Is this crazy?

[IHeartTink04]

Ok, I have heard of people flying into Tampa instead of Orlando and I don't know if it is worth saving the money. Anyone ever done it or have any thoughts? I know that the flights are ALOT cheaper but then you don't get Magical Express and have to pay to get to Disney? How long does it take to get to Disney from Tampa? Well if anyone thinks this is a good idea let me know, I am curious for your thoughts!

 

[Marshay]

I actually had to go to Tampa several times for business and then would drive up to WDW for a few days and back to Tampa again to go home. This is VERY doable, as long as you can avoid AM/PM rush hour. There always seems to be construction between Tampa and Orlando, too.

Anyway, if this will save you "tons" of money and may be the deciding factor on whether you go or not, then do it. It is also helpful if you can plan some touring in Tampa like busch gardens, beaches or my absolute favorite restaurant (for couples) -- Bern's Steakhouse.

The drive as I recall was less than 1.5 hours each way, maybe even closer to one hour if no traffic. Go to mapquest and plug in the cities to find approximate driving times.

 

[mericletwins]

We are going in to Tampa this Easter, staying for a few nights, driving to Disney and flying out of Orlando. We did this on purpose because we wanted to do Busch Gardens, Adventure Island a few other tourist things. I can't believe it can save you all that much money since you would have to rent a car vs. using ME. In the AAA maps it gives 1 hour and 10 minutes from our hotel in Tampa (near BG) to the Beach Club.

 

[IncredibleEdna]

I flew into Tampa once because I flew airmiles and at the time that was the closest I could get....that was in 1985 though...lol!

 

[jenseib]

We had the choice from our local ariport to go to Tampa or Sanford. We chose Sanford, though they are almost the same distance away. Sanford is slightly closer. We didn't save any money going there. But DH wanted a direct flight from our local airport rather than driving an hour away to the big airport in Detroit. We had to rent a van t oget to Disney then. Our flight wasn't any cheaper, plus we had to rent a van, but DH liked to have wheels anyways. we drove to a few places here and there, and he didn't feel like he was stuck.
I think you would have to really save som big bucks to make it worth it.

 

[HarleyMom]

Yes, we did this once, also. We went on a 5 night cruise out of Tampa. After the cruise returned, we took a taxi back to the airport where we picked up our rental car and drove to Orlando for 4 days for Disney. It's a fairly easy drive - I think it was just over an hour. I would do it again if it saved me enough money!

 

[starlionblue]

Dang, you let the cat out of the bag! It's a secret of mine. I have relatives in Tampa so I find it easier to go to Tampa and then, to Orlando by car. It saves me the headache. Often, I see huge amounts of traffic trying to get out of WDW just to reach a hotel in Orlando and vice versa. That's when I realized it was smart to stay in Tampa.