International Drive

[mickeyforpresident]

Hi folks,

We've never been to international drive before... thinking that maybe we should ... what'e the best way of getting there? For our first week we'll be at the Hard Rock Hotel and then at Disney's Contemporary. We will have a car, but we are quite nervous drivers and tend to stick to the Disney roads etc. I guess the big question is - is it worth a visit?

 

[Kath2003]

What exactly do you want to visit?

International Drive is a very long road, covered in hotels, restaurants, bars and shops. The main attraction is to stay there so that you can walk to those things, rather than drive, as well as being a short distance from outlets, Universal, Sea World etc.

There are some attractions (Wonderworks, Ripleys etc) but I'd find out exactly what you want to do on I Drive before you decide when, where and how to visit. The road itself is several miles long!

You can get there using public transport easily enough; it's easily walkable from Universal/City Walk, too.

 

[pickers1982]

Hi folks, We've never been to international drive before... thinking that maybe we should ... what'e the best way of getting there? For our first week we'll be at the Hard Rock Hotel and then at Disney's Contemporary. We will have a car, but we are quite nervous drivers and tend to stick to the Disney roads etc. I guess the big question is - is it worth a visit?

We visited last trip just for a change of scenery. Bit of mini golf, wonder works and wonder round a shopping centre.

 

[wayneg]

I guess the big question is - is it worth a visit?

To some its well worth a visit, many enjoy staying on there. Then for others like us we hate it with a passion. I think the last 5 or 6 times we have been up there its been more like a parking lot than a road, traffic moving at snail pace. 20-30 mins to do a 5 min journey.

99% of the restaurants can be found elsewhere (LBV, Hunters Creek, HWY192 etc) so unless there is a new restaurant that can't be found elsewhere(Hash House a Go Go, Yard House etc) we have very little reason to go up there.

 

[scoobydooby]

Personally I'm in the can't stand International drive group. I wouldn't waste half a day there.

 

[chmurf]

The only thing that will see me go back to Idrive is the Orlando 360 ( = the London Eye) once it's completed in the course of 2015

other than that, Idrive is mainly a tourist trap.

I wouldn't waste valuable florida time unless it's really a day off the parks.

To get there, from Universal, just walk down Universal Bld to International Drive (at Wet'n'wild) it's under a mile IIRC, or catch a universal shuttle to W'n'W if you can

from Wet'n'Wild you can catch the Iride Trolley (day passes available) to go up and down that loooooong stretch of road.

maps, fares and information here http://www.internationaldriveorlando.com/

TBH I would rather spend that half day at the outlets than doing Idrive, even if there are nice things to do on idrive if you want a break from the theme parks, but it's huge and mainly hotels and fast food joints. Lots of time wasted for just a couple of things you'll have time to see.

 

[Kath2003]

We love it, BUT that's because we stay there. For us, the attraction is being able to walk to bars and restaurants in the evening, and the excellent public transport. The others are right - nothing particularly there that you couldn't find elsewhere (though there are some outstanding restaurants and it most definitely NOT just fast food - I've stayed there many times and am yet to visit a fast food joint) and the traffic can be bad. But, if, like us, you don't use a car for most of your stay, and you want to go out for a drink in the evenings, it's a great place to stay!

 

[scoobydooby]

Kath makes a good point about restaurants if you're not eating on property. My view is coloured by the amount of time we sat queuing in traffic the one time we stayed on I Drive. We did have some nice meals though. This was 17 years ago mind!

 

[chmurf]

Kath makes a good point about restaurants if you're not eating on property.

that's right, they are not all just fast food joints, but there are a lot.

there are also a fair number of very good restaurants like Texas de Brazil and Black Angus (and other steakhouses), sweet toms, and many many more, but it's really spread out, so if you won't drive, it's time consuming, and if you drive it's even more time consuming as you sit in traffic ...

I guess that for someone who stays offsite, that's quite nice. But if I stayed at Universal, I'd eat at Citywalk or take the car to specifically go to a restaurant offsite, but give the rest of Idrive a miss.

 

[mickeyforpresident]

Thank you for the different replies. Having looked through what is there, we're going to give it a miss!!!

 

[petals]

I think it depends on what you want to do. Eg: Seaworld, Wet and Wild, Titanic Experience, Ripley's believe it or not, Outlets, restaurants, hotels, pirate dinner nights and so much more are all on or just off international drive. I don't think it's something that you'd just hop in a car and visit for a day like the zoo or something.

We stayed on international drive the last time we were in Florida and it was great because you could walk to restaurants etc and get the iride anywhere else you wanted to go except Disney.

 

[Woodview]

You have been given good advice ,AND you have a car .... so use it.

Go and explore ... Drive up international drive & Keep going .

The Area is awaiting for you to visit.

Driving is easy ... just keep calm .

There are many many places nearby to see.

 

[JadeQ]

You have been given good advice ,AND you have a car .... so use it.

Go and explore ... Drive up international drive & Keep going .

The Area is awaiting for you to visit.

Driving is easy ... just keep calm .

There are many many places nearby to see.

Agree with you, it's a beautiful full of attractions and lights.
My kids love to film when we are driving on INtl Drive ...