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International Drive
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International Drive
International Drive, commonly known as I-Drive, is a major 11.1-mile (17.9 km) thoroughfare in Orlando, Florida, United States, and is the city's main tourist strip. I-Drive is located several miles southwest of Downtown Orlando in the southernmost limits of the city. The International Drive area serves a similar purpose to that of the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas as the core of the tourism area.
International Drive stretches approximately 11.1 miles, with the northern part extending into the southernmost city limits of Orlando and the remainder of the central and southern portion located in unincorporated Orange County. An additional extension which does not directly intersect with the main section of International Drive is known as International Drive South, partly located in the northern portion of Osceola County. Surrounding cross-roads include Sand Lake Road, Kirkman Road, SR 536, and Universal Boulevard, which runs parallel to the midsection of International Drive.
I-Drive has four lanes, two in each direction, from its north end at Oak Ridge Road to Pointe Plaza Drive (former Universal Blvd. south end; see below), and again between the northern and southern intersections with Westwood Blvd. It has six lanes, three in each direction, from Pointe Plaza Drive to the Beachline Expressway (the eastbound ramps to the Beachline tie into the northern intersection with Westwood Blvd.), and again from the southern intersection with Westwood Blvd. to its end at SR 536. The entirety of International Drive South, from SR 535 to US 192, is entirely six lanes. The section of I-Drive from Universal Blvd. to Sand Lake Road has no median or center turn lane, and frequently has heavy traffic and gridlock in the evenings in the tourism corridor, affecting Carrier Drive and Sand Lake Road.
The International Drive area is home to the wax museum Madame Tussauds, the Orange County Convention Center complex, the Pointe Orlando entertainment complex, major hotels, SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica (SeaWorld's water park), Fun Spot America amusement park, the Orlando Eye Ferris wheel, the world's tallest StarFlyer (opened June 1, 2018), the world's tallest Slingshot, the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's, CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort, the I-Drive 360 entertainment complex, museums, themed restaurants, bars, outlet malls, mini golf courses like Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and other tourism-related commercial properties and tourist attractions such as Air Florida Helicopter Inc and Wonder Works. The major theme park resort Universal Orlando is also located in the area. Wet n' Wild was a water park formerly located on International Drive, considered to be America's first water park until it closed on December 31, 2016 to make way for Universal's Endless Summer Hotels.
The I-Ride Trolley system operated by the International Drive Business Improvement District provides bus transportation along the I-Drive Resort Area primarily for tourists, convention attendees, and locals alike. Several Lynx public bus routes also serve the I-Drive area with routes to Orlando International Airport, Downtown Orlando and other parts of the city.
The first section of I-Drive was laid out in the 1960s by attorney Finley Hamilton to serve his Hilton Inn South, opened in May 1970. He imagined that once Walt Disney World opened in October 1971, tourists would spot the hotel when traveling to the park along Interstate 4.
They called the hotel 'Finley's Folly' – everyone, all of my friends. They said it was in the boondocks... But it turned out to be highly successful... I came up with International Drive, because it sounded big and important.
International Drive was eventually extended to its current north point (where Prime Outlets is now) and southward past the Beachline Expressway.
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International Drive
International Drive, commonly known as I-Drive, is a major 11.1-mile (17.9 km) thoroughfare in Orlando, Florida, United States, and is the city's main tourist strip. I-Drive is located several miles southwest of Downtown Orlando in the southernmost limits of the city. The International Drive area serves a similar purpose to that of the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas as the core of the tourism area.
International Drive stretches approximately 11.1 miles, with the northern part extending into the southernmost city limits of Orlando and the remainder of the central and southern portion located in unincorporated Orange County. An additional extension which does not directly intersect with the main section of International Drive is known as International Drive South, partly located in the northern portion of Osceola County. Surrounding cross-roads include Sand Lake Road, Kirkman Road, SR 536, and Universal Boulevard, which runs parallel to the midsection of International Drive.
I-Drive has four lanes, two in each direction, from its north end at Oak Ridge Road to Pointe Plaza Drive (former Universal Blvd. south end; see below), and again between the northern and southern intersections with Westwood Blvd. It has six lanes, three in each direction, from Pointe Plaza Drive to the Beachline Expressway (the eastbound ramps to the Beachline tie into the northern intersection with Westwood Blvd.), and again from the southern intersection with Westwood Blvd. to its end at SR 536. The entirety of International Drive South, from SR 535 to US 192, is entirely six lanes. The section of I-Drive from Universal Blvd. to Sand Lake Road has no median or center turn lane, and frequently has heavy traffic and gridlock in the evenings in the tourism corridor, affecting Carrier Drive and Sand Lake Road.
The International Drive area is home to the wax museum Madame Tussauds, the Orange County Convention Center complex, the Pointe Orlando entertainment complex, major hotels, SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica (SeaWorld's water park), Fun Spot America amusement park, the Orlando Eye Ferris wheel, the world's tallest StarFlyer (opened June 1, 2018), the world's tallest Slingshot, the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's, CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort, the I-Drive 360 entertainment complex, museums, themed restaurants, bars, outlet malls, mini golf courses like Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and other tourism-related commercial properties and tourist attractions such as Air Florida Helicopter Inc and Wonder Works. The major theme park resort Universal Orlando is also located in the area. Wet n' Wild was a water park formerly located on International Drive, considered to be America's first water park until it closed on December 31, 2016 to make way for Universal's Endless Summer Hotels.
The I-Ride Trolley system operated by the International Drive Business Improvement District provides bus transportation along the I-Drive Resort Area primarily for tourists, convention attendees, and locals alike. Several Lynx public bus routes also serve the I-Drive area with routes to Orlando International Airport, Downtown Orlando and other parts of the city.
The first section of I-Drive was laid out in the 1960s by attorney Finley Hamilton to serve his Hilton Inn South, opened in May 1970. He imagined that once Walt Disney World opened in October 1971, tourists would spot the hotel when traveling to the park along Interstate 4.
They called the hotel 'Finley's Folly' – everyone, all of my friends. They said it was in the boondocks... But it turned out to be highly successful... I came up with International Drive, because it sounded big and important.
International Drive was eventually extended to its current north point (where Prime Outlets is now) and southward past the Beachline Expressway.