Tampa airport hotel

[lynnfitz]

Hi, we were thinking to get a jump on our vacation, we check in to Bay Lake on a Monday. We leave from a small airport in NY, so our flights are limited. Instead of flying out Monday, we can fly out Sunday into TPA. getting into Tampa around 7pm. My thought was, then staying at the Marriott at the airport, then head out to Disney Monday. Has anyone done this, looking for thoughts on this idea. We would wait until after rush hour to head out to Disney, but then we gain all of Monday. We would stop and do our grocery shopping before checking into Bay Lake. What do you think?
Thanks~

 

[sam_gordon]

Hi, we were thinking to get a jump on our vacation, we check in to Bay Lake on a Monday. We leave from a small airport in NY, so our flights are limited. Instead of flying out Monday, we can fly out Sunday into TPA. getting into Tampa around 7pm. My thought was, then staying at the Marriott at the airport, then head out to Disney Monday. Has anyone done this, looking for thoughts on this idea. We would wait until after rush hour to head out to Disney, but then we gain all of Monday. We would stop and do our grocery shopping before checking into Bay Lake. What do you think?
Thanks~

My thought? I like the idea, but I would get on the road toward Disney. Even waiting for luggage and getting your rental car, I would anticipate leaving TPA around 8pm. You could be in the "Disney Area" by 9:30p. That would mean less of a drive Monday, AND not dealing with Tampa Monday morning traffic (no idea how bad it is, but Sunday night should be a LOT less).

Assuming you have another adult or older teen with you, I'd have them jump on the phone as you leave TPA and start looking for hotels. If your flight is late or your extra tired, THEN I'd look in the immediate area.

 

[SteveH]

We did something similar, but like @sam_gordon suggested I'd hit the road, we stayed up at the SpringHIll Suites at Flamingo Crossing, stores nearby and easy drive the next morning to our resort.

 

[lynnfitz]

Thanks! Appreciate your thoughts! Any thoughts or suggestions for car rental at Tampa? We use Alamo at Orlando and do the skip the counter option. Do you know if that’s an option in Tampa? Thanks

 

[sam_gordon]

Thanks! Appreciate your thoughts! Any thoughts or suggestions for car rental at Tampa? We use Alamo at Orlando and do the skip the counter option. Do you know if that’s an option in Tampa? Thanks

I'm pretty sure it is. You should be able to find out when you're researching/making reservations. We used Hertz earlier in February and had no issues.

Just so you know... (assuming you have checked luggage)... after you tram to the main terminal, you'll need to go down one level to baggage claim, get your bags, then go back up two(?) levels (follow signs) to a monorail station. The monorail will first stop at long term parking then continue to the rental car facility. Assuming you can skip the counter, follow the signs to the appropriate garage for your rental agency (different agencies are on different levels of the garage). Go pick out your car.

After you exit the garage itself, there is a little pull off that you can use to set your GPS before you get on the streets.

 

[lynnfitz]

great, thank you, good to know! I was there several times when I was a kid, many years ago, lol! Funny you mentioned the GPS, it's almost like a standing joke with me and my DH. I write down what road we have to get to first leaving MCO since the GPS doesn't work in the garage. We learned that lesson a few years ago leaving the parking garage and the GPS didn't work for a bit, didn't know which way to go! Plus, there is so much road construction going on, we never seem to remember which way to head-

 

[Stratman50th]

If you want to get a couple miles (about an hour) down the road there's a bunch of hotels on Socrum Loop Rd, as well as an Applebee's and a Cracker Barrell. Heading east on 4 you have to pass it then get off and clover leaf. Backtrack about a half mile. There's a Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, LaQuinta and another I think.
When you leave, you end up paralleling I-4 for a bit before getting back on. If you skip that on ramp and go about 3 lights down there's a Publix close by.
We live about 10 minutes east of there and at that point you're about 30 minutes from Disney Property.

 

[Mle8308]

We did something similar, but like @sam_gordon suggested I'd hit the road, we stayed up at the SpringHIll Suites at Flamingo Crossing, stores nearby and easy drive the next morning to our resort.

I agree, there are some nice new hotels in Flamingo Crossing as well as a Target. And the rates are extremely reasonable!

 

[1GoldenSun]

I agree with the previous posters. I live in Tampa and have made this drive hundreds of times. The drive to Disney (or close to it) on a Sunday night will be easy-peasy (barring the unforseen), but Monday morning will be a different story altogether.

Editing to add that Tampa traffic is terrible and you would be in the absolute thick of it driving from the airport.

 

[lynnfitz]

Thanks everyone! Now we're re-thinking, we can fly to St Pete airport (I believe I read it's alittle further than Tampa), but the flight gets in Sunday around 2pm. I just think that's a better time for us, then we would definitely drive directly to Disney and not have to stay over until Monday. I know the traffic on Monday is going to be awful, so we would have to wait until after rush hour, so I thought if we few into St Pete we could be at Disney Sunday late afternoon. We're just concerned if the flight into Tampa gets delayed at all, we'd be driving in the dark to Disney which we're not fans of night driving.

 

[sam_gordon]

Thanks everyone! Now we're re-thinking, we can fly to St Pete airport (I believe I read it's alittle further than Tampa), but the flight gets in Sunday around 2pm. I just think that's a better time for us, then we would definitely drive directly to Disney and not have to stay over until Monday. I know the traffic on Monday is going to be awful, so we would have to wait until after rush hour, so I thought if we few into St Pete we could be at Disney Sunday late afternoon. We're just concerned if the flight into Tampa gets delayed at all, we'd be driving in the dark to Disney which we're not fans of night driving.

By any chance is the airline that you would take to St Pete a low cost carrier? Sprint, Frontier, Allegient? I would be concerned on those airlines. As long as everything goes fine, you're in good shape (and more than likely it will be fine). However, if there's a problem, they can't pivot as well as a "main line" airline.

The St Pete airport will probably add about 30-45 minutes onto the drive, but because of the size, you may be able to get your bags and into your rental car sooner.