There is one thing that can ruin the vibe on your vacation and I am going to talk about it next! If you are visiting Orlando for the first time, listen up! The last thing you want to encounter on your dream Disney or Universal Vacation is TRAFFIC! Nothing will kill the mood of your vacation faster.
To help you avoid this menace, with the help of Orlando Local Alisha from Theme Park Stop, we have gathered up these road going tips to make your Orlando Visit as magical as possible. These tips won't eliminate traffic but should greatly reduce the amount of bumper to bumper time you encounter.
Florida Route 528
First thing is first, if you decide to fly, when landing in Orlando, you will likely fly into MCO or Orlando International Airport. If you fly Allegiant, which I would highly recommend avoiding if possible, you will fly into Sanford which is about a 45 minute to an hour drive from the parks.
Orlando international however is only about 20 minutes give or take. When leaving MCO, you will want to take Florida Route 528. Route 528 will take you directly to Interstate 4 which connects both Disney and Universal. If seaworld is your destination, 528 takes you right there as well.
This convenience does come at a price though. Florida route 528 is a toll road. Each way is $3 as of October 2024 but that $3 is worth the price to get to your resort quicker. If you would avoid the tolls from MCO to seaworld, you would be traveling 30-35 minutes compared to the 15-20 minutes paying. If you are taking an Orlando vacation you are spending way more than $6 for your trip, so my suggestion is just pay the toll and get your vacation started sooner.
Interstate 4 Near Disney Springs
I-4 is one of the main arteries of travel for Orlando going travelers, which is why it can get very congested very quickly. This is especially the case near Disney Springs in the Evenings. Disney Springs is a large area owned by Disney where travelers can go and shop, eat, and be entertained. For those familiar with Universal, Disney Springs is a City Walk Equivalent.
The main difference is Disney Springs parking is right off of I-4. This often causes massive back ups on I-4 in the evenings especially during rush hour. So avoid I-4 during these times if possible and if you are traveling to Disney Springs for an evening out. I suggest getting there in the early afternoon or after 7pm to avoid as much traffic as possible.
Florida Route 535
Keeping towards Disney, Florida Route 535 is just one road to try to avoid at all costs. If you are staying along 535, be prepared for congestion most of the time. There is a tremendous amount of resorts, shopping centers, and eateries. This makes for lots of vehicles all the time along this stretch of highway, so my advice again is just to avoid it at all costs if you are able.
International Drive
Another road closer to Universal this time to avoid at all costs if possible is International drive north of central Florida parkway. International drive is a hot spot for tourist activities with Icon Park among other entertainment options. Everything is a lot more dense on International Drive compared to route 535 which makes for a long drive. More than likely you will still travel on I-drive at some point to make it to your destination which is fine, but, expect to take longer than what GPS says it will take you to arrive. For a north-south travel road, International drive is not the road to be on unless your destination is located there.
One road that is a good north-south road to travel on is Orangewood Blvd which turns into Universal Blvd. This is the route that I take every time I am in Orlando. I stay at one of my Marriott Vacation Club properties in the Williamsburg area of Orlando at either Lakeshore Reserve, Harbour Lake, or Grande Vista. I have yet to stay at Cypress Harbour, but it is on my to do list in the future. All of these properties are relatively close to each other but still allow me to use Central Florida Parkway as my main travel artery while in Orlando.
On central Florida parkway there are still good eating options for both fast food and sit down. As well as shopping for groceries or other supplies. Not to mention that from Grande Vista you can see the seaworld tower from some of the buildings on property. From Central Florida Parkway, if you are traveling north which is what I normally do when going to universal, turn onto orangewood blvd. Stay in the left lane while traveling until you go under the overpass. Once you pass this overpass this road turns into Universal Blvd.
Universal Blvd is my choice for traveling to universal, the traffic has never been too horrible and there is a chick fil a on the way too that you can grab breakfast at. Traffic does get a little more congested the closer you get to Universal but it is still nothing like I-4 traffic at Disney Springs.
There you have it, those are my road going tips for travelers making Orlando their vacation destination.