Contemporary to Disney Cruise Line

[NJBILL]

What road(s)/ routes are the best way to get from WDW to Port Canaveral?
How long does it take, and is there usually heavy traffic on Wednesday around 11:00 am?

 

[JB2K]

The Beach Line Expressway (toll road) goes from the Orlando area to the Space Coast -- it's about a 45-minute ride with never any "real" congestion to speak-of...

 

[Capt_BJ]

The Beach Line Expressway (toll road) goes from the Orlando area to the Space Coast -- it's about a 45-minute ride with never any "real" congestion to speak-of...

correct, from the airport east there is really only one road and that is SR 528 aka the Beachline which runs you right to the port entrance.

However there are multiple ways to get to the airport - two primary ones:

You can go north on I-4 to 528 and just turn east there (the only way to go as 528 ends at I-4 westbound). However I-4 can be a real nightmare during rush hours

or

you pickup SR 417 which is sort of a by-pass that runs from DW area east past the airport then north to where you can jump on 528. This one is my choice. It is a wee bit harder to find BUT WELL MARKED if you pay attention to the signs.

528 is tolls and so is 417 - both have manned toll booths - one roll of quarters will get you all the way there. SUNPASS will save about a buck but possibly several minutes at each toll station.

***
wrt never any "real" congestion to speak-of on 528... wellllll

this is the only decent route from Orlando to the coast - any alternate adds significantly to the travel time. It is two lane each direction. About once a month, maybe every two months, a traffic accident can completely shut down this road; at least one direction anyway - and there are areas with no exits that get you to any sort of an alternate route and you can't do a u-turn either. I've been stuck for two hours while an accident cleared. Odds are this will not happen but if you have a deadline (like a ship departing) be aware it COULD happen.