Yet the ? once again

[MinnieVanMom]

I have rented a car and will need to get to MCO from Beach Club to pick up our weekend guest.

How do I get to the airport? How much money should I bring for tolls? Is there a parking area for people waiting for flights to land? Is it worth it to get a prepaid pass for the tolls for 4 trips to and from the airport?

We have never had a car before and now have it because I just don't want to get up at 3 am on two days. We use ME and love the service.

 

[Tara]

I have rented a car and will need to get to MCO from Beach Club to pick up our weekend guest.

How do I get to the airport? How much money should I bring for tolls? Is there a parking area for people waiting for flights to land? Is it worth it to get a prepaid pass for the tolls for 4 trips to and from the airport?

We have never had a car before and now have it because I just don't want to get up at 3 am on two days. We use ME and love the service.

I always use 417 to get to and from the airport. It's easy and the tolls are $2.50 each way. From Beach Club, exit the resort turning right at the gate onto Epcot Resorts Blvd. At the next intersection, turn left onto Buena Vista Dr. From there, watch for signs for the airport. You'll turn right onto Epcot Center Rd/World Center Dr/SR 536 - that will take you straight to 417. From there it's about 15 minutes or so - the airport is the Boggy Creek Road exit.

And yes, there is a cell phone lot at the airport where you can wait for your guest to call and let you know which door they're at.

We have the portable transponder so we don't have to fool with tolls - it's $25 and we love the little beep as we zoom through the high-speed toll gates.

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Thanks Tara!

I don't know if buying the transponder is worth it since it will only be $10 total for our trips? Is there a pre paid pass? That discounts the tolls?

 

[Tara]

Thanks Tara!

I don't know if buying the transponder is worth it since it will only be $10 total for our trips? Is there a pre paid pass? That discounts the tolls?

There is a pass that you can get for $4.99 - it isn't pre-paid in that you do have to put money on it. It does discount tolls (just like the portable transponder does) but you have to stick it directly to the windshield of the car. It can be ordered online just like the transponder can.

Another option would be to use the toll pass option through your rental company if available, though it will be just as much as the tolls, I believe, if not more.

Also, you might find with the rental car that you end up going offsite when you didn't plan to, so you might use more tolls than you think. And once you rent a car, you might decide you want to do that for future trips, making the portable transponder a better deal over time. YMMV, clearly.

 

[Detailor]

The other, less expensive option without having to deal with transponders or pre-purchasing and loading passes, would be to take SR 528 (the Beachline) to and from the North exit of the airport (you'd take the South exit to SR 417). A little easier to get from the airport to the highway and only $1.75 in tolls each way. This route is also a mile or two shorter from the airport to the Beach Club than taking 417 so you'll save a few cents on gas money, too.

Same general directions from BC but you'd get on I-4 East shortly after you get onto SR 536 and go about 5 or six miles to exit 72 (SR 528) to the airport.

Dick Taylor

 

[Tara]

The other, less expensive option without having to deal with transponders or pre-purchasing and loading passes, would be to take SR 528 (the Beachline) to and from the North exit of the airport (you'd take the South exit to SR 417). A little easier to get from the airport to the highway and only $1.75 in tolls each way. This route is also a mile or two shorter from the airport to the Beach Club than taking 417 so you'll save a few cents on gas money, too.

Same general directions from BC but you'd get on I-4 East shortly after you get onto SR 536 and go about 5 or six miles to exit 72 (SR 528) to the airport.

Dick Taylor

After plenty of non-Disney visits (family in Orlando), I avoid I-4 at all costs. 417 is slightly longer, but there's never any serious traffic.

 

[Detailor]

After plenty of non-Disney visits (family in Orlando), I avoid I-4 at all costs. 417 is slightly longer, but there's never any serious traffic.

Yep. I was in the same place as you about five or six years ago in using 417 exclusively because there always seemed to be more traffic clogging travel on 528 and I-4 (we'd gotten pretty used to using Turkey Lake Road to go from the SeaWorld area or Lake Buena Vista to Universal Studios instead of I-4 but even that doesn't seem necessary anymore as I-4 has become quicker for some reason). But over the past three or four years I've not found 528/I-4 to be a problem except for sometimes during the rush hour (I-4 east toward downtown Orlando in the morning and I-4 west during the early evening). With all the widening work completed on 528 and the improvement of the SunPass flow it's made a big difference along that stretch between the airport and I-4.

Dick Taylor

 

[paults]

I have rented a car and will need to get to MCO from Beach Club to pick up our weekend guest.

How do I get to the airport? How much money should I bring for tolls? Is there a parking area for people waiting for flights to land? Is it worth it to get a prepaid pass for the tolls for 4 trips to and from the airport?

We have never had a car before and now have it because I just don't want to get up at 3 am on two days. We use ME and love the service.

Is the guest staying at beach club with you , if so just sign them up for DME and let the bus bring them to BC.