Should i BUY a car?

Does that mean i would need to study american road theory? But i would love to get a Florida licence. So u dont need to be an american citizen to get one?

 

Yes, you would have to learn the theory, but it's not that difficult. You don't have to be american, the license you'll get will only be vaild through the time you have a visa there...

 

ah, ok i see. Well if i was just going to hire a car then there would be no point in getting a licence cos i get one with my uk driving licence. But id like to just have a florida licence for the sake of it, lmao.

 

yeah you could frame it lol

 

Lmao

Do you think you could get like a Disney driving licence?

 

I don't know if they have this ride at WDW but at Disneyland there's a ride called Autotopia where you drive cars around a track and you get your pic taken and an Autotopia driver's license lol

 

We once sat up front with the operator of the monorail at WDW and when we exited he gave us all a drivers license for the monorail. That's the only Disney drivers license I have seen lol. 8)

 

oh wow!! wouldnt that be cool, id love that. I miss WDW so much, im gutted that im not going this year.

 

Yeah, getting the license is SO easy. You can get a little handbook with all the questions for the test. I think you have 20 questions and can answer up to 5 wrong. It costs $20. I know for some countries you have to add the driving test, I didn't have to. You can try three times in a row and if you fail a third time you can come back the next day lol Just come VERY early, because there are huge lines, all around the building and you have to wait like 3-5 hours if you don't come early enough lol

 

some us states have contracts with some european countries. e.g. in Michigan they accepted my german licence without any test at all. they said, if you can drive in germany, you can definitely drive there... ;-)

keep it up...

 

I got a WDW Bus Driving License once...you don't see many of those around! The CM driving it was awesome, we got his autograph!

 

Budget Rent-A-Car: Orlando - Doubletree-Disney World Resort‎
2305 Hotel Plaza Blvd
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 827-6089
budget.com

is this the company you mean?

 

I'm getting a motorcycle for my year.. but I'll probably rent the Mustang Convertible for beach trips and longer journeys

 

So, can anyone give me some accurate information about getting a drivers license, coming from the UK??

Also... how much, realistically would a car wbe, and would insurance be?

Thanks

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

Getting a driver license for the first time in the US? or do you have a UK license?

If you HAVE a UK license, you can rent a vehicle and drive around with your own license for one year, but if you're considering buying a vehicle, you NEED to have a US License (to be able to register and insure the vehicle in your name) to get a US license, you have to simply walk down to the DMV in Orlando, which is located at 11210 South Orange Blossom trail and fill out some paperwork ,also showing your passport, UK license and some VISA information.

You'll only get a Florida State License ONLY, if you want a Full license they will cut up your UK one. :-\ (I'm going for a full one, only when I get back home, I'm just telling my DMV office in Norway that I lost my driver license while I was in the US ;D

If you DON'T have a UK license, its all up to how old you are when receiving one. Please read information about getting one for the first time @ http://www.dmvflorida.org/first-time-driver.shtml

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

about the insurance quote:
To get a realistic and full quote for insurance, you need to have full information about your present vehicle insurance, social security number and address in the US (so this is a problem, because we don't get our SSN and specific address before we arrive in the America)

Insurance prices vary from how old you are, how long you've driven, you're personal status and so on.. BUT remember to shop around for quotes before getting one, you'll find some companies are MUCH cheaper then others.

about car prices:
You find a lot of cars for sale in Orlando, you can also haggle the prices that is already set for the specific car because, all of the used car shops are literally put side-by-side Here is a nice little webpage for vehicle, for sale in the area of Disney: http://autolanddealers.com/

Hope this information helps
-Marius 8)

 

Worth noting that to get a US licence, if you have a UK one you can't just switch - you have to take their test (even though the UK test is more difficult). Certain countries you can e.g. France but not the UK unfortunately

Whether or not they'll cut up your UK licence on presenting you with a new US one is a bit hit and miss - some do, some don't and simply observe your existing UK licence. You could say that you've not got your UK licence with you or get a fake one to hand over I suppose. If they did cut it up then as above you could tell the DVLA in the UK that you 'lost' it and pay a replacement fee.

 

I don't know about UK, but I'm from norway and I've heard that I have to take a 10 minutes driving test (which is easy) to get a US one..

I'm just takin a "copy" of my norwegian license and a paper with stamp from MY DMV over to the US to show them I have the licensen already.

 

Its the same for UK applicants - the 'easy' 10 min test is their test and its on a tarmac area with cones, not on main roads (I think there may also be a written test too and can be taken at the same time).

For a UK licence by contrast you've got a theory test on a computer - some multiple choice questions then a hazard test where you're show a video on the screen and have to mouse click whenever you see a potential hazzard developing. Not too tricky, but then there's the practical test with only a 40% pass rate - lower in cities where its harder to pass due to the increased number of hazards and more traffic. 40 min drive on main roads doing manouvers like parallel parking on the way. They're quite strict on what's acceptable and if you do just one 'major' error (e.g. do 40 in a 30 zone) you fail and have to join the 2 month waiting list again and pay roughly another £60. So its quite common for people to fail and have to retake the test, potentially multiple times

 

I've still got my Autopia licence from Disneyland, CA (plus a WDW monorail licence). Never seen a Disney bus licence - you have a rare gem there!

 

Just to make note about Autoland Dealers..I found them good because I haggled with them for my car..But I think if you look abit inexperienced on cars they may take advantage..As I know abit about cars from the UK, as my Dad used to own a car business..I felt they didn't both trying with me..But they looked like shady characters to be honest..

They are really good though, because you can always negotiate with them the price..Im just saying, be on your guard with them, as they were really adamant that they were going to only take $1000 minimum for the car I was buying..Until I started walking away and said I'd just buy one I'd seen over the road..Oldest trick in the book..But it works everytime..

I written in a thread before, a whole breakdown of what I spent on my car the whole time I was in Florida..Cant remember what the thread is called now..

Basically though, I used to pay about $90 a month for insurance and when I first bought the car I paid a down payment of $200..This was for 6 months insurance..so basically I paid about $120-130 a month for insurance to average it out..

Then my car cost $800..I sold it for $700..With two tyres needing replacing...Wasn't really worth me getting them fixed, as I was leaving..So all in all I pretty much broke even..

Think its good to have peoples opinions on buying a car..As I came on here when I was trying to buy my car, but nobody had any knowledge on buying a car in florida back then! Haha..

As for the test, it is just a short test and apparently quite easy, there is also a written test as well..Warning, it can be failed though..Two of my friends failed when we were out there..Think its just because its hard to get used to the American way of driving sometimes..

But basically, just be wary of any car garage in the USA..As my friend got ripped off big time when we got to America..They bought a car for $3000..It stopped working, so they took it to a garage..And they told her it wasn't even safe to be on the road..The car company wouldn't give her the money back..So she had to get Disney involved..After a month or so they gave her a car a few years newer than the one they'd gave her, after the threat of Disney became abit much for them..Just a warning..Always be on your guard with them..As especially you know what sales men are like..They'll do anything to sell you a something...