Melbourne airport

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

Has anyone flown into/out of Melbourne ? We have done Sanford before, wasn't sure if it was a comparable experience. Tia

 

[nacho113]

Has anyone flown into/out of Melbourne ? We have done Sanford before, wasn't sure if it was a comparable experience. Tia

It's pretty tiny, smaller than Sanford.
About a 90 minute drive from WDW.
Due to smaller fleets and less competition, rental car prices are usually pretty high (double or triple those compared to renting at MCO)

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

So rental car costs may negate flight savings. That stinks.

 

[FCDub]

You should price out the entire trip (flight AND rental car) for Sanford, Melbourne and Orlando before making a decision, as prices will vary all the time.

 

[nacho113]

So rental car costs may negate flight savings. That stinks.

I would definitely price out the car rental both ways, it could make a huge difference in your budget.
You didn't say when you are planning to travel or what kind of vehicle you need but;
I just did a quick check on a minivan rental for the first week of July (1st-8th):
MCO - $430
SFB - $435
MLB - $680
The car rentals are cheaper but currently looks like it's costing 50-70% more to rent out of MLB compared to SFB or MCO. YMMV depending on your dates and vehicle preference.
Plus, don't forget to factor in the longer drive time, tolls and extra fuel costs.
Although...Melbourne does have a nice beach...could be a nice way to start the vacation with a day or 2 at the beach before moving to WDW

 

[MomofDisneyLoversx3]

We are going the last week in June through July 2. The drive time doesn't bother me; we are starting our trip at Universal. The price of the rental does though.....yikes.

 

[jdisnut]

You should price out the entire trip (flight AND rental car) for Sanford, Melbourne and Orlando before making a decision, as prices will vary all the time.

I'd also add Tampa to this list. It's an 80-minute drive from the airport to the Epcot parking lot.

 

[stormer]

We flew into Melbourne two weeks ago. The flight was $129 a person as opposed to $529 a person into Orlando because it was President's weekend. We did pay more for the rental car, but it was worth it. The airport was really nice, very small. The rental car counter was right next to the baggage claim. The drive took us almost 90 minutes. If the plane tickets were a lot cheaper I would definitely do it again.