Flying into TPA (Tampa) - need advice please

[mieuxmew]

This is our first time flying into TPA instead of MCO. Our flight arrives Fri 5/1 at 5:50pm. Guessing we will be leaving the airport around 6:30-7pm (luggage/rental car etc). How is traffic heading to Orlando at this time?

Renting a full size from Alamo. Are the choices similar to MCO? Any reasonable chance a minivan or SUV might be available in the full size aisle? We can fit into a full size, but would love the extra room.

We are flying home from TPA the following Sat night (7:50p). How much time should we allow to get to the airport leaving from Disney? How is TSA at TPA?

Thank you!

 

[BigTigger]

Tampa is setup similar to Orlando with a tram from the main terminal to/from the airside gates. What is different is that security is on the airside not in the main terminal. You show your ticket to be allowed on the tram and then go through screening once you get to the airside area.

Some rental cars are onsite in the terminal garages and some are offsite via shuttle. Alamo and National are in the garage area. I picked up my luggage and walked across the street to the garage when I last rented from Alamo there last summer. I had a fullsize rental and the choices were Chevrolet Impalas (older body style) and Toyota Camrys. Lots of both and nothing else.

As far as driving to/from Disney, check http://mytbi.com/home/ for road construction updates for I-275. Going from TPA to Disney follow signs to I-275 East to Orlando as you exit the airport. You should end up on SR 589 south (no toll this direction) for about a mile to I-275 East. Lots of merges and ramps so stay alert. Once on I-275 East you'll see the road widening for the next 6-7 miles. You will then take the I-4 East exit to head to Orlando. Once past that potentially slow area, the only other slow section is where I-75 crosses I-4. after that you'll seldom hit traffic slowdowns until you get right near Disney. With no major delays, you should be at WDW in one hour and twenty minutes. For your return trip you reverse the above. On a Saturday you should hit significantly less traffic than on a Friday, but still plan on leaving at least three hours before your flight to give time to get to TPA, drop off rental, check-in bags, and clear security. There's plenty of food airside to indulge in if you get there early. Safe travels!!

 

[OKW Lover]

Agree with the PP that its probably 80-90 minutes from TPA to WDW. As BigTigger noted, its a bit complicated to get from the airport onto I-275 E but once you've done that the rest of the trip isn't bad at all.