Travel Help

[lost_in_hollywood]

Hi i'm James

New to the forums but have been on the the Dis for about 6 months now,listnening to the podcasts and reaserching for my holiday, etc.

I'm going on my first holiday without my parents with my best freind on the 16th of October for two weeks, and we both decided to do it big and go to Orlando and do both Universal and Disney.

One of the only problems we have is that we are both 20 and can't hire a car, so luckily the hotel we are staying at (the Quality Inn International on international drive) does have a bus service to both the Universal complex and Sea World.

Here is the main snag, my freind has never been to a Disney park and we are planning to do everything that Walt Disney World has to offer (within reason), but as I have said before the hotel we are staying at dosnt have a service to WDW.

What do you think the best way of getting from International Drive to the Disney complex and back again, without the price soaring through the roof?

Any help would be greatly appriciated.

 

[Bigbluebear]

Hi i'm James

New to the forums but have been on the the Dis for about 6 months now,listnening to the podcasts and reaserching for my holiday, etc.

I'm going on my first holiday without my parents with my best freind on the 16th of October for two weeks, and we both decided to do it big and go to Orlando and do both Universal and Disney.

One of the only problems we have is that we are both 20 and can't hire a car, so luckily the hotel we are staying at (the Quality Inn International on international drive) does have a bus service to both the Universal complex and Sea World.

Here is the main snag, my freind has never been to a Disney park and we are planning to do everything that Walt Disney World has to offer (within reason), but as I have said before the hotel we are staying at dosnt have a service to WDW.

What do you think the best way of getting from International Drive to the Disney complex and back again, without the price soaring through the roof?

Any help would be greatly appriciated.

You can hire a car. you jst need to pay more on the insurance. It will be about 150pounds extra for one of you.(25dollars per day roughly)


I know it sunds expensive, but IMO, having a car is a neccesity, especially if staying off site like you are.

 

[lost_in_hollywood]

Well the thing is, my freind is the only one out of us who can drive, and he only passed his test like 6 months ago and he wouldnt feel comfotable driving, so we HAVE to go without a car.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I think you may have problems/
The problem people have found with transport from hotels to the parks, is that they only run at certain times and there may only be one bus out and one bus back, so you are effectivly stuck at the park.

For your first time, It may have been better (I know, people always have good ideas AFTER others have booked!! ) to stay on site at one of the budget Disney resorts and then get a taxi for the couple of days you will want at Universal.

Have a see if there is a hotel near yours which does have a bus to Disney and "sneak" onto that one.

What about the normal bus routes? do they go the WDW from International drive?

 

[laalaa]

I think you can get to WDW from International drive.

Could you take the I ride to seaworld or premium outlets and get the lynx bus from there? I dont think the buses go from Int Drive, but im sure I saw the lynx to disney at either seaworld bus depot, or premium outlets depot. Im sure it was a 50 or similar. I may well be wrong with this though.

We stayed on I drive in 2005 without a car, and we got on just fine. Our hotel did have a free bus service to WDW though, so we used that. Kinda restricted times though, especially for staying to watch fireworks, had to bomb it back to the bus to catch it.

 

[laalaa]

http://www.golynx.com/routemaps/50.pdf

Dont know if that link will work, but according to the lynx site, the number 50 goes to WDW. It seems to stop at seaworld, which you can get to by the I ride trolley.

It goes to downtown disney first. You could get off here and use disney transportation to get elsewhere, or stay on it until you get the Ticket and transportation Centre at disney and get the monorail to where you are going.

 

[wilma-bride]

Who did you book your package with? If it's Virgin, you can buy Virgin transport tickets (with Mears) which will buy you a return journey from your hotel to Disney. When we stayed at the Quality Inn (admittedly 4 years ago) it cost $13 each for the return journey. Quite steep but we didn't know better at the time - we since discovered that a taxi only costs a few bucks more.

Your other option, as some have suggested, is to catch the Lynx bus which leaves from opposite Sea World. You may not be able to see the late fireworks at the parks, though, as the last bus is around 10:30 and you would need to allow time to get out of the park and back to the TTC to catch the bus back to Sea World - also, the last I-Ride trolley usually runs around 10:45-11 so if you miss the last one, it's a LONG walk back to QII.

My suggestion would be a mixture of both (if you are able to buy the transportation vouchers through your tour operator) and catch the Lynx bus there, then use the Mears (or whatever service they offer) to get back.

 

[Snowy-girls]

Hello And Welcome.
We have stayed at the Quality Inn and just like the other person,we got on fine,we booked thru Mears and yes it was a bit steep at about $13 return each but they picked you up and collected you whenever you are ready to leave.

Yes,if you take the I-ride trolley($1 each person) which stops across the road from the Quality Inn and go to Seaworld you can get the Lynx Number 50 bus($2-$3each person)which will take you to the Ticket&Transport Centre(plese someone correct me if i am wrong!!).This works out much,much cheaper but in my opinion a big hassle and head-ache!!!

We only got a taxi once and at the time it cost us $28.one way .x.

 

[lost_in_hollywood]

Thanks fro all the suggestions guys, ill have a look into the Mears Transfers, as i think it would probably be best compared to a cab or bussing it.

 

[Snowy-girls]

Thanks fro all the suggestions guys, ill have a look into the Mears Transfers, as i think it would probably be best compared to a cab or bussing it.

One thing that was'nt mentioned and i forgot as well- is when using mears you must phone them the day before to arrange your pick up time from your hotel,and then when you are ready to leave the parks phone to say your ready to be picked up,they usually tell you to give them a half hour or an hour to get to you.So phone them whilst still in the park,otherwise you'll be wasting time looking at the lovely view of the car park.x.

 

[maureen4200040]

Hi,

As a regular bus traveller to Disney from Idrive, I usually take the lynx bus from Idrive down to seaworld (you can also use the I-trolley) then catch a connecting bus to the disney transportation centre, it takes about an 1hr
to 1hr 30 to do the trip one way.

I've travelled 4 times to Florida and i've always relied on the Lynx bus service. The only thing i don't like about these buses, the air conditioning is so powerful its like having a gale force wind blown in your back.

 

[lost_in_hollywood]

Thanks guys, this is all really helpful!

*gets back to doing his reasearch*