Google Maps will tell you it's about 16 minutes from Flamingo Crossings to Disney Springs. That's close to accurate at midday on a Wednesday. But the drive time is only part of what you need to know before you make this trip with your family.

I drove it on camera so you can see exactly what it looks like.

Leaving Flamingo Crossings at lunchtime, traffic was light. Midday Wednesday is about as good as it gets. The number changes significantly between 5 and 7pm heading toward Disney Springs, and again between 7 and 11pm heading back. If you're planning a dinner reservation or an evening at Disney Springs, budget extra time in both directions.

At 94 degrees with rain coming in early — which is a standard Florida afternoon — I pulled into the Orange Parking Garage at 18 minutes door to door.

The parking garage decision matters more than most people realize.

Disney Springs has four garages: Orange, Lime, Grapefruit, and Circus. Here's what booking sites don't tell you about any of them.

Circus is closest to Cirque du Soleil and Cityworks but puts you furthest from the main Disney Springs entrance. Orange is the best default choice for most families. It has two security checkpoints — one on each side of the second level — meaning you can enter Disney Springs from either direction. Lime has escalators if stairs are a problem for your group. Grapefruit is the furthest from everything and requires crossing a bridge. There's no reason to park there unless everything else is full.

The specific tip that saves time: when you enter Orange Garage, do not take the first available level. Go to level two. Security is only on the second level. Park on level two and you walk straight through security directly into Disney Springs. Park on level one or three and you're adding stair time before you even hit the entrance.

At night when Orange fills up, level two actually holds more open spaces than most people expect because the default behavior is to park wherever you stop first.

The full drive is on video at ddadbudget.com. If you're planning a Disney Springs dinner from Flamingo Crossings, watch the actual footage before you go so the route isn't a surprise on the day.

Get the free Disney Hotels Hidden Fees Guide at https://ddadbudget.com — 36 hotels, real fees, what the photos don't show. Don't book the wrong hotel. Stop guessing before you book.