Let's hear it for Tampa

[Keacc]

We are going to Orlando in October and paid $300 each round trip on Southwest. We have also decided to get away from the miserable Chicagoland weather for a week in February (11th-18th). I have been watching the fares out of Ohare and they are $320 on US Air plus baggage. I decided to look at fares to Tampa instead. $185 plus baggage on American Even when Southwest posts their flights for February, I doubt that they will be that cheap. We won't mind the 50 minute drive to the Sheraton Vistana and back to Tampa. For the two of us, that is a savings of $270.

 

[keishashadow]

i'm going to miss having AT in the mix for great fares once SWA merger is complete.

 

[tabby1881]

I agree with your Tampa feelings. We're going next April vacation, and the fares into MCO look like 365.00 pp from Boston to MCO. We're flying to Tampa instead, and it will be 240.00 pp. We're flying home from MCO. We've done the Tampa to Orlando ride before so I'm not worried.

 

[kochmd1]

How about using Amtrak from Tampa to Orlando? Is this good or not? $20 RT each person...

 

[kksmom92]

We are actually flying into Orlando and flying out of tampa and are excited to fly out of tampa. It was actually cheaper to fly into MCO than TPA so I checked flying into MCO and out of TPA and it was just a tad higher than flying in and out of MCO.

Then I checked car rentals and to rent a car one way (from MCO to TPA) was HALF the price as if we rented from MCO and back to MCO. Go figure! MCO = $618 for a full size, MCO-TPA = $309.21 For a full size!!!

 

[chartle]

How about using Amtrak from Tampa to Orlando? Is this good or not? $20 RT each person...

You will still need to get from the Tampa Airport to Tampa Amtrak then from the station in Orlando to WDW.

You have factor in these casts to see if its worth the money and the time.

 

[chartle]

Then I checked car rentals and to rent a car one way (from MCO to TPA) was HALF the price as if we rented from MCO and back to MCO. Go figure! MCO = $618 for a full size, MCO-TPA = $309.21 For a full size!!!

Probably because more cars go Tampa to MCO than the other way around.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

How about using Amtrak from Tampa to Orlando? Is this good or not? $20 RT each person...

And there is only 1 AMTRAK train per day in both directions. The one from Tampa to Orlando originates in Miami and should be on-time but the one from Orlando to Tampa originates in Washington DC and is notoriously late. Not a good idea.

Really, anyone already planning to rent a car should consider Tampa if the fares are favorable. Anyone looking to fly Allegiant into Sanford should consider St. Petersburg. But for anyone else, stick with MCO.

BobK/Orlando

 

[kochmd1]

You will still need to get from the Tampa Airport to Tampa Amtrak then from the station in Orlando to WDW.

You have factor in these casts to see if its worth the money and the time.

I am only using my Continental Onepass miles to travel, so I can't complain

I'm not sure if I can use the public transport from the airport to Amtrak, then taxi is a must. From Orlando Amtrak, I booked with Ed Korgan going 3 days to USO then 1 week at Shades of Green then back to Amtrak Orlando.

 

[kochmd1]

And there is only 1 AMTRAK train per day in both directions. The one from Tampa to Orlando originates in Miami and should be on-time but the one from Orlando to Tampa originates in Washington DC and is notoriously late. Not a good idea.

Really, anyone already planning to rent a car should consider Tampa if the fares are favorable. Anyone looking to fly Allegiant into Sanford should consider St. Petersburg. But for anyone else, stick with MCO.

BobK/Orlando

Going back to Tampa from Orlando on the 29th, fly out the next day. Even if it's late, we're booking an overnight stay at Hilton Garden Inn Tampa West.

How long is the drive each way if renting car? Fuel consumption?

 

[chartle]

Going back to Tampa from Orlando on the 29th, fly out the next day. Even if it's late, we're booking an overnight stay at Hilton Garden Inn Tampa West.

How long is the drive each way if renting car? Fuel consumption?

http://goo.gl/maps/yNrf

 

[Hillbeans]

We have done the flight into/out of Tampa a few times - only on longer trips when we would be renting a car. For shorter trips where you're staying on-site and using only WDW transportation it's a little cost prohibitive.

On past trips we've saved at least $400 and the airport is easy to navigate.