Driving to Parks from our Hotel

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Hello,

Looking at a map, there seems to be two routes to the parks from our hotel. It's Orbit One, at 2950 Entry Point Boulevard. It looks like I can either:

1. Take a right onto 530/192 to World Drive

2. Go straight onto Sherberth Rd (it looks like Entry Point Blvd changes it's name at 530/192), to Osceola Pkwy to World Drive.

It seems like for AK I should use Sherberth Dr. But, for the other parks, which would be best? Google maps has Sherberth being about a half mile longer, but would there be less lights/traffic?

Thanks.

 

[dmunsil]

Hello,

Looking at a map, there seems to be two routes to the parks from our hotel. It's Orbit One, at 2950 Entry Point Boulevard. It looks like I can either:

1. Take a right onto 530/192 to World Drive

2. Go straight onto Sherberth Rd (it looks like Entry Point Blvd changes it's name at 530/192), to Osceola Pkwy to World Drive.

It seems like for AK I should use Sherberth Dr. But, for the other parks, which would be best? Google maps has Sherberth being about a half mile longer, but would there be less lights/traffic?

You're right that Sherberth is probably best for AK, though there is a little backtracking on Osceola to get to the turnaround for the entrance to AK. For all other parks, I'd tend to do the World Drive approach. It's essentially a freeway, so I think it'll save you a little time. But it's not clear; Irlo Bronson Highway has a bunch of lights, and Sherberth has none. But Sherberth is a little back road that you are supposed to go 30 or so on. It's also severely lacking in Disney magic, if that's important to you. You drive past a lot of random backstage-type areas and never really go through a formal WDW entrance gate. The World Drive entrance feels a lot more festive. Sherberth is really for employees coming to AK and the AKL.

For DHS in particular, coming in on World Drive you have a dedicated exit for the park (which sometimes bogs down with cars). When you come from that direction on Osceola, the signs direct you onto World Drive, then you get off on Buena Vista and enter DHS via the north entrance. That adds a little extra driving, though usually the north entrance is less busy. Six of one, half dozen of the other.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Thanks!

Is there a general "rush hour" when Irlo Bronson Highway has more traffic, that would push it towards Sherberth for MK and EP?

The first couple times or two, I think the big welcome signs will be nice, but after going back and forth 2 times a day for a few days, I think we'll want the fastest/easiest route.

 

[dmunsil]

Is there a general "rush hour" when Irlo Bronson Highway has more traffic, that would push it towards Sherberth for MK and EP?

Not really; Osceola is always going to be faster than Irlo Bronson no matter what time of day.

The first couple times or two, I think the big welcome signs will be nice, but after going back and forth 2 times a day for a few days, I think we'll want the fastest/easiest route.

Yeah, I think I agree. If I was staying where you are, I think I'd take Sherberth every day. It's unlikely to be much worse, and depending on traffic, it might well be much better. But I know my way around well and am not likely to get lost. Not that you're going to get lost going to the major parks. The Disney signage isn't perfect, but they do a good job of getting you to the Big Four. If you wanted to get to Winter Summerland Mini-golf, though...

Do you have a Garmin or TomTom GPS? Because I built a set of POI points to get around WDW while driving. In fact it was while gathering the data for that file that I drove the Sherberth route.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Do you have a Garmin or TomTom GPS? Because I built a set of POI points to get around WDW while driving. In fact it was while gathering the data for that file that I drove the Sherberth route.

I have a TomTom.

You would take Sherberth to DHS, and use the Buena Vista Rd entrance, instead of the World Drive entrance, then?