Conference koolit::disney

    It'll be  close, figure a good 20 min to retrieve your baggage, another
    20 min or  so  to get the car, depending if there is a line in front of
    you, and about 20-30  min  to  get to the Polynesean, assuming moderate
    traffic on I-4 etc.  So if you arrive around 4:15, it's possible to get
    there around 5:15 assuming no problems.
    
    In the past Iv'e been able  to  get  to Disney once landed from 50 min.
    to about 1 1/2 hours.  Once  when I didn't stay at Disney I happened to
    spend 1 hr in Alamo waiting for the car.
    
    Claude

    
    Pretty much ditto on Claude's response. The last time I went ('86)
    we arrived at the airport, spent 15 minutes waiting for luggage,
    then procedded right out the door to catch a cab type bus (6 of
    us with luggage needed more room than a simple cab).
    
    Anyway, the trip to Polynesian village took about 25-30 minutes
    from the airport right to the hotel front door. As you know, most
    cabbie tyes are pretty quick (time is money) and in Orlando, they
    know "exactly" where they are going, exactly how to get there, and
    all that it takes to get "through" Disney customs so to speak.
    
    As Claude implied, you will need to account for time to pick up
    your rental (wait in line, fill out paperwork, actually get to the
    car, get oriented (map) etc, etc). This will depend upon which day
    you arrive and whether it's a "prime time day" (crowded) or not. 

    Mark, 110 days and counting
    

rep to <<< Note 79.0 by DEC25::STANLEY "Marilyn I. Stanley" >>>

>	I'll be renting a car (probably National) and I'm the only
>	adult travelling with two kids.  

    Marilyn,
    
    I just noticed you said National, if you rent  from  either National or
    Avis (there are a few more) then you'll be able  to pick up your car at
    the terminal  threby  saving time.  The rental offices are on the lower
    floor, just outside  the  baggage claim area if memory serves me right.
    If however you rent from a lesser know outfit chances are your in for a
    bus ride to their lot  and  will  add  significant  time (Alamo rings a
    bell).
    
>    	I'm keeping my fingers they don't change the times during
>	the next 72 days.

    I doubt it, the airlines will change the schedule after the clock's get
    moved forward/backward in April/October, and rarely after that,  unless
    something else comes up, like loss of a slot time etc.
    
    Claude

>>>	I'll be renting a car (probably National) and I'm the only
>>>	adult travelling with two kids.  

If the kids are old enough and depenable enough, send them to wait for the
luggage while you wait in line for the rental.  Also, you might want to consider
making car reservations with more than 1 company (Avis, National, Budget, Hertz)
and choose the one with the shortest line.  But be careful of Hertz.  I once
waited in their line only to be told that rentals of more than a week had to go
to their off-airport site to get a car.

Another consideration is to get seats on the airplane near the front, so you can
get off quickly, to get to the car rental desks more quickly.

But, no matter how carefully you plan, if your plane arrives shortly after
another one, all those people will be in line ahead of you.

--Jay,  6!!!! days and counting.

    I rented from national on my last trip down.  I landed at around
    11:00 and had to wait in line for about an hour.  If you belong
    to their travel club you don't have to wait the line with the rest
    of the general public, they let you 'cut' to the front.  It was
    nice to just go down and pick the car up, but once again I had to
    wait about 15 minutes for them to bring the car up for me.  The
    national counter was under-staffed, they only had two clerks although
    there were work stations for four.  I was told by an air line employee
    who was in line afte after me that the long line like this were
    normal at that time of day.  Hopefully, the line will be shorter
    when you arrive.
    
    Good luckk,
    
    dan
    their travel club I would do it.

    Just came back from MCO 2 weeks ago on business.  The airport area
    is under construction and is a complete zoo!  Untill construction
    is complete, no car rental agencies are allowed to store cars in
    the terminal area.  They bus all renters off site to the locations
    to pick-up their cars.  I waited over an hour for an AVIS and that
    was with a Wizard Number.  I suggest you take a shuttle/limo to
    WDW and when you need a car, rent it there (National on property
    in WDW).... The hassle is expected to last thru the summer....
    
    
    

    Ditto .6!  I was there for 2 days Thursday & Friday a week ago.
    Rental went OK -- no lines in the morning (before 12:00 noon) at
    that time.  But they bus you out to their off-site lot and that
    takes a good 20 minutes alone.  This is because it's necessary to
    drive all the way out of the airport and circle back again to get
    to the lot.
    
    Also, don't return the rental to the lot you picked it up at (at
    least at this time).  Rentals are picked up off-site, but returned
    at the airport terminal.  And *that* is where the zoo begins!  When
    I was leaving (and in a slight hurry as things would have it) I
    first went to the off-site lot (I hadn't been instructed otherwise)
    and was told to return it at the terminal.  Getting to the Avis
    return area was a nightmare because the returns for other car rentals
    such as Hertz and Alamo were backed up to the point that traffic
    was barely moving.  Once I did get there, I had to drag all my baggage
    to the rental desk inside the terminal (approx. 50 yards) to check the
    car in.  Very unorganized!
    
-Andy

    We rented from National last October.  We arrived at 11pm and stood
    in line for ~20 min.  National had a person working the queue prompting
    people to have their reservations, drivers license, and major credit
    card at the ready.  She inquired about our destination and if we
    wanted directions.  She had copies of maps and highlighted the route
    to take.
    
    National has what they call "The Emerald Club".  You join for $50
    and get coupons for upgrading to larger vehicles.  The cost is about
    the same as renting with DEC's recap number.  I didn't go with the
    Emerald Club, but after seeing the special attention Club members
    receive I would again. 
    
    There were 11 people ahead of me in line and two clerks.  It took
    ~20 minutes to get through the line.  There was only 1 person in
    the Emerald Club line.  When that Club member was taken care of
    the clerk helped with the "regular" customers, but when a Club member
    came to the Club counter he became the clerk's next customer.
    
    20 min wasn't bad I thought.  But any time you can save on a vacation
    is worth a little research.  The plane touched down at 11am and
    we were on the highway at 11:45...that inclued de-planing, walking
    through the terminal, the monorail ride, walking to the baggage
    pickup, standing in line for the car, walking to the garage, loading
    the Caravan (we had reserved an Olds Cutlass Ciera, but they didn't
    have one available right then so they offered a Dodge Caravan for
    the same $$),and finding our way out to the highway.  I called that
    pretty good !   
                                                       
    We had no problems with National.   Drop off in the airport took
    about 5 min.  Although it may be longer according to a previous
    note re: airport construction.
    
    Dial 1-800-CAR-RENT and ask about the Emerald Club.
    

    Well, the airlines did it again.  United has cancelled the
    Denver to Orlando flight.  Now I won't be arriving until
    6:30 p.m. so I cancelled my reservation.

    Luckily, after reading all of your responses, I decided to
    play it safe and get reservations for another night.  So I'm
    not SOL.

    Marilyn
    18_days_to_Disney

    
    re .79
    
    Yes, that happened to me too. They changed it about 4-5 weeks ago
    and forced the flight through Chicago with excessive layover. 
    
    Mark (fello Springs' DECie and Disney-holic)

    Most of the MKC packages listed in Note 20 offer N days and N-1
    nights. Since a day can start at 8:00 am with breakfast on main
    street and end at midnight, how to do take full advantage of a
    the first and last day?  The earliest the airlines (at least
    from Boston) seem to want to drop you off in Orlando is 11:30 am
    and leave no later than 4:30.

    thanks,
            mike

    Mike,
    
    The obvious  way  (didn't  say  least  expensive)  would be to pad your
    vacation with 2  extra  vacation  days,  fly in late the day before you
    wish to start WDW,  stay  at  a cheap motel on 192 or Idrive, check out
    early, pre-checkin at WDW, and  have  a  ball.   On the last day of WDW
    check out of the room early,  (have disney hold the luggage) and have a
    good time, when time to leave, pick  up  bags  and  check in to a cheap
    hotel and fly out early.
    
    Otherwise  you've got the idea in .11, Disney  figure  that  you  won't
    spend a full day at either the first or  last  day  due  to schedule of
    flights etc.
    
    CLaude

    Does anyone have a suggestion as to the most preferred way from the
    Airport to the CBR and about how much traveling time this involves?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mike

Coming back from my Honeymoon from the CBR at 6 Sunday Morning we had trouble
with Mears.  They had a bus go away so when they lost schedule a bus showed
up and picked up the 5:30 people...as for us 6Am people they said one should
be along in a while and would be a big bus.

We needed to get out by 7:15 and the Customs House Bellperson hinted that the
bus would be slow and wouldn't necessarily get us to the terminal quick 
enough.

So, we opted for a cab.  ROund trip Mears was $42 for two, the cab one-way
was $26 and go us there in 30 minutes or so (maybe even a little less).  We
passed the Mears shuttle that picked up the 5:30 people on the way.  So, for
me it is a cab.  It leaves when you want, goes where you want and isn't that
much more money.

George

    How about routes for those people renting cars? Airport to CBR.
    
    Mike

    Take the Beeline north from the airport to route 4 west. Have lots 
    of quarters handy -- there are about 4 tolls at frequent intervals 
    on the Beeline. From Route 4 west take the SECOND Disney exit. The 
    first will be Route 135 marked for Disney Village, then there is one 
    that says Epcot Hotels. That is the one you want. There will be signs 
    as you drive along this road saying to keep going straight for Epcot 
    Hotels and CBR until you come to a good-sized interchange. It is marked 
    just before the interchange to turn left for Epcot Hotels, and it might 
    even mention CBR by name. After the left turn, CBR is a short distance 
    on the left. If you get to MGM you went too far. 
    
    It took us 25-35 minutes to drive it at 11:00AM. Traffic got heavy as
    we approached WDW (of course). Getting the rental car took longer!
    
    Linda

    Rep to <<< Note 79.16 by GEMINI::GIBSON >>>

>    From Route 4 west take the SECOND Disney exit. The 
>    first will be Route 135 marked for Disney Village, then there is one 
>    that says Epcot Hotels. 
    
    Linda,
    
    Thats SR535, for the first exit for WDW  on  I-4,  which is the primary
    entrance  to  WDW  for  the Disney Village Marketplace, Disney  Village
    Resort (Villas), Disney Village Hotel Plaza and Pleasure Island.  
    
    The  second exit on I-4 (newest, don't remember exit number  but  about
    halfway between SR535 and SR192) dumps you on Epcot Drive, is for Epcot
    and the  Epcot  hotels primarily.
    
    Note  you can get to  anything  in  WDW  from  any  of  the  three  WDW
    entrances  the  two on I-4 (SR535 west to Hotel Plaza  BLVD,  or  Epcot
    Drive) and the one on SR192 (World Drive, also referred to  as the Main
    entrance), once on WDW property just follow the signs, it's hard to get
    lost.
    
    Claude
    
    PS.  Mike look at the map I sent  you  and you'll know what Linda and I
    are talking about.

    Old age is taking it's toll; time for reading glasses. 
    Thanks for the correction, so nobody gets lost. 
    
    Linda

    We are planning a one day stop over at Disney Land on our way to Maui
    in August this year. We have to decide whether to stay near Anaheim or
    near Los Angles Int Airport. What is the driving time between the
    airport and Disneyland mid week (Land Monday, visit DL Tues, fly out
    Wed)?
    
    Thanks
    Tim

Travel time between Anaheim and LAX would probably be close to an hour,
maybe an hour and 15 minutes. Assuming of course traffic is not a problem...

it's been a while since I travel around that area, so i cant guarentee
anything :-)

t///

    the alternate is to take the bus from lax to disneyland area.  pleanty
    of motels available inc disneyland hotel.  bus stop is ajcent to 
    disneyland, and very near monorail entrance.
    the bus can be pickuped up at the airport.
    something to remember if you use a car is that parking is expensive
    at hotels, at the park, you nearly even have to pay if you stop
    at a traffic light.  a car is not convienent.
    its taken me from 1-2 hours depending on time of day to go by bus.
    if you are a country punkin like me, you'll hate the traffic.
    ed
    

    Are there any WDW shuttle buses that travel from Orlando International
    Airport and back?  Most years I rent a car from Alamo and they have a
    shuttle bus that took me back and forth, and one year I took a cab
    which was outrageously expensive.  Is there a better, less expensive
    way to get to the CBC from the airport, and vice versa?
    
    Thanks,
    Leslie (planning trip #11!)

I believe the only other way is taking one of the 'standard shuttle' services
Mears Shuttle comes to mind.

-Jay

    Leslie,
    
    Maybe if you specify exactly where you are heading in WDW someone in
    here may be able to give you some help.
    
    Mike_who_hates_shuttles

    I'm going to Dixie Landings, but I don't have a problem with shuttles
    now ... a friend is going to pick my daughter and I up at the airport,
    take us to St. Augustine for the day, and let us stay at Flagler Beach
    overnight!  We're arriving on Saturday and we don't have to check in to
    Dixie Landings until 3:00 on Sunday.
    
    45 days and counting! :-)
    
    Leslie

    I received from Disney a coupon for $3.00 off each round-trip on Mears
    Shuttle between Orlando and the WDW Resorts.  I won't be using it. 
    First come first served - Any takers?
    
    FYI - here's the pricing:
                              Regular    w/Coupon
    
    Adult                     $23.00       20.00
    Child (4-11)               17.00       14.00
    
    Julie
    

    We're going to WDW the first week in JUL and staying at the Holiday Inn
    Sunspree (theoretically) just outside the park; not our first choice of
    dates or motels, but it's a family thing so don't ask... Anyway, we got
    an offer in the mail from a Citibank Travel Club which might let us
    have a free night at a motel and we are trying to decide whether it
    would be worth the effort to see if we could schedule it for one closer
    to the Orlando airport the night before we leave.  Unfortunately the
    only two choices seem to be the Rodeway Inn and a Ramada that are both
    on Orange Blossom Drive -- other notes in this conference have raised
    the question of whether that's a 'good' neighborhood?  
    
    Bottomline questions: 1) is it worth it to try to stay closer to the
    airport the night before departure?  I think our flight is 10 or 11 a.m.
    and 2) are those motels in a safe neighborhood?
    
    Thanks for any insights.
    	/jeff

    I don't see much point as long as you are in the Orlando area already. 
    The airport's easy to get to and your flight is not too early in the
    morning.  Are you renting a car from Alamo?  It takes a bit of time
    to get down and back from their off-airport location.  Still, not
    enough for me to relocate.
    
    Mark

    Can anyone provide information on what is described as Sanford
    International Airport near Orlando? Apparently some holiday flights now
    use this airport. What are the facilities like? How easy is it to get
    to the Kissimmee area from there. How far from Disney?
    
    Tom

    I just looked up Sanford on my map, and it is on the other side
    of Orlando from Kissimee. It's past Lake Mary about half way
    to Daytona Beach. No idea on how big, but it would seem to be
    about an hour away from Disney.