By way of Tampa or Orlando? What would you choose?

[MouseearsDeb]

While I'm patiently :lol: waiting for October airfare sales, I've been trying to decide on something, weather to fly into Orlando or Tampa. If we fly nonstop to Orlando we would not get into MCO until 10:55pm. Then we would use ME and get a rental the next morning from the Car care cntr. But, if DH can squeeze out of work about an hour early, we can get a flight into Tampa arriving at 8:25. Considering we will be renting a car either way we go, I'm wondering if we will get to WDW earlier by flying into Tampa? What do you think? Of course, this is all assuming that Southwest will eventually open up sale fares into Oct. and the flights will be available.

Deb

 

[coasterphil]

I would just go into Orlando, because I don't like spending anymore time on the actual traveling part of the vacation than I have to.

 

[bigorangeandy]

If you are going to fly in and out of Tampa, don't forget that it will take longer to get to the airport for the return trip. Or if you are going to pick up a rental in Tampa and drop it off in Orlando, expect to pay a drop off fee.

 

[Budahman]

My last 2 previous trips, I have flown into Tampa. Omaha to Orlando at them times were running approx 250.00/rt, Omaha to Tampa I got specials and only paid $120.00/rt on each trip.
We planned to rent a car anyway, so decided, flying to Tampa was well worth it for us. We would do it agian in a second. It was great!
Now, our next trip -late August- we are flying to Orlando and the fair was 251.00/rt. We are not renting a car this time, and decided to just let Disney take all care of us.
For you this just might ome down to cost of the fares. If its drastically cheaper for Tampa, I say do it.!

 

[kal1484]

I'd have to go with the price being the main factor. Since by the time you get to Orlando it will be the same as if you flew into it. But then you have that drive AFTER a long flight. Unless you save a lot of money, I'd go Orlando.

 

[tigger1968]

I would say go to Orlando....As mentioned already, that involves less driving after your flight, plus less on your departure day. We always fly into Orlando and take ME. We have yet to feel the need to rent a car. Also, I assume you have signed up for Southwest's Click 'N Save emails? And don't forget to sign up for their Ding! program. We've seen fares on there for $39 one way for Birmingham to Orlando this year. In fact, we're booked out of Nashville for $115 per person RT for Sept 24 to Oct 1. Good Luck!:wave:

 

[cmatt]

orlando - end of.... tampa is an hour or so away i believe - bit of a as you will be tired no doubt! *i get sleepy on a 1 hour flight to london!*

 

[tigsmom]

Having done both I would say if its the end of a day (the hubby is working, right) fly into Orlando.

While I would pick Tampa International over Orlando anyday its quite a ride in pretty heavy traffic and, if you are tired, its very easy to miss your exits (and we are very familiar with the roads).
We have picked up cars in Orlando and dropped them off in Tampa without an extra charge, but that was a few years ago. We have been driving down the past few years.

Have a great trip no matter which airport you choose. :wave:

 

[slowbee]

We just did the Tampa route in June because flights were 130 bucks more per person... and since we always rent a car anyway, it was a not brainer.
Here was our take on it... Getting from Tampa to WDW was a little over an hour... so it took us about another 20 minutes vs. flying into Orlando. Getting our rental car as a little faster... but the airport is SMALL.... The ride was nice.. nothing out of the ordinary.

The Trip back from WDW was different. We had a 7 pm flight back to chicago and gave ourselves plenty of time to get back because I've heard bad things about Tampa rush house traffic. AND THEY WERE RIGHT. think it took us 65 minutes to go 20 miles. The construction added to it.

So, in the end, was it worth it to save ourselves almost 400 bucks.. yeah... it was... but just prepare well for the return trip back to the airport.

 

[MouseearsDeb]

We just did the Tampa route in June because flights were 130 bucks more per person... and since we always rent a car anyway, it was a not brainer.
Here was our take on it... Getting from Tampa to WDW was a little over an hour... so it took us about another 20 minutes vs. flying into Orlando. Getting our rental car as a little faster... but the airport is SMALL.... The ride was nice.. nothing out of the ordinary.

The Trip back from WDW was different. We had a 7 pm flight back to chicago and gave ourselves plenty of time to get back because I've heard bad things about Tampa rush house traffic. AND THEY WERE RIGHT. think it took us 65 minutes to go 20 miles. The construction added to it.

So, in the end, was it worth it to save ourselves almost 400 bucks.. yeah... it was... but just prepare well for the return trip back to the airport.

How do you think traffic out of Tampa would be around 9:30 pm on a Sat. night? Then, traffic back to Tampa around 7:00 am on a Sunday morning? The drive between Tampa wouldn't bother us, unless traffic was THAT bad. If we fly into Tampa, the plane will actually land before the flight departs BNA for Orlando.:hammer:

 

[MouseearsDeb]

Bump.....:drevil:

 

[Lucky]

Magical Express is one reason to choose MCO right now. It's useful to keep in mind though that Southwest, AirTran and others sell cheap one-way fares. You can fly into Orlando and out of Tampa for the same price as a round-trip. That lets you visit Busch Gardens without backtracking.

 

[krueg66]

How do you think traffic out of Tampa would be around 9:30 pm on a Sat. night? Then, traffic back to Tampa around 7:00 am on a Sunday morning? The drive between Tampa wouldn't bother us, unless traffic was THAT bad. If we fly into Tampa, the plane will actually land before the flight departs BNA for Orlando.:hammer:

I live in Tampa and the traffic is awful!!! Saturday night, you would have to drive through Ybor City traffic (the party district in Tampa) but Sunday morning wouldn't be too bad. You never know with I-4 though. I would suggest Orlando International. One accident on either side of I-4 and you could be sitting in traffic for hours....heed my warnings!!!

 

[schachteles]

We have done the drive from Tampa to Orlando twice...really not a bad drive...but the people are not kidding...be prepared for TRAFFIC and CONSTRUCTION...we sat in stop and go traffic...it took a good hour to get to Orlando...just give yourself plenty of time to get back to Tampa from Orlando. We found that renting the car in Tampa was cheaper and was quicker to get then in Orlando.

 

[krueg66]

We have done the drive from Tampa to Orlando twice...really not a bad drive...but the people are not kidding...be prepared for TRAFFIC and CONSTRUCTION...we sat in stop and go traffic...it took a good hour to get to Orlando...just give yourself plenty of time to get back to Tampa from Orlando. We found that renting the car in Tampa was cheaper and was quicker to get then in Orlando.

You got lucky!!!

 

[tigsmom]

Magical Express is one reason to choose MCO right now. It's useful to keep in mind though that Southwest, AirTran and others sell cheap one-way fares. You can fly into Orlando and out of Tampa for the same price as a round-trip. That lets you visit Busch Gardens without backtracking.

Thats true, but they do not have hubs in every city.

 

[MouseearsDeb]

I live in Tampa and the traffic is awful!!! Saturday night, you would have to drive through Ybor City traffic (the party district in Tampa) but Sunday morning wouldn't be too bad. You never know with I-4 though. I would suggest Orlando International. One accident on either side of I-4 and you could be sitting in traffic for hours....heed my warnings!!!

krueg66, is there very many "ways around" on I4 between Tampa and Orlando? In other words, if there was an accident, can you exit off I4 then pick it back up a short distance later? I'm leaning very heavily towards flying into Tampa and departing Orlando on our return trip. However, I'm still considering everyones advice before a decision is made. Can you give me an idea of the distance from TPA to the interstate? It looks like the map shows around 3 miles? Thanks

 

[krueg66]

krueg66, is there very many "ways around" on I4 between Tampa and Orlando? In other words, if there was an accident, can you exit off I4 then pick it back up a short distance later? I'm leaning very heavily towards flying into Tampa and departing Orlando on our return trip. However, I'm still considering everyones advice before a decision is made. Can you give me an idea of the distance from TPA to the interstate? It looks like the map shows around 3 miles? Thanks

Not really. It's all country roads between Tampa and Orlando on I-4. The airport is basically two minutes from I-275, which you take about 5 miles to I-4. The whole trip would probably take about an hour and fifteen minutes with no traffic. With traffic, there is no telling.

It's about the expense. If you guys really need to save the money, then fly into Tampa. Chances are you'll run into some traffic on Saturday night leaving Tampa but then be OK once you pass I-75 going East on I-4. I would say if your plane lands at 9:30pm, it will take you until about 10:15pm to get your luggage and rental car. Once on the road, it will take you maybe until about 10:45pm to get out of Tampa, east of I-75. Then about 45 minutes to get to Disney. Figure with no accidents, you could be at Disney by about 11:45pm or so...(conservative estimate, I don't know if you are a speed demon!!! )

Orlando will be much faster and more convenient but it sounds like more expensive for you. The drive can be painless or painful, just depends...hope that helps!