Directions from 75

[PoohHappens]

THis is the first time we will be driving and we are trying to secure a hotel for our first night in Orlando before checking into disney. We are thinking of staying by the airport as we are coming in at night and it looks like it is pretty easy and we can get a better deal on a hotel. There appears to be a toll road that runs from 75 to 528 (Bee Line Expressway?) but I cannot see a name or number for this road. Further southeast it looks like it says Florida's Turnpike but is that its name and is that what it says when you turn off 75. TIA for any answers or info, we are always open to suggestions too, if anyone has any better ideas.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Just south of Ocala, FL I-75 turns more to the west(Tampa), the FL Turnpike runs south to Orlando. I have never flown in so I can't help with that, but there are several roads from MCO to Disney, I think the Osceola Pkwy is the easiest.

 

[ducklite]

Wow.

OK, first off, if you go to the airport you will be going over 40 miles out of your way.

From Indy, the route would be I-75 to the FL Tpke. to 428 to Western Way.

You could check the Holiday Inn Express or brand spaniking new Hapmton Inn in Clermont, FL, both of which are off the turnpike. You could also look into passing the Western Way exit and take the next exit onto 192. There are several hotels in that area--some nicer than others.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Anne

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Coming in via Florida's Turnpike from I-75, you would NOT want to stay near the airport. As ducklite mentioned, that's way beyond the part of Orlando you'll be coming in from (from the northwest) or the part of Orlando where Disney is located (the southwest).

For the brand new Hampton Inn-Clermont she mentioned, use Exit# 272 -SR 50- (Winter Garden / Clermont) and head a few miles west towards Clermont.

There is a very new Red Roof Inn at Exit# 267B -SR 50- Ocoee as well as a new Courtyard by Marriott. At this exit go east on State Road 50 and both the Red Roof and Courtyard will be on your left within one mile.

If you want even closer to Disney, use Exit #259 (Interstate 4) and head over to International Drive, where nearly every hotel chain has at least one branch.

By the way, while you're southbound on I-75, yes the sign for the Turnpike will read SOUTH - FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE - ORLANDO. The Turnpike is State Road 91 but it is never labeled that way. The southbound toll is $2.50 to the first two exits mentioned above with an extra 50-cents if you go all the way to I-4.

BobK/Orlando

 

[PoohHappens]

Thanks for the info. We knew we were driving out of our way going over there. We are travelling at high spring break time and are able to get a really good rate by the airport. Half of what it was going to cost to stay in a lesser hotel closer to disney. Clermont looks almost as far the other direction. It looked like to the airport was straight higway and the hotels were right off the exits. I just was not sure what that road was called at the exit. Thank you so much for the info. We were shocked how much the hotels were this first week of April, I guess with spring break and Easter it will be really crowded. We only need a room to sleep for the night, so we want to spend as little as possible, but be someplace we are familiar with. We normally would have just stayed a night at one of the values, but I just cant justify spending $130 for that one night.

 

[ducklite]

Coming in via Florida's Turnpike from I-75, you would NOT want to stay near the airport. As ducklite mentioned, that's way beyond the part of Orlando you'll be coming in from (from the northwest) or the part of Orlando where Disney is located (the southwest).

For the brand new Hampton Inn-Clermont she mentioned, use Exit# 272 -SR 50- (Winter Garden / Clermont) and head a few miles west towards Clermont.

There's also a Holiday Inn Express in Clermont that a couple of DIS'ers have stayed at and said was a clean, comfy place for a night, you'd probably want to take a slightly different route to get there and from there to WDW, let me know if you book that and I'll give specific directions. (There's a HoJo's in north unincroporated Clermont, you don't want to stay there--I've heard some not-so-nice things about it.)

There is a very new Red Roof Inn at Exit# 267B -SR 50- Ocoee as well as a new Courtyard by Marriott. At this exit go east on State Road 50 and both the Red Roof and Courtyard will be on your left within one mile.

The Courtyard would be OK, I wouldn't suggest the Red Roof, they had a murder there a month or so ago, it seems to attract not the greatest crowd. My boss stayed there---once--and said he wouldn't do so again, and he's not overly picky.

If you want even closer to Disney, use Exit #259 (Interstate 4) and head over to International Drive, where nearly every hotel chain has at least one branch.

But that also runs you into terrible traffic, it would be better to take 429 to 192 and stay in the area between World Center Drive and Route 27. There are several good options in that area, including a Clarion and several other moderate "brand name" hotels.

Let us know what you'd like to do and we'll give you really specific directions.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

I forgot, there's a brand new Fairfield Inn opening in Clermont in January! Even if it costs a bit more, you still save in terms of tolls and gas over driving all the way to the airport. It's actually about 60 miles out of your way after I thought about it!

To get to the new Fairfield, you can actually get off the turnpike an exit earlier that will save tolls, and avoid the 428 and Beachline (528) which are both toll roads.

You would get off the FL Tpke exit 289 and go south on Route 27. It's mostly 55-65 mph, there are a few spots where it drops to 45 mph. After you pass the Florida Citrus Tower (you can't miss the 20 story high building--very rare in Florida!) you would go another mile or so and use the exit ramp to get onto Route 50. At the bottom of the ramp, take a left onto 50 eastbound, and go about a mile, the hotel will be on your left. In the morning, head back to route 50, and take a left onto 50 southbound. Follow about 13 miles and use the exit for WDW, follow that until you are by the McDonalds on the left and make a left onto Sherbeth. Follow to the light and make a right, then follow the signs towards Downtown DIsney, pass that and SSR will be on the left.

If you arrive around dinner time, the restaurant in the base of the Citrus Tower--Santiago's--has good food at low prices. The service is bad but because it's so inexpensive, you laugh about it. There's also a Cracker Barrel, Denny's, and a bunch of other places like that in the area, place a Johnny Caraba's and Outback.

Anne

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Pooh, you commented that Clermont is almost as far west as the airport is east. That may be true, but you'll be coming from the west and thus get to the hotel 45-minutes before you get to the airport area. Also, suburban hotel rates might be cheaper than near the airport....worth checking on.

But if you're set on staying near the airport, then stay on the Turnpike past the I-4 interchange and get off at Exit# 254 which is labeled as US17 / US92 / US441 / TOLL 528 / ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL. You'll pay a 75-cent toll here (in addition to the $2.50 mainline toll you paid on the Turnpike earlier). After you pay, IMMEDIATELY get into the far right lane as that ramp takes you onto TOLL 528 EAST (Beachline Expressway) to head towards the airport. There will be 1-2 additonal tolls on the 528 depending on where you get off. (See...those tolls are adding up!)

A good list of exits (read from the bottom up) on the Turnpike can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida's_Turnpike

BobK/Orlando