Why is it that...

[Mrs.Toad]

most people here say that the drive from Universal to WDW is 20 minutes, but when I punch Universal to Animal Kingdom or Epcot into the DIS's WDW driving directions, it tells me it takes an hour?

That's a pretty big difference.

Hmm, and wierder still, though the drive to WDW from Universal shows up as an hour, the opposite direction takes only 45 minutes?

What's up with that? Does anyone know?

Thanks,

 

[ChrisFL]

what are you using? Mapquest? Yahoo?

I'd say usually it's 20-30 mins unless traffic is really bad, Universal is directly off of I-4 and so is the Disney property (Even though the parks are quite a bit farther). I guess it also depends on what entrance you use to get on to Disney property

 

[Amity 3]

most people here say that the drive from Universal to WDW is 20 minutes, but when I punch Universal to Animal Kingdom or Epcot into the DIS's WDW driving directions, it tells me it takes an hour?

those driving directions are wrong. once you get onto I-4, US is a ten minute drive from WDW. depending on where you stay in WDW, that's usually the longest part of the drive to get on I-4. the farthest western exit out of WDW is only about 12 miles to the US exit.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

what are you using? Mapquest? Yahoo?

I'd say usually it's 20-30 mins unless traffic is really bad, Universal is directly off of I-4 and so is the Disney property (Even though the parks are quite a bit farther). I guess it also depends on what entrance you use to get on to Disney property

I was using this driving directions thingamajig on the DIS. But I just now tried mapquest and it said 21 minutes. Wonder why the DIS's is so far off?

 

[lindalinda]

I've done it over and over and its never taken me an hour. I even got lost once and it didnt take an hour. 20 mins. is really about right, depending on which park you are going to.

 

[WillCAD]

It usually takes me about 30 minutes, depending on what part of Disney property I am aiming for.

Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge are on the southwestern corner of WDW property, about as far from Uni as it's possible to get, and due to the traffic and signals on Buena Vista Drive it can actually take as much as 40 minutes to get there from Uni.

It only takes about 15 minutes to get from Universal to the border of WDW property. Once there, it can take an extra 15-20 minutes to get to the specific part of WDW property that you want.

 

[Cool-Beans]

It takes me about 20 minutes during the day, 30 minutes in the morning when there are a ton of cars. They have (or had, I dunno if they still have it) valet parking, which takes a lot less time.

 

[loadsapixiedust]

We recently stayed in the Royal Plaza at Downtown Disney and used the Turkey Lake Road route to Universal. We did the journey from the Universal parking lot to our hotel in 11 minutes at the shortest, so 20 minutes is probably about right from most WDW resorts in average traffic. It can obviously vary enormously depending on traffic.

 

[rpbert1]

We used the Turkey Lake Road route all the time, took around 10 to 15 mins, never any traffic on it , we also went this way to Sea World.

 

[F-L-A]

I was using this driving directions thingamajig on the DIS. But I just now tried mapquest and it said 21 minutes. Wonder why the DIS's is so far off?

Maybe they don't want you leaving WDW property?

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Maybe they don't want you leaving WDW property?

That could be it!!

Thanks, everyone!

 

[mslclark]

We've driven from Universal to WDW on I-4, and with the traffic it took us over an hour! And this was on a Sunday! Ever since, we avoid I-4 and take the Turkey Lake/Sand Lake route.

 

[Motherfletcher]

I would go with the times shown in Bob Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide to WDW . They study/test it with the intensity of a traffic engineer.

 

[WillCAD]

We've driven from Universal to WDW on I-4, and with the traffic it took us over an hour! And this was on a Sunday! Ever since, we avoid I-4 and take the Turkey Lake/Sand Lake route.

I usually take Turkey Lake to get up there and I-4 to come back.

Strangely, it takes me less time on I-4. But I am used to driving on interstates (we have several around Baltimore that I drive on a regular basis), so I never have any trouble with I-4.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

For those of you who take Turkey Lake, do you take it all the way?

Mapquest is telling me to take Turkey Lake Road to Sand Lake (only .1 mile) to I-4 for 5.3 miles.

If I request "avoid interstates", it tells me to take Turkey Lake to Sand Lake for 1.3 miles to Apopka Vineland Road for 4.8 miles.

Which is the route you use? Or is there another one?

Thanks, and sorry to keep asking so many questions... this is the first time we're renting a car and doing the driving ourselves.

 

[WillCAD]

The last time I went to Orlando, I was staying at an off-site hotel on Palm Parkway, just outside the Downtown Disney area. Palm Parkway runs next to I-4 ad becomes Turkey Lake Road just before passing Sand Lake Hospital.

This is the route I took to Universal, and it was very quick:

To get to Palm Parkway, go to Downtown Disney, follow Hotel Plaza Blvd to the end where it dead-ends at SR535. Turn left on SR535, and the next traffic signal is Palm Parkway. Turn right onto Palm Parkway. Here is a Google Map showing this area:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=28.390155,-81.503191&spn=0.019217,0.037723&om=1

Once on Palm Parkway, you make no more turns - it changes names to Turkey Lake Road at one point, and Turkey Lake runs all the way up to Universal. Turn right on Hollywood Way, which takes you into Universal property, and follow the signs to the parking garage. Here is another Google Map showing the Uni area:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&om=1&t=h&z=15&ll=28.474878,-81.4674&spn=0.019201,0.037723

 

[ines248]

We've driven from Universal to WDW on I-4, and with the traffic it took us over an hour! And this was on a Sunday! Ever since, we avoid I-4 and take the Turkey Lake/Sand Lake route.

U read my mind! I have been stucked several times from USF to WDW on I-4.
There is always road contruction, construction, and more constructions.

I hate road contruction!
Sometimes, I see that I-4 has ONLY one LINE open to traffic from USF to WDW!!!!What is wrong with them? It is not a local road! It is supposed to be an INTERSTATE!!!!

 

[robvia]

Maybe that's what it is, construction.
I-4 is better these days, and if you go early in the morning, it shouldn't be a problem. Most of the construction is near US-27.

The only thing to look out for on the Turkey Lake route is cops along the side of the road with radar guns giving out speeding tickets. It would be a real bummer to get a ticket just for going a few miles over.

 

[rpbert1]

I downloaded Google Earth, as i was a bit worried about driving in Florida, and had all my routes planned out before i went , might be worth looking at it

 

[Amity 3]

I-4 is clear between US and WDW with the exception of the work at the far western edge of WDW property. the only traffic problems I've seen is in the event of an accident or a massive rain downpour.