DVC & Daytona 500

[ClarabelleCow]

Okay Race Fans, help!!! We are again trying to go to the 500 next year, last year (2004) we had tix but DH didn't want to leave kids with grandma!! So we had fun in Vero and watched the race on the TV, its been several years since we made the trek from Vero to the track. I am trying to find airline tickets cheaply (HAHA), would it be better to comute to the track for just the Sunday race from Vero or WDW DVC resorts. Thanks, and does anyone know of shuttle buses that would take you to and from the track??

Thanks

 

[ClarabelleCow]

bump - HELP, need to book air and room!!!!

 

[Pa@okw95]

I will tell you only what I know about this situation, since every year for some time I went to WDW President's Day Week and TheDaytona 500 is running then. Route 4 is backed up for miles from Orlando and I mean miles during race day. I have been going the opposite direction a number of times race day and when I say miles I mean miles. I usually am on Rt 4 in the morning well before the race. I will say again it is backed up for miles. That is all I know about the situation.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

It's been a long time since I've thought about the Daytona 500 ...never successfully made the trip. One thing I do know is that it would be hard to book accomodations for race week in Daytona (which is now two weeks long). I'd probably just make the drive from WDW unless I planned to really delve into the race experience...in which case you probably want to find a board or website devoted to Daytona. Truthfully you probably want to do that anyway to really plan the trip.

PS...looking at the post above I think you might want to plan on an overnight in the Daytona area...and the best way to help yourself is to find a Daytona website....DVC really isn't going to help you. You know...the right tools for the job really applies to attending major events.

 

[MdmMim]

We went to the 500 this past Feb. from the BWV. We left at 6:00 a.m., and I4 got busier and busier the closer we got to Daytona. The traffic actually was a bit heavy just north of Orlando. (Next time, I think I'd leave earlier, maybe 5:00.)

The morning we left, there was a bus that was picking people up at the BWV. It seemed like a package deal--coffee and pastry were being offered, and the tour operators had the attendees' tickets in hand. I don't know who put the tour together.

Leaving after the race was not bad at all, and I4 was much better after the race than it was in the morning.

One note: we went to the Hershey Kisses 500 the day before (sort of a dry run), and it rained when we returned. I4 was very, very backed up most of the way to the BWV, due to the weather conditions (lots of standing water on the road--our dry run became very wet).

Overall, I didn't think it was that bad staying at the BWV and traveling to Daytona. The ride didn't seem that long to us.

 

[DemoBri1]

As it is for any NASCAR cup race...LEAVE EARLY. Have never been down for Daytona week, but experience from other events leads me to believe that any route to Daytona on race day, whether it be from North, South, or West would be jammed.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

thanks everyone, not sure what I'm going to do yet, I can;t seem to pin down a return date, but at least found one way tickets for $100.00 each, I will just keep my fingers crossed that I can get a room (DVC), but because of my stupid use year (March) if I book and cancel, I'm in trouble!!