First time driving in USA, I'm very nervous!

[nursejackie]

Hi,

For the first time I will be a driver this year. We drive on the left and the last time I drove on the right (France) I went round a roundabout the wrong way and never drove on the right again!

Friends and family insist WDW is very easy to drive around. I know the roads are wide and you don't have roundabouts in US (so that's one bullet dodged) but I haven't driven a right hand drive car before either so I have that challenge as well.

I definitely won't be driving outside the bubble this first time, but does anyone have any tips for me?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Yes we have round abouts in the US just none at Disney. Disney is easy to drive around. The are great signs all over WDW property that tell you what lane to be in get to a certain place. For you I would HIGHLY recommend take the south exit at the airport and get on 417. It is an easier way to get to WDW. You exit the airport taking the south exit. there are signs at the airport telling you what lane is for the south exit. The south exit puts you right on Jeff Fiqua rd south. There is an exit ramp for 417 get on it and 417 takes you right over to WDW. If you take the north exit you have to take 528 to I - 4 highway which is under contruction and heavy traffic. The south exit is a much calmer way to go for someone like you who is not use to driving in the US.

 

[Alesia]

One thing you definitely need to know: the roads in WDW are not side streets, but busy highways and you need to keep up with the speed of traffic. I'm not trying to scare you, but I want you to have an accurate picture if what to expect.

Are you staying offsite or onsite?

 

[rwdavis2]

If you are not traveling alone make sure the second person (adult hopefully) familiarized themselves with the area so they can navigate and help read signs.

Here is a road map of WDW: http://keanespics.com/ThemeParks/WDW/WDW_Roadmap_800.jpg

 

[kj2mom]

I don't have experience driving on the opposite side than I am used to but I just wanted to repeat how helpful it can be to study the map above. I drove for the first time in Florida last summer and prior to the trip I spent a bit of time trying to understand the lay of the land so to speak. The signage is great but it really did help me feel more comfortable having a general idea of the area.

 

[Sandi]

Why do you want to drive at WDW? It looks like you're staying at OKW and AKL, so you'll be on property. With that, you can use Disney transport pretty easily and efficiently. I was in London in June-July and was very glad I wasn't trying to drive there! If there are reasons you want to drive, that's fine and doing as the PPs suggest will help. With all your prior trips staying on property, you know about the Disney transportation system -- from the airport and all over the property.

 

[loves to dive]

We travel to different countries often while diving and one thing my honey learned early on was to think to himself, the drivers side is always on the inside of the road. That way when he turned, he knew he had to turn where he was on the inside and I was on the outside. This wouldn't work if you had a car built in America with our left hand driver's side but if you had a car built for the country you were in, it worked.

 

[bumbershoot]

Do you have a navigator? If so, can they be trusted to quickly and calmly communicate with you if you start to drift or go the wrong way?

When I drove in Ireland ( stick shift, which at least you won't have to deal with here) my navigator was terrible. Would do a sudden intake of breath to react to my mistakes instead of telling me what I needed to do. Rotten.

If you don't have someone else along, just repeat to yourself what side you should be on, etc.

On property it's all straightforward. And Alesia is right about the roads at WDW.

Not sure where you are from, OP. If you're from Ireland though you might find it easy and the speed limits low. Many Irish roads are teensy and the high speeds on some of those roads feel like someone is playing a joke on the Americans!

 

[Hopefully]

I agree, why do you want to drive. I spent time in Bristol in England where they do have round abouts, as we do too. Each time we went around one in a taxi I nearly had a heart attack and I wasn't even driving.
I find driving on the Disney roads abit of a challenge. As PP have stated, they are all busy, busy roads. For the cost of a rental car you could like take Uber/taxi to places the Disney system doesn't go
Good Luck

 

[ClemmyIndyBambi]

When I was learning to drive I had a panic attack and forgot what side of the road I was supposed to be on (in the US). My drivers ed instructor said that no matter the country focus on the center line. You will always be the closest to the center line, not your passenger. I don't know if that helps, but it helped me.

 

[Woodview]

Ok Nursejackie here goes

You Will be fine ,,,,, & after a short time you Will enjoy driving in Florida & I bet that before you fly home

you will drive a good few miles away from Disney .

( Tips )

All cars are Automatic drive ...... so only 2 peddles to think about .... brake & accelerator

They are in the same position as you drive.

To start you will have to put the stubby gear handle into Park to get car started

Next move ( Slide ) gear handle into D ( Drive ) & then slowly press accelerator

The car will Change GEAR itself

When you press the Brake Peddle ( using your right foot ) the car will change gear itself to first gear.

Reverse is Moving ( Sliding ) stubby gear leaver into R .

YOUR LEFT FOOT is not used.

No NEED to panic over HAND BREAK ( Our Kind ) on Slopes as you will be in 1st gear after stopping

on slope.

NOTE STOP signs MEAN STOP ( FULL STOP )

YOU CAN turn RIGHT when your Traffic Light is RED

NOTE OVER head TRAFFIC Lights are in the MIDDLE of Intersection so SLOW DOWN & Stop

For Refueling with petrol ( Called GAS in USA ) you are better off paying INSIDE

BEFORE filling up ........ You WILL GET A Refund .

NOW TURN OFF MUSIC & MOBILE ..... TELL the OTHERS in the CAR to BE QUIET while you

Concentrate on your new found Driving experience

ENJOY

I drove my own car through England & into Europe for over 20 years .

Now we hire cars in Europe ( gear shift like our own ) & USA & Canada ( Automatic )

 

[Yellowjj]

Just to clarify one of your concerns. Right hand drive vehicles are usually from Japanese companies and you will likely never see one in a US rental car company fleet. So you need not worry about that.

I also recommend you start by driving during daylight hours to familiarize yourself first.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

There are standard shift cars in the US, but you'll rarely see one in a rental car option. You could ask for one ahead of time if that is more comfortable to you. Depending on the rental car company, it may or may not be an option.

There are roundabouts in the US, but I don't know if there are any between the airport where you'll be landing and WDW.

US drivers tend to be aggressive. They don't politely wait for anyone to do anything. As noted above, a stop sign means to come to a full stop. The yield sign means you can pause and then keep going. Right turn on red after a complete stop is legal in most places.

As far as filling the gas tank goes, if you're using a credit card, it's easier to pay at the pump. Just wait for your receipt. If you don't receive a receipt at the pump, then go into the building and ask for one.

But if it were me, I'd use the Disney transportation system if I had no other plans to drive around Florida.

 

[Yellowjj]

As far as filling the gas tank goes, if you're using a credit card, it's easier to pay at the pump. Just wait for your receipt. If you don't receive a receipt at the pump, then go into the building and ask for one.

For Amerians yes, however I would disagree with this especially as it relates to visitors. Credit Card readers at the pump tend to ask for zip code; something a visitor would know nothing about. Her card may be rejected. Best she go inside to the cashier.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Ok Nursejackie here goes

You Will be fine ,,,,, & after a short time you Will enjoy driving in Florida & I bet that before you fly home

you will drive a good few miles away from Disney .

( Tips )

All cars are Automatic drive ...... so only 2 peddles to think about .... brake & accelerator

They are in the same position as you drive.

To start you will have to put the stubby gear handle into Park to get car started

Next move ( Slide ) gear handle into D ( Drive ) & then slowly press accelerator

The car will Change GEAR itself

When you press the Brake Peddle ( using your right foot ) the car will change gear itself to first gear.

Reverse is Moving ( Sliding ) stubby gear leaver into R .

YOUR LEFT FOOT is not used.

No NEED to panic over HAND BREAK ( Our Kind ) on Slopes as you will be in 1st gear after stopping

on slope.

NOTE STOP signs MEAN STOP ( FULL STOP )

YOU CAN turn RIGHT when your Traffic Light is RED

NOTE OVER head TRAFFIC Lights are in the MIDDLE of Intersection so SLOW DOWN & Stop

For Refueling with petrol ( Called GAS in USA ) you are better off paying INSIDE

BEFORE filling up ........ You WILL GET A Refund .

NOW TURN OFF MUSIC & MOBILE ..... TELL the OTHERS in the CAR to BE QUIET while you

Concentrate on your new found Driving experience

ENJOY

I drove my own car through England & into Europe for over 20 years .

Now we hire cars in Europe ( gear shift like our own ) & USA & Canada ( Automatic )

The gear handle will already be in park before you to start the car!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

For Amerians yes, however I would disagree with this especially as it relates to visitors. Credit Card readers at the pump tend to ask for zip code; something a visitor would know nothing about. Her card may be rejected. Best she go inside to the cashier.

I have never been asked for my zip code neither at home or in Florida.

 

[Alesia]

I have never been asked for my zip code neither at home or in Florida.

Where I live, some gas pumps ask for a zip code - it just depends on the gas station.

 

[ziravan]

No matter what side of the road you drive on, cars are built so that driver side is in the middle of the road, to give the driver the greatest vantage point to observe road conditions.

It's one of the reasons (along with drainage) that roads are built sloping down from the middle (highest elevation is the middle).

Orient yourself to driver side is towards center lane of the road. Once I did that, driving in England became easier.

 

[Sandi]

Where I live, some gas pumps ask for a zip code - it just depends on the gas station.

That's been my experience, too. When at the Speedway across the street from BWI in August, I had to input my zip code. Same thing last week at the Speedway near my home in Michigan.

 

[Ranger111]

Not to rain on your parade, so to speak,

But drivers in the US, unless proven otherwise tend to be JERKS.

If you are driving below the speed limit much at all or if you act uncertain while driving, you will get various rude gestures, people will make unsafe passes and cut you off and -- they will continually honk horns at you.

I know, I was one. I grew up in Los Angeles. Home of Road Rage (although Florida and Arizona and Texas seem to have a shot at the title).

Now, I live in Oregon, where, it is actually pretty mellow. And, I am older and go with the flow.

But, having skimmed this thread, I saw at least one person ask why you need to drive. You should seriously consider that suggestion.

Last time I was in Orlando, I was nearly T-boned by two different Florida State Patrol cars who decided to go all cowboy to catch someone who was going about 10 miles per hour above the speed limit.

Zip codes -- its for your protection -- or if you are a cynic, for the card issuer's protection.

http://www.nacsonline.com/Media/daily/pages/nd0715132.aspx