Transport from I Drive

[valleygirl700]

Hi All

First time user, We are off to the magic place in Oct but a bit worried about getting to the parks as we are not having a hire car .
We are staying on I Drive, I have heard of the I Ride but how late does it run and how early does it start.
Any info help will be of great use,
Thanks in advance



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[kevin harrison]

The hotel you are staying at may run some sort of transport to the parks. Most of them do.

If you can drive, get yourself a car, it makes everything so much easier. It can and many do do it without, but you are not tied to timetables etc with a car. It's the worst coming back from the parks late and being stuck on a bus.

 

[valleygirl700]

Hi

Thanks for the info,We did not want to drive as a bit scared of the roads with 3 kids and that neither me or my hubby wanted to be at the wheel so we opted out of a car.

Not got the nerve to drive this time maybe next if we go again.
Thanks again
amanda

 

[arieliwish]

Driving is pretty straightforward in florida. We went for the first time in Aug last year, my husband recently had a stroke (at 49) and is unable to drive so it was all down to me. The automatic cars make it easier, no thinking about gears, the speed limits are quite low too.
My advice would be to get a good road map and try to remember road names/order as there isn't much warning before junctions as to the name of the road you're coming to (this is where a good navigator can help!). Other than that the usual common sense and courtesy we all need over here is all that you need. The major attractions are well signed and I found I got the hang of it all by lunch time on our first full day. Maybe you should consider getting transfers from the airport and collect/drop off a car near your accomodation.
I found the M62 much scarier when we got back!

 

[IanBond]

Sorry Arielwish just laughing at your Not thinking about gears comment!!

 

[kevin harrison]

Honestly, if you have 3 kids I wouldn't entertain the idea for 1 second of using public transport to get around. It's horrible having to be at bus stops at a certain time whilst on holiday. Have a read on these boards, you'll find no one who had a terrible time driving over there, only poisitive things. Don't close your mind to not driving

If you have driven on the M25 etc over here, you have NOTHING to fear over there. Use common sense and you will be fine.

 

[Red-Snapper]

Specifically answering the 2nd part of your query here is the link to the I-Ride trolley...

http://www.iridetrolley.com/

Not sure if you knew but this only goes up and down International Drive and therefore will not link you to any of the Disney parks (but will get you to Sea World and Universal)

If you are not having a car (and I agree with the above people that you have nothing to worry about in getting one on a first trip) then you will need to use hotel bus transport or taxis to the Disney areas.

 

[lexie32]

We have stayed on i drive for the last two years and not had a car, the i ride works out at about a 1$ per day for unlimited travel and is great for wet and wild and premium outlets and travel to various restaurants ect it stops about 10pm but we found a 20 to 30 min walk back in the eve helped our dinner go down.
Your hotel will most probably have transport to universal which we took there but always got a taxi back as it was easier and not expensive.
as for disney we got the i ride to a lynx bus stop opposite seaworld and then the lynx bus to disney for a $ each and the taxi back again in the eve never more then 30$ ( we spent most of our time at universal parks) we also got the bus to busch gardens from the mercardo centre you can book onto this if you go onto their website.
Over all we worked out we spent half the money on taxis ect that we would of on hiring a car for 4 adults for two weeks. ( we also did not have any rows over who was driving and could not drink!!!)
hope this helps!!

 

[kevin harrison]

Over all we worked out we spent half the money on taxis ect that we would of on hiring a car for 4 adults for two weeks. ( we also did not have any rows over who was driving and could not drink!!!)
hope this helps!!

Did you have any kids with you Lexie? If so, would you recommend buses etc with 3 kids and all the stuff they need?

 

[lexie32]

Did not have any children with us! but there were plenty on the buses, i think it would depend on how old the children were as long as there is anly one in a stroller i think it is possible.
Although we are hiring a car for the first time this year as we are hiring a villa and will have our ds who will be 11 months, we would much rather do as before but ds is a very noisy sleeper and the thought of spending 2 weeks stuck in one room was unbareable

 

[kevin harrison]

To be fair though, you are giving advice based on the times you have used buses when you didn't have children with you.

It's easy using and waiting around for a bus when you haven't got kids. This lady has 3 to lug around with her as well as everything else 3 kids require.

 

[lexie32]

So really you are saying it's ok based on your experiences without a child, you have no experience of doing buses with a child though!!

you are right, but i still think it depends on the age and behaviour of the children! the many familys we saw seemed fine but then again we always go in the quiet months it may be very different in the school holidays.

 

[daveyoghurt]

I've had a car and used the no-driving option and would say either way is fine, the benefit of the no-driving option is if there's only one driver, then at least they're not 'put upon' the whole time - you've just got to make sure of the times of the transport you're using so as you're not stood about waiting for longer than is necessary (a nightmare with tired, grumpy kids)! The i-ride is fine, you never end up waiting for much longer than ten minutes and has been said previously, your hotel will provide transport to the major parks.

We got around fine when we didn't drive, I think in the two weeks we were there we only resorted to getting a taxi on three occassions.

 

[kevin harrison]

you are right, but i still think it depends on the age and behaviour of the children! the many familys we saw seemed fine but then again we always go in the quiet months it may be very different in the school holidays.

Exactly, get on a coach at the end of a hot August day with 3 kids when the coach is full and you have to stand all the way back with numerous stops...

 

[arieliwish]

Exactly, get on a coach at the end of a hot August day with 3 kids when the coach is full and you have to stand all the way back with numerous stops...

On the evenings we left the parks late our kids were asleep before we were out of the car park, wouldn't have liked that on several buses.

IanBond: I am a girl - it took me an awfully long time to START thinking about gears!!

 

[mrshnn]

i have been 3 times and stayed on idrive and i havent found it to be a problem,you can get the idrive to cover that area ,then as someone else said you can transfer to a lynx bus ,i think its the number 50 that goes to disney,or you can use a company called mears to book transportation to the parks or prebook a taxi and ask for a return fare which normally works out cheaper than a single.
myself im driving evey day to and from work etc,and i go on holiday to enjoy so i splash out and get taxied everywhere and even doing that will cost less than the insurance for driving out there,also if you have had a beer be careful as drink drive limit is less than what it is here.

have a great time,by the way where are you staying on idrive because it stands a chance that they will do a shuttle for free or at a reduced rate

 

[valleygirl700]

Thanks for the info

I think we will take our drivers licence just in case we get fed up with the bus and a bit brave about the roads .
Thanks

 

[cazzie]

We got back yesterday and stayed on International Drive with no car. We did get a 14 day pass for the I trolley and if you use the Lynx bus then you can get a free transfer for the next bus. Personally I would definately drive next time, only because we would leave MK at about 4pm and wouldn't get back to the hotel until about 6:30, the problem being the waiting around for the buses and the trolley can take a good 40mins (I timed it one night) to get from Sea World to our hotel. The last trolley is at 10:30 which can be a push if you want to stay at Epcot for the wishes (bearing in mind you have to get back from Epcot to MK to get to the bus station.

Cazzie

 

[valleygirl700]

Thanks for the

As I said we will take our drivers licence just in case we have enough of the I ride.

Thanks for the info

 

[mark&sue]

The only time we didn't drive is when we stayed at Dixie Landings (now Port Orleans Riverside). We did excursions to Universal, Seaworld and Busch Gardens. We did not like it and ended up hiring a car for the day to go shopping!! We have always had a car since. We are going in just over a week and staying at International Drive, for the first time. We have two mini buses with our party of 14, but we all like to have a drink and was wondering about the taxis back from Epcot etc. $30 sounds okay for the drive back as I am sure we may be too late to get the shuttle from the hotel but could take it in the mornings.

This has been very helpful.


Susan