International Drive: Perfect place to have fun
Visitors from near and far go to International Drive searching for a once-in-a-lifetime event. International Drive is a bustling commercial district in Orlando that houses the city’s convention center and is close to popular theme parks such as Walt Disney World and SeaWorld. The Wheel at ICON Park Orlando, a giant Ferris wheel with spectacular views of the city, is also nearby.
History:
Attorney Finley Hamilton planned up the initial portion of I-Drive in the 1960s to serve his Hilton Inn South, which opened in May 1970. When Walt Disney World debuted in October 1971, he anticipated that people driving to the park along Interstate 4 would notice the hotel. However, it became a huge success. I-Drive was quickly expanded to the north, where Prime Outlets currently stands, and south, past the Beachline.
I Ride Trolley:
The International Drive Master Transit and Improvement District was formed in 1992 as a collaboration of local governments and companies on I-Drive to offer growth control, transportation, and infrastructure development for the region.
You may sit back and enjoy the miles of fun that make up the International Drive Resort Area by taking advantage of the area’s outstanding and easy I-RIDE Trolley service.
Route Structure:
International Drive is 11.1 miles long, with the northern portion reaching into Orlando’s southern city boundaries and the rest of the center and southern sections in unincorporated Orange County. International Drive South is an additional extension of International Drive that does not directly cross with the main stretch of the road and is partly located in Osceola County.
Universal Boulevard:
From the Beachline Expressway north, Universal Boulevard runs almost parallel to International Drive. Further, it crosses I-Drive and connects I-4 via an overpass into the Universal Orlando Resort. Known as Republic Drive, it halted at International Drive and fed into eastbound I-4 ramps.
Conclusion:
To get to the first Disney hotel in the south, visitors traveling on Interstate 4 to Walt Disney World would have to leave on Sandlake Road and cross another dirt road. That route was eventually paved and renamed International Drive.