safe for single mom ?

[Simba's Mom]

Gotta tell you about my first experience with the safety at WDW traveling as a solo woman. I've been to WDW solo 6 times now, but on my first trip I was very uneasy traveling alone. Checked in to POR at 1:30 a.m. They offered Bell Services to take me to my room, but I declined. POR is large, spread out, lots of trees and bushes. As I walked to my room, wondering silently why I'd declined the offer of an escort, I heard voices. Suddenly, around the corner came....2 women with gowns and Mickey ears! As my racing heart slowed down, I laughed inside at how I'd been afraid of Mickey Ears, and everything's been fine there ever since.

 

[spiceycat]

PI is not the only way that you can run into a drunk - epcot has their share too - but the security guards at Epcot are much quicker on the spot to remove the guest - so he does as little damage to the other guest as possible - or that was my experience.

WDW is a pretty safe place - I am a single and I have been several times alone....

I am not familiar with the place you were first staying at - so I couldn't tell what their safety record would be

where did you decide to stay?

 

[Hallo from Sweden]

Now it looks like I´m going to have to drive from the airport since the carrentalfees are totally crazy and it will be several hundred dollars cheaper for me to rent a car at the airport when we arrive and then keep it for 3 weeks (that´s how long we´re staying in Florida altogether) than to rent a car a week later for 2 weeks.
It makes absolutely no sence and this very good rate comes at Hotwire so there is really no one to talk to.
According to schedule we´ll be arriving at the airport at 6 pm, it´s not very late but I guess I´ll have to drive in the dark. I´m really not concerned about driving it´s the dark that scares me. What if I take a wrong turn and end up in a bad neighbourhood.
Figure I sound like an hysterical woman which I´m not just planning as carefully as I can.
I will be very grateful for your opinion.

 

[safetymom]

The routes that you could take to WDW don't take you through bad neighborhoods. I would take 417 the Greeneway to WDW. It is well marked, not too crowded of a road. The first several times I went I did it late at night and didn't have a problem.

I am a single parent that travels a lot for work. If you just stay aware of your surroundings you will do fine. Just don't let your guard down because you are in WDW.

 

[claudia]

You could map out your route on MapQuest...www.mapquest.com.
Just enter the airport address of 1 Airport Blvd, Orlando, FL and then your hotel address and hit "Get Directions" and you will get written and picture (map) directions. Just having that with you may make your driving experience at night just a little better.

 

[sters]

While the Swan and Dolphin have a great location and are cheaper than the other Epcot area resorts, you should know that they feel the least Disney like of any hotel on property. Some people prefer this, since they KNOW they are in Disney and don't need to be reminded of that 24/7, but for me I like all the little Disney touches. The Swan and Dolphin are not owned by Disney and, I could be wrong on this one, you might not be able to send packages to your room if that's important to you. Having said that, I stayed there once when my husband had a conference and I found it a nice and different hotel. We had a view of the boats going to the boardwalk and back. The room service was excellent, as were the pools.

 

[bigsis1970]

hi and Welcome. I have traveled alone w/ my kids (ages 7 and 10 now )to disney 3 times ( 2001-2002-2003 )and stay on site - I have never felt unsafe at all even in the evenings walking to or from the pools.. its all well lit and usually there are cast memebers about .. I have stayed at the Swan - a VERY nice place to stay with an awesome pool area ... I have also stayed in the all-stars Movies and Sports - very fun - at the Caribbean beach - it was Nice - the Animal Kingdom Logde - nice but kind of darkish - Old Key West - great to have a micro and mini fridge in studio . I am now looking forward to stay at Pop Century , Beach Club Villas and Coronado Springs . Best of Luck.. I have rented cars to .. the driving isn't too bad .. Roads seem to be well marked .. Michelle

 

[jjarman]

I must say that I felt very safe staying on site at WDW. When we were first planning the trip it was just going to be me and my son. Then DH decided to go anyway but I had already made reservations so we stayed on site. Our next trip in June, 2004 it will be me and DS age 13 and we will stay on site not so much for safety which is an issue but because I can't imagine it any other way.

I must relate though one incident from our trip in 2002. DS and I were on the buses going to back to our resort, POFQ. The bus driver let on this guy at the park waiting area who clearly did not look like he stayed anywhere much less a hotel. He truly looked homeless, dirty, scraggly hair, dirty torn clothes, dirty backpack, vacant kind of stare, stumbling around, etc. When we got to our resort he started to get off and the bus driver stopped him and said this is not the right place. I don't know where this guy came from or where he was going but he really did not look like he belonged. Now I know there are all kinds at WDW and you will see scruffy people but this guy looked just like someone you would see sitting on the street corner or hitchhiking along the interstate. Kind of scary.

 

[Efastpitch]

I've sent my wife and daughter to WDW a number of times when I could not make the trip. I had absolutly no concern in their safety. I would recommend on site hotel. Take a limo or mears for your transportation to and from the airport.

 

[jgates]

I felt VERY comfy & secure at the Swan. I ran out to the car in the dark several times, and often my DD and I went elsewhere in the evening without my son.

You CAN have packages delivered to your room, up until so many hours before you are going to leave - I think a day and a half or so. You just cannot charge items at the park to your room.

I never felt comfy walking from MGM to Swan at night but my son would let us get on the boat and he would head back on the walking path - he said I was silly to not feel comfy doing it. (Lazy is probably a better description for me). The Boardwalk was always sooooo busy that it was fine coming back thru there from Epcot.

You can rent a vehicle at a desk in the Dolphin if you wanted a car for a day, or both S & D have Mears Town Car services available.

Next summer - no son - DD & I will be on our own. But I feel safer there than I do most anywhere else!