Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre

[charm73]

Good morning.

Yesterday I booked Wicked tickets for my mom and myself for May and Monster jam tickets for Dh, DDad, and 2 Ds's, 3 and 11.

We are staying at POP. Is it easy to get to the Performing Arts Centre? and do you think it would work to have DH drop us off there and then continue on to Ocala, north of Orlando for the monrster trucks?

TIA

 

[ducklite]

Good morning.

Yesterday I booked Wicked tickets for my mom and myself for May and Monster jam tickets for Dh, DDad, and 2 Ds's, 3 and 11.

We are staying at POP. Is it easy to get to the Performing Arts Centre? and do you think it would work to have DH drop us off there and then continue on to Ocala, north of Orlando for the monrster trucks?

TIA

Ocala is north west of Orlando, and downtown Orlando is quite out of the way from Pop. I don't think getting around downtown is easy. It's confusing and the traffic can be horendous.

You could take a cab from Pop to the Bob Carr, but plan on it being a $40+ cab ride in each direction--a car service would be a better bet. In the cab if you get hung up in traffic (which will most likely happen) the meter keeps ticking.

It's in a little buffer between the area of downtown with all the restaurants and nightlife, and the most dangerous part of Orlando--I wouldn't suggest wandering around, because one block in the wrong direction and it's bad.

There's no way your DH could drop you off before Wicked and get to Ocala in time for his event unless he leaves you very, very early, and you don't want to be hanging around down there waiting for him to pick you up after. By the time you factor in travel and traffic, it's at least 90 minutes between Ocala and downtown.

 

[charm73]

Thanks for the info. We will have to figure something out. Wicked starts at 1pm and the Monster jam at 2pm, that's why I thought it might work.

 

[MattM]

I would disagree with the previous poster. Downtown is about 15-20 miles from Disney on I-4. If you're going on a weekend, traffic isnt bad at all downtown or on the way to it. If you're going on a weekday, its hit or miss, like any other city, except for the rush hours. Bob Carr is pretty easy to get to from the interstate, as the signs direct you. There are some rougher areas around, but as long as you go where the Centroplex (where the centre is located) people direct you, you will be fine.

Again, if its a weekend, you can get from downtown to Ocala in an hour to hour 10 minutes or so. You would take the East West Expressway (West) to the Florida Turnpike (North), which merges into I-75. Ocala is about 20 miles to the north once you merge on to I-75.

Wicked was an excellent play. We were fortunate to see if on Broadway with Menzell and Chenoworth. Great play, totally worth it. Now, of course I would recommend you talk your DH into going with you and not leaving you!

Hope that helps!

 

[ducklite]

The OP has midweek matinee tickets, and her DH is going to the speedway in Ocala, which is on the north side of town.

 

[fla4fun]

I would not want to try to get from downtown to Ocala in one hour (their tickets are only an hour apart - 1pm downtown and 2pm Ocala). There is not much in the immediate vicinity of Bob Carr to do while you wait. Besides, it's so easy for him to get on the 429 from Pop, and from there it's a straight shot to the Turnpike and I-75. Going downtown would really be out of the way.

I would go to the Mears website and use their taxi fare estimator to get a good estimate of what the taxi would cost (don't forget to include a tip when you're figuring) and then compare it to a car service. I don't think you'd have much trouble with traffic on the weekend, so a taxi isn't out of the question. But I would go with whatever one will save you the most money. Another option is to rent a car for the day. You can do car rentals on property and they will pick you up and drop you off at your resort. You will have to consider the cost of parking if you choose this option, but it gives you the most flexibility (such as if you want to combine a shopping trip or something else with your Bob Carr event).

 

[charm73]

Actually it is a Sunday Matinee although there was someone else who posted a similar question about a Wednesday matinee.

Thanks for all the great info. I suspect we will just get a cab/car service.