Shortcuts to the Fort?!?

[SandrA9810]

The easiest route is I-20 to I-49 to I-10 to I-75. It's all interstate, but is fairly sparsely populated on some stretches through LA. I've also taken I-20 to Jackson, MS to US-49 to US-98 into Mobile then to I-10. This isn't a bad route but traffic through Jackson and Mobile can be a pain sometimes. Where I stop really depends what I'm feeling like and if I'm on a tight schedule to get there; like trying to get there in time for the last MVMCP the Friday before Christmas when leaving Thursday morning. I've been know to drive all the way through. It's about 21 hours from my house in Mesquite to Fort Wilderness with plenty of pit stops along the way. If I have plenty of time I usually at least try to get into FL, then stop at a KOA along I-10 somewhere before Tallahassee.

LOL... my aunt lives in Mesquite. I've made the drive out there once in 2008 cause she didn't want to drive home from Orlando. This last road trip for her, I flew out to Dallas, drove to Indiana then to Orlando, and stayed home because my doggie needed me. It is quite the drive... and florida just never ends.

I personally like getting in and out of the Fort from Vista Dr and 535 (backside of Disney). Winter Garden/Vineland rd goes all the way through Windemere, and is actually a pleasant easy drive. Towards the top of it there's some good shopping plazas that are all new, and about half way down there's a Publix on the right.

I personally like driving through Atlanta rather than the bypass. Mostly cause as a kid, when my g'parents took me on road trips to Indiana, we always went through Atlanta and it just brings back those memories. I have really found the bypass to be any shorter. And when I made the trips, we were going to Blairsville, GA, right there on the NC/TN border. The trip can easily be made in 1 day. I tried leaving in the afternoon once and staying over in valdosta and just found the hotels/area to be kind of crummy. So I don't have any recommendations for that area. I think there's a few good places a little further south into florida.


Here's a map. In yellow is the western way/entering through the backside of animal kingdom/coronado springs.
In red is the 535/Vineland rd way. Take it all the way to Vista Blvd, there's a giant blue warehouse and a baseball field on the corner. From there follow vista all the way around to the second Fort entrance.
In hot pink is the Reams Rd entrance. This is mainly a cast entrance, but an easy way to avoid the toll plaza. When Vineland road splits, stay to the right on Reams Rd. There will be signs saying "cast member parking" make a right onto Center Dr (Disney university on the left side and cast parking on the right). At the end of the road-stop sign, next to the roundhouse for the trains and monorails, make a left. You'll pass Space Mountain and the Contemporary, then Wilderness Lodge, and after the road becomes one lane it makes like a giant curve. At that stop sign, you'll see the MK toll plaza to your right, and straight ahead is the Fort. This way, you still come from the back end, but make an easier left turn into the fort.

 

[ChristyBey]

Thank you all so much!

 

[Lyndria]

Something else you might think of, especially if you make it down to the WDW once every year or so or more frequently is to get a Sunpass. I only make it to FL once every couple of years, maybe twice this year, but went ahead and purchased a Sunpass before my trip in March. It was a great time saver and I didn't have to worry whether I had the money for tolls or not. Now that I think about it, I probably used the Sunpass more on my last trip than I've used my Texas tolltag this year.

I second this. We live in GA and bought a Sunpass at our local Publix. When the balance on the pass gets low, it automatically adds some more. Also, I think you get a discount on the tolls when you use the Sunpass. This adds up after awhile.

 

[clkelley]

Same here!! I LOVE my SunPass

 

[YellowXterra]

2nd the Sunpass their are 2 different ones now days. I have the mini which stick to your windshield and only cost my $4.99 then you can add tolls to it. It can't be swapped from car to car. Works very good.

As for Atlanta I have done rush hour on a Frioday night never mind the bypass bust right thru downtown on I 75! Will save you miles and miles of bumper to bumper traffic.