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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2003
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    PA
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    Question Where do you "drive" offsite when at WDW?

    We've always flown down ... and consequently, always stayed at WDW (unless we took a cab to Universal).

    Where do YOU drive to when down at WDW ... any particularly great shopping areas, outlets, disney outlets, restaurants that are not to be missed ... you name it!!

    Thanks!
    Barb
    ~~Barb~~
    AKL Jambo House - 3/31/12 - 4/8/12
    BWV - 10/07
    BCV - 11/30 - 12/10/04
    BCV - 12/03 (Christmas at WDW)
    Contemp - 10/98
    Contemp - 12/97

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Burlington, Ontario Canada
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    Default

    Our first sto is usually to a car wash to get rid of 3000km of road grime!

    We like going to Olde Towne in Kissimmee on Friday or Saturday night for their car cruise nights. It has a little shopping area with a cool nostalgia store and a little amusement park. You can see the lights from miles away.

    We have gone to the malls too. If you do a search of Orlando malls and Orlando outlet malls they will all pop up.

    Have a great time! You will love having a car with you!!!
    Haunted Mansion Girl
    1990 & 1992 Off Site
    2002 & 2003 Fort Wilderness
    2004 Disney Wonder & Fort Wilderness
    2005, 2008, 2011 & 2013 Riverside
    2006 & 2008 Pop
    2009 Disneyland
    2011, 2013 & 2014 Coronado Springs
    2012 CB Pirate Room
    2015 POR
    2016 June & Oct Off Site
    2017 Sept Coronado!

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 1999
    Location
    Mid Michigan
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    26,671
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    Actually we often never leave WDW property once we are on site.

    When we do leave it is usually to go to Universal City Walk!

    One place we love to have a car for is Downtown Disney. I do not like the bus service there.
    Jeff

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Harrisonburg, Va
    Posts
    370
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    Not fancy, but a great way to ease the pain of dining on site is to hit a few off site locations for meals. We normally hit Fuddruckers and Sweet Tomatoes. We really enjoy both, and you can eat excellent meals for under $10 a person.
    *1972-Contemporary
    *1982-Tree House Village
    *1987-Offsite
    *1997-AS Music
    *2000-CS
    *2004-Offsite
    *2005-Disneyland
    *2006-WL
    *2007-AS Sports
    *2008-AKV/WLV/BCV and 4-day Disney Wonder
    *2009-POP/AKV
    *2009-OKW for Christmas
    *2010-BLT
    *2011-Spring Break: Offsite-Sheraton Vistana
    *2011-OKW/BWV

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 1999
    Location
    East Lake Tohopekaliga, FL (Saint Cloud)
    Posts
    13,855
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    Lightbulb

    If you enjoy a variety of restaurants, starting at Hotel Plaza Blvd. drive north on SR535 (Apopka-Vineland Road) for five miles to Sand Lake Road. Turn right and after a few blocks you'll see a wide choice of restaurants on both sides of the road. This area is known as "Restaurant Row", all within about a half mile. You'll find everything from fine dining (Roy's, Seasons 52, Bonefish Grill) to pizza parlors and taco shops.
    Ed
    Senior Imagineer Emeritus

    Welcome to the INTERCOT forums !


  7. #6
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Swayzee, Indiana
    Posts
    126
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    Smile

    We usually head to the Outlet mall just southeast of the property on 535 (?). I would say it is a 10 minute drive. Only half of us go shopping the other half takes a nap in the room or goes swimming. We make a trip to Wal-Mart too the day we get there.
    WDW trips 76-77 off site 78-83 Vacation Villas 85,88, Club Lake Villas 88-89-91,95,99-00,03-05,07-08,09-11 Caribbean Beach 96-98,02 Boardwalk Villas 06 Boardwalk Inn/
    Go Boilers!![/FONT]

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2000
    Location
    St. Peters, MO
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    4,013
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    There are many Florida State parks within a hour of Orlando and there is also the Disney Wilderness Preserve south of 192. It's nice to get out and see some of the real Florida.
    Dave aka: Altair
    "Even though they're graceful when swimmin', it's hard to believe sailors thought they were women" - Manatee area, the Living Seas

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Lafayette, Louisiana
    Posts
    6,624
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    We always have our own car and the only times we've left Disney property was to go to Universal or SeaWorld.

    I love to shop, and trust me I do my fair share of shopping in WDW, but I am not an outlet/mall shopper when on vacation. The last thing I want to do on any vacation is to spend my time in a mall or outlet.

    As for food, it's just easier to eat on site. We love dining at the resorts, so we feel no need to go off site to find food.
    Denise

    Resorts we've stayed at in 20+ trips: ASMo, ASMu, ASSp, PC, CSR, CBR, POR, POFQ, WL, AKL Jambo, AKL Kidani, Poly, Contemporary, BC, YC, BWV, OKW, SSR, Swan, Shades of Green, Vero Beach, Disneyland Resort

    Next Trip: ???

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    New Orleans, Louisiana
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    We drive down and come in a day early to stay at the La Quinta on I drive. This way we can wake up super early and be well rested for our first day in Disney. Anyway we take this day to visit the outlet malls, eat out, play putt-putt golf and just relax. We have found two outlet malls that are great. They both have Disney stores and we have found some really cheap items there. We like to pick up disney pins there so we can trade them in the parks.

    Once we get to Disney we drive the entire time. My DH hates the buses and refuses to ride them so we drive to the parks and to our dining plan locations. I will admit it is much faster driving yourself around than waiting for Disney transportation. You get to see a lot more of Orlando this way too.
    Kelly
    WDW TRIPS:
    1985 off site
    ; 1998 off site ;Sept 07 ASM;
    May 09 POR
    ; May 10 POR; Sept 11POR; May 12 POR
    May 13 POR


  11. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Palos Heights, Illinois
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    The only time we venture to I Drive is to eat! Texas De Brazil is fantastic! Charley's Steakhouse is also a favorite. They are far above any dinner we have had at Disney & comparable in price, if you do not run up a big bar tab! Also, we love Chevy's Fresh Mex @ the CROSSROADS shopping area close to DTD. They have great mexican food at decent prices. If you sign up to receive emails about 2 weeks b4 your trip, they send you a free appetizer coupon.
    1987-off site (Honeymoon)
    1992-off site (5/3 yr. old)
    1995/97/99 FW
    2000-WL
    2001/02/03 -FW
    2005-FW
    2008-FW(still camping w/the kids)
    2009-WL (No Kids!)
    2011-WL
    2012-WL (25th Anniv)
    2015-POFQ
    2017-30th Anniv trip w/kids & grandkids! MK for a day!
    2018-FW in OCT! (camping with MOOSE)

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Portland, OR
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    I realize I'm atypical here but my son lives in Orlando (he's a CM) so we will typically go to his place at least once while we're there. I also have business associates in the area so I kill the proverbial two birds with one stone and visit them while I'm in the area.

    We also usually end up making a trip to Walgreens

    Steve
    First visit: Disneyland, July 17, 1955 (well, somebody had to be there on opening day!)

    Most Recent Visit:
    Disneyland - June 21-25, 2017
    WDW - Sep 22 - Oct 5, 2019
    Next up: WDW - May 9 - 16, 2020 at Riviera!
    Dec 5 - 16, 2020 at Poly

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Target.
    Morse Museum
    Kennedy Space Center
    Beach
    Universal
    Seaworld
    Busch Gardens
    Boardwalk
    Animal Kingdom Jambo
    Coronado Springs
    POP
    POP
    POP
    POP
    Riverside

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    QUEENS,NY
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    In all of our trips, we have never been without a car. Besides visiting the competition, we visit relatives and friends, go shopping, and eat off property.
    I simply cannot fathom being anyplace without the use of a car.
    PETE FROM NYC
    DISNEY NUT SINCE THE 1950s.
    I AM POOH SIZED AND PROUD OF IT.
    FORGET ABOUT THAT OTHER FAT GUY ON TV.
    I AM THE REAL KING OF QUEENS
    TWELVE TRIPS FROM 1975 - 2007 all by plane
    Drove down 2009,2010,2012,2014.
    DVC since 9/09. We own at BLT.
    Next trip: 11/1 to 11/12. BLT

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Johnston County, NC
    Posts
    19
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    When staying at a Disney Resort (every time except once), once we park, we have never taken the car anywhere.
    1990 -Caribbean Beach (Honeymoon)
    1995 - Port Orleans (5th anniversary)
    2005 - off site (15th anniversary, 1st visit with son)
    2008 - All Star Movies (18th anniversary, son 7 yrs old)
    2011 - All Star Sports (21st anniversary, 1st Thanksgiving visit)

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    BC Canada
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    1,072
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    Wink

    Being from the cold & nasty North, we often go to Medieval Times Dinner, Universal, Outbacks and Carrabas. We don't see those restaurants in our neck of the continent!

    Oh yeah, and the liquor store . . .
    Shannon
    __________
    2000~04~06~07~08~09~10~11~12~2015 WDW
    1989~2013-2014 Disneyland

    ~It's not the number of breaths you take, it's the moments that take your breath away~
    ~You should never take more than you give~ The Circle of Life

  17. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Florida
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    4,354
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    We like having a rental car. We drive to Downtown Disney and Boardwalk for evenings. We have visited Celebration, Florida Mall, Milleniun Mall -we love a restaurant called Brio in there.
    Tara

    "It's a Small World after all..."

  18. #17
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Georgia
    Posts
    5,212
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    We always drive to WDW (a short trip for us) and usually stay a week. Normally during the stay we'll drive to Wal-mart, Crossroads shopping center, maybe the outlet mall, and sometimes to Universal and to DTD (not really off-site).
    1971 (age 15) MK was new!
    1974 off-site (Senior Trip)
    1982 off-site
    1988 off-site
    May 2002 AS-Sports, with DW & kids
    May 2004 Pop Century
    Feb 2005 Wilderness Lodge
    Oct 2006 Pop Century
    Oct 2008 Camped at Fort Wilderness
    Feb 2010 Cruise on the Wonder
    Dec 2014 POFQ for Christmas!

  19. #18
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    York SC
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    3,856
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    We've drove everytime and we never go anywhere but to the Hess station on the way home. We are going to try and hit some of the outlet malls this next trip.
    ~Beth~
    1st trip Nov. 24, 2006-ASmovies (4nights)
    Nov. 25, 2007-ASMovies (6 nights)
    Sept. 6, 2008-ASMovies (6 nights)
    Nov. 28, 2009 ASMovies (7nights)
    Nov 28, 2015 AOA (7 nights)
    December 10, 2016 AKL/Pop (7nights)
    Nov. 25, 2017 AsMusic (8 Nights)
    Next Trip March 4 AsSports (4 nights)

  20. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    465
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    Quote Originally Posted by crltkcagle View Post
    Once we get to Disney we drive the entire time. My DH hates the buses and refuses to ride them so we drive to the parks and to our dining plan locations. I will admit it is much faster driving yourself around than waiting for Disney transportation. You get to see a lot more of Orlando this way too.
    We're driving to DW and staying at CSR and I've been wondering if we should drive around the Resort or take the bus and other Transportation. This opinion helps!
    Off-site August 1986
    All Star Music May/June 1999
    Coronado Springs August 2012
    Animal Kingdom Lodge May 2017
    Port Orleans Riverside June 2022 (planned)

  21. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Not close enough!!
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    Default

    Other than stopping at the one outlet mall that has White House/Black Market and Coach on the way TO WDW (you can see the hot air balloon in DTD from it), we don't leave property unless we need an emergency trip to Walmart or Target.

    We never go off site to eat. I would much rather enjoy Narcoossee's or any Epcot restaurant than a Joe's Crab Shack any day!

    Other than that, we only drive on property.
    NEXT TRIP - DCL Fantasy Oct. 2016
    Yacht Club - Oct. '14, Dec. '15
    Poly - Dec. '07, '09
    Grand Flo - Too many times to keep track!
    CBR - May '10, Oct. '10, Dec. '11
    POR - Sept & Dec '03
    AoA - Oct. '12, Dec. '13
    Pop - May '11

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