Driving on Property

[dmancuso]

I'm heading to WDW in a couple of weeks and will have a car for a few hours before dropping it off at the Dolphin. Does anyone have some ideas on places to check out on property that we normally don't get to when visiting the parks?

 

[hiroMYhero]

Celebration? Its not too far and it's nice to walk around and possibly have a meal if you have time. Every Sunday there's a Farmer's Market with food and craft vendors.

 

[amberpi]

If you like to see cool resorts the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, the Four Seasons and the Ritz might all be worth a visit, as well as the Omni, although its a bit further away. I'd say have a cocktail in the pretty lobbies/by the pools, but you're driving...

 

[Planogirl]

If you enjoy it you could play minigolf.

You could also drive to Disney Springs particularly if it's a weekday or perhaps pick up some snacks and drinks for the room.

 

[dmancuso]

Great ideas. Are there any backstage areas to drive thru?

 

[Surr]

Great ideas. Are there any backstage areas to drive thru?

You can drive around the back of Magic Kingdom. I believe a lot of backstage is behind a gate. If you want to see backstage you could use the Express Busses (assuming you have park hoppers.)

 

[DVC4US]

There are only 2 "backstage" areas that I know of where you can drive but neither one really has anything to see.

1. From World Drive headed toward MK - stay straight and go through the light at the Contemporary. Unless something has changed, this road will take you around the back side of MK and you will end up on the other side by the Grand Floridian. Nothing really to see except woods, swamp, and maybe a quick glance at the boats for the Lighted Boat Parade.

2. From World Drive headed toward MK - after you pass through the ticket booth, take a right onto Vista Drive. This will take you by Fort Wilderness(not sure if you have ever been this route) and if you stay on this road it will take you by some of the warehouses they use to store things like the holiday decorations. When you come to the light at SR 535 take a right and then take another right at the next light which is E Buena Vista Dr. Stay on this road and it will take you by SSR and to DS. Again, not a lot to really see on this route.

 

[DOOM1001]

There are only 2 "backstage" areas that I know of where you can drive but neither one really has anything to see.

1. From World Drive headed toward MK - stay straight and go through the light at the Contemporary. Unless something has changed, this road will take you around the back side of MK and you will end up on the other side by the Grand Floridian. Nothing really to see except woods, swamp, and maybe a quick glance at the boats for the Lighted Boat Parade.

2. From World Drive headed toward MK - after you pass through the ticket booth, take a right onto Vista Drive. This will take you by Fort Wilderness(not sure if you have ever been this route) and if you stay on this road it will take you by some of the warehouses they use to store things like the holiday decorations. When you come to the light at SR 535 take a right and then take another right at the next light which is E Buena Vista Dr. Stay on this road and it will take you by SSR and to DS. Again, not a lot to really see on this route.

I live 5 minutes behind MK and can use route 1 or 2 to go home,the Holiday services building is actually by route 1 if you go on World Dr behind MK instead of going straight on Floridian you turn right on Center dr which also is the way to MK CM parking,you keep going you hit Reams rd to exit Disney property and to my house.One thing to keep an eye out in the woody area in Floridian Way behind MK as well as in Vista blvd in front of Ft.Wilderness are deer,every now and then you see them,one time I saw about 7 of them right by the Ft.Wilderness entrance.Another thing you didn't realize Disney does is run huge sprinklers by Floridian Way an hour or two before the Wishes fireworks to avoid fires.One cool place to see some nature is the Tibet Butler preserve on CR 535,not SR 535,literally 1.5 miles from my house and surrounded by houses but you go walk the trails and you're in the middle of old school Florida nature.

 

[DVC4US]

I live 5 minutes behind MK and can use route 1 or 2 to go home,the Holiday services building is actually by route 1 if you go on World Dr behind MK instead of going straight on Floridian you turn right on Center dr which also is the way to MK CM parking,you keep going you hit Reams rd to exit Disney property and to my house.One thing to keep an eye out in the woody area in Floridian Way behind MK as well as in Vista blvd in front of Ft.Wilderness are deer,every now and then you see them,one time I saw about 7 of them right by the Ft.Wilderness entrance.Another thing you didn't realize Disney does is run huge sprinklers by Floridian Way an hour or two before the Wishes fireworks to avoid fires.One cool place to see some nature is the Tibet Butler preserve on CR 535,not SR 535,literally 1.5 miles from my house and surrounded by houses but you go walk the trails and you're in the middle of old school Florida nature.

You are correct - you live in the area so definitely know better than me. I forgot exactly where we were when we did the backstage tour at Christmas and they showed us the Holiday services building. We have seen deer on property numerous times, some near Ft Wilderness and some on World Dr by the monorail station. That is cool about the sprinklers. They also run sprinklers on the top of the buildings in Fantasyland during the fireworks - this is why the ground is always so wet after the fireworks.

 

[DOOM1001]

If somebody knows on Vista blvd and CR 535 there's a softball field right next to the textiles Disney building,does anybody know if that softball field is for like an extracurricular Disney softball league??It seems there's always a game going on when I drive through there.

 

[Tomh]

I drove through some of that area behind MK last year after making the wrong turn out of the contemporary, wandered through the middle of nothingness for quite some time lol. Wasn't a whole lot to see except for palm trees, but coming from the North East, seeing palm trees was enough to make the drive fun for me anyway.

 

[FastPasser]

does anybody know if that softball field is for like an extracurricular Disney softball league??It seems there's always a game going on when I drive through there.

It's exactly that. It's the WDW Cast Softball Field.

 

[Z Cruisers]

If you go straight through the red light at the Contemporary, you will also see the monorail barn which is pretty cool.