How's the drive from Tampa (TPA) ??

[MikeSF]

Looking at flights, I don't see flights from SFO to MCO changing much (maybe $10 over the past week), however I can fly into Tampa for $40 cheaper per person, so $80 between the two of us... maybe $70 if you count the difference in cost for luggage.

Now San Francisco isn't exactly an easy place to drive for most people, but I handle it fine. What kind of drive is it from Tampa to Orlando though? Google maps say 1.5 hours, which is kind of long, but to save $80... gas ain't that expensive.

 

[OKW Lover]

Its a very easy drive. The only real tricky part I've found is getting out of the TPA airport and onto I-75. There is (was?) a lot of construction going on to facilitate airport access and if you didn't know where you were going it was easy to wind up going in the wrong direction. 90 minutes is a pretty good, perhaps conservative estimate.

 

[Orlando Vic]

Its a very easy drive.

Normally, If...

I-4 does not have any accidents or traffic tie ups due to weather conditions such as fog, heavy rain or smoke. There have been a few in the past that can only be described as epic.

you do not hit rush hour in either Tampa or Orlando. That can throw the 1½-hour estimate off.

 

[rrcortes]

Anytime fares are significantly lower I don't hesitate to fly into TPA. Easy car rentals, and then as OP mentioned, about 1 1/2 hour drive.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

We have driven from WDW to Tampa to visit for the day and it is an easy trip.
I just booked SWA flights today from CLE to TPA because the flight times were better and the price was the same as flying into MCO but we land 10 hours earlier. But we are flying home MCO to CLE. Have not flown into or out of TPA so this will be a new experience for us. Since we have driven the route a few times and know that its not bad we thought what the heck lets give it a try.
Takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes one way.

 

[Detailor]

Normally, If...
you do not hit rush hour in either Tampa or Orlando. That can throw the 1½-hour estimate off.

It's actually an easy drive between the Tampa airport and the Orlando/Kissimmee resort area. But Orlando Vic is quite correct that traffic on the highway through Tampa can be ridiculous during rush hour (Orlando, too, but if you're only going as far as the Disney resort area then even rush hour traffic isn't too bad). It would probably take almost an hour and a half to get to the Disney area if you were travelling at the speed limit but the flow of traffic is closer to 80 mph than 65 mph so if you cruised along at 70-75 the trip wouldn't take that long.

Dick Taylor

 

[MikeSF]

So on a weekday, Weds. When does traffic typically start? Out here its around 3pm when it starts up, 4-5 before it gets really horrible.

I have 2 options now, a redeye which lands at 11am (call it 12 with luggage), and a 6:30am flight which lands a little after 3, or a little after 4 with luggage.

 

[POB14]

We've never driven directly from the airport, but the drive from Sun City Center to WDW is easy (barring the emergencies mentioned above). If you come in at 4, you'll probably be a little ahead of the worst of the rush in Tampa, and you're not driving into Orlando itself, so that's not really an issue.

 

[Detailor]

So on a weekday, Weds. When does traffic typically start? Out here its around 3pm when it starts up, 4-5 before it gets really horrible.

I have 2 options now, a redeye which lands at 11am (call it 12 with luggage), and a 6:30am flight which lands a little after 3, or a little after 4 with luggage.

My recollection is that it starts building a little later than that in Tampa but not by a lot. The height of the traffic is probably in the 4-6 pm timeframe. If it were me, I'd try to avoid the later flight.

Dick Taylor

 

[MikeSF]

My recollection is that it starts building a little later than that in Tampa but not by a lot. The height of the traffic is probably in the 4-6 pm timeframe. If it were me, I'd try to avoid the later flight.

Dick Taylor

Yeah I think that is the option I'm going to go for, just remembered the rental car too so that'd probably throw me smack dab in the midst of traffic... but considering we have some of the worst traffic in the country, there are few places I really worry about driving

ALthough I think I might still hold out for a couple more weeks to see if flights into MCO drop so it becomes a non-issue. As it stands $80 is significant.