Flight into Tampa

[njmousefest]

Is it worth a cheaper airline ticket and dirt cheap rental minivan to fly into tampa? Is the drive really bad after a flight or to get there for a mid afternoon flight?

 

[Kae]

Is it worth a cheaper airline ticket and dirt cheap rental minivan to fly into tampa? Is the drive really bad after a flight or to get there for a mid afternoon flight?

We don't think its bad at all. Pretty much all highway. Tampa airport is nice

 

[nacho113]

Done it several times. TPA is a less hurried airport than MCO.
On your return flight you will really appreciate the much shorter/quicker security lines at TPA vs MCO
When leaving TPA take I-275 east to I-4, then I-4 all the way to WDW, takes about 90 minutes (depending on traffic)

 

[Gracie09]

small airport and easy drive. We've done it and it doesn't seem to take much longer than arriving at MCO

 

[bumbershoot]

Not bad at all.

We've done it and it doesn't seem to take much longer than arriving at MCO

I totally agree with the timing. If you're driving from MCO you're looking at half an hour anyway. It's not that much longer from Tampa.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm with the majority of the above posters, go for it! Before moving to central florida we flew in/out of TPA many, many times for our WDW visits. The drive time from MCO to WDW is about 30 minutes and you'll encounter two tolls. The drive time from TPA to WDW is about 75 minutes (no tolls) so its only a 45 minute difference.

 

[edbo77]

Another vote for TPA.

 

[kristenrice]

Another thumbs up for TPA.

We usually fly into MCO so that we can utilize DME. We decided to fly into TPA and get a one-way rental car from Alamo, picking it up at the airport and dropping it off 5 hours later at the CCC. From the time we landed until the time we pulled into AKL, it was only 90 minutes. We barely make it in 90 minutes when we use DME! We made a quick stop in the AKL parking lot (DH couldn't figure out how to use my Google maps app and I was driving) before continuing on to Target to grab some groceries for the week. After that, I dropped of DH, kids and groceries back at the AKV and I drove to the CCC and returned the car. They have a free shuttle back to the resort which ended up being a private ride for me.

By flying into TPA, my family of 4 saved about $300, and that is AFTER we paid for the rental car.

 

[greenclan67]

I will choose tampa every time over MCO. I much prefer it. March we are flying into to a out of MCO and only because the price difference home is $40 x's 4 and with CDN exchange....ugh. But I am stalking SW airlines. If the flight drops to go home from TPA I will be switching.

 

[njmousefest]

I booked the flight to tampa instead of orlando. Saved a little over $600 for 5 tickets. I think I got a pretty good deal on a minivan as well - $290 for 10 days from tampa vs $625 for 10 days at orlando through enterprise. Overall savings just over $900 (and apparently 2 tolls).

 

[SuzyQue]

We've been flying into Tampa for years due to having family there we need to visit either coming or going and airfare has always been less until this year (Delta has come down with competition now with Spirit/Frontier out of Detroit). The only close call we had was returning to Tampa last year, smooth sailing until we got to 275 and then it was a parking lot due to construction. We left Disney before noon and barely made it in time for our 3:45 flight. So maybe check with the locals on this board before your trip to see what construction you might encounter.

 

[LaneOT]

We've flown into TPA for years!!! From NYC, the flights are usually $20-$30 cheaper per person, and the car rental prices are much lower!! It's roughly a 90 minute drive, and on the way there are 2-3 Cracker Barrels, just in case ya get hungry!!!

 

[River Country]

I have flown into TPA from LGA and EWR and i love TPA airport never crowded and the drive to WDW takes me about 55 minutes without any traffic<----key line NO TRAFFIC. I love the airport but if i were to give you 1 downside to TPA you can not use resort airline check in but TPA is nothing like MCO take the discount and put that saved money to good use like a turkey leg or Churro or both WAIT NO a Dole Whip LOL

 

[Disneyhappy]

Done it multiple times. Takes about an hour and 15 minutes with normal traffic. Easy drive.

 

[OKW Lover]

I have flown into TPA from LGA and EWR and i love TPA airport never crowded and the drive to WDW takes me about 55 minutes without any traffic<----key line NO TRAFFIC.

Its 74 miles from WDW to TPA. Even with NO TRAFFIC doing it in 55 minutes would require substantially exceeding the posted limits.

 

[nacho113]

And speaking of traffic, it looks like the project on I-275 is starting to wrap up (well ahead of schedule). They are saying completion in the next 2-3 months if the weather holds which is about 6 months ahead of schedule. Great news for summer travelers.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/transp...oject-expected-to-finish-months-early/2260609

 

[lynnfitz]

I was thinking of booking into Tampa then flying out of MCO. We have credits for Jet Blue, which would pay for our flight home, and we can fly Allegiant down, which is pretty reasonable. What I was surprise was that I did a quick look at rental cars, and I thought since 2 different airports were involved, it would cost more, but it was actually cheaper! Does their Alamo have that you can go straight to your car without stopping at the desk?

 

[nacho113]

I was thinking of booking into Tampa then flying out of MCO. We have credits for Jet Blue, which would pay for our flight home, and we can fly Allegiant down, which is pretty reasonable. What I was surprise was that I did a quick look at rental cars, and I thought since 2 different airports were involved, it would cost more, but it was actually cheaper! Does their Alamo have that you can go straight to your car without stopping at the desk?

At Alamo at TPA, you can check-in online and then just go to the garage and pick your vehicle (same as MCO).

FYI: Allegiant Air doesn't fly to Tampa (TPA), they fly into PIE which is actually St Petersberg/Clearwater airport (on the west side of Tampa Bay). It is in the Tampa Bay area but it is a small regional airport with much smaller rental car fleets. We used PIE when we flew in from Fargo, ND a couple of years ago, but found rental car prices to be ridiculously high and when we arrived vehicle selection was tiny.

 

[sharona]

Done it several times. TPA is a less hurried airport than MCO.
On your return flight you will really appreciate the much shorter/quicker security lines at TPA vs MCO
When leaving TPA take I-275 east to I-4, then I-4 all the way to WDW, takes about 90 minutes (depending on traffic)

This!!!! TSA at MCO is always a zoo with so many wheelchairs, strollers and large families who don't travel often enough to be familiar with the process.

I will choose tampa every time over MCO. I much prefer it. March we are flying into to a out of MCO and only because the price difference home is $40 x's 4 and with CDN exchange....ugh. But I am stalking SW airlines. If the flight drops to go home from TPA I will be switching.

I booked the flight to tampa instead of orlando. Saved a little over $600 for 5 tickets. I think I got a pretty good deal on a minivan as well - $290 for 10 days from tampa vs $625 for 10 days at orlando through enterprise. Overall savings just over $900 (and apparently 2 tolls).

TPA is usually cheaper for us too. I much prefer flying in/out of TPA. The drive is not bad at all. Another plus for TPA is that there are nice restaurants there to get a meal before the flight, unlike MCO which has nothing.

 

[stinkpickle]

At Alamo at TPA, you can check-in online and then just go to the garage and pick your vehicle (same as MCO).

FYI: Allegiant Air doesn't fly to Tampa (TPA), they fly into PIE which is actually St Petersberg/Clearwater airport (on the west side of Tampa Bay). It is in the Tampa Bay area but it is a small regional airport with much smaller rental car fleets. We used PIE when we flew in from Fargo, ND a couple of years ago, but found rental car prices to be ridiculously high and when we arrived vehicle selection was tiny.

Every time we've used PIE, we've managed to catch some cheap last-minute rentals from Costco.