Shortcuts from Central Florida?

[colleen costello]

My parents moved to the Villages, a retirement community toward Ocala. As we spend a lot of time with them we are trying to fine tune our Disney route! Per directions here we now take the turnpike south to the new toll road, then take the Western Way exit and come in the new gate which puts you right at Coronado Springs (thanks King Bob of the North for this!). We did that route many times this summer when the kids and I stayed with the grandparents and it took just over an hour.

Recently a Disney-obsessed parent at school told me a monorail driver filled her in on A BETTER WAY and now I am obsessed with figuring it out! Her family also drives down regularly from Indiana and after 1000 miles, every shortcut helps... The driver told her that if you follow the road that goes past the Contemporary (by staying straight where all the buses normally turn left to enter the MK bus stops) that it takes you up and off Disney property. You then have to make a few turns out there in the "wilds" and you eventually connect farther north -- I was not clear on whether you hit the toll road or go right to the Turnpike. But she did say her husband tried it the last time they left and it shaved off some time.

Does anyone here have a clue about this "secret route?" My parents are lucky enough to now go to Disney all the time, and along with me they are quite interested in getting there the best way possible. We are headed back for Christmas and I would love to try this new route out. A few years back we did drive up that road past the Contemporary, and I remember it took you up behind the Magic Kingdom and past all kind of warehouses... But we never tried to enter or exit that way.

Thanks for any info anyone might share

 

[AJKMOM]

Haven't been in a while, but I would suggest either trying Mapquest, which should give you a direct route, or going to the AAA which will have a map of Orlando and the surrounding area.

 

[ducklite]

I know the route he is referring to, and it's not a shortcut. The Western Way/429 route is by far the most direct route.

Anne

 

[colleen costello]

Anne, thank you. I remember now that you are like my parents -- one of the lucky folks who gets to live in Florida! I am guessing that my friend from school does not realize how direct Western Way is... I know we SEE the Contemporary from the toll road, when the road hits its highest point (it's always so exciting to know we are close!). Hubby and I are going to try to look at the area on Google Earth and I will tell him what you said.

 

[Pig Pen]

My parents used to live in the Villages before the new toll road was built. We always took the turnpike to 27, then 27 south to 192. We could see the top of AKL from 192...we would turn left onto Sherberth and would go into WDW the back way if we were staying at CSR or AK. I believe we have done it in under an hour, but I may be wrong.

The new toll road is probably much quicker.

My parents now live in Zephyrhills so they come up I-4 now. It's 75 minutes.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Coleen, thanks for the thanks! I know the route that the monorail driver was referring to. The route actually splits depending to where you're going. I use both routes all the time based on where I live. I don't think it would save you any time though coming off the Turnpike as you are; you just can't beat an expressway for making good time. But here's the routes which begin the same and then split further south.

When you get off the Turnpike and head south on TOLL 429, get off at the first exit (Exit #19) which is CR 535 or Winter Garden - Vineland Road. ($.25 toll). Turn left and head south on 535. At this stage it's a 2-lane road with subdivisions on both sides. At the 3rd traffic light (not counting those back at the expressway) the two routes split.

At this third traffic light, CR 535 and Winter Garden - Vineland Rd. continues if you make a left turn. If you're headed to the Downtown Disney or Lake Buena Vista areas, turn left here. It continues as a winding 2-lane road for a couple more miles but then widens to a 4-lane divided highway that few know about. At the 5th traffic light after it widens you make a right turn onto Buena Vista Drive and that is the northern beginning of BVD and takes you directly to DD.

If you're headed to the CR, GF or SOG you'd take the second route. Back at that 3rd traffic light on 535 you'd continue straight instead of turning left as in the first route. This continues as a winding 2-lane road that changes names; initially as Ficquette Road and then Reams Road. Eventually you get to the northern unmarked entrance to WDW; aka the employee entrance but it is open to the public. Turn right into the entrance road and drive past Vista Credit Union and Disney University. At the first stop sign turn left for CR and right for GF or SoG. Also turn right if you're headed to points south because the road ultimately becomes southbound World Drive.

Again, I can't really recommend this for anyone coming from out of town because between 2-lane traffic, winding roads and traffic lights it's not going to save you any time. But it is "interesting" nonetheless.

BobK/Orlando

 

[colleen costello]

KIng Bob, once again you are the MAN! Thanks for verifying that route... Last night a good pal took my kids to the drive-in with her family (to see "Ratatouille" for the zillionth time) and DH and I had dinner out together, which was a real treat. During the meal I told him "Honey, I am obsessed about that route and when we get home I am in the mood for MICKEY!" We had a lot of fun with Google Earth (whose genuine magic is not lost on me, a kid from the 70s who thought "Pong" was amazing when it came out...) Anyway, We were able to follow that road up past the Contemporary and my husband figured it HAD to be the routes Bob just described. It was cool to see how 535 -- the road past Perkins and Pizza Hut! -- could actually take you "up and out!" We also clearly saw the "split" and the fork over to the west. DH concluded that while these routes would WORK, there was no way they were saving any major time over that great expressway, which is also what Ducklite stated.

In any case, I recommend GoogleEarth to any WDW fan. Plug in the complete address of your favorite WDW resort and HAVE FUN! It is so cool to see where things REALLY are --- my sense of direction is not good and after 35 years of WDW visits I have all kind of ideas in my head about "where things are..." 99% of these ideas are WRONG! I had no CLUE that Old Key West was so close to Epcot! We also figured out that if we are late for dinner at 'Ohana, Bear Island Road will be a GREAT shortcut, as long as passing the sewer plant doesn't ruin your appetite!

Thanks everyone for the info. By the time I get to move to Florida fulltime, I will know all the roads by heart

 

[cigar95]

BobK, in looking at a map, it looks like one could stay on 535 longer before jumping onto Reams just about a mile or so from the northern end of WDW - bypassing Ficquette altogether, and coming in from the east instead of the west. Is there a reason why this might not be as good as the direction you described? (apart from the notion that the overall fastest approach was simply to stay on 429, that is.)

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Yes Cigar, one could stay on CR535 and then turn right at the traffic light onto Reams Road and get to the Disney north entrance. The reason why you wouldn't is because it would take longer that way. CR535 is creeping east as you head south while Ficquette Road continues more directly south before becoming Reams Road and making the turn east towards that entrance. But yes, both ways would work and get you to the same place. BTW, that entrance road is marked as "Center Drive".

Colleen, is "being in the mood for Mickey" a code word for an adult-oriented activity? LOL.

BobK/Orlando