Flying into Tampa-Any Alternate Routes to WDW?

[disneymomtofour]

We got a good rate to fly into Tampa for our trip to WDW in September. We were going to visit the beach for a day then drive a rental car to WDW. I have since read about the terrible traffic between Tampa and Orlando. Is there an alternate route? Maybe one that looks further on the map, but actually takes less time? Thanks!

 

[zdad]

We too are flying into Tampa. Were coming in on a Sunday ~10am. I've been watching the site below, and looking at the traffic cams at the times we are planning to travel. For us, it looks like we'll be okay. Hasn't been much work on Sunday mornings that last few weeks.

Sonds like you have some fleibility in your plan. Watch the site on the day of the week you'd e travelling and try and identify the best time to make the run.

http://www.i4polk.com/content/interior.asp?section=curconditions&body=main.asp

Best of luck.

12 day dance in progress ----->

 

[Capt_BJ]

No...there is no secret short cut.

Since you plan to be on 'the beach' I'm guessing you'll actually be over in St Pete or Clearwater 'cuz Tampa isn't on the Gulf. Therefore your trip is actually from there to Orlando. The only traffic problem is getting thru Tampa, and that can be a bear especially at rush hour ... you know, anytime Mon thru Sat from 6 am to 8 pm!

There are secondaries to go around Tampa but I wouldn't recommend you try it unless your car has a navigation system....seriously, it is easy to get lost. It gets very rural very fast. I recommend you just grin and enjoy the Interstate system of Central Florida.....

Former St Pete resident, with 'da rents' in SunCity/Ruskin sends

 

[jctwizzer]

Have made the WDW/Tampa airport trip several times, latest was last year. Altho there were times when the traffic was heavy, I never found it horrendous by any stretch of the imagination. Either some people aren't used to driving in traffic, or I've been lucky...can't say which......

 

[kkozma]

jctwizzer- you sound like you're in the know...We will be arriving on a Friday at 11:30 in July. What do you think our traffic situation will be...Just a guess is fine.

 

[jctwizzer]

jctwizzer- you sound like you're in the know...We will be arriving on a Friday at 11:30 in July. What do you think our traffic situation will be...Just a guess is fine.

and this is just a guess----arriving mid day you may run into minor congestion in the metro area, which should clear up as you head east; unless construction is a factor. Traffic will generally be running around 75 mph in the open areas, with a few of the gray hairs (and I'm one) slowing things down from time to time--just check the rear view mirror before pulling out to pass....Invariably, we've made the airport/WDW trip in 70 to 75 minutes...good luck

 

[kkozma]

Thanks for the advice...Disney here we come in 43 days...

 

[Destination Disney]

Tampa girl here, well actually I live 20 mins. outside of Tampa, but never the less I know about I-4 all too well.

Yes, there actually is an alternate route. You would take the Suncoast expressway north to Brooksville.(It'll cost ya in tolls, oh & don't speed. The Florida Highway Patrol will be all over you!) Brooksville is SR50. So you'd take SR50 to 27. Then after you get on 27 you will come up to 192. Now 192 is right there...a few more blocks above it and you are on World Drive!
Do I recoment this way......NO! It is a lot of back roads and one lane roads.
This way takes you north of tampa, then due east, so you are coming up to WDW from the west side. Where I-4 will take you northeast and allow you to exit into WDW.
I hate driving I-4, but it is just something you deal with and hope everyone keeps moving. I will say that holiday weekends cause heavy traffic, mostly on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I am not sure of the times you are going, but if it is around July 4th, watch out! Daytona Interantional Speedway hosts the Pepsi 400 which is a night race. (Probably on the 2nd of July!)

Other then that you will be fine. The problem with I-4 is that people stop for NO REASON! Half of the time people break because they are approaching a hill. What, are theygoing to fall off the road! (It drives me nuts.)

I will say that they are still "working" on I-4 up around the Lakeland area up to 27. So the traffic may be a little iffy with the construction, although every time I drive up there as you are approaching 27 the traffic slows, you may even stop, but as you creep along past 27 it clears up. (This baffles me.) It is a hit or miss thing. I drive up to WDW all the time for the day and it is usually on a Saturday morning or Friday night, and I only really hit traffic around 27! There are other times when it is a breeze nd we sail right on up there. Just use your best judgement. DO NOT go through Tampa during rush hour. (During the week anytime from 8-9am i think or definately from 4pm-7pm at night. Leave around 10am. This way you will be up at WDW around 11:30 and you'll be golden!

I would take I-4.

 

[disneymomtofour]

Thank you so much to everyone who replied!!!! We will be coming from Clearwater Beach on Saturday afternoon, so we will watch the suggested Web site on Saturdays and decide when to make the run. After that, we will just leave ourselves plenty of time and go with the flow of the traffic.

Thanks again!

 

[lovethattink]

We live between Tampa and Orlando. We usually call 511 on our cell phone to see how the traffic is on I-4. This week, they are putting in guardrails in Polk County. Occasionally it has been single lane in Kathleen and Downtown Lakeland. All the other alternate ways add alot of extra driving time. Just to see how things are, my dad took 92 at the Auburndale exit into 192 and we stayed sitting in the I-4 parking lot. We both arrived with in 5 minutes of each other at Epcot. So the alternate way kept him driving, but did not save him any time.

Tampa has a web site too. http://www.511tampabay.com/