staying offsite -- what's traffic like to parks?

[Mainebound]

Hi all,

We are thinking of staying at a pool home in Windsor Palms or other development west of WDW off 192 for our March 05 trip. We have never stayed offsite. For those of you who have driven yourselves to the parks every day -- do you have to travel at certain times to avoid traffic? Are you sitting in your car for 30 minutes to get into or out of the park? when should we plan to leave our pool home to get to non-EE parks that open at 9:00?

Any advice or tips would be appreciated. This will be a big factor in our decision about staying offsite.

Thank you!

 

[DisKim]

I'm in the same situation and also staying at Windsor Palms. I'd like to know too!

 

[Blueberry]

Travel time is often greatly EXAGGERATED in tour books and on certain sites to make it look like staying off site is like staying in outer Mongolia..

We stay on west I92 most every trip and never have any real trouble commuting in. Depends on how far down the Windsor Palms is will determine your drive time. You do hit several stop lights but if you go in first thing in the morning on a non-holiday day you should not have any problems.

In March during Spring Break we stayed out closer to Rte 27, the farthest out we ever stayed and it took us no more than 15 minutes to hit the MK parking lot first thing in the morning...

Enjoy your trip and have no drive worries...

 

[Mainebound]

Originally posted by Blueberry
Travel time is often greatly EXAGGERATED in tour books and on certain sites to make it look like staying off site is like staying in outer Mongolia..

What a relief. In fact, it was a tour book (NOT UG or Passporter) I was perusing in Borders which described sitting in traffic within WDW for hours on end which got me nervous. Glad I didn't buy it.

thanks Blueberry!

 

[Blueberry]

Tour books often say traffic is awful...Of the 20 years we have been going to WDW, only twice did we stay on site so I have a lot of offsite driving experience. We have never sat in any traffic jam in the morning going onto WDW and we have been in summer heavy season and EAster season. If you are going in heavy attendance season I suggest you do go to the parks first thing in the mornings though as it is the best touring time...

Enjoy your trip and have no worries...

 

[baileybelle]

hey mainebound: I'm from Maine too and also staying at Windsor Palms. We are going the last two weeks in October. I'm from Biddeford. Where do you live? There is a shortcut to the parks from the resorts. Instead of going all the way to World Drive take a left at the intersection of Sherberth Road and 192. Takes you to Osceola Parkway which connects to all the disney theme parks, I-4, and Lake Buena Vista. Here's an excellent site that has interactive maps of the entire area http://www.kissimmee-us192.com/. Also has maps of International Drive and Lake Buena Vista. :thewave:

 

[Lewisc]

If you leave RIGHT after Illuminations (or Wishes or Fantasmic) you'll have a wait to get out of the parking lot. But you'll also have a wait for the resort bus if you stay onsite. You may have to wait for 3 or 4 buses until you get on.

The best solution is to stay in the park for 20-30 minutes. Shop, grab a snack or just sit down and relax.

 

[deltachi8]

Originally posted by baileybelle
hey mainebound: I'm from Maine too and also staying at Windsor Palms. We are going the last two weeks in October. I'm from Biddeford. Where do you live? There is a shortcut to the parks from the resorts. Instead of going all the way to World Drive take a left at the intersection of Sherberth Road and 192. Takes you to Osceola Parkway which connects to all the disney theme parks, I-4, and Lake Buena Vista. Here's an excellent site that has interactive maps of the entire area http://www.kissimmee-us192.com/. Also has maps of International Drive and Lake Buena Vista. :thewave:

thanks for that websit, very handy maps and information.

 

[Mainebound]

Thank you all. Very helpful website Baileybelle. We're in Bangor. We are looking at pool homes but I am still not completely sure it's what we'll do. Please be sure to write a trip report on Windsor Palms when you return!

 

[pumpkinboy]

Another Maine native weighing in (born in Biddeford, from Kennebunkport). Nice to see a Bidde-honey on this site Baileybelle! I have experienced traffic in the 192 area as well, and tho it is usually just fine, it does sometimes approach the Maine Turnpike southbound at York on Labor Day - stinking hot and 2-5mph progress. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

This is why we have rented and now bought DVC so we're on site for ever more, thank you very much. You will probably do just fine off site and renting a pool home sounds very appealing; it's not for us tho. We have the added complication of a wheelchair-bound 6 yr old DS, and having to load eveyone and everything in and out of the car is most unpleasant, so we're happy to let Mickey's purple pants guys do all the driving for us, and be right there all the time.

Good luck, and good to see so many other Mainers (even tho some of us are in exile ).