Using ME but want to go to Tampa for a few days - ideas needed!

[Suzanne74]

We are flying into MCO and using Disney Magical Express. We will be there for 8-9 days and would like to go to Clearwater for 3 nights following. I am trying to avoid a rental car the whole time and I would like to fly home from Tampa as the flights are about $20 cheaper pp. I am looking to see if I should look into a rental car for 4 days from Disney and dropping off at Tampa airport. Maybe a towncar or limo would be better? We won't need the car once we are in Clearwater. It will be 4 of us, my youngest would need a full booster at the least (she will be 4.) Feel like a service is our best bet.

Has anyone ever done something like this. Looking for suggestions.

Thanks!

 

[sam_gordon]

We are flying into MCO and using Disney Magical Express. We will be there for 8-9 days and would like to go to Clearwater for 3 nights following. I am trying to avoid a rental car the whole time and I would like to fly home from Tampa as the flights are about $20 cheaper pp. I am looking to see if I should look into a rental car for 4 days from Disney and dropping off at Tampa airport. Maybe a towncar or limo would be better? We won't need the car once we are in Clearwater. It will be 4 of us, my youngest would need a full booster at the least (she will be 4.) Feel like a service is our best bet.

Has anyone ever done something like this. Looking for suggestions.

Thanks!

I think renting a car, even if just for a day, will be MUCH cheaper than a car service. Pick it up at one of the numerous locations in/around WDW and return at Tampa airport.

 

[goofy4tink]

I love flying out of Tampa!!! My ds lives there, so it's one of the places I head to . I would recommend taking DME back to MCO and then renting a car there, heading to Tampa/Clearwater, keeping the car, and then returning it at Tampa International on your departure day. I have done just that thing due to being able to get a better rate at MCO vs closer to WDW.

You said you won't need the car once you are in Clearwater, but how are you planning on getting around and then back to TPA?

 

[sam_gordon]

I love flying out of Tampa!!! My ds lives there, so it's one of the places I head to . I would recommend taking DME back to MCO and then renting a car there, heading to Tampa/Clearwater, keeping the car, and then returning it at Tampa International on your departure day. I have done just that thing due to being able to get a better rate at MCO vs closer to WDW.

How much money do you save to justify spending an hour (at least) of time taking ME to MCO, then driving past Disney again on the way to Tampa?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would rent a car.

Alamo is onsite
Avis is at the Hilton at DTD
Dollar is at the Wyndham at DTD.

 

[Greysword]

If you are dead set on not driving yourself and want to save some money (but not time), I would look into a three leg air trip.

Many airlines allow stop overs and open jaws. Arriving in Orlando and leaving from Tampa is considered an open jaw, since there is a break in the airports.

However depending on the number of legs to get you to/from Florida, you may be able to fly to MCO, have a stopover (a very long layover - usually at least 3 hour or more), then "continue" on your trip to Tampa, which is your intended destination on the ticket. Spend your three days there, then take the return trip back to your home airport.

Of course, the reverse may be more advantageous (MCO as the destination, return home via TPA with a stopover). Routing rules will apply, so read the airline terms & conditions. However, it is possible the whole trip would cost the same (or slightly more) than an open jaw ticket.

Of course, you'd be burning extra time in the flight to Tampa, but it may satisfy your prime requirement (no driving) while adding little additional cost.

Personally, I would (and do) rent a car

 

[goofy4tink]

How much money do you save to justify spending an hour (at least) of time taking ME to MCO, then driving past Disney again on the way to Tampa?

I had to go to MCO anyway, to pick up my dd and bring her with us to the wedding in Tampa. So, it worked out even better that I got a better rate at MCO than at the Dolphin.
This particular time, it was a lot cheaper...I even took a towncar back to MCO since I was staying at the Swan at the time. Even with that addtl cost, it was still a bit cheaper to rent at MCO. It would have been a lot cheaper to rent there if I hadn't had to pay for the car service!!!

 

[Suzanne74]

Thanks all. I would need a carseat though with a rental. At the very least a full back booster. She is still in a 5pt harness now. I know towncar services provide that for you. I thought rental car places did not. I will NOT lug a carseat thru airlines and keep it in the hotel just for a one way trip.

I also appreciate the suggestion about going back to MCO but that would be a huge waste of time for me. We still aren't sure whether we are going straight to Tampa the morning of checkout or going to one last park or DTD for shopping. So it is tough planning.

The other concern is even if I do a rental for one day. The time it would take for me to get the car, pack it up and head to Tampa. Drop it off and pay for a taxi or something else to get me back to Clearwater. I realize my husband could do it both ends alone while pick up/dropping us off but it still eats time.

If we did a towncar service for one way from Orlando to Clearwater, I would also get one to the Tampa airport on our last day. That is only about $40-45.

My other thought if we did get a rental and keep it in Clearwater is I would probably have to pay daily to keep in hotel parking? I haven't looked into that yet.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I really need to research this. Hoping I can find someone who already did.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks all. I would need a carseat though with a rental. At the very least a full back booster. She is still in a 5pt harness now. I know towncar services provide that for you. I thought rental car places did not. I will NOT lug a carseat thru airlines and keep it in the hotel just for a one way trip.

I also appreciate the suggestion about going back to MCO but that would be a huge waste of time for me. We still aren't sure whether we are going straight to Tampa the morning of checkout or going to one last park or DTD for shopping. So it is tough planning.

The other concern is even if I do a rental for one day. The time it would take for me to get the car, pack it up and head to Tampa. Drop it off and pay for a taxi or something else to get me back to Clearwater. I realize my husband could do it both ends alone while pick up/dropping us off but it still eats time.

If we did a towncar service for one way from Orlando to Clearwater, I would also get one to the Tampa airport on our last day. That is only about $40-45.

My other thought if we did get a rental and keep it in Clearwater is I would probably have to pay daily to keep in hotel parking? I haven't looked into that yet.

Thanks for the suggestions.

I really need to research this. Hoping I can find someone who already did.

Car service, from Orlando to Tampa, is going to be very expensive. There really is no quick/easy/cheap way to do what you want to do. It is going to take time to pack up and leave..no matter what. It is going to take time away from the parks. Most rental car companies will give you the option of a car seat. Will it cost more? Probably.
But all in all? You, most likely, aren't going to be able to do this cheaply or quickly. Just the nature of the beast, so to speak. If there were to be a cheap and easy way to get from Orlando to Tampa??? I would really like to know about it since I am always having to rent cars to get over to see my ds! And it usually isn't particularly cheap!!