MCO to Jacksonville, I-4 or 417?

[Donna M]

I love being able to get information from locals when I'm not there.

We arrive into MCO at 11:30 am on a Friday and will be heading right up to JAX before our Disney vacation. Would you recommend heading over to I-4 or taking 417? About how much will the tolls be on 417 if we go that way? Will it be a more relaxed drive compared to I-4?

 

[OKW Lover]

At that time of day you would be fine on I-4 through Orlando. However, since you are at the airport and want to go to Jacksonville, getting to I-4 is a little more complicated. It makes more sense to take the north exit out of the airport and get on 528 (Beach Line) east to 417 North. Stay on 417 until you hit I-4.

 

[Capt_BJ]

well you are going to end up on I-4 either way, which will take you as far as Daytona and then you'll continue north in I-95 to JAX

So the question is how to get from the airport to I-4

either way you'll exit the airport to the north and get on the Beachline SR-528 which is a toll road.

you can go west to the end of 528 and it you'll be at I-4 and your tolls should be $2.25 (if I'm using the toll calculator correctly). You'll be south of Orlando and be taking I-4 thru it's most conjested part . . . but you are mid day . . .

or

you can go east on 528 and pickup 417 north which will join I-4 in Sanford missing all of downtown Orlando. Tolls this way will be $4.25 tho. This is the way I'd go however as the 417 drive is almost always less stress than I-4 thru the city IMO/E


https://www.oocea.com/TravelersExpressways/TravelResources/TollCalculator.aspx

http://maps.google.com/?ll=28.591154,-81.235657&spn=0.478108,0.617294&t=m&z=11

and YES you can pay cash at the tolls, get a roll of quarters and you'll be fine. On 417 know that the cash lanes are always to the RIGHT and may look like an exit ramp . . .

 

[Donna M]

[/QUOTE]

and YES you can pay cash at the tolls, get a roll of quarters and you'll be fine. On 417 know that the cash lanes are always to the RIGHT and may look like an exit ramp . . .[/QUOTE]

Thanks for all the info...
Another question... We usually take 417 to WDW; are there exact change lanes, I can't remember? Is that the reason for the roll of quarters?

 

[Capt_BJ]

best answer I have for that is "sometimes" ... the old plazas on 528 west of the airport do .... the 417 plazas are set off from the "thru" lanes so I can't really say

depends on the size of the plaza but frankly I use a Sunpass so I don't pay much attention. IF you can use exact change, it WILL be faster. I've seen the cash lanes with queues of 15 to 20 cars. Now I know that's only 4 or 5 minutes typically, but it SEEMS like a year if I'M in the line. A bag of quarters can make a difference!

 

[travelcoupons]

I'm a local (Daytona).

If your going North from MCO, the best way, hands down is to exit the airport North on Semoran turn right onto 528, then take 417 (toll) north to where it merges with I-4 near Sanford. It's roughly about $5 in tolls. You won't need a roll or quarters for that route because all the toll plaza's have attendants, BUT I always carry quarters in case you have to exit early (flat tire, emergency, etc.) as some exits are unattended and you will need quarters if exiting early.

Coming back south, use 417 if your going to the airport, otherwise I find it easier to use I-4 if going to Disney from Daytona or Jacksonville, although some prefer the longer & less congested 417 toll road.

 

[Donna M]

I'm a local (Daytona).

If your going North from MCO, the best way, hands down is to exit the airport North on Semoran turn right onto 528, then take 417 (toll) north to where it merges with I-4 near Sanford. It's roughly about $5 in tolls. You won't need a roll or quarters for that route because all the toll plaza's have attendants, BUT I always carry quarters in case you have to exit early (flat tire, emergency, etc.) as some exits are unattended and you will need quarters if exiting early.

Coming back south, use 417 if your going to the airport, otherwise I find it easier to use I-4 if going to Disney from Daytona or Jacksonville, although some prefer the longer & less congested 417 toll road.

Thanks, sounds like 417 is the way to go north. We will be heading to WDW after JAX, and it seems like I-4 would be best in that case. After I thought about it, we like to get receipts at the tolls in case of a discrepancy with payment.

Thanks everybody.

 

[WIDisneyFan]

I'm a local (Daytona).

If your going North from MCO, the best way, hands down is to exit the airport North on Semoran turn right onto 528, then take 417 (toll) north to where it merges with I-4 near Sanford. It's roughly about $5 in tolls. You won't need a roll or quarters for that route because all the toll plaza's have attendants, BUT I always carry quarters in case you have to exit early (flat tire, emergency, etc.) as some exits are unattended and you will need quarters if exiting early.

Coming back south, use 417 if your going to the airport, otherwise I find it easier to use I-4 if going to Disney from Daytona or Jacksonville, although some prefer the longer & less congested 417 toll road.

Not a local but have family in Orlando and this is exactly what we do.