Questions for Windsor Hill experts

[voleball]

My family (Me, DH, DD 5 and DD 5) and BIL family (BIL, SIL and maybe their DS 20) are renting a WH house from 12/11 ~ 12/22.

So, I have a few questions on WH and looking for answers/advise from those who have stayed there. Any info you can share is highly appreciated!

• 
  Some say avoid 192. Why? Is it too much trafic?

• 
  What are the recommended/good restaurants around WH?

• 
  What are the recommended, good but cheap food around WH?

• 
  What are the good reataurants that deliver?

• 
  How long does it take to go to each park? From the driveway to the Turnstile? (We are not going to the Water Parks though.)

• 
  How long does it take to go to the Fort Wilderness?

• 
  How long does it take to come back from the parks? Again, from the turnstile to driveway. Does it make a lot of difference if it was during the day time for a break or after the night event like fireworks?

• 
  I've read somewhere that there are two enterance to the Hollywood Studio. Is it true? If so, which one is better?

• 
  Are there any WH tips and hints thread you know of?

• 
  Anything you would like to share about WH?

Thanks!
Miki

 

[catho72]

I don't have answers for all your questions and I'm by no means a "Windsor Hills expert"....

• We found taking 192 to be quicker than Sherberth Road. We thought Sherberth Rd took us out of the way. To get to Sherberth, you have to cross 192 which is a pain with all the traffic. It's easier to take a right onto 192 to get to World Drive.

• There are lots of restaurants nearby. Bob Evans, Olive Garden, ChickFilA, McD, Burger King, etc. Most things off Disney property is going to be a lot cheaper than eating onsite.

• Animal Kingdom is the closest to WH. Epcot and DHS are fairly close. MK is the farthest...plus you have to park at the TTC and wait for a monorail or ferry. Each morning, regardless of which park we were going to, we left WH around 8am for a 9am rope drop to allow ample time for parking/tram/security/turnstiles.
  Leaving after fireworks is WAY more time consuming than leaving for a break in the middle of the afternoon.

• There's only one entrance to DHS. You may be thinking of Epcot where there's two entrances.

We really enjoyed our stay at WH. Our condo was beautiful and the kids loved the pool. Plus, it's convenient to WDW!

 

[dyna]

By accident we did find a 2nd entrance to DS don't ask how to get there I was not driving an wasn't seeing much but the back of DH's head. I'm not sure if DH could find it again either as that was the last time we went to DS that visit an not been back since.

 

[PistonsFan]

We always avoided 192 just because of the traffic. It's not that bad, but it's nice to avoid it if you can IMO. We found the Sherbeth road "shortcut" to be great. this is the shortcut as I copied it from the DisBoards two years ago:

Shortcut to Disney
To take the shortcut to Disney, take Old Lake Wilson Road back towards 192, but take a left on Morgan-Wilson. Take the next left onto Funie Steed. At the stop sign take a right on Entry Point/Sherbath road. Take Sherbath over 192 and continue on into Disney (you make a right cause the road ends into a guard shack though). It will only take you about 3-5 minutes to get there this way.

On the way back from Disney follow the signs for the Animal Kingdom Lodge. At the traffic lights before the lodge (it comes up fast) take a left onto Sherbath. You will also see the sign for 192.

Also, there is a plaza with the grocery store, a great chinese carryout (or delivery) restaurant and Outback steakhouse if you turn left on 192. You can get there with a shortcut without ever going onto 192 - I can't remember the exact road, but it might just be a continuation of Funie Steed - just keep taking the back roads toward that way and you end up on Formosa Gardens road which is the side road that will lead you into the plaza.

 

[catho72]

Sorry, I thought you meant turnstile entrances. There are two parking lot entrances to DHS. One of off Buena Vista Drive. The other one is off World Drive, near Wide World of Sports. The one near Wide World of Sports is closer to WH than the Buena Vista Dr. one.

 

[PistonsFan]

I forgot to mention - make sure to eat at Giordano's it is in the same plaza I mentioned above on Formosa Garden Road. They have awesome Chicago style pizza. If you get out and drive on 192 there's just about every chain restaurant and fast food you can think of.

Also, if you want to take a little drive some night go down 192 the other way back toward I-4, you will come to Celebration which has some really good restaurants and is a cute town to walk around. Plus, there is always downtown Disney and also the Mall at Millenia has a Cheesecake factory (it is on I-4, back toward Universal and Seaworld, but not a bad drive if it's not rush hour).

 

[voleball]

Thanks for good information. Keep it coming!!!

So, if I want to make be at MK's RD at 9am, when should I leave WH?

 

[PistonsFan]

Thanks for good information. Keep it coming!!!

So, if I want to make be at MK's RD at 9am, when should I leave WH?

It probably depends on the time of year, but I would probably leave by 8:00 to be safe so that you have time to ride the parking tram and then the monorail.

 

[voleball]

Thanks!!!

How about Universal?
How long does it take to go to the Universal?

 

[PistonsFan]

I don't know about Universal because we didn't go there, but we did go to the mall one day and passed the Universal exit. I think it all depends on what time of year you are there and what time of day because the traffic will dictate. I would say anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

 

[TinkerbellNYC]

We went to Universal one day, took us about 15 minutes to get there at most. It's a short ride east on I-4.

 

[sjanus]

We like a little Italian restaurant, Bruno's, on 192, and they deliver a lot to Windsor Hills. Their prices are very reasonable and the food is good. There is also a new Papa John's pizza--if you turn right out of Windsor Hills onto Old Wilson Road, and go straight, cross an intersection, it is on the right. Convenient, no major highways, not a lot of traffic--my kind of drive. There is also a new Publix there in that shopping center we like to frequent when we are there. On the left right before you hit the intersection, there is a Walgreen's. This is less than a 10 minute drive.

Sandy