What is the best way to get to Universal from WDW?

[lizdotcom99]

If you do not have a car? My BIL will be headed there for Christmas with a party of 9. They will not have a car.....any sugestions?
Thanks,
Liz

 

[lizdotcom99]

TO take you from WDW to Universal? There will be 7- 9 of us who would like to go but we don't have a car.
Thanks,
Liz

 

[gschmerl]

Try www.mearstransportation.com or www.yourride.net or Tiffany Town car service.
They all offer transportation between the parks.

 

[robvia]

And make sure you ask Disney employees directions to USF.
Why? Because they don't know.

 

[lizdotcom99]

Since most of you repliers seem to live in Florida, can you please also tell me sights of interest close by for the grandparents who are in their 70's and still drive? I think they are going to Cape Caniveral(sp) for the day...are there any other fun day trips for folks that age?
Thanks for all of your help. I do appreciate it!
Liz

 

[BarryHom]

If you have no car, you can take 3rd party transportation like Mears for around $12 a person. You can take a taxi, but it will cost a lot of $. I got a quote for a taxi from the All-Stars to Universal and it costs around $40 a car. 5 people can ride for the price of 1 in some taxis. I will see if I can get a more recent quote.

If you have 9 people, it might be better to rent a car and drive there.

Also, the exit numbers on I-4 have changed. I can't recall Universal's new exit number, but the old exits are on a small sign that say "Old (exit number."

 

[MrNonacho]

When heading east on I-4, going from WDW to Universal, the new exit number is 75A.

All the old and new exit numbers for Florida can be found here:
http://www11.myflorida.com/trafficoperations/exitnumb.htm

 

[KJal1]

Why don't you just book YourRide (if you don't have a car)?? We did this our last trip and it worked out great. I just e-mailed them and said we would need transportation on our first day from the airport to AKL, then on the day we moved to USF--from AKL to PBH, and on our departure day from PBH to the airport. This worked better than Mears for us because we knew exactly when we would be picked up, we weren't with a bunch of other people and there weren't any other stops--just straight to PBH for early check-in.
Plus if you're splitting the cost with another couple or family I'm sure it would be cheaper than paying for 7-9 people individually for the Mears shuttle.
I would e-mail them with your itinerary and ask for a quote.
Good Luck!!

 

[GordonGlaswegian]

If you ask a cast member on how to get to Sea World, Universal etc they will always tell you that you will have to take a taxi or the Mears shuttle. You can get around much cheaper than that by going to the Ticket and Transportation Centre (TTC)where the mono rail starts from and picking up the bus.

Disney cast members will never tell you about this service and even deny it exists as they have an agreement with the taxi and Mears companies to recommend guests to them. This bus will also enable you to pick up the I-Ride Trolley bus.

 

[Mickey527]

And there is a much easier way to get to Uni from Disney that most of the locals use but not known by tourist. But you can avoid all the I-4 traffic.
go out the DTD exit, off Hotel Blvd. Take a left onto Apoka. At the next right (where Olive Garden is) take a right. Stay on this road all the way to Universal. This road (I think it is Vineland) runs parallel to I-4 but there is usually one or two cars on it. I took it once when another group went I-4. We waited over 1/2 hour for them to get to us due to traffic. But don't tell anyone, this is a well guarded local secret. Peggie

 

[robvia]

What a great post Gordon.
I found the web sites to the Lynx bus and the I-Trolley system.
http://www.golynx.com/
Click on fares and view the maps and schedule times.
http://www.iridetrolley.com/index.html

Going from WDW to USF, you'd have to take 3 busses, but it can be done.
Going to WDW (ticket transportation center) to SWF is, route 50.
This makes it easy for people wanting to visit SWF for a day.
From there, you take route 42 to Wet N Wild, or the I-Trolley.
You're only 1 mile away, you could almost walk.
Route 21 takes you to the USF parking garage after a couple stops.
The only thing is carrying your luggage from the parking garage to the hotel, that would be tuff.
But for $1 and a couple transfers, you can't beat it. An adventure in saving money. They even have an e-mail address so you can send in your request for info and make sure the routes are there.

 

[GordonGlaswegian]

This thread is starting to heat up a little bit!

I contacted James Burton at the Lynx Bus company to aske the the best route to Universal, arrioving in the morning. Here is his very prompt verbatim reply!!

"At the TTC, board link #50 at 8:48 a.m. . Deposit $1.10 (exact) for each fare and ask for transfers. Arrive SeaWorld at 9:09 a.m. . Transfer to link #8 departing SeaWorld at 9:23 a.m. . Arrive intersection of International Dr/Kirkman Rd. at 9:44 a.m. . Transfer to link #37 northbound on Kirkman Rd. at 9:48 a.m. . Arrive Universal at 9:57 a.m."


Gordon

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by Mickey527
And there is a much easier way to get to Uni from Disney that most of the locals use but not known by tourist. But you can avoid all the I-4 traffic.
go out the DTD exit, off Hotel Blvd. Take a left onto Apoka. At the next right (where Olive Garden is) take a right. Stay on this road all the way to Universal. This road (I think it is Vineland) runs parallel to I-4 but there is usually one or two cars on it. I took it once when another group went I-4. We waited over 1/2 hour for them to get to us due to traffic. But don't tell anyone, this is a well guarded local secret. Peggie

You are so right. The road is Apopka-Vineland, and then you turn right on Sand Lake Road. I worked at a clinic right there near the intersection, or I would have never known about it. The clinic was 4 miles from DTD and ~3 miles from USF. Very few traffic lights and little traffic. But shhhh it's a residential area. It would rot if it became a major thru-way (which I'm sure it will soon).

 

[BarryHom]

I tend to take I-4 because the old exit 30A got you right to Universal. Easy off... My favorite way to go is exit at the Sand Lake Road exit, turn left, and turn right onto Turkey Lake Road. That way gets you into the back way of Universal, where you can see the back of the Hulk, Ripsaw Falls, JPRA, and other things.

 

[kathyclownfish]

If we are leaving on a Thursday morning from AKL around 7:20 or so, did you think we will run into that much traffic on I-4?? I was hoping to get to the HRH in an 1/2 hour using I-4. Am I being unrealistic? Should I use these backroads and risk getting lost??
Thanks for your replies!!

 

[robvia]

You'll be fine using I-4 at 07:20am.

Keep both hands on the wheel because there are construction areas with uneven pavement. Stay in the middle lane so the locals can pass, they zoom by. As you pass SWF, the highway turns to the left thru a construction zone. After this, get in the left lane and look for the Kirkman road exit about a mile away. Stay to the left, the entrance to Major Blvd is only 1/4th of a mile.

 

[cheshirekitty]

For those who are taking Mears....

I have a ticket for 2 adults to go anywhere in WDW to Universal that I did not use for my last trip. I called mears and they said that they never expire.

I paid $24. If anyone is interested I'll give the tickets for $20.

Send me a PM.