Please give Orlando traffic pointers for a newbie

[dpndka]

We're visiting WDW in a couple of week and staying offsite. While we've been to WDW a couple of times, we're renting a car for the first time. We're planning to take the hotel shuttle to the parks except on AK day.Other than that we hope patronise non-disney restaurants offisite.

I've read several posts about traffic on I-4.

Are there any other areas around wdw to watch out for in terms of congestion, traffice backup etc? any other tips?

We're staying in the Bonnet Creek area.

 

[Taja]

I don't have any specifics, but you really just need to use common sense. If you can avoid being on surface streets/freeways during rush hour, you'll save yourself serious headaches. I-4 will tie itself into a knot during rush hour--that I do know! I've been caught in it several times when traveling on business. *LOL*

I don't recall specific rush hour times in the Orlando area, but I'm guessing 6:00 or 6:30 a.m. to about 9:00 a.m. and probably 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 or 6:30 p.m. Probably varies a bit by location, as it does most places.

Edited to add:

The intersection of Resorts Blvd. (the street that runs along DTD and the non-Disney resorts) and The Crossroads shopping center can be a bit of a nightmare at any time of day or night. Drivers tend to be a wee bit insane. Be very careful of pedestrians--most drivers don't seem to pay attention to them. And the intersection just beyond I-4 on SR535 (sorry, I don't know the street names) also can be a bit treacherous at any time of day. They are just very busy intersections with a lot of impatient people!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I am not sure if you are planning on visiting this area but on International Drive where the Prime Outlets are located, for whatever reason I noticed that side gets a lot more crowded then other side of International Drive where the Orange County convention center is located.

 

[rwdavis2]

The advice so far is good. You should not have too much of a problem since you appear to be on the west side of I-4. IMHO, I would consider driving to the parks everyday. That's what we did the last time we stayed off site. It makes park hopping easier (if you have park hoppers) and gives you the flexibility of leaving whenever you want.

 

[dpndka]

Thanks Everyone.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

The advice so far is good. You should not have too much of a problem since you appear to be on the west side of I-4. IMHO, I would consider driving to the parks everyday. That's what we did the last time we stayed off site. It makes park hopping easier (if you have park hoppers) and gives you the flexibility of leaving whenever you want.

ITA!! Most off site hotels that offer shuttles to WDW are very limited and not worth the $15 savings or whatever parking costs these days.
Vacation time is too precious to be spent waiting for some shuttle that only comes a few times per day.

 

[twinsplusone]

In WI (until recently) making a U-turn at a controlled intersection (lights) is illegal, so when we were there we were surprised at the number of U-turns in intersections. You never knew where people were going. Something that we loved were the reflectors on the road. Doesn't take much to make us go ahhh!
Have a great vacation and try not to stress about traffic. Just leave yourself plenty of time. I'd rather be early than get crabby because we are late for something.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

In WI (until recently) making a U-turn at a controlled intersection (lights) is illegal, so when we were there we were surprised at the number of U-turns in intersections.

U-turns are legal in Florida unless of course there is a "NO U-TURN" sign. If there's no sign, ok to make one.

Use of a cell phone & texting while driving is legal. So go ahead and do it....everyone else does!

BobK/Orlando

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Edited to add:

The intersection of Resorts Blvd. (the street that runs along DTD and the non-Disney resorts) and The Crossroads shopping center can be a bit of a nightmare at any time of day or night. Drivers tend to be a wee bit insane. Be very careful of pedestrians--most drivers don't seem to pay attention to them. And the intersection just beyond I-4 on SR535 (sorry, I don't know the street names) also can be a bit treacherous at any time of day. They are just very busy intersections with a lot of impatient people!

I think part of the problem over there and I say this applies to the traffic on International Drive, is that the traffic lights stay red for to long and it backs up all the cars on the road.

 

[Magicbus]

U-turns are legal in Florida unless of course there is a "NO U-TURN" sign. If there's no sign, ok to make one.

Use of a cell phone & texting while driving is legal. So go ahead and do it....everyone else does!

BobK/Orlando

Drive real slow, stop anywhere at anytime and don't use turn signals. That way you'll blend right in with the other tourists and cars with foreign plates. Not singling any country out though.

 

[twinsplusone]

U-turns are legal in Florida unless of course there is a "NO U-TURN" sign. If there's no sign, ok to make one.

Use of a cell phone & texting while driving is legal. So go ahead and do it....everyone else does!

BobK/Orlando

I don't quite get this comment. All I was trying to say is that when driving in other parts of the country you need to be aware of what is legal and be on the defensive.

 

[Detailor]

A couple of things about driving around the theme park areas of greater Orlando...

Most people are just like you - they're tourists who are driving in an unfamiliar area - and there are a lot of them. If they're on I-4 they often don't know which exit to take, which lane to be in, and often make big lane changes on exit ramps because they don't always know whether they're going left or right off an exit.
One way to make this problem easier for you is to plan ahead. I'd suggest going to Google Maps to get a better idea of how you might go from Bonnet Creek to various restaurants in the area. For most restaurants you can easily use local roads, rather than I-4, even if you go up to restaurants on West Sand Lake Road (take Palm Parkway/Turkey Lake Road off SR 535 in the Lake Buena Vista/DTD area). The key is knowing where you're going.

The I-4 traffic jams are worst during rush hours closest to downtown Orlando and around the Disney area. Again, I'd suggest that you consider local road alternatives and plan to leave early when going outside of Disney. And, if the traffic isn't as bad as you'd expected, then you'll just get wherever you're going a little early.

There are some traffic spots that are worse than others. Someone mentioned International Drive - the traffic from the convention center up to the Prime Outlets can be ridiculous at times. Way too many people just keep going after the traffic lights change which tends to clog traffic at every single intersection - especially so during "dinner time." And the area where Vineland Avenue and SR 535 intersect backs up on Vineland. So if you're planning to go to Bahama Breeze at that intersection you may find that the traffic is problematic when you leave the restaurant to back to the resort.

When considering restaurants take a look at some of those at the BoardWalk resort area that's just down the road from Bonnet Creek. Regardless of where you go, just watch the traffic around you almost nobody really knows where they're going.

Dick Taylor

 

[dioxide45]

ITA!! Most off site hotels that offer shuttles to WDW are very limited and not worth the $15 savings or whatever parking costs these days.
Vacation time is too precious to be spent waiting for some shuttle that only comes a few times per day.

I agree. I say invest the extra cash to pay for parking and just use the rental car to go everywhere. Why waste a good rental car to take a hotel shuttle.

I have never found I4 to be jammed up, but we always travel in the off season. Also avoid International Drive around Sand Lake Road and also Universal Blvd in the same area any time between 7pm and 11pm. It is a nightmare of congestion.