DVC stays that involve going off property to "the other outside world"......

[edk35]

Whoooa...there is a world outside of the world?? this is illogical... OP I think one of the reasons you swore off driving was "thanksgiving traffic" it is the worst!! We went down last June with no problems at all, don't for get the other, other, world...Sea World...

Yeah that is probably true. We left Disney the Sat. after Thanksgiving and LET ME JUST SAY..........It took hours to get out of FL. I remember we had a hard time finding a hotel too on the way home to stop at. IT was in the wee hours and.....the next day we stopped at a rest stop closer to home...and the lines for the bathrooms WERE IN THE PARKING LOT. So yeppers...that was the ONE and only time we drove from MD. When we first went to WDW with our daughter in 92....we drove from NC where we lived at the time and it was not bad at all. I think we did that twice maybe. We have also driven it from my parents in AL....THAT WAS SWEET. I wish we lived that close.

 

[Eeyorerocks!]

. . . once we're there - we NEVER leave Disney property . . .

This is how we are too!

Last trip we were able to stay for 2 weeks, due to 8 nights free at SSR when we purchased at BLT. I was very wary of buying tickets to Universal, but we did. Only went for half a day and were happy to get right back to WDW, where we stayed for the rest of the trip Of course, now with Harry Potter, I'm sure we will get back to Universal eventually, if just for that.

One of the highlights of venturing out of the World was our lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. Would definitely do thst again!

 

[photobob]

I always drive and I rarely even move my car during our stays. I understand that using your own car may be more efficient but I honestly don't care. Having someone else transport me from place to place is part of my reality escape and one of the reasons we stay onsite and bought DVC. I have to drive enough with my job, I don't want to drive at WDW!

 

[briarwolf]

I always drive and I rarely even move my car during our stays. I understand that using your own car may be more efficient but I honestly don't care. Having someone else transport me from place to place is part of my reality escape and one of the reasons we stay onsite and bought DVC. I have to drive enough with my job, I don't want to drive at WDW!

I couldn't agree more. As I look out the window of the bus at the line of traffic leaving the parkinglot I am thankful not to be them.
That being said, there is a lot to see and do in Florida outside of theme parks...I just need to convince my wife of that.

 

[edk35]

I couldn't agree more. As I look out the window of the bus at the line of traffic leaving the parkinglot I am thankful not to be them.
That being said, there is a lot to see and do in Florida outside of theme parks...I just need to convince my wife of that.

Oh trust me... our first trip to WDW was back in 1992. We flew in, got a rental car and it stayed in the parking lot of Dixie Landing until we flew out 6 days later. LOL We have gone to Sea World and both Universal parks in the past 3 years but we had a car service we used for those day trips. This is uncharted territory for us. We have never paid attention on how to even get from point A to point B on property either. LOL We are going to be LOST.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

We just got back last Sat from our 1st DRIVE to the world since our boys were very little (now 24 & 17). We just stayed at BWV but we did stop at the Disney outlet mall. Other than that, we didn't go off property. The drive wasn't as bad as I expected even though I'd still prefer to fly. I enjoyed being able to buy larger things and breakables and not have to worry about how to pack them in the suitcase. If I were you I would consider going to see Harry Potter at Universal one day since you have the car.

 

[briarwolf]

Oh trust me... our first trip to WDW was back in 1992. We flew in, got a rental car and it stayed in the parking lot of Dixie Landing until we flew out 6 days later. LOL We have gone to Sea World and both Universal parks in the past 3 years but we had a car service we used for those day trips. This is uncharted territory for us. We have never paid attention on how to even get from point A to point B on property either. LOL We are going to be LOST.

If you don't have a GPS for your car, I would consider investing in one. I travel a lot for my job and I would be "lost" without mine. It doesn't have to be a super expensive one either, just the basics to get from point A to point B.

 

[edk35]

If you don't have a GPS for your car, I would consider investing in one. I travel a lot for my job and I would be "lost" without mine. It doesn't have to be a super expensive one either, just the basics to get from point A to point B.

Oh my van does have one. However my husband likes his better (the kind that is not installed) so he will probably bring it.

 

[loveswdw]

I would include Cypress Gardens, but it closed for good last year.

I think that's where the new LegoLand is going! Fun! Just another day to add into our future vacation plans.

 

[briarwolf]

Oh my van does have one. However my husband likes his better (the kind that is not installed) so he will probably bring it.

I usually do a map reconnaissance on google maps of the place I am going. If you do a search for a place you think you want to go (John F. Kennedy Space center, FL) and google can find it, there will be a link in the upper right corner of the screen that says "send" if you click on that you can download the location to your GPS. Of course that does require a USB cable. Just something I found makes life easier when I travel.

 

[edk35]

I usually do a map reconnaissance on google maps of the place I am going. If you do a search for a place you think you want to go (John F. Kennedy Space center, FL) and google can find it, there will be a link in the upper right corner of the screen that says "send" if you click on that you can download the location to your GPS. Of course that does require a USB cable. Just something I found makes life easier when I travel.

Oh that is a great idea. Thanks