Orlando traffic and DME question

[ErinInCT]

Kids are I are coming in a day before hubby. He flies in at 5:30pm Wed Sept 2nd. I have him set up to take DME to AKL but now I am thinking maybe it would be faster for me to just drive up and get him and then we can go straight to EPCOT for the evening. I have a rental. I wonder what the traffic is like at rush hour in Orlando, both going towards and from the airport. I also wonder, if I leave my girls at the resort (ages 15 and 11) to swim and get ready for EPCOT, can they take the bus alone to EPCOT and just meet us there or are they too young? Not that big of a deal to take them with me to pick up hubby but I think they'd prefer just meeting us at EPCOT for dinner.

 

[Alesia]

I don't tend to be overprotective (in fact, by disboards standards I'm downright neglectful) but I wouldn't be comfortable leaving girls that age at the pool. I wouldn't have an issue leaving them at a park though.

The minimum age to get into the park alone is 14. I think anyone under that has to be with someone 18 or older.

Traffic will be heavy at that time of day. If it were me, I would have him take DME and meet all of you at Epcot.

 

[ErinInCT]

Ok, good to know. I did plan to let them go down to the pool while I unpacked, but I'd be in the resort and out to meet them pretty quickly.
I just hate that DME has to take him to AKL and then he has to wait for a bus for EPCOT. He probably will barely get there in time for Illuminations which is such a waste of a park ticket!
Hmmm, I suppose I could leave him the car and he can drive to EPCOT which might save a bit of time. Yeah, that'll work!

 

[bumbershoot]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/parks/minimum-age/

Children under 14 must be accompanied by a person 14 or older. So your kids are golden for getting to and into Epcot.

The pool idea doesn't make me happy either but I don't yet have a 14 year old.

Picking people up at the airport is a lovely thing to do. But if he *wants* to take DME then that's fine too.

 

[Alesia]

Ok, good to know. I did plan to let them go down to the pool while I unpacked, but I'd be in the resort and out to meet them pretty quickly.

I wouldn't have a problem with my daughter being at the pool alone if I was at the resort. It's just that I would want her to be able to get to me quickly on the offhand chance that there was a creep hanging around.

 

[emsstacey]

Orlando traffic is horrible. I hope to never drive in Orlando ever, ever again. LOL!

 

[DVCjj]

Agree. Rush hour traffic just awful coming and going to airport. And that's with DME and 3rd party car.

As an unapologetic overprotective mother, I wouldn't have left my girls in a million years at the pool. Even at Epcot, I would be texting constantly.

Just me, of course.

 

[MillauFr]

If you pick him up make sure to use 417. You will bypass all of the bad traffic on 4 and 528