Money saving for non-drivers - walking distances??

[stitch_mischief]

Hi everyone. I'm new to posting but have been reading all your tips for a while.

It's our first time staying on disney property - before we have always stayed on i-drive. I'm really pleased to be staying in the magic, I think it will make our Disney experience ten times better!

The only thing is, when on i-drive, we were able to eat cheapy all the time in the chain restaurants and buy essentials in 7-eleven, walgreen's, etc. Now we're going to be eating in the parks a lot but it would be nice to be able to buy some things at slightly lower prices some of the time.

I've read on the board that out the back of downtown disney there are the disney neighbour hotels and just a short walk away is the crossroads shopping centre. I've seen on the 7-eleven website that there is a store around there on south apopka vineyard.

Can anyone confirm for me that it is definately walking distance (we're fairly healthy and would go as far as a 20-30 minute walk for this) and also tell me how to gte out of DTD and which way to turn?

Help would be mush appreciated on this as we will not have a car and are hoping to pick up a few things this way. Any other info on what's about round there in the lake buena vista area would be great too. Thanks!

14 days till Disney!!! (I got a ticker but couldn't work out how to get it in my signature! Am I too new for this priviledge? I managed an avatar!)

 

[canwegosoon]

A close spot that is great is at the Hess station near the Swan. Depending on where you are staying you could probably take a bus from a park to the Swan, and walk over. Also I think Earl of Sandwich is a great value at DTD. If you are staying at Saratoga Springs you can walk to DTD and There are probablyy spots to eat just off that. OR take a bus to DTD if you are staying at another hotel.

 

[Traveliz]

From Downtown Disney the walk to Crossroads would be about 20 minutes in iteself I would think even for a regular walker...then the time to get to the various eateries within the shopping area.

Honestly you can bring with you on the plane a bag of snacks bought at your convenience store at home --

As for cheap eats - generally you can find economic choices (if you choose to make them) at the parks and food courts at the hotels.

Liz

 

[stitch_mischief]

Honeslty a 20 minute walk isn't far. I walk to my job every day!

We just need to know which way to go out of DTD! If we walk too far we can always get a cab back to disney. But come to think of it, when we stayed on I-drive, we used to explore a long way up and down, we're nosey you see - need to know what's there!

 

[wee-haggis]

You would leave Downtown Disney via the Marketplace ( by Art of Disney - where the bus stops for the resorts are). You would walk away from Downtown Disney towards the DTD Hotels (sorry don't know if it is east, west etc...). Follow the road all the way around until you come to the intersection and Crossroads is right there. The walk is not long but remember the heat also remember you have to carry back whatever you buy. There is a grocery store and restaurants, behind Crossroads is another small plaza with an Indian restaurant and a convenience store.
Hope you have a great holiday.

 

[stitch_mischief]

Thanks for your help. I thought it was a pretty simple route - it looks it on the map but I wanted to be sure. Does anyone know if it's left or right out of dtd?

Also, I read about a new super wal mart and think that I understood that you carry on past crossroads to get to this. Am I right?

 

[jstbcuz]

I believe you take a right as you are coming out of DTD heading towards the bus stops.

 

[stitch_mischief]

Excellent, thanks. I'll besure to come back and let everyone who's interested know the full details when I get home! Only 14 days to go.

Does anyone know is the s 535 also called apopka vineyard? And what is the other name for hotel plaza blvd? Is it Lake buena vist drive? Just trying to get my bearings on a map!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Buena Vista Drive starts at the All-Stars Resorts and runs past Coronado, goes by the entrance to MGM and Caribbean and Typhoon Lagoon, past Downtown Disney and then ends in an industrial area.

State Route 535 has various names, and Apopka-Vineland Road is one of them.

Hotel Plaza Blvd runs from approximately the Marketplace at DTD to SR 535 at the Crossroads shopping center. All the non-Disney hotels (except the Wyndham Palace) are on Hotel Plaza Blvd.

The new Super Walmart is basically where SR-535, the Osceola Parkway, and Poinciana Blvd meet. It is not in walking distance to anything in WDW.

 

[stitch_mischief]

Thanks for the great clued-up advice! Shame about super walmart... I should have known, they are usually a bit out-of-town. Anyone know about buses that go that way or am I being a dumb-***?

Thanks

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are leaving from DTD to go to Goodings and the Crossroads, head towards Once Upon a Toy. That's there you'll find the intersection of Hotel Plaza Blvd and Buena Vista Drive. Cross over towards either the Hilton or the Grosventnor and walk along on the sidewalk. The only problem may be crossing over to the Crossroads since it is a VERY busy intersection. If you cross the the left side of the road away from I-4, you might have an easier time of it.

 

[Lewisc]

One one of the previous posters mentioned the Hess station. It has a mini-mart. You can buy things like soda, bottled water and "fun food". The prices are pretty good.

 

[ElizaB39]

before crossing the road. You won't have the reminders like in London for the tourists there. Look to the LEFT when crossing, then the RIGHT, then the LEFT again. Be safe.

 

[stitch_mischief]

Thanks guys. I'm going planning crazy now because I'm sooooo excited! 13 days!!!

 

[blestmom]

I'm reviving this old thread...how was the walking? I'm asking because we're in a similar situation, and was wondering how it went for you?

 

[Ozymoe]

I am going to give you a link to the public bus system that is used . It is clean, inexpensive...and one day passes (as well as 1 week passes and 30 day passes are available for purchase).

http://golynx.com/

Click on "Route Assistance" and then on "passes and fares".