What is the traffic like outside of WDW?

[musketeer]

I'm considering staying at an off-site hotel for our next visit. So my question is, what is the traffic like in the surrounding area? This will be early December or January (hopefully before or after the crazy busy times).

But what I'm concerned is that even though it will be less expensive, it won't be worth it because I'll be sitting in traffic for way longer. We'll be renting a car regardless of where we stay (on or off property). But what I'm worried about is that while it may take 30 minutes to get from a park to my hotel on-site, staying offsite will take twice (or more) as long to get back and forth due to the traffic.

Our last visit was during christmas 2008 when it was really busy, but driving from the parks to the Port Orleans was never a problem, at any time of day. But what happens when you get outside of the property between WDW and the offsite hotels, in say Kissimmee.

Any experience with this?

(by the way, I already know all the benefits of staying onsite vs off, i've considered all of that already, but this is specifically regarding car traffic)

 

[theadmiral459]

Being that I lived here all my life I can tell you that all around traffic is pretty bad but try to stay off I-4 as much as possible there a bad bottle neck through the Disney Property.

 

[CP_alum08]

Totally agree! As long as you stay of I-4 and keep off of International Dr. at normal busy times the traffic surrounding WDW isn't really too bad. Obviously there will be more traffic early in the morning when the parks are opening and at night when they close.

Here is some point of reference. When I did the college program we lived here http://maps.google.com/maps?client=...o fl&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl (well, basically) - about 4 miles to one of the main gates. I worked at Caribbean Beach which is just south of Epcot and I could get to work in about 15 minutes.

Hope that helps!

 

[WelshBatman]

It really depends on when you're driving. If it's early enough in the morning, it's not as bad. If you stay anywhere on 192 for example, leave earlier so you can beat the rush. I-4 is always bad, and recently they've been having back-ups virtually every day (and never in the same place, however most seem to be closer to Orlando). The worst part of I-4 are the big trucks and it's not the trucks themselves, it's the amount of them. I-drive isn't much better. But, it all depends on where you stay. People will tell you to avoid I-drive and I-4, but sometimes those roads are your only choices. Or at least the only logical ones.

 

[devoy1701]

wall to wall cars on the East side of WDW. I-4 seems to always bottleneck because of Orlando, Universal, etc, west of WDW (such as Reunion and Champions Gate areas) are ok with traffic. You'll be fine if you stay at a DtD or Crossroads area resort!

 

[WelshBatman]

Champion's Gate frequently backs up at night... particularly now cuz they're still doing construction there. They've been doing construction there for like a year but it's still going. But yeah, Crossroads or Downtown are good and all the hotels provide shuttles anyway (a lot of which are free to hotel guests and in the DTD area, just walk to a Disney bus stop).

 

[Disney Dawg88]

I work in Orlando once per month and always stay in the Lake Buena Vista area, and I have an annual pass too so I visit the parks at all different times of the day when I'm down there. I always stay just east of Downtown Disney on Palm Parkway which is near the 535 - Interstate 4 exit. I won't name the names of the hotels I stay at because I'm not sure of the board policies on that, but there's one that I really like because it's new and relatively inexpensive, especially compared to onsite properties. Being a frequent traveler for work I'm pretty picky about hotels too, and this is pretty good. Email me and I can give you the name if interested. Now granted I've only starting going down there since March, so the only really busy time I've been there is Spring Break, but I'll be there starting Tuesday 6/15.

I've never had an issue with traffic and getting to any of the parks. I can easily make it to the Transportation Center parking lot in 15 minutes from where I stay. The only problem I've ever had is sometimes early in the morning there is a long line of cars trying to turn left into DHS on World Center Drive. But if you stay to the right you're completely fine.

In my opinion I would rather stay in a newer hotel just off property for $75 - $100 per night and drive to the parks and use monorail, buses, etc. and saving the extra money for food, drinks etc. versus staying on property and paying $150 + per night. I know this probably isn't the majority opinion of people on here, but it's just mine anyway. My point of view is, I'm going to be gone for work all day and then the parks all night so why should I spend the extra money if I'm not going to be there anyway?

 

[Tooning]

If your staying at one of the "MainGate" (East or West) hotels. I find traffic to be pretty good to Disney and bad depinding on the time of Day to Universal and Seaworld.