[optormtix]

Im traveling from the UK in September to Orlando for a holiday with my girlfriend.
So far we have booked the flights and hotel (on international drive). Upon looking at the flight details, were flying into Sanford airport... From which i understand is quite a distance apart.

We are both under 25, and i understand that with car hire, if your under 25, you have to pay a "young persons tax.... at which is around $25 a day!!! Is this right?


How easy is it to get to international drive from the airport... Is there any shuttles, or transfers etc.

Were also doing Disney and Universal, if i have read correctly, you can get a I-drive... Like a bus service which will take you back and fourth to the hotel and parks... Is this reliable?

What sort of extra costs am i looking at?!

[largonioulurI]

Im traveling from the UK in September to Orlando for a holiday with my girlfriend.
So far we have booked the flights and hotel (on international drive). Upon looking at the flight details, were flying into Sanford airport... From which i understand is quite a distance apart.

We are both under 25, and i understand that with car hire, if your under 25, you have to pay a "young persons tax.... at which is around $25 a day!!! Is this right?


How easy is it to get to international drive from the airport... Is there any shuttles, or transfers etc.

Were also doing Disney and Universal, if i have read correctly, you can get a I-drive... Like a bus service which will take you back and fourth to the hotel and parks... Is this reliable?

What sort of extra costs am i looking at?!

I cannot tell you this or that about florida per se, but i have rented many a car and i would advise you to wait until you leave the airport to hire out a car. You pay considerably more to rent a car at an airport as apposed to the local non airport location. Try enterprise.com just put in the zip code of your hotel in to the location finder and they will give you the closest location. Good thing about enterprise is, they will pick you up from your hotel, take you to thier shop and then when you are done with the car, return you to your hotel....saves 2 cab fares. As to the extra fee, all the rental companies do it, ranges from $15-$25 per day, due to increased risk buy under 25 drivers.

the bus service will likely be very reliable, but also very concise. I am sure once you check into the hotel you can get an arrival/departure schedule for the busses. If it is a nice hotel, i would expect thier shuttle service to be top notch.

[emorbimefed]

I went to Florida in 2003 and we stayed within a hotel on International Drive. Like you, we landed at Sanford Airport as well.

From the airport to International drive on a bus, it took roughly an hour. However looking at a map, going on the interstate 4 would be the most direct route to International Drive (there's a junction right beside it, which we used to head towards Tampa for Busch Gardens - well worth the 70 mile journey BTW), but the bus driver didn't bother taking that route when we went.

We hired a car when we visited, but on the last couple of days we took the bus services. Not sure about them between Disney and International Drive, but between the parks nearby they're very reliable. [yes]

Just don't leave without going on some of the monstrous rides in the parks - especially the Kraken.

[AlexanderDrew]

If I remember correctly it was about a hours drive, I was only young when I went so its quite vague.

We left from Cardiff, it was snowing pretty bad. Arrived at Sanford on New Years Eve, it was really sunny and warm.

We got back to the hotel on international drive around 10.30pm after getting lost about 5 times! (Mums directions) [oops]Got into bed, fireworks going off everywhere (New Years) and we were all jet lagged to make things even worse.

Woke up the next morning to be met with ice all over the cars about 1" thick. Thats all we needed when we left it was -°c and wake in Florida it was -°c.[thumbdown]

Anyhoo the free shuttle services from the hotel to the Disney Parks was excellent. Never a minute late. I think it done two pick ups in the morning and two at night.[thumbup] We gave the driver a $40 tip because it was free.

If your driving I would suggest printing maps of routes before you leave, also always have change on hand for those toll roads.

Check international drive for places like Walmart etc, we had one about a 2 minute drive away from us. Its really handy, make your own sandwhichs for dinner etc. It also alot cheaper compared to the parks food.

Luckly we found a really good tourist map on the 3rd day which routed us perfectly on our way back to Sanford. The route was alot faster too.

Hope this is of some help, have a good time.[thumbup]

[Kiariitf]

Just a heads up, they only sell 32 ounce beers, no 40's in Florida.