Windermere to Universal Studios? (Sunset: apartment, neighborhood, school)

[bor1cha]

Hello,
I'm currently moving to Florida for school and found that an apartment in Windermere (Citra at Windermere) is much nicer than the ones I have seen (Millenia, metrowest etc.) The school is located in Universal Studios. How bad can traffic get around this area? I will be taking AM classes that start at 8. I commute to work in DC and that's a nearly 30 mile drive that generally is an hour-hour and a half during traffic. I am concerned with how bad traffic could be driving through Windermere to Universal. The apartment in Windermere is more to my liking but another apartment (Millenia 700) next to Millenia Mall is also an option but I hear traffic is pretty bad as well. Of the two locations which is worse? Thanks!

[bmw335xi]

It won't be too bad compared to what you are used to. It will take roughly 20-30 minutes from where you are. Check the traffic through Google Maps before you head out, if there is a traffic jam on I-4, you can take the side roads to Universal, which will avoid all highways.

You would just make a right on Chase Road, it comes to an end, so you make a left on Main Street, then a quick right on 6th Ave, which turns into Conroy Windermere Road, you will make a right on Turkey Lake Road and Universal Studios will be on the left. It's very easy, just have your smartphone on and after one or two times, you won't even need it, the route is so simple and you'll avoid all highways.

The area your apartment is located is considered the "new" Windermere, everything is new there and they are building infrastructure there now. It's still a developing area thats continuing to get more infrastructure.

Enjoy!

Add: I just saw the second part of your message, the commute from Millennia will be extremely quick and you will also avoid highways. I would say you'd get there in 10 minutes on average. It's only a few miles from Millennia, however I heard some of the communities in that area have problems or used to have problems, so definitely research the development well. That area is very established though, so plenty of restaurants, shopping etc right there.

Both communities look really great from their websites, but I don't have any first hand experience with either. I think you'll find Millennia to be more fun, while the "new" Windermere will be more quiet.

[EditorJul]

Yeah, it'd be about 20-30 minutes from here. (I actually live in Citra, so I can answer any questions you might have about the area or the apartment specifically.)

The time of day you're going, you might run into a bit of delay on Chase road for about 1/4 of a mile, because they use one of the side streets off of it for stacking for Sunset Park elementary. Another option would be to drive down 535, which becomes Palm Parkway (with one traffic light there that you might have to wait two cycles to get through at most) and then it becomes Turkey Lake and drops you right into the back of Universal. It's a little longer mileage wise, but there's not a lot of traffic and the speed limits (aside from the little stretch of Palm Parkway) are all pretty high. You also could take 535 to 435 and then go across on Wallace Road, but that's only one lane in each direction, if I'm remembering right. (Your other cut-throughs would be going up to Conroy-Windermere Road, but then you have to backtrack by a bit or taking Sand Lake Road across.) The trick would be to try out all the methods listed and see what works best for you. There are plenty of options that don't involve driving on I-4, though.

[annerk]

The neighborhood that Millenia 700 adjoins is iffy to terrible, depending on your perspective.