Getting from Orlando back to Miami .. help!

[U2_rocks!]

We are coming from overseas (Caribbean), flying in and out of Miami. We decided to drive from Miami to Orlando and back, because we wanted some time in Miami on either end - I have to meet with a bank I do business with, and DH wanted to meet with some of his suppliers. We would have broken up the drive and taken turns, and both of us have driven in the US (especially in Miami and Orlando) many times.

My problem? DH now has to leave our trip early, and I will be left to drive to Miami with the 3 kids without him! That means I will have to do all the driving (4 hours!), and there won't be another adult in the car. I am quite nervous about this! I don't want to fly (it's way too expensive!), so my only other alternatives are train or bus. The kids are excited about the train option - they've never been on a train before. The bus would be very boring I would think, so I've almost ruled that out. Plus the buses seem to leave in the morning or the evening, not in the afternoon.

So, either I take the train, which means cutting my last day short as I'd have to be at the station downtown by 12.15 - 12.30 p.m., or I drive, which allows me to remain in Orlando until 3 p.m. (I don't mind arriving in the Miami area at dusk - I know it well enough). Or, I may have to leave by 2 p.m. if I'm breaking up the trip with a stop half-way.

If you were in my shoes, would you drive or take the train? The train costs slightly more, and will eat into my last few hours in Orlando, but will be so much less stressful.

The car gives me a lot of flexibility, and will give me wheels when I reach Miami too, and it costs less, but then I have the stress of 4 hours of highway driving as the only adult in the car (kids are ages 7 - 10).

For those who think the drive will be OK, can you suggest any good stops about half-way? On the way up we are leaving Miami at the crack of dawn and stopping for breakfast and Walmart essentials (to walk off breakfast) half-way up. On the way down I guess we could have an early dinner or something?

I'm probably way overthinking this. I'm just not used to driving for that length of time, and alone on the highway. I live in a small island when the longest point is 21 miles!

P.S. this will be 2 weeks from Saturday.

 

[Ress76]

without knowing the roads you will be traveling specifically, I will chime in with, I would plan on driving about 2/15 horus (more than half way) and then taking a break for a meal, some place you can get out, stretch, use the restroom etc. Then, with the drive more than half over, you can get back on the road. I have driven to Orlando from New York several times, and sometimes all you need is a break to walk around, look at something besides the road, and grab something to eat to recharge your batteries.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I would also drive and just takes breaks if you need them. I've done the drive before and it's not bad, but 4 hours isn't a long drive to me so I realize it might seem bad to you.

 

[U2_rocks!]

I was going to travel the turnpike. I know my way from the turnpike to my Miami hotel (we're overnighting before an early flight out). I think the hardest parts will be picking up the turnpike from Orlando (I will have Mapquest directions though) and being on the road for 4 hours straight (I can take a break). So maybe it won't be so bad. I could get a GPS in the car to help with directions, but I've never used one before and it might just confuse me!

If anyone has any ideas for a break about half-way down (or slightly more), please share. I guess any mall or Target or Walmart will do though. Those places are playgrounds to people from small islands!

 

[WDWisTheBest]

I was going to travel the turnpike. I know my way from the turnpike to my Miami hotel (we're overnighting before an early flight out). I think the hardest parts will be picking up the turnpike from Orlando (I will have Mapquest directions though) and being on the road for 4 hours straight (I can take a break). So maybe it won't be so bad. I could get a GPS in the car to help with directions, but I've never used one before and it might just confuse me!

If anyone has any ideas for a break about half-way down (or slightly more), please share. I guess any mall or Target or Walmart will do though. Those places are playgrounds to people from small islands!

If you are at WDW driving to Miami, just take the Osceola Parkway east about 10 miles to the Turnpike, exit 249. There is a Super Walmart located on the Osceola Parkway near the Turnpike exit.

There is a good breakfast/lunch/dinner break at the Flying J truck stop at the Fort Pierce (State Route 70) exit 152 about 1 to 1 1/2 hours south. If you don't want to get off the turnpike, there is the Port St Lucie Service Plaza near exit 144 with food service.

The Miami Airport, as you know, is located near to the turnpike exit 26, which is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours south of Fort Pierce. As you know, it is an easy drive.

I wouldn't take the train or the bus, myself. Hope this helps. By the way, if you are staying at WDW, pay attention on how to get from your resort to Osceola Parkway. And, if you are nervous, you might want to make a dry run from your resort to the turnpike and back to become familar with the route.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

The train can be fun for kids but it's a LONG train ride because the train first goes to Tampa before it heads south. In addition, this is a long distance train that originates in Washington DC and is famous for being late. Of course that could be a good thing if you want to stay longer at Disney.

The most practical solution is the car and straight south via Florida's Turnpike. The service plazas exist every 45-minutes and can be great for food, ice cream and other snacks and for just burning off some energy. (And the WC!)

BobK/Orlando

 

[MAH4546]

I don't know what you consider "too expensive," but flights between Miami and Orlando are usually as cheap as $49 with no round-trip requirement.

Regardless, the drive isn't bad at all. Very easy drive, often less than 4 hours.

 

[DC7800]

The train can be fun for kids but it's a LONG train ride because the train first goes to Tampa before it heads south.

The train U2_rocks! is apparently considering, the New York to Miami Silver Meteor, does not go to Tampa. The Silver Star does operate via Tampa and is therefore a longer trip, but that's a morning departure southbound from Orlando.

For the train option, I'd suggest boarding at Kissimmee instead of Orlando (alas, still only saves a few minutes in Disney). It's a very pleasant, relaxing trip.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

The train U2_rocks! is apparently considering, the New York to Miami Silver Meteor, does not go to Tampa. The Silver Star does operate via Tampa and is therefore a longer trip, but that's a morning departure southbound from Orlando.

For the train option, I'd suggest boarding at Kissimmee instead of Orlando (alas, still only saves a few minutes in Disney). It's a very pleasant, relaxing trip.

I know very little about the train from Kissimmee, but I have heard from others that the Silver Meteor would leave around 1:30 and arrive around 7pm in Miami. And, with 3 or more kids (if there are more than 2 children) wouldn't any more than two kids have to be listed as an adult, since you only can take 2 kids per one adult? If that is correct, wouldn't the cost be something over $110 train fare for the family, plus the cost of transportation from WDW to the train station in Kissimmee plus the cost of transportation from the Miami Amtrack station to their hotel in Miami? And, the family would arrive at nighttime at the Miami Amtrack station, which may not be in the best neighborhood.

Personally, that doesn't seem to be either cost effective or time effective.

 

[U2_rocks!]

I know very little about the train from Kissimmee, but I have heard from others that the Silver Meteor would leave around 1:30 and arrive around 7pm in Miami. And, with 3 kids wouldn't one of the kids have to be listed as an adult, since you only can take 2 kids per one adult? If that is correct, wouldn't the cost be something over $110 train fare for the family, plus the cost of transportation from WDW to the train station in Kissimmee plus the cost of transportation from the Miami Amtrack station to their hotel in Miami? And, the family would arrive at nighttime at the Miami Amtrack station, which may not be in the best neighborhood.

Personally, that doesn't seem to be either cost effective or time effective.

Yes, that is all correct. Bear in mind though that the car is costing $85 plus gas, because we have to buy insurances (or we choose to, because I don't intend to risk having to deal with a claim from my home country after the trip). So the cost difference really isn't that great.

I couldn't find any $49 airfares - all were over $200 each! But even at $49 each, that's still $200 in total, so a more expensive option than driving. I'd consider it, though, if I could find those fares! What airline is that?

My US friends have convinced me that driving 4 hours is no big deal, especially broken up into chunks. So I think I might consider flying if I can get a really cheap fare (under $50 each), otherwise I will drive.

Thanks for all the input!

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Yes, that is all correct. Bear in mind though that the car is costing $85 plus gas, because we have to buy insurances (or we choose to, because I don't intend to risk having to deal with a claim from my home country after the trip). So the cost difference really isn't that great.

I couldn't find any $49 airfares - all were over $200 each! But even at $49 each, that's still $200 in total, so a more expensive option than driving. I'd consider it, though, if I could find those fares! What airline is that?

My US friends have convinced me that driving 4 hours is no big deal, especially broken up into chunks. So I think I might consider flying if I can get a really cheap fare (under $50 each), otherwise I will drive.

Thanks for all the input!

Based upon your estimate of $49 per person with a total cost of $200, I assume you are calculating 4 airline fares for the total airfare cost from MCO to MIA. Then you have to add transportation costs to both airports from hotels in both cities.

I doubt seriously that you can find any under $90 pp fares for flying in October. If you are arriving later than October, you can probably get lower fares. But, you probably have already looked at one of the airline websites to get your estimate of $200 pp. The other poster who mentioned $49 airfares may have been looking at Southwest Airlines Getaway specials between MCO and FLL (Fort Lauderdale), not MCO to MIA.

Even adding in automobile insurance and gas, driving has to be the most cost effective and time effective. Hope this helps.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

If you are staying at a WDW resort, it may be easy for you to go to the Disney Car Care Center or the Dolphin for National or Alamo rentals. There are also car rental pickups for other car rental companies in other locations nearby to WDW resorts. Based upon many factors, and including the max. insurance cost per day of about $36, and adding in gas, you can probably rent a SUV for less than $250 from Orlando to Miami.

This is just a guess, based upon many assumptions, since I don't have any details, but gives you a starting point for making a decision on driving versus train versus bus.

Then, you add in convenience and hassle factors, which only you can decide.

 

[U2_rocks!]

If you are staying at a WDW resort, it may be easy for you to go to the Disney Car Care Center or the Dolphin for National or Alamo rentals. There are also car rental pickups for other car rental companies in other locations nearby to WDW resorts. Based upon many factors, and including the max. insurance cost per day of about $36, and adding in gas, you can probably rent a SUV for less than $250 from Orlando to Miami.

This is just a guess, based upon many assumptions, since I don't have any details, but gives you a starting point for making a decision on driving versus train versus bus.

Then, you add in convenience and hassle factors, which only you can decide.

I'm staying at the Beach Club Villas, so I have an Alamo car booked to collect at the Dolphin the morning that we leave Orlando. We were then going to check out and go to Seaworld for our free second day before heading down the road to Miami. The train leaves too early for us to do that, and the buses don't leave until 7 p.m., which is great for Orlando departure but terrible for Miami arrival with 3 sleeping kids!

 

[WDWisTheBest]

I'm staying at the Beach Club Villas, so I have an Alamo car booked to collect at the Dolphin the morning that we leave Orlando. We were then going to check out and go to Seaworld for our free second day before heading down the road to Miami. The train leaves too early for us to do that, and the buses don't leave until 7 p.m., which is great for Orlando departure but terrible for Miami arrival with 3 sleeping kids!

Hope you enjoy your stay. May I suggest that you make sure that you understand how to get onto the Florida Turnpike, Exit 254 from Seaworld. You may know already that from Seaworld you get onto FL-528, Exit 1, go east toward the airport and you get onto the Turnpike at Exit 4 of FL-528. But, if you haven't done it before, it can be a bit tricky, since it isn't a simple cloverleaf.

If you aren't familiar with doing this, you might wish to do a dry run in advance, since it is not straightforward to get onto the turnpike from 528.

 

[U2_rocks!]

Hope you enjoy your stay. May I suggest that you make sure that you understand how to get onto the Florida Turnpike, Exit 254 from Seaworld. You may know already that from Seaworld you get onto FL-528, Exit 1, go east toward the airport and you get onto the Turnpike at Exit 4 of FL-528. But, if you haven't done it before, it can be a bit tricky, since it isn't a simple cloverleaf.

If you aren't familiar with doing this, you might wish to do a dry run in advance, since it is not straightforward to get onto the turnpike from 528.

I have Mapquest directions printed out - I hope that will be OK. After reading your post I think I will also go back and print out a detailed zoom-in map of the area between Seaworld and the Turnpike so that I can really see what I'm supposed to be doing. If I get the opportunity I will try it out first. But truth be told, I'm not that afraid of getting a little lost at first - I'm usually good at getting reoriented. My main fear was not finding my way, but being alone on the highway with kids to look out for, and also how I would handle so much driving at one time!