I Drive...some observations

[Wolf1984]

So after 4 years of longing to return, a pandemic and many days clinging to the promise of our happy memories on I Drive we finally arrived last week.

Now I'm not posting this to push an agenda or have a moan, I know I Drive divides many people so I'm going to share some observations that may help future travellers who may consider this area.

I Drive in our minds once was a tourist hot spot, bustling with life, bars and a feel good factor. So bearing in mind it's mid July and height of the season it's odd to see things so quiet and subdued. Case in point being I cruised through the Sand lake intersection without so much as braking, never ever done that!

We've found that many places simply don't have the staff, wait staff in particular and that has meant closed patios, bar service only in some places. Very disappointed generally in the service levels. Even passing by the usual hot spots like Bahama breeze, Millers (closed patio), TGIs and hooters on a Saturday night all are significantly quiet.

It feels somewhat like a shadow of its former self and there's no secret that its down to current times, low staff, high cost of living, high prices - dear God the price of a meal out here plus a tip is eye watering!

The I trolley service is reduced in fleet and frequency and we've encountered two drivers back to back who were just rude.

The heat is amazing and Universal was OK but I thought I would share my observations on the I Drive for those also looking forward to reliving memories from years past.

Sorry if this is not what people want to hear. I will of course update with experiences at other spots on the I Drive over the next week and be honest about it. Maybe we've been unlucky with Millers, Joe's Crab Shack and TGIs. My presence wasn't even acknowledged in TGIs. Servers are generally rude but that's for another thread.

I think given the current climate it's going to be a few years before the I Drive returns to something like what it was... if ever. Some places are shut down and one even had a non tax payment notice slapped on the front door.

Disney may well be absolutely fine Universal certainly was good but I won't be returning for a number of years. With two younger kids we've found it harder to get into restaurants this year and I still feel there's a poor attitude towards tourists. Not a great mix for a tourist hot spot.

If we're back we'll be in a villa and enjoying our own space and company.

Please don't take this as a total negative, my view is relative to our experience from years gone by. The I Drive still has a lot to offer in the right places for the right people but I hope my thoughts and observations help others shape their decision.

Would be really keen to hear from other dibbers who are here now and what your thoughts are. Maybe just frazzled by the heat and two grumpy kids!

[bubster20]

Sorry to hear that the service seems to be sub par on I-drive.

We’re just home yesterday…booooo…and I can honestly say that the service on HW27/192 area was the complete opposite. Purely based on that, I would say that maybe specific areas are worse affected, I-drive being one of them?

I’ve never stayed there and eaten there rarely so can’t give you a current personal opinion that would be worth much 😳…we’ve always stuck to a villa in HW27 area.

As for the prices, the price of food itself I thought was comparable to home but it’s the tip that pushes it up and made me twitch a bit! What I would say is that I definitely varied my tip % based on what I expected and received from the meal whereas I would tip the same across the board in all previous years. Didn’t notice too many places closed where we were but absolutely noticed the earlier closing times everywhere.

What I did find way more expensive was groceries, now that was eye-watering…I’m not even going to start on the price of toilet roll over there - which must be spun with gold given the cost 😂.

Anyway, I hope your experience improves as the trip goes on and soak up all that heat I’m missing now!

[juless77]

Originally Posted by Wolf1984

So after 4 years of longing to return, a pandemic and many days clinging to the promise of our happy memories on I Drive we finally arrived last week.

Now I'm not posting this to push an agenda or have a moan, I know I Drive divides many people so I'm going to share some observations that may help future travellers who may consider this area.

I Drive in our minds once was a tourist hot spot, bustling with life, bars and a feel good factor. So bearing in mind it's mid July and height of the season it's odd to see things so quiet and subdued. Case in point being I cruised through the Sand lake intersection without so much as braking, never ever done that!

We've found that many places simply don't have the staff, wait staff in particular and that has meant closed patios, bar service only in some places. Very disappointed generally in the service levels. Even passing by the usual hot spots like Bahama breeze, Millers (closed patio), TGIs and hooters on a Saturday night all are significantly quiet.

It feels somewhat like a shadow of its former self and there's no secret that its down to current times, low staff, high cost of living, high prices - dear God the price of a meal out here plus a tip is eye watering!

The I trolley service is reduced in fleet and frequency and we've encountered two drivers back to back who were just rude.

The heat is amazing and Universal was OK but I thought I would share my observations on the I Drive for those also looking forward to reliving memories from years past.

Sorry if this is not what people want to hear. I will of course update with experiences at other spots on the I Drive over the next week and be honest about it. Maybe we've been unlucky with Millers, Joe's Crab Shack and TGIs. My presence wasn't even acknowledged in TGIs. Servers are generally rude but that's for another thread.

I think given the current climate it's going to be a few years before the I Drive returns to something like what it was... if ever. Some places are shut down and one even had a non tax payment notice slapped on the front door.

Disney may well be absolutely fine Universal certainly was good but I won't be returning for a number of years. With two younger kids we've found it harder to get into restaurants this year and I still feel there's a poor attitude towards tourists. Not a great mix for a tourist hot spot.

If we're back we'll be in a villa and enjoying our own space and company.

Please don't take this as a total negative, my view is relative to our experience from years gone by. The I Drive still has a lot to offer in the right places for the right people but I hope my thoughts and observations help others shape their decision.

Would be really keen to hear from other dibbers who are here now and what your thoughts are. Maybe just frazzled by the heat and two grumpy kids!

See more...

Totally agree with you we were there Christmas just gone and at first couldn't understand why we were waiting ages for a seat in restaurant's when there was lots of tables free it was when we got to sit down and realized they were VERY SHORT on servers which implemented on the service ...and prices for meals and drinks gone up by quiet a bit

[Princesses 3]

We used to base ourselves on I drive a number of years ago. It was vibrant with loads of restaurants and shops within walking distance of hotels. We went for a visit about 6 years ago and noticed a huge change even then and we felt it had a far less friendly feel. We’ve been Disney and universal bubbles for a number of years now but im more drawn towards the villa option for future visits

[Wolf1984]

It's a shame this post has been moved away from the main Trip Planning forum. Seemed like a valid thread.

Please let me know why, I can see as many other threads that could easily be moved out, wonder why this one has? Seems central to the "Planning" aspects of a Florida trip.

[EatandPlay]

Personally I think there are more options than ever along I-Drive, both entertainment and dining. While the Pointe has taken a noticeable hit as has the north of Sand Lake stretch to a lesser degree, south of Sand Lake is bustling with options, in part courtesy of ICON Park. So much so that eventually there may have to be a shakeout that closes some restaurants. The hospitality industry nation-wide has been hit hard and is still not recovered from pandemic related staffing issues. They are all experiencing staffing issues (including hotels) and admittedly, some of the older legacy brands more than others. So those who are working are often over worked and under paid and this can result in moments of bad service. It can happen anywhere and does in fact happen everywhere, at some point. Interestingly, when it comes to patios, the dead of summer is when they are generally at their slowest in Florida because temperatures are too hot for so many people and the fans and sprinklers can only do so much. I'm a big I-Drive fan but totally understand why others might not fancy it quite as much. I also love Wine Bar George (at DS) and sure wish there was one along I-Drive.

[act1980]

I can't comment on I-Drive but our experience of Universal and RPR was so shocking that we checked out 3 nights early. We were meant to stay a week but it was so terrible that we just had to get out of there. It's now been over a month & I am still fighting for the money they owe us.

I also won't be visiting Universal anytime soon, we walked out of a restaurant on City Walk one evening as the staff were so incredibly rude. They couldn't have cared less either, it was pretty shocking. We did have a good meal in Hard Rock and Bubba Gumps but found the service and staff everywhere else way below par.

[NewtoOrlando]

Originally Posted by act1980

I can't comment on I-Drive but our experience of Universal and RPR was so shocking that we checked out 3 nights early. We were meant to stay a week but it was so terrible that we just had to get out of there. It's now been over a month & I am still fighting for the money they owe us.

I also won't be visiting Universal anytime soon, we walked out of a restaurant on City Walk one evening as the staff were so incredibly rude. They couldn't have cared less either, it was pretty shocking. We did have a good meal in Hard Rock and Bubba Gumps but found the service and staff everywhere else way below par.

See more...

I remember seeing your insta stories about checking out early Angela, such a shame for you! We are at HRH this year, but only for 2 nights with 2 teens. Why was Universal so bad? Be interesting to know what City Walk restaurants were terrible so I know whether to avoid them or not!

[Gngr29]

Hi we are here at the moment - staying a couple of nights on I Drive, before moving to Disney and then Universal. Must say it is sad to see some of the “ old favourite “ restaurants closed down - Tony Romas as an example.

But, we had a great meal in Millers last night - bar area was open and the waitress was lovely and friendly. Off to Uno Chicago grill later - lets see how they do.

[Orlandoguy]

I think we need to remember that everyone has different expectations and experiences what one person raves about another won’t, it’s common knowledge that the service industry is struggling for staff sadly and businesses used to open and close all the time on idrive before the panademic