Orlando has a fairly comprehensive bus system, operated by the city under the branding "LYNX".  Most (but not all) of the Central Florida area is served and the system is inexpensive to use.  But there are areas - particularly in those parts of Kissimmee where many villa complexes are to be found - where services are sparse or non-existent.

Visitors choosing to stay on International Drive have probably the area's most intensive bus system and LYNX services can be used to travel to all the major attractions and shopping venues.  But, of course, using buses, whilst very inexpensive, does take some time and a bit of planning and/or patience.  Summary information is here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g34...

To get around more easily, you should drive a car.  But if you do, there are two things you should know about driving in this area: there are a lot of  toll roads and you may have difficulty finding free and available parking. Once you leave the theme parks or the interstate highways, you will quickly become familiar with both issues.

Highway 528, which runs east to west and is the primary road to the airport, is an endless series of toll gates. Be prepared with change and small bills. RVs and vehicles with trailers will pay much more. It is not impossible to get around without the tolls, but you need to study maps very carefully before attempting to do this.

Driving on the right - Recently some who read this page asked about driving a car because they were from Australia. The normal recommendation is not to. Attempts to drive in the UK were enough to convince most Americans that trying to navigate around Orlando on the "wrong" side of the road is not a good idea.

Tolls - Someone also asked about the cost of tolls.The system seems neither logical nor predictable and ranges from a low of about 25 cents to many dollars, depending on the toll gate location and the type of vehicle you drive. Distance driven between toll gates means nothing and in some cases you go a few miles or less and pay a couple of dollars. Extra axles on a vehicle make the toll higher. I have paid as much as $8 at one toll gate for a truck and 2 axle travel trailer. On 528 westbound the signs still say "toll $1," but the collector will want $1.25 for a normal passenger car. It has been that way for several years and is a bit of a joke. Toll gates are located in areas where there is the most traffic, so you are bound to hit them now and then.

Many streets are known by multiple names or change names at different points along their length.  If a street has a route number and a name, the route number will typically remain constant, even if the name of the street changes.

Downtown Orlando is laid out on a grid system with several one way streets.  The remainder of Orlando is not laid out in such a logical manner, and it is recommended that you have an up-to-date street map to navigate.

The main highway through Orlando is I-4.  This highway is very congested during rush hour, which can run from 6:30 to 9:00am and 3:00 to 6:30pm.  Try to avoid I-4 during this time.  Toll roads can be a good option, including I-417, I-429, I-528 and the Florida Turnpike, but there are often long waits at toll gates because Florida is switching over to automated tolls using SUNPASS. This means fewer manned toll takers and longer delays.

One main tourist area is International Drive.  I-Drive is very pedestrian friendly.  There is also a transportation system called the I-Ride Trolley that runs throughout the area.  1,3,5,7 or 14 day passes for the I-Ride are available that give you unlimited use for the specified time span.  I-Ride's route is limited to International Drive and the immediate area.  The only attraction served is Sea World and its offshoots.  LYNX buses are a far better way to travel - they run for longer hours, are often more frequent, less crowded, more comfortable, and serve a vastly wider area, including all the major attractions and shopping venues.