Best route to WDW from Ft.Myers/Cape Coral

[tekoa]

We will be visiting my brother for a few days in March. Lucky as they are now snow birds escaping the New England winter. We will then drive north for a week at WDW. What is the best route from Cape Coral ? I looked on line and there seems to be 3 routes. I 75 to I 4
Route 17
Route 27
We will be attending a Red Sox spring training game the day we drive north. The game is at 1:30, so part of the ride will be done in the dark. What route has the less stress. The travel times are approx the same within 15-20 minutes.
Thank You!

 

[DOOM1001]

I go up US 27 from Miami to Orlando all the time,from Lake Placid north it's not a bad drive at all as you start seeing towns that keep you entertained or if you need to pull over and get some gas or food,sometimes you get more red lights than you want in the towns but overall I like 27.Also once you hit I-4 you're like a 5-10 minute drive to Disney,It's also free so I save money on tolls instead of paying like $40 to use the turnpike as well as not having to drive 85 mph just to keep up with traffic and risk getting a ticket.My point is that 27 is not bad.However looking at the map it looks like taking 75 to 17 in Punta Gorda to the 570 toll road in Lakeland to I-4 might possibly be the fastest route.I have no idea as to how these roads are as I've never taken them.I have driven 75 many times and I would avoid 75 as it takes you too much out of your way,you will be able to do highway speeds all the way but you're still close to a 2.5 hour trip without traffic and around Tampa and pretty much all of I-4 you're risking traffic jams.

 

[stinkpickle]

We flew into Punta Gorda last month and took I75/I4 to (and back from) Orlando. It was smooth sailing both ways.

 

[amcnj]

I go up US 27 from Miami to Orlando all the time,from Lake Placid north it's not a bad drive at all as you start seeing towns that keep you entertained or if you need to pull over and get some gas or food,sometimes you get more red lights than you want in the towns but overall I like 27.Also once you hit I-4 you're like a 5-10 minute drive to Disney,It's also free so I save money on tolls instead of paying like $40 to use the turnpike as well as not having to drive 85 mph just to keep up with traffic and risk getting a ticket.My point is that 27 is not bad.However looking at the map it looks like taking 75 to 17 in Punta Gorda to the 570 toll road in Lakeland to I-4 might possibly be the fastest route.I have no idea as to how these roads are as I've never taken them.I have driven 75 many times and I would avoid 75 as it takes you too much out of your way,you will be able to do highway speeds all the way but you're still close to a 2.5 hour trip without traffic and around Tampa and pretty much all of I-4 you're risking traffic jams.

Hi. Just curious as to how long it takes going the way you do.

Thanks!

 

[DOOM1001]

Hi. Just curious as to how long it takes going the way you do.

Thanks!

Taking US 27 from Miami to Orlando will definitely take longer than the 3:20-3:40 it takes paying $40 on the turnpike,but if I don't have to stop at too many red lights on 27 I'll do the trip in 4 hours and I live way down in the SW suburbs of Miami.

 

[TinyTim2]

I live in Cape Coral and have used I 75 and 27. I always use I 75 to I 4. Jet Blue Park is close to 75. If you have never gone the back roads to 27 then you should use 75.

 

[mousefan73]

bumping this..

I need more infos on this route.. We will be arriving from overseas at MCO, need one night not too far from airport as I wont make a 3 hr drive after a 10 hr flight..

We need to get to cape coral... I was thinking staying near Lake Buena Vista, as the next morning I plan on hitting. vineland outlet malls near DTD...

from there, how long to cape coral and any benefits for which road to take?

Is there really a tollroad with 40$!! in tolls!?? and how long is the drive really??

thanks

 

[DOOM1001]

The $40 tolls are round trip taking the Florida turnpike from Miami to Orlando.You would not take this road going from Orlando to SW Florida.You would either take I-4 to I-75 or the more rural US 27 to 29.As far as which way is best I would probably agree with a previous poster who said if you've never taken the back roads you may be better off just taking I-4 to 75,especially since there's no tolls either way.