Is it an easy drive from Tampa area to WDW?

[TravelMama]

We have Allegiant Air in my small local airport so we always use them to fly direct to FL. I can save $250 if we fly into St. Petersburg/Clearwater airport as opposited to Sanford/Orlando, FL.
Is it an easy drive to get from Tampa Bay area to WDW? I'm considering this a definate option since the savings will almost cover the cost of our rental car. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[SilverMickey]

Rte 4 all the way! It is very simple and we almost always fly into and out of the Tampa area. We spend our last day on the beach and either fly out late at night or early the following morning.

Have a great trip!

 

[dudspizza]

We have Allegiant Air in my small local airport so we always use them to fly direct to FL. I can save $250 if we fly into St. Petersburg/Clearwater airport as opposited to Sanford/Orlando, FL.
Is it an easy drive to get from Tampa Bay area to WDW? I'm considering this a definate option since the savings will almost cover the cost of our rental car. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Yes, it is a very easy drive. Freeway all the way. WDW is on the SW corner of Orlando, which is the direction you are coming from, so driving through downtown Orlando to get there.

 

[Telcogirl]

It's a very easy drive. We have done it in the past to save money on airfare. Sometimes, even with a rental car, its still cheaper to fly into TPA.

Even though it's a straight shot on Rt 4, watch out for rush hour traffic. That will slow you down.

 

[Detailor]

We have Allegiant Air in my small local airport so we always use them to fly direct to FL. I can save $250 if we fly into St. Petersburg/Clearwater airport as opposited to Sanford/Orlando, FL.
Is it an easy drive to get from Tampa Bay area to WDW? I'm considering this a definate option since the savings will almost cover the cost of our rental car. Thanks in advance for any advice.

It's mostly highway travel from the St. Pete/Clearwater airport (PIE) to the Disney area. Most of the car rental companies are onsite at the airport (I think that Dollar is the exception with an off-site office). To get to Orlando you'd need to go from the airport property to I-275 North, toward Tampa (the entrance ramp to I-275 is about 4 miles from the airport). I-275 crosses the Bay and goes through downtown Tampa. After about 15 miles, maybe a little less, on I-275 you'll see signs for I-4 East, make sure that you're in one of the right lanes and bear right onto I-4. It's 60-70 miles to the Disney resort area. The whole trip will take close to an hour and a half.

Dick Taylor

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

One note of caution. Tampa rush hour on I-275 can be horrendous. So between 4pm and 6pm I-275 from the Tampa Airport area through the downtown to the I-4 junction can be a crawl. Ditto 7am to 9am in the opposite direction. So if your inbound or outbound flights correspond with those times, allow extra. Otherwise, it is indeed an easy drive.

BobK/Orlando

 

[myladyisatramp]

We are driving from Boca Raton up to Disney trying to decide good time to leave.. I want to leave at 6 am ...to be in disney by 10 figuring some traffic...

 

[quigs3]

We usually catch a Rays game when we're at WDW, and the drive is a breeze! It's a straight shot, and you're at Disney in no time! Just try to avoid it during rush hour traffic.