Summer Bay, distance from Disney

[Mjpierce]

I have two back to back weeks of the same size unit on hold at Summer Bay- I'm leaning towards staying there because I'm hoping that we will be able to stay in the same unit and not have to check out and check back in.

Anyways, after looking at the map, reading the postings and the reviews, it seems that Summer Bay is a little further out than some of the other TS resorts like OLCC or VV at Parkway. Has anyone found this to be an issue that really matters? Is there a good way to get from Summer Bay to Disney property that does not involve a lot of traffic? I am going on the February vacation week, so it will be a high time of the year.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[elaine]

a few miles past OLCC--it's fine

once you hit OLCC there's a back road (Sherboth??) and easy access. We were there at SB Easter week and it was fine. Also, Feb is not that busy at WDW--Christmas and Easter are much higher demand times.Elaine

 

[Mjpierce]

I think your right. The President's day/school vacation week in February is supposed to be one of the really high attendance weeks at Disney, but we have never had a problem. We are teachers with elementary school aged boys, so we are always there on that same week. We do use the "Unofficial Guide," pick our days at the particular parks strategically, and always get there for the park opening- but still, I have never seen the park paralyzing type crowds that are supposed to be there on this week.

We are stretching our time to its very limits, getting the most we can for our airfare. We are flying out right after we get out of school on Friday the 13th (glad I'm not superstitious), and leaving Sunday evening, the 22nd. I happen to have two old weeks that expire in 2009 that needed to be used, so what I'm doing is booking two consecutive Friday check-ins. I'm only going to be using 3 days of the second week, but for the price of the exchange fee, it sure beats having to check into a hotel for a couple of days, plus I won't have to checkout on Sunday and wander around with a car full of luggage until my flight takes off Sunday night.

Besides, it really bugs me when I have an unused week that expires.

Thanks for your advice,
Michael

 

[hajjah]

You should not have a problem staying in the same unit at Summer Bay for two weeks. We've done this several times. I would advise you to call about two weeks in advance and request your bldg and floor. The back road from OLCC is a nice short cut. We'll be at OLCC during the last week of Dec.

 

[gjw007]

Summer Bay is only 5 or so minutes beyond Orange Lake. It shouldn't add more than 10 minutes at most to your trip.

You can decrease the time to the parks by using Black Lake Road/Sherbeth but I have found that taking a left on 192 can be time consuming (which is what you need to do either at Black Lake Road (it dead ends at Sherbeth) or Sherbeth - both have stoplights on 192) and many times it is quicker, depending on the traffic on 192, to simply drive to the World Drive exit and go to WDW from there. You can also take the toll road that splits through OLCC and catch Disney's Western Beltway (I believe) to go onto Disney property. I have never taken it as I don't believe it is worth paying the tolls but others may feel differently.