Chrisizzle
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2019
I’m not sure if this qualifies as a trip report but three days riding my bike was the highlight of my 5-day Disney World getaway (which, for perspective, included SWGE opening day).
If you search for cycling in these forums, you are likely to see my other post asking if riding a bicycle around Disney World is a reasonable activity. You would also see the general consensus is a resounding “No. Do not ride your bike at Disney World.”
Those people are not wrong, but experienced cyclists can take that with a grain of salt. It was a truly magical and unique experience for me and I will bring my bike again.
To start with logistics, cyclists will be happy to know Disney’s Magical Express complimentary luggage service will gladly take your bike box from the airport to your hotel room. (If you don’t already have a bike box, it is Sign #1 that cycling Disney may not be for you).
I checked the box with my airline upon departure and it showed up in my resort room 4-hours after landing. The cast member did remark it was the largest box he’s delivered and wondered what was inside. Upon hearing it was a bike, he was quick to point out his recommendations for riding trails. (In this case, Old Key West resort with a trail network to Disney Springs).
However, I was not seeking a leisurely ride on a comfort bike on a dedicated trail. I had done my research on Strava and came to take some KOM segments. (If that last sentence sounds like gibberish, it is Sign #2 that cycling Disney may not be for you).
Looking at Strava, local cyclists do frequent Disney property with segments of all shapes and sizes (well… no mountain stages but still good variety…). Moreover, those rides were just as likely to take place at 3pm on a Thursday as 6am on a Saturday. So, to experienced road cyclists, Disney World isn’t the no-go-zone it seems.
That isn’t to say people’s general concerns about safety are not well founded. Most of the roads at Disney World resemble high speed freeways. Compounding that, the drivers are unfamiliar tourists looking at the GPS more than the road. Whether you ride day or night, a high-power, high-end tail light is a must have, with my additional recommendation for a headlight and mirror being wise choices too.
To make my ride even safer, I took the step of riding early… very early. (If you aren’t accustomed to early morning cycling events already, this will be Sign #3 that cycling Disney may not be for you).
I anticipated a window between 4am and 6am where the drunks would be gone, and the tourists not yet out. I wound up riding even earlier due to jet lag and 3:30am became my time out the door.
For my late August stay, this provided perfect riding weather. Orlando can obviously be hot & humid with daily afternoon thunder showers. I’m not sure if I was lucky, but I had consistent, mild, dry and windless rides at that early hour.
In regards to traffic, you are only likely see security and sheriff vehicles at that time. To Disney’s credit, there are many law enforcement vehicles making their rounds and I’d see one every 10-minutes. That certainly added to my feeling of safety because any unreasonable driver would be spotted and pulled from the road quickly.
I did notice a relative increase in traffic around 4:30am as employees started showing up for work. Every vehicle erred to the side of caution by waiting until safe to pass, and then providing me with ample space.
Traffic steadily grew and my target was to be back at the resort by 5am. That was not so much a safety decision as the magic of riding on perfect roads alone in silence was being diminished.
An extreme example of that was the 6am grand opening of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. On that date, the roads and sidewalks were already steady with people heading to Hollywood Studios by 4am. I cut my ride very short that morning and got a sense of what riding Disney during the day would be like.
My interactions with cast members we all positive. Although some were surprised to see a bicycle, everyone would smile and wave. Security Guards at the resort gates were the most put out. It was clear they didn’t know exactly what to do for a 4am cyclist asking to ride around their property. Technically, any resort guest can visit another resort. So, scanning your Magic Band and being friendly as they call their supervisor will go a long way. I was never denied access to anything… and that includes riding right up to the Magic Kingdom entry gates (which is normally past security screening).
And finally, the riding itself.
I have never experienced roads as smooth and flat as these. Potholes simply don’t exist at Disney World. The serenity was also unmatched. Whether I was on a single lane back road, or a multi-lane street, it was incredibly quiet. I felt like I had any given area all to myself. In a place normally so busy, it is a unique experience to cherish.
If you search for cycling in these forums, you are likely to see my other post asking if riding a bicycle around Disney World is a reasonable activity. You would also see the general consensus is a resounding “No. Do not ride your bike at Disney World.”
Those people are not wrong, but experienced cyclists can take that with a grain of salt. It was a truly magical and unique experience for me and I will bring my bike again.
To start with logistics, cyclists will be happy to know Disney’s Magical Express complimentary luggage service will gladly take your bike box from the airport to your hotel room. (If you don’t already have a bike box, it is Sign #1 that cycling Disney may not be for you).
I checked the box with my airline upon departure and it showed up in my resort room 4-hours after landing. The cast member did remark it was the largest box he’s delivered and wondered what was inside. Upon hearing it was a bike, he was quick to point out his recommendations for riding trails. (In this case, Old Key West resort with a trail network to Disney Springs).
However, I was not seeking a leisurely ride on a comfort bike on a dedicated trail. I had done my research on Strava and came to take some KOM segments. (If that last sentence sounds like gibberish, it is Sign #2 that cycling Disney may not be for you).
Looking at Strava, local cyclists do frequent Disney property with segments of all shapes and sizes (well… no mountain stages but still good variety…). Moreover, those rides were just as likely to take place at 3pm on a Thursday as 6am on a Saturday. So, to experienced road cyclists, Disney World isn’t the no-go-zone it seems.
That isn’t to say people’s general concerns about safety are not well founded. Most of the roads at Disney World resemble high speed freeways. Compounding that, the drivers are unfamiliar tourists looking at the GPS more than the road. Whether you ride day or night, a high-power, high-end tail light is a must have, with my additional recommendation for a headlight and mirror being wise choices too.
To make my ride even safer, I took the step of riding early… very early. (If you aren’t accustomed to early morning cycling events already, this will be Sign #3 that cycling Disney may not be for you).
I anticipated a window between 4am and 6am where the drunks would be gone, and the tourists not yet out. I wound up riding even earlier due to jet lag and 3:30am became my time out the door.
For my late August stay, this provided perfect riding weather. Orlando can obviously be hot & humid with daily afternoon thunder showers. I’m not sure if I was lucky, but I had consistent, mild, dry and windless rides at that early hour.
In regards to traffic, you are only likely see security and sheriff vehicles at that time. To Disney’s credit, there are many law enforcement vehicles making their rounds and I’d see one every 10-minutes. That certainly added to my feeling of safety because any unreasonable driver would be spotted and pulled from the road quickly.
I did notice a relative increase in traffic around 4:30am as employees started showing up for work. Every vehicle erred to the side of caution by waiting until safe to pass, and then providing me with ample space.
Traffic steadily grew and my target was to be back at the resort by 5am. That was not so much a safety decision as the magic of riding on perfect roads alone in silence was being diminished.
An extreme example of that was the 6am grand opening of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. On that date, the roads and sidewalks were already steady with people heading to Hollywood Studios by 4am. I cut my ride very short that morning and got a sense of what riding Disney during the day would be like.
My interactions with cast members we all positive. Although some were surprised to see a bicycle, everyone would smile and wave. Security Guards at the resort gates were the most put out. It was clear they didn’t know exactly what to do for a 4am cyclist asking to ride around their property. Technically, any resort guest can visit another resort. So, scanning your Magic Band and being friendly as they call their supervisor will go a long way. I was never denied access to anything… and that includes riding right up to the Magic Kingdom entry gates (which is normally past security screening).
And finally, the riding itself.
I have never experienced roads as smooth and flat as these. Potholes simply don’t exist at Disney World. The serenity was also unmatched. Whether I was on a single lane back road, or a multi-lane street, it was incredibly quiet. I felt like I had any given area all to myself. In a place normally so busy, it is a unique experience to cherish.
