how to get to Tampa and back from DW?

[lmbcdb]

I just found out that DH's grandmother in Tampa isn't doing so well, and it has been suggested that we go see her while we are down in Orlando.

We weren't planning on renting a car, but now I guess we have to.

Will this work?

Last day, our flight leaves at 8:00 p.m. (we had planned on half day at MK, but that's out of the question now) Can I get ME to take us early in the morning, then get a rental car at the airport, drive to Tampa, drive back, return the car, and fly out all in the same day?

Or is there an easier way?

TIA

 

[seashoreCM]

Yes you can get Magical Express to the airport to rent a car.

But you should see if you can rent the car at Disney and return it to the airport. Shop around for prices. Prices can change day by day. There are rental counters in a few resorts and also there is a rental agency (near the car care center) south of Magic Kingdom on the exit road, not really walking distance from MK parking lot concourse (TTC).
The latter has a shuttle by appointment.

Note that you can get very anxious doing this on your last day trying to get back for your flight. Compared with making the trip on a different day (in which case you would pick up and also drop off the car at Disney).

 

[goofy4tink]

You can....make the needed changes at the front desk at the beginning of your stay. The drive to Tampa takes about 75 mins, depending on traffic. Plan on a bit more just in case.
You will need to leave Tampa no later than 4pm in order to make it back to MCO in time.

 

[lmbcdb]

Note that you can get very anxious doing this on your alst day trying to get back for your flight.

Noted and agreed. However, it seems like it might take more time out of our trip to get a rental in the middle while at the resort.(get to the rental car company, drive to Tampa, visit, drive back to rental car company, get back to resort somehow. I also don't want to pay a cab also to get to the rental car.

PP mentioned there are rental car counters at some resorts. Highly unlikely at a value, but how could I find out? (Pop Century)

 

[DisDiva2]

Give yourself time. Sometimes there is bad traffic. Call Alamo/National I know sometimes the will even pick you up. It's really not a bad drive. I do it often

 

[Greysword]

The Swan and Dolphin have an Alamo rental counter, which is also at the Car Care Center.

One thought, have you checked to see if you could fly out of TPA instead of MCO? Also, I wouldn't return the car to WDW, instead arrange to drop it off at MCO.

 

[lmbcdb]

The Swan and Dolphin have an Alamo rental counter, which is also at the Car Care Center.

One thought, have you checked to see if you could fly out of TPA instead of MCO? Also, I wouldn't return the car to WDW, instead arrange to drop it off at MCO.

Thanks!

I thought about flying out of Tampa, but I was just assuming that they will charge me some outrageous fee per ticket change. I guess I could check.

 

[goofy4tink]

You can rent through Alamo/National at the Dolphin...it's pretty easy. Or, go back to MCO and rent there. But you are backtracking when you do that.
I would also suggest looking into possibly changing your flights. Is there any chance you could change your flight to the following day??? Either from MCO or TPA. That might make it easier.
Yes, you will have to pay a fee...probably about $100 per ticket.

 

[Brian Noble]

If it were me, I'd take a day mid-trip, and rent from the National/Alamo desk at the Swolphin. It might not be the absolute rock-bottom price, but it's going to be a LOT more convenient than taking ME back to the airport just to pick up a car, and in this case I think the convenience is probably worth it.

It would be miserable to be driving back to MCO for your flight and hit a snag along I-4.

 

[nytimez]

If it were me, I'd take a day mid-trip, and rent from the National/Alamo desk at the Swolphin. It might not be the absolute rock-bottom price, but it's going to be a LOT more convenient than taking ME back to the airport just to pick up a car, and in this case I think the convenience is probably worth it.

It would be miserable to be driving back to MCO for your flight and hit a snag along I-4.

This is excellent advice and what I would have suggested myself had Brian Noble not beat me to it.

OP, if you stick to that last-day plan, you would most likely be driving out of Tampa at the start of the rush hour there and arriving in the Orlando area in the heat of their rush hour. Neither city is known for pleasant rush hours.

 

[disneyagain]

Remember car rentals are usually for a 24 hr period. So you could pick the car up at an off site location the night before by say 6pm as long as you return by 6pm to the airport. We rented a car for our last day once ~ My DH and DS took the bus to downtown disney and walked over to one of the hotels that had either dollar or budget (can't remember which) the afternoon before our last day. They picked up the car and drove it back to the hotel, so we had it for the next morning. We were just going to Ohana for breakfast and knew we wouldn't have time to get back to POP to catch the DME back to the airport. We checked our luggage through RAC - threw the carry-ons into the trunk, went to breakfast and then headed right to the airport - returned the car and walked through security. Quite easy. We didn't venture from the area like you are, but that might be an easy way and you can get up and out of the hotel before the rush hour traffic. Good Luck with what you decide.

 

[dzorn]

I would also consider renting when you arrive at MCO and renting for 24 hours then seeing Grandma. You could return it to the airport then take ME to Disney or just return it at CCC. If you run into traffic coming back you won't miss a flight.

Denise in MI

 

[robinb]

I would start here:
http://www.carrentalsavers.com/florida-car-rental.html

Select "pick up near a place of interest" and enter "Walt Disney World", then select "More Options" and click on "Return car to different location" and enter "MCO". All the major car rental companies are either easy to get to and/or will pick you up and drop you off. National/Alamo are at the Dolphin and most of the others are on Hotel Blvd.

I also don't think that I would go to TPA on my last day. We make the trip between Orlando and TPA every time ... it's not a bad trip but I think I would feel rushed visiting my grandmother and nervous about missing our late flight. I hate to say it, but I think you should give up another day in your vacation and dedicate your last day to travel.

 

[Sandi]

Lisa Marie,

I suggest you visit grandma at the beginning of your trip (especially if you have kids) or mid-way through it. If you go take care of your family obligations first, you'll be in better spirits and less resentful of the time taken from your disney trip. Whenever we combine visiting family and doing WDW, I make sure that WDW is at the end no matter what.

If you rent a car from the Car Care Center (Alamo), they will come to pick you up at Pop to go get your car. Sometimes a weekend rate can be better than a day, so look into that, too.

I'm sure your grandma will appreciate the visit.

 

[lmbcdb]

Thanks for all the replies, but the problem has been solved.

My DH called his brother (who lives in Tampa) to ask him for her address and more information. My darling BIL volunteered to drive to Orlando, pick us up, drive us to Tampa for dinner with Grandma, and drive us back. Never in a million years would I have asked him to do something like that.

Wow!

 

[robinb]

Thanks for all the replies, but the problem has been solved.

My DH called his brother (who lives in Tampa) to ask him for her address and more information. My darling BIL volunteered to drive to Orlando, pick us up, drive us to Tampa for dinner with Grandma, and drive us back. Never in a million years would I have asked him to do something like that.

Wow!

Wow is right! I don't love my sister enough to drive two round-trips from Tampa to Orlando . Personally, I would prefer to be in charge of my own transportation plans, but that's just me .