Sunday December 15th 2024

Traffic has been my nemesis the last few days. Generally, I am used to the traffic patterns in the area and know when to avoid certain areas, but things have been a little different the last few days. Some of the differences are the result of holiday traffic, some because of the influx of more seasonal residents and one major problem is the result of construction. Road work that shuts down one lane of the three north bound lanes of route 27 about a mile and a half from here really backs things up as soon as I leave the resort. It has taken more than double or triple the normal time to get through the area. A couple of times that I’ve tried to avoid the area, I’ve gotten stuck in school traffic.

Another area of traffic concern is the eastbound section of Interstate 4. The most direct path to Disney and other things in the resort corridor is I-4, but at certain times of the day it has an average speed of less than twenty miles an hour for several miles. Usually the middle of the day is OK. Today it wasn’t. The problem is further complicated by not knowing what the conditions are until you are committed. There are several alternatives other than the interstate, but once you’re on it your stuck. Today’s journey to Disney Springs took about double what it should have.

As expected, the Disney Springs shopping and entertainment district was busy today. I went before dark to avoid the worst of the crowds. Parking wasn’t bad. I was able to park in the main garage. In past years, I have had to park across the street in the overflow and employee parking garage. There were lines to get into some stores and restaurants. The checkouts at all the stores had lines as well. I went primarily for the atmosphere and I wasn’t disappointed. It was very festive and the people seemed to be in a holiday mood despite the crowds. After wandering around the Springs for about 3 hours I headed home via a different route. It was also filled with traffic of unknown cause.