night driving on property

[hsmamato2]

Staying allstars- will have a car- but I don't really like driving at night in unfamiliar places.... I want to go to one of the other resorts for ADR- how challenging is it at night? I'm guessing it gets pretty busy?

 

[CarolynFH]

The roads on property are well-lit, and signs are good as long as you have a general idea where you’re going, e.g. that the Poly is a Magic Kingdom Resort.

If possible, you might make a daytime “dry run” from your resort to your destination, to become familiar with directions.

 

[_19disnA]

Always good idea to have GPS, maps and a general idea of where on the Disney property you are going. The very first time we went to Disney years ago, it was VERY confusing that you had to know Contemporary/Poly were considered part of "Magic Kingdom Resorts" which was the freeway sign instead of a specific sign for the actual resort. We had NO idea we needed to know that and took the wrong freeway exit. Once you have gone there a number of times, it is easier to get around when you have a general sense of where things are.

Also good to know that over the years, Disney has redesigned some of the freeway exits/ramps, so expect a few surprises if it has been a few years since you were last there. The biggest problem regardless of time of day is when there is traffic on the freeway, you need to plan ahead to be in the correct lane for wherever you are going. We always have had a car and realize that sometimes we will take the wrong exit regardless of how many times we have been to Disney.

 

[Jimsig]

All most all roads are lit up with street lights like a city highway . The darkest road I can think of is Vista Blvd if you are heading to Fort Wilderness, that's like country road but still easy to drive on.

 

[fla4fun]

When I am going to be driving in an unfamiliar area, I go to Google maps and use the Street View to virtually travel the route. That way I have an idea what to expect when traveling the road in person.

As others have said, everything is well lit and well signed, so it’s not that difficult to get around. You will typically find the most traffic during park opening and park closing, so if you can avoid that, traffic is not bad. It can be rather daunting to be on World Drive after MK closes . . .

 

[hardcorestitch]

Staying allstars- will have a car- but I don't really like driving at night in unfamiliar places.... I want to go to one of the other resorts for ADR- how challenging is it at night? I'm guessing it gets pretty busy?

You don’t need a car to hop to other resorts! You have Disney Transport buses to get you to other places around the park based on your hotel. If a resort in question is closer to the Magic Kingdom for instance… take the bus there and use monorail service. Same with EPCOT.

If your resort restaurant isn’t accessible from the monorail line (i.e. Coronado Springs, Port Orleans, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs or any Skyliner resort) you can connect to those resorts at Disney Springs. Sassagoula River Cruise service is also available from Disney Springs, just check the flag for your desired location.

For Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants, you take the bus to Animal Kingdom and then connect to the Animal Kingdom Lodge bus.

Remember to add extra time (1 1/2 hrs prior to reservation) just in case anything unusual arises.

 

[Fangorn]

The signage on property is pretty clear, but has a couple of quirks from standard highway signs. As mentioned its really helpful to know the area a resort is part of. Every resort is classified as being in one of the four park areas or Disney Springs. On the side of the roadways, there will be a sign roughly a mile from an exit, that lists the resorts for that exit. It will say "Next right" or sometimes "Second Right". That's the ONLY notice you're going to get related to specific resorts. Watch for those signs and count exits when you find the one for the resort you want. At the actual exit, the sign will ONLY specify the area. For example, "Epcot Area Resorts." Or just "Epcot". Once you're off the freeway, you'll begin to see additional signs for the specific resorts. Just follow those.
Should you miss your exit, don't panic. Keep driving and you will soon come to an exit that says "All Guest Areas". This will, eventually, loop you back around and get you to the right area again.

Steve

 

[Kae]

Follow signs over GPS. It is marked like Highways

 

[thanxfornoticin]

For the most part, driving around Disney isn't that difficult and shouldn't be a big problem at night. Of course, that's easy for me to say not being the one leery of driving after dark (I completely understand your concerns, though). Getting to most of the resorts for an ADR should not be an issue, even at night. Just like getting back to the All Stars should not be an issue after you're done dinner. Signing at Disney is pretty good. Make sure you know which 'area' the destination resort is in (Epcot resort, Magic Kingdom resort, etc). That will make things easier with the signs. The only place I would not recommend driving at night if you're uncomfortable, would be Disney Springs. That place can get a little crazy with parking and crowds.

If you have any experience (or are willing to try) Uber or Lyft, it can be an inexpensive alternative to letting someone else do the driving. Disney buses can work, too, but it will require 2 forms of Disney transport to get you from your resort to another - not always the most convenient.

 

[hsmamato2]

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[zackiedawg]

In general, it's fairly easy to get around even if unfamiliar. Yes, traffic can be pretty high at night - but most roads are wide and accommodate the traffic well.

From All Star, your resort entrance sits right at one end of Buena Vista Drive - if you stay on just that road straight ahead out of your resort, never turn onto another, it will take you right past Coronado Resort, then the turnoff for Yacht, Beach, Swan and Dolphin, then Boardwalk, then right around Disney Springs. So just that one road gives you a lot of access to other resorts and restaurants - and to get back to your resort, just get back on that road the other way, and never turn...you'll drive right back into All Star.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is also pretty easy from your resort - just after you leave your resort, you pass under an overpass, which is Osceola Parkway...turn left on that road and it takes you right into Animal Kingdom Lodge. Heading back from AK Lodge, you drive right onto Osceola Parkway and take the very first exit ramp, turn right at that light, and you're back at All Stars.

To get to the MK Resort area, Buena Vista Dr just past Coronado will take you over an overpass which is World Drive - turn left down the ramp to enter World Drive, and that road will take you towards MK - signage will note the lanes for entering MK parking vs lanes to go continue on to the MK resort area, where you can access those 4 hotels. Heading back, just get back on World Drive and exit the second ramp to get back onto Buena Vista - bear right to head back into All Star.

If you're worried about taking other roads around - even though signage is pretty clear - as mentioned you could just use Disney Springs as your hub to get to other resorts. You could drive there or take your bus there from All Star.

 

[MikeF;NJ]

Follow signs over GPS. It is marked like Highways

Any particular reason for this? (Not to make the OP nervous.)

A couple years ago (on Thanksgiving day), I was staying at a Best Western branded hotel on 192 down by 27. I asked Google Maps to get me to Winter Summerland mini-golf. It had me go left across 192 before I got to the main Disney entrance. I had no idea where I was going, but trusted the directions as it took me in what appeared to be a side entrance to that area of the property and got me right to the mini golf parking lot. (Of course, finding that tiny lot completely filled and having to get to the Blizzard Beach parking lot for access was another thing, but that's not Google Maps problem.) FYI, it was my first time driving to Disney property ever myself, and probably my first time to Disney property in about 30 years.