Traffic in Tampa at 3:30 p.m.

[SusanSeng]

We are flying into Tampa at 3:00 p.m. on Friday June 2. By the time we get our luggage and car rental, we are hoping to be on the road by 4:00. What should we expect for traffic? I know it will bad, but how bad? Does anyone have any ideas on what we could do in Tampa to avoid traffic or should we just get on the road and know we are headed to WDW!!

Thanks for your advice!

 

[DVC-Don]

Been a couple of years but I recall awful traffic in Tampa and out at the airport in the mid to late afternoon. Sorry.

 

[PolyPal]

Just did this trip 2 weeks ago. You will likely be in heavy to bumper-to-bumper crawling from the airport to I-4. The good news is that almost all of the construction on I-4 from Tampa to Disney is completed. The construction resumes just as you approach the Mickey Mouse shaped high tension electical wire tower on the north side of I-4.

 

[RichieGraciemom]

how long does it take to get from the airport do wdw. we are thining of booking from newark or philly to tampa, alot cheaper, but if it going to be a big headache I dont want that. thanks for any help.

 

[cabmom]

You will find traffic heavy from the Tampa Airport to the I4 cutoff. It's unbearable slow. I think it took us at least a 1/2 hour. It's bumper to bumper and that part of I75 is not that great.
We found the trip from Orlando to Tampa to be smooth sailing at night around 9pm.

Have a great trip!

M.

 

[ADisneygirl]

Yes, sorry to say but traffic will be heavy -- bumber to bumper at that time of day going toward I4. It is a heavily travelled corridor and is on the news almost nightly as the traffic helicoptors report the delays they see. Not only is it airport traffic but at your time of day it is go home from work traffic.

If you had no traffic it is about 1 - 1 1/2 hours straight to Disney from there. With traffic you are looking at 2 solid hours at least.