This past Mar 12 was a totally different experience on I4. It was late Saturday afternoon and it came to a dreadful crawl traffic jam starting at downtown through the first International Drive exit. I've never seen it that bad before. Never saw an accident and decided to get off at Int'l drive for dinner (and that traffic was almost as bad). Needless to say, for the return trip to Sanford, I went 417 and happily paid my $7 or so in tolls!

BTW - that is the first time I've been on International Drive in probably 15+ years - what a tourist dive looking area that has become (at least up before the convnetion center area)! I'll be glad to wait another 15 years to go that way, I think.