ORLANDO / KISSIMMEE TIPS

Traffic jam avoidance - In the event that Hwy 192 (the main east-west route) gets clogged up, when travelling east to west, which it can in the morning hours, there is an alternate route to Disney , that most travellers are unaware of. It is a 5 minute drive to Disney. It is as follows;

From Villas at Island Club, turn left onto Lindfields Boulevard, to Funie Steed Rd. (Note, Funie Steed Rd can get slippery and bumpy during, and about 24-48 hours, after heavy rain). Turn left on Funie Steed Rd. Go about 2 miles. At the first stop sign, Formosa Gardens Blvd, go straight. At the second stop sign you come to, Entry Point, go straight again, (Be careful at this junction, as the crossing traffic, which is light, does have the right-of-way. At the third stop sign you come to, Old Lake Wilson Rd, go straight here, as well. After you cross Old Lake Wilson Rd, you will see arrow signs directing you to turn left. At that point, you can merge out onto eastbound Hwy 192. From that point, you will travel a short distance, through a traffic light, at which time you will see the Disney World 1 Mile sign. Traffic will open up and take you straight to the main entrance ramp to all Disney properties. Funie Steed Road is sometimes a dirt track and can be like driving on loose snow at times, but it will save you a lot of time.

Note, if you leave Disney properties to return west after about 9:30 pm after the firework shows at the Magic Kingdom or Epcot, another alternate route will allow you to avoid another traffic back up on Hwy 192. It is as follows;

From any Disney property/theme park, follow the Disney signs to Blizzard Beach and then to the Animal Kingdom. As you approach the turn which would take you to the Animal Kingdom entrance toll booth plaza (with red and green lights visible), follow the sign on your left that states "Animal Kingdom Lodge". This will take you a short distance to an junction that is controlled by a traffic light. Approach the junction in the left turn only lane. Turn left. You are now exiting Disney property via a little known back exit. This road, known as Sherberth Rd, will wind around taking you directly back to Hwy 192, where you can turn right onto Hwy 192, going west. You have just avoided a huge traffic back-up that occurs around 8:30-10:30 pm, when throngs of people are leaving Disney after viewing fireworks at the magic kingdom and epcot. Note, as you approach Hwy 192 on Sherberth Rd, just prior to Hwy 192, you can also opt to turn right at a small intersecting roadway to your right, which is known as Blacklake Rd. Following Blacklake Rd will allow you to bypass Hwy 192 even further. But it is rarely necessary, as Hwy 192 is generally running smoothly westbound from Sherberth Rd on.

Upon arrival at any Disney theme park, we highly recommend using their Fast Pass system to avoid standing in long lines for the main attractions.

Recommended favourite Disney restaurants for lunch are;
Located at MGM Studios, the Sci-Fi Diner and the Prime Time Café. For Dinner, the favourite is the Whispering Canyon Café (great BBQ) located at Disney's Wilderness Resort Lodge. To make reservations at any Disney restaurant, call 1-407-939-3463.Reservations should be made weeks or even months in advance, whenever possible.

For you bargain shoppers, to find really good bargains on Disney merchandise at considerably reduced prices, go to the Disney Character outlet store locations. Go to http//www.wdwig.com/cware.htm for directions. There is also a Universal Studios outlet store at Belz Mall.

Disney Water Parks:

1. Typhoon Lagoon - Disney's largest water park, with tidal wave pool, shark reef and much, much, more!
2. Blizzard Beach -This water park offers lots of fun thrills for the kids with rope bridges and an inverted T-Bar that drops the kids off into the water, not to mention a real chair-lift!
3. River Country is a great diversion from the other two water parks in that it is the smaller of the 3 parks, geared toward the smaller kids, but also has slides and a swimming dock in lake water, which makes for a cooler swim on a hot Florida summer's day. It also has a real sand beach, as opposed to the others, which are artificial. If you leave River Country Water Park later in the day, a great place to eat on the walk to the bus is Crockett's Saloon, a great dinner buffet after 5:00 pm for about $13.95 for adults.

Kennedy Space Centre is an easy drive from the Orlando area. Take Interstate 4 West/Orlando to the Bee Line Expressway (Route 528). East on the Bee Line Expressway. You will come to an exit labeled "407 Titusville, Kennedy Space Center" on your left. Take 407 until it ends at 405. Proceed east approximately 1 mile until you see a Redstone rocket on your right. You will see a small building near the rocket that says "Badging". This is where you can pick up a badge for your visit and obtain a Kennedy Space Center map. Website: http://www.ksc.nasa.gov or call (321) 867-5000. For Nasa Space Shuttle projected launch dates, go to http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/schedule/schedule.htm