For many UK holidaymakers, collecting a hire car in Florida will be their first experience of driving in the United States.
The obvious difference is driving on the right, but there are other things that can initially feel unfamiliar: larger roads, different road signs, automatic cars, multi-lane junctions and American road rules.
The good news is that most visitors adjust surprisingly quickly.
A little preparation before leaving the UK can make collecting your hire car and completing those first few journeys around Orlando considerably easier.
Get Your Car Hire Documents Ready
Don’t wait until you’re standing at the rental desk to start searching through your emails.
Before leaving the UK, check exactly what your car hire company requires and keep the necessary documentation somewhere easily accessible.
Depending on your booking arrangements, this may include your:
- Driving licence
- Car hire booking confirmation or voucher
- Passport
- Credit card in the main driver’s name
- Details of any additional drivers
Requirements can vary between rental companies, so check the conditions applying to your booking before travelling.
If you’re staying in villas in Davenport and booking your Orlando holiday through a specialist such as Debbie’s Villas, read the car hire information supplied before departure and make sure everyone who intends to drive has the appropriate documentation.
Take a Few Minutes Before Leaving the Car Park
After a long flight, there’s a temptation to load the luggage, start the engine and immediately head towards your villa.
Give yourself 5 minutes first.
Adjust the seat and mirrors.
Work out the basic controls.
Check how to operate the lights and windscreen wipers.
Familiarise yourself with the gear selector.
Most American hire cars are automatic, which makes driving relatively straightforward once you’re used to it.
Set up your navigation before moving and make sure you know which direction you’re heading when you leave the airport.
Those few minutes can make the first journey much more relaxed.
Remember: Keep Right
The biggest adjustment for a UK driver is obviously travelling on the opposite side of the road.
On major roads this often feels surprisingly natural because you’re simply following the flow of traffic.
Extra concentration can be useful when turning at junctions, leaving petrol stations and restaurants, or setting off from quieter roads where there isn’t another vehicle immediately ahead to remind you.
A simple mental reminder – keep right – can be helpful during your first couple of days.
Don’t rush because another driver is waiting behind you. Take the extra moment you need to check the road and make the turn correctly.
American Roads Can Feel Enormous
Visitors accustomed to British roads may initially be surprised by the size of some Orlando junctions.
Major roads can have several lanes travelling in the same direction, with additional lanes appearing for turning traffic.
The key is to look ahead.
If your navigation tells you that you’ll need to turn in a mile, start thinking about which lane you’ll need rather than waiting until the last moment.
If you miss a turning, don’t panic and don’t make a sudden manoeuvre across several lanes.
Continue safely and allow your navigation system to calculate another route.
Being 5 minutes late is considerably better than making a dangerous last-second lane change.
Road Signs Look Different
Many American road signs will be immediately understandable, while others may be unfamiliar.
Take particular care with signs controlling turns, lane use, speed limits and parking.
Distances and speed limits are displayed in miles rather than kilometres, which at least makes that aspect familiar to UK motorists.
One sign you’ll see frequently is YIELD, which is the American equivalent of Give Way.
You’ll also encounter intersections controlled by STOP signs rather than the roundabouts commonly found in the UK.
If you’re unfamiliar with a road rule or sign you’re likely to encounter, learn what it means before driving rather than trying to work it out while moving through a busy junction.
Understand Four-Way Stops
Four-way stops can initially seem unusual to British drivers.
You’ll find STOP signs on all approaches to the junction, and drivers generally proceed in the order they arrived.
If 2 vehicles arrive at approximately the same time, right-of-way rules determine who should proceed first.
The important point for a first-time visitor is not to treat the junction like a UK roundabout or assume you can simply follow the vehicle ahead.
Come to a complete stop, observe the other vehicles and proceed when it is your turn and safe to do so.
After you’ve encountered a few, they become much more familiar.
Be Aware of Right Turns on Red
Another difference UK drivers frequently encounter is turning right at a red traffic signal.
In Florida, a right turn on red is generally permitted after coming to a complete stop, provided there isn’t a sign prohibiting it and the way is clear.
That doesn’t mean you have to turn immediately.
You still need to stop and give way to pedestrians and other traffic with priority.
If a sign states NO TURN ON RED, wait for the appropriate signal.
It’s worth familiarising yourself with this rule before travelling because you’ll encounter it regularly.
School Buses Need Particular Attention
American school buses are difficult to miss – they’re the large yellow buses familiar from films and television.
The rules surrounding stopped school buses are important.
When a school bus stops to pick up or drop off children and displays its required warning signals, other traffic may also be required to stop. The precise requirement depends on the road layout and direction of travel.
Don’t simply assume that because you’re travelling in the opposite direction you can always continue.
Familiarise yourself with Florida’s school bus rules before driving, particularly if you’ll be travelling during morning or afternoon school times.
Allow More Time During Busy Periods
A journey that takes 20 minutes on a quiet road may take considerably longer at another time of day.
Orlando traffic can become particularly busy around major attractions, commuter periods and large junctions.
Theme park opening and closing times can generate additional traffic too.
If you have an important reservation or need to arrive somewhere at a particular time, leave a sensible margin rather than relying on the fastest journey time shown on a map.
The I-4 corridor can be especially unpredictable when traffic is heavy.
Your navigation app may suggest an alternative route, which is another reason to use live navigation even after you become familiar with the area.
Don’t Forget School Traffic
If you’re leaving your villa early in the morning, remember that local residents are going about their normal lives while you’re on holiday.
School traffic can make certain local roads considerably busier.
There may also be reduced speed limits around schools at specified times.
Watch the signs rather than simply following the speed of the vehicle ahead.
An extra 10 minutes in your morning schedule can make a big difference if you encounter unexpected congestion.
Understand Orlando’s Toll Roads
Central Florida has an extensive network of toll roads.
You won’t necessarily use them for every journey, but they can feature regularly, particularly when travelling to and from Orlando International Airport or around certain parts of the region.
Before collecting your hire car, establish how tolls will be paid.
Rental companies offer different arrangements and may charge additional fees for their toll programmes.
Eligible visitors using Orlando International Airport may also want to investigate Florida’s Visitor Toll Pass before travelling.
Whichever option you choose, understand it before you start driving.
Tolls themselves should also be included in your holiday transport budget.
Budget for Parking
Hiring the car isn’t the end of your motoring expenses.
You’ll need fuel, potentially tolls and, depending on your plans, parking charges.
If you’re visiting Orlando’s theme parks on multiple days, parking can become a significant additional holiday expense.
Some shopping destinations and other venues may also charge for parking.
Never assume parking is complimentary simply because you’re a paying customer.
When planning your spending money, create a separate transport allowance for:
Fuel + tolls + parking
That provides a more realistic picture of what driving around Orlando will cost.
Save Your Important Destinations Before Travelling
One of the easiest ways to make your first few journeys less stressful is to save important destinations in your navigation app before leaving the UK.
Start with:
- Orlando International Airport
- Your villa
- Your nearest supermarket
- Walt Disney World
- Universal Orlando Resort
- Epic Universe
- SeaWorld Orlando
- Your car hire return location
You can then add restaurants, shopping centres and other attractions as your holiday progresses.
If you’ve booked through Debbie’s Villas or another Orlando villa company, save the exact villa address from your arrival information rather than simply entering the name of the wider community.
Large villa communities can have more than one entrance, and entering the precise address makes arriving for the first time much easier.
Download Maps for Offline Use
Mobile data is generally readily available, but technology has an unfortunate habit of failing when you most need it.
Downloading the Orlando area for offline navigation before travelling provides a useful backup.
It can be particularly reassuring on your first journey from the airport when you don’t yet recognise any roads or landmarks.
You might also take a screenshot of your villa address and entry information so you’re not entirely dependent on an internet connection.
Don’t Drive When You’re Exhausted
This is particularly important on arrival day.
By the time you’ve flown from the UK, cleared immigration, collected your luggage and picked up the car, you may have been awake for a very long time.
The first drive to your villa is therefore not the time for unnecessary sightseeing or complicated detours.
Have your destination ready, take your time and concentrate on getting everyone safely to the accommodation.
If you’re travelling with another adult who is also insured to drive, consider beforehand who is likely to be best placed to tackle the first journey.
Most UK Visitors Adapt Quickly
The first few miles can feel strange.
By the second or third day, many UK visitors find that driving around Orlando feels considerably more natural.
The roads are generally designed for cars, major destinations are well signposted and navigation apps remove much of the uncertainty about finding your way around.
The key is preparation.
Have your documents ready, understand the main differences in Florida road rules, know how your tolls will be handled and save important destinations before setting off.
Whether you’re staying with Debbie’s Villas or elsewhere in the Orlando area, having a car can give you enormous freedom during a villa holiday.
Take your time during those first few journeys and you’ll probably find that driving on the right becomes one of the easier parts of your Orlando adventure.
