Does anyone fly into Tampa instead of Orlando?

[jernysgirl]

I was just wondering if anyone flies into Tampa instead of Orlando? I was wondering if it has any advantages or if it was cheaper? Does ME service Tampa? Your thoughts???

 

[bytheblood]

ME service is only to and from MCO.

 

[motofox4]

we fly into Tampa every year. it's about a 45 min-hour drive to WDW but don't find it to be a problem at all. we're always able to find cheaper airfare, with SW, and just rent a car for the week. the airport's nice, clean and easy to get to/from.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Transportation board.

 

[Vijoge]

I was just wondering if anyone flies into Tampa instead of Orlando? I was wondering if it has any advantages or if it was cheaper? Does ME service Tampa? Your thoughts???

Sure-lots of people do. It is often less expensive to fly in/out of TPA. No ME service, though, and you won't save anything if you weren't already planning to rent a car.

 

[mullii5]

We flew into Tampa for our trip in December...agree with the previous posts that you can save some money. Also, we spent our last day at a hotel on the beach near Tampa to kind of unwind from our week at WDW...unfortunately, it was a little chilly but the view was wonderful and we still had a great time.

 

[silmarg]

Tampa??? Sure I've flown into Tampa for a trip to WDW. Anything to save a buck. And car rentals are usually less out of TPA.

In 2007 I booked a flight into Jacksonville when I was going on a Disney Cruise. The flight ended up getting cancelled and I got rebooked into Orlando. Unfortunately, my rent a car was much higher than I would've paid out of Jax.

I live close to NYC. And am headed to WDW during Presidents Week in a few weeks. Most schools in the northeast have the full week off of school and airfare to anywhere in Florida is like $500+ round trip... So instead I am flying out of Baltimore (and into Orlando) - and am paying around $160 round trip.

 

[goofy4tink]

Tampa is a wonderful airport. But, there are trade-offs. There are no shuttles to WDW. It is an hour's drive. I have done it several times, in reverse (my ds lives in Tampa) and it has always taken me a bit over an hour to get to the airport area...about 75 mins. I drive at about 70 for the most part.
Then, you have to get a rental car, which is going to add to your travel costs.
So....you need to weigh your options....if you don't mind the extra time to get to WDW and you don't mind renting a car, and it makes sense money wise, then go for it.

 

[PoohsFan1]

We did this in June of '07 and like everyone else has mentioned you do save money on both flights and rentals. The drive was not bad, it was about 45 mins to WDW. We would definately do it again, but for our upcoming trip in March we found a really great rate from Chicago to Orlando (flying American) so we decided to do that and take advantage of DME.

 

[4greatboys]

Yes we do sometimes fly into TPA instead of MCO. It just depends on how much lower the fare is. Lately I have noticed the fare is very close to the same if not the same.

 

[wood145]

We flew into Tampa on our trip in April 08. Like others have said it is not a long drive. Our flight landed around 10:15 and with time to rent the car and a stop at McDonalds (off the highway) for lunch we were in the lobby of the Dolphin by 12:20 . It is much nicer to fly into MCO, but the savings are worth it. We are a family of 5 so and extra $80 per ticket really adds up. Also, we always rent a car so that doesn't add an extra expense.

Right now the fares (out of EWR) are $228 roundtrip on Cont. In order to fly into MCO for around the same I'd have to fly late at night there or early am coming back.

Good luck.

 

[DisFlan]

We like Tampa - it's much smaller than MCO and user friendly. If we find a better fare (or flight times), we fly in there. We rent a car for the week right there at the airport and the drive to Orlando isn't bad - it usually takes about an hour. As mentioned, the car may be your rate (or budget) limiting step, though, if you don't usually rent one. You'll have to run the numbers to see which works better for you (or what you'd be happier with) - MCO and DME, or Tampa and a rental.

DisFlan

 

[Brian Noble]

I've done it once. I'm not sure who's getting there in 45 minutes, or how, but we budget 1.5 hours, and need a good chunk of it if there is any traffic on I-4 (and, there often is.)

Given the extra two hours round trip, I'd need to be saving north of $200 for our family of four before I'd seriously consider it.

 

[jernysgirl]

We were not considering renting a car, as our group flying in would consist of 6 people (plus all of our luggage for 6 people, including two toddlers, for 12 days!). I don't think we could afford to rent a bus for that long!

If the price of renting a car eclipses any savings that we might get from flying into TPA vs. MCO, we might just skip it.

But thanks for the great advice!

 

[Alexander]

I would LOVE to be flying into TPA Pres. Week! We are flying into JAX because of the huge savings! It was over $500 for us to fly into MCO and only $270 into JAX. For three of us that was a cinch to decide! We ALWAYS rent a car anyways, so that didn't add to the cost, just the drive to WDW. Tampa is a shorter drive, and I wouldn't mind making that one compared to my drive from JAX in two weeks.

 

[Pete W.]

I'm not sure who's getting there in 45 minutes, or how...

It is about 75 miles from TPA to WDW so you are correct -- no one is driving there in 45 minutes.

 

[girlsx2]

We will be flying into St. Pete/Clearwater and I will rent a car from there to get over to Disney. I was going to rent a car anyway (from WV) and drive to Disney. However, when I found rates at Allegiant Air for $59 down and $29 back, it was only around $100 more for us to fly than to drive and that incudes a one night stay in Clearwater the night we come in.