Driving from WDW to Port Canaveral

[LAX]

What is the best route driving from WDW to Port Canaveral on a Friday morning? It appears the most direct route is I4 followed by SR528, but not sure if we would get caught in rush hour traffic even in the summer.

Plus, after arriving at the Port, do all luggages get collected at the curb (not parking) or do we have to haul them into the terminal like airports?

Thanks.

LAX

 

[bobyetman]

Actually, the easiest way, as long as you don't mind paying the tolls, is SR417 to SR528. Stay off of I4. And yes, the luggage is curbside, you'll pull up, drop off your luggage, then go into the garage. Just make sure you have the luggage tags already on the bags so that when you get there you can unload easily. And of course, don't put your passports, etc in the checked bags.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Actually, the easiest way, as long as you don't mind paying the tolls, is SR417 to SR528. Stay off of I4. And yes, the luggage is curbside, you'll pull up, drop off your luggage, then go into the garage. Just make sure you have the luggage tags already on the bags so that when you get there you can unload easily. And of course, don't put your passports, etc in the checked bags.

This is the route we take when we drive. Never have had a problem, thankfully! Leave yourself some extra time. You can always grab a cup of coffee if you are too early somewhere in Cocoa. Have a great trip!

 

[Capt_BJ]

this site has good 'real time' traffic info for central Florida http://www.mynews13.com//content/news/cfnews13/traffic.html

check it a few days in the mornings and you quickly see that it is highly probable that I-4 is a mess, especially around the SR-528 junction

417 costs a little more in tolls but worth the $ .... a roll of quarters will cover a round trip ($5 each way and the exact change lanes are faster than the attended lanes)

BE CAREFUL at the toll plazas .. if not familiar with the design you can zip right thru a not realize. In the greater Orlando area most toll plazas have the lanes go STRAIGHT THRU with no stop if using SUNPASS ... while the CASH lanes look a bit like an exit ramp to the RIGHT ....

 

[OKW Lover]

Agree with the PP's that the 417 route is well worth the extra cost to avoid I-4!

 

[LAX]

I am glad I asked! I wouldn't have known SR417 would be preferred over I4. It sounds like both SR417 & SR528 would accept cash for tolls, correct? Just out of curiosity, how much more is the toll to use SR417 & SR528 enroute to Port Canaveral vs I4 & a longer stretch of SR528? I certainly won't mind paying more to avoid the hassle of stop & go traffic (who needs that on vacation?!), not to mention wasted gas as well.

LAX

 

[Capt_BJ]

a roll of quarters should cover a round trip ;;;;

just be sure you hit the cash lanes

 

[Neptune's Fork]

this site has good 'real time' traffic info for central Florida http://www.mynews13.com//content/news/cfnews13/traffic.html

check it a few days in the mornings and you quickly see that it is highly probable that I-4 is a mess, especially around the SR-528 junction

417 costs a little more in tolls but worth the $ .... a roll of quarters will cover a round trip ($5 each way and the exact change lanes are faster than the attended lanes)

BE CAREFUL at the toll plazas .. if not familiar with the design you can zip right thru a not realize. In the greater Orlando area most toll plazas have the lanes go STRAIGHT THRU with no stop if using SUNPASS ... while the CASH lanes look a bit like an exit ramp to the RIGHT ....

How do they handle people going through the Sunpass lanes that don't have one? They receive a bill in the mail?

 

[Spork24]

Sunpasses are easy to pick up at a welcome center or toll road service plaza, we come to central Florida a few times a year and we got one in the fall and love having it (it works in GA and NC as well if your coming down from the east coast)

 

[Spork24]

https://www.sunpass.com/violationsMissedToll

Looks like you must mail in missed payments on your own to keep from getting a fine

 

[babypinkbunny]

You shouldn’t get into too much traffic going to the port. In the morning most people are headed into Orlando. I agree with everyone else take SR 417 to SR528 and follow it all the way into the port. I4 is horrible especially during rush hour. Be careful while you are here of red light runners. There are a lot of them. Tolls are usually $1.oo to $2.00. Have quarters and go through the coin lane. I think you go through 4- 5 tolls. There are only 2 tolls on SR528 if you get on it from SR417. It’s definitely worth the money.

 

[tlprice]

How do they handle people going through the Sunpass lanes that don't have one? They receive a bill in the mail?

If you are renting a car and go through the Sunpass lanes without having paid for the car rentals tolls, you will be charged a hefty amount by the car rental company. It takes almost no time to go through the lanes to pay. Just make sure you have cash or change.

 

[Sunshine2U]

We almost ALWAYS miss the cash lines for tolls around Miami. In fact, we've come to believe that cash lines actually don't exist and you can't pay on the fly. Feel free to laugh if we're just idiots. We always receive a nice invoice after the fact and pay online. We drive our own vehicle to Port of Miami from SC.

 

[LAX]

We almost ALWAYS miss the cash lines for tolls around Miami. In fact, we've come to believe that cash lines actually don't exist and you can't pay on the fly. Feel free to laugh if we're just idiots. We always receive a nice invoice after the fact and pay online. We drive our own vehicle to Port of Miami from SC.

I think there is a reason toll operators make cash booths inconspicuous/inconvenient!

LAX

 

[bumbershoot]

We almost ALWAYS miss the cash lines for tolls around Miami. In fact, we've come to believe that cash lines actually don't exist and you can't pay on the fly. Feel free to laugh if we're just idiots. We always receive a nice invoice after the fact and pay online. We drive our own vehicle to Port of Miami from SC.

As far as I know there are no cash lanes in the Miami area.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

a roll of quarters should cover a round trip ;;;;

just be sure you hit the cash lanes

Drove this route twice recently. The easternmost toll on 528 is now $1.25 rather than $1. Total is now $5.25 each way, two $1.50 tolls on 417, one $1.00 toll on 528 and one $1.25 toll on 528.

 

[Sunshine2U]

As far as I know there are no cash lanes in the Miami area.

Whew - I don't feel so bad now.

 

[mousefan73]

Is there a way to save a thread iso of watch? This information is very valuable for me but we are first traveling in September. We are also driving from WDW to Port Canaveral for the Disney dream. Normally I’m a control freak but in this case I would actually prefer to take the DCL Bus but we have a car rental anyway so financially it makes no sense and two we find the DCL buses arrive too late for us we want to be early on board

 

[Capt_BJ]

As far as I know there are no cash lanes in the Miami area.

correct, the greater Miami / Dade county are is all cashless and there are a BUNCH of toll roads!. There are no cash lanes (very few anyway ... I think one of the small bridges from mainland to MB may still be cash)

Here if you don't have a transponder they read the tag electronically and send a bill with a 'small' service charge once a month. (the service charge seems large if you get a bill for ONE toll ....) This is how it works for a POV anyway. If in a rental the bill goes to the rental company and how they pass this you you varies ... see the sunpass site for rental car info. In Orlando, since there ARE cash lanes, zipping thru an electronic gate with no transponder CAN result in a violation by the same electronic reading of the plate...again speaking of a POV. All the rentals are covered so the company does not get a 'fine' but what they charge you works the same way as down Miami way ....

Make sense?

 

[disneyholic family]

Actually, the easiest way, as long as you don't mind paying the tolls, is SR417 to SR528. Stay off of I4. And yes, the luggage is curbside, you'll pull up, drop off your luggage, then go into the garage. Just make sure you have the luggage tags already on the bags so that when you get there you can unload easily. And of course, don't put your passports, etc in the checked bags.

we use Waze and this is the route that it gave us to follow...
i'd never driven that way to the port before (i always used to take I4 to SR528), but it was good...
luggage drop off is quick and easy...
.