International Drive to Universal

[LorraineH]

Hello Everyone

For the first part of our trip we are staying at the top of end of International Drive near to the junction with Universal Blvd so wondered how possible it is to walk up Universal Blvd to the Universal parks?

Anyone done this? It doesnt look far on google maps.....?!


Thanks in advance!


Lorraine x

 

[izzie-wizzie]

We stayed on I Drive - at the Ramada Inn by Wet and Wild (and im pretty sure this is close to Universal Boulevard too).

I have read people say this walk is doable / doesnt take too long - yet we have to disagree, and always chose to take a taxi - just took a few mins and it was only $6 or something - well worth it in our opinion.

Esp with how much walking is involved in a theme park we didnt need the extra walk (couldn't put our feet through it - too cruel )

 

[nobodies36]

It is totally do-able (we have walked from US to the Crowne Plaza at Sand Lake Road a couple of times after the sun went down). And I have walked that road over to International Drive a few dozen times. A taxi will be very cheap and well worth the money, but walking is a viable option.

 

[jamjar84]

We stayed up by Wet n Wild in 05, and were advised by the hotel not to walk to Universal because of the dangers of crossing the road etc, I think I've since realised that they advised that because they were on commission from a taxi company, and that is why they 'strongly' reccomended us taking a cab. The cab was pretty cheap though, and it's a fair walk just to get to the parks from the car park in Universal (though the travellators do help ) so it depends on how much walking you want to do.

 

[Kath2003]

Hello Everyone

For the first part of our trip we are staying at the top of end of International Drive near to the junction with Universal Blvd so wondered how possible it is to walk up Universal Blvd to the Universal parks?

Anyone done this? It doesnt look far on google maps.....?!


Thanks in advance!


Lorraine x

Hello Lorraine,

Yes, we have done this. It is absolutely fine to walk. There's safe footpath for the whole duration, pedestrian crossings for all roads. There's also an awesome lake to look over - we saw huge fish and some kind of terrapin!

I have read people say this walk is doable / doesnt take too long - yet we have to disagree, and always chose to take a taxi - just took a few mins and it was only $6 or something - well worth it in our opinion.

It took us 10 minutes to walk from the junction of I-Drive/Universal Blcd to City Walk and a further 5 minutes to the park entrances. We used cabs or the hotel in the rain and at night. The walk is virtually flat and is under one mile: even in 90 degree heat, you won't break a sweat.

It is totally do-able (we have walked from US to the Crowne Plaza at Sand Lake Road a couple of times after the sun went down). And I have walked that road over to International Drive a few dozen times. A taxi will be very cheap and well worth the money, but walking is a viable option.

This. We took a cab when walking wouldn't have worked for us (i.e. after 9pm or in the pouring rain).

We stayed up by Wet n Wild in 05, and were advised by the hotel not to walk to Universal because of the dangers of crossing the road etc, I think I've since realised that they advised that because they were on commission from a taxi company, and that is why they 'strongly' reccomended us taking a cab. The cab was pretty cheap though, and it's a fair walk just to get to the parks from the car park in Universal (though the travellators do help ) so it depends on how much walking you want to do.

There are pedestrian crossings on all of the roads you need to cross (two of them). The cab drops you off in the same place as you would park anyway

So yes, it's doable. We will be doing it again on our next trip. We saved a fortune on parking fees by undertaking a very gentle walk.

Edit: Is this hotel that you will be staying at the Hawthorne Suites as per your signature?

 

[izzie-wizzie]

We stayed up by Wet n Wild in 05, and were advised by the hotel not to walk to Universal because of the dangers of crossing the road etc, I think I've since realised that they advised that because they were on commission from a taxi company, and that is why they 'strongly' reccomended us taking a cab. The cab was pretty cheap though, and it's a fair walk just to get to the parks from the car park in Universal (though the travellators do help ) so it depends on how much walking you want to do.

We were advised the same thing - and just believed them, im far too trusting

 

[LorraineH]

Hello Lorraine,

Edit: Is this hotel that you will be staying at the Hawthorne Suites as per your signature?

Yes - we are staying at the Hawthorn Suites in Canada Avenue. Its right round the corner from Universal Blvd. There are busses that will take us from the hotel to the parks, but not at the times that would suit us, and a 15-20 min walk in the mornings will do us all good!!

I am not with young children, it will just be me and my DS16 and DD14 so I dont think the walk will be a problem. The Universal parks close at 10pm when we are there and we'd really like to be able to walk home too - if you guys advise that that too is safe.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts. This is all really helpful.

Lorraine x

 

[Kath2003]

Yes - we are staying at the Hawthorn Suites in Canada Avenue. Its right round the corner from Universal Blvd. There are busses that will take us from the hotel to the parks, but not at the times that would suit us, and a 15-20 min walk in the mornings will do us all good!!

I am not with young children, it will just be me and my DS16 and DD14 so I dont think the walk will be a problem. The Universal parks close at 10pm when we are there and we'd really like to be able to walk home too - if you guys advise that that too is safe.

Thank you to everyone for your thoughts. This is all really helpful.

Lorraine x

Lorraine, you need to be aware that the Hawthorn Suites is NOT realistically walkable to Universal Studios. Universal Blvd is several miles long and much of it runs parallel to I-Drive. That hotel is situated a good 2-3 miles from Universal Studios. People here were referring to the junction between I-Drive and Universal Blvd which is about 1-1.5 miles north of your hotel.

It will take you a good 20 minutes from the Hawthorn Suites on foot to reach the junction I was talking about between I-Drive and Universal Blvd, making your walking time 30-40 minutes to Universal Studios.

You need to get the I-Ride trolley or a Lynx bus to Wet 'n' Wild or choose a hotel closer to Universal (it's the junction of I-Drive/Universal Blvd near American Way that you want to be near to). My advice would to be to choose a hotel nearer to that junction because being able to walk is a real benefit.

 

[LorraineH]

Lorraine, you need to be aware that the Hawthorn Suites is NOT realistically walkable to Universal Studios. Universal Blvd is several miles long and much of it runs parallel to I-Drive. That hotel is situated a good 2-3 miles from Universal Studios. People here were referring to the junction between I-Drive and Universal Blvd which is about 1-1.5 miles north of your hotel.

It will take you a good 20 minutes from the Hawthorn Suites on foot to reach the junction I was talking about between I-Drive and Universal Blvd, making your walking time 30-40 minutes to Universal Studios.

You need to get the I-Ride trolley or a Lynx bus to Wet 'n' Wild or choose a hotel closer to Universal (it's the junction of I-Drive/Universal Blvd near American Way that you want to be near to). My advice would to be to choose a hotel nearer to that junction because being able to walk is a real benefit.

Thanks for the heads up! If the walk is around half an hour, then we will go for it. I would quite like a half an hour walk to the parks in the mornings. The hotel does provide transport, but the pick up times in the morning are a bit late. Coming home in the evenings will be fine, as there is a pick up at Universal at 9pm.

So I think for the first morning we'll give it a go and see how long it takes us. If it really is too far we will Lynx it to Wet n Wild and walk from there.

Thanks again everyone.

Lorraine x

 

[Kath2003]

You're very welcome. We really enjoyed the walk and it gave us the freedom to come and go on our schedule. Taxis are plentiful at US if you can't face the return trek. It is only Brits that walk to/from Universal in our experience

 

[kevin harrison]

It is only Brits that walk to/from Universal in our experience

LOL - TRUE. Include football shirts, carrier bags, and you have the ideal guide to looking for Brits.