Port day at Canaveral, is Aquatica a good idea?

[lotusbogardi]

Hubby and I are arriving on the Pride on May 30th, docking from 7am to 7pm. My current plan is to rent a car and go to Aquatica until about 5pm, then head back. We have season passes to Sesame Place, so tickets will be half price for us. We're planning to eat there. It seems simple. Is there anything I'm overlooking? Road construction? Is this a sound plan?

[Jman1118]

Hubby and I are arriving on the Pride on May 30th, docking from 7am to 7pm. My current plan is to rent a car and go to Aquatica until about 5pm, then head back. We have season passes to Sesame Place, so tickets will be half price for us. We're planning to eat there. It seems simple. Is there anything I'm overlooking? Road construction? Is this a sound plan?

 

It will work. by the time you get to the park it will be about 9:00am which the park will have just opened. Leave 1-2 hours for travel time each way. The tolls between the port and Aquatica will run you about $3.25 in tolls. It is a straight shot on 528 (the beachline) to International drive. I have never been to Aquatica but I have heard good reviews.

[lotusbogardi]

Do the tolls take the ezpass, or should I have some actual money available?

[Jman1118]

Do the tolls take the ezpass, or should I have some actual money available?

 

They take SunPass and E-Pass only. I have a SunPass in my car so I just drive through without stopping. Since you are not from Florida you are going to need real money to pay the tolls as you will have to exit the expressway to use the toll booths. They have people who work toll booths and they have exact change buckets.

[lotusbogardi]

Thank you! Very good information to have. I'm really looking forward to this trip!

[jennmaybe]

Hubby and I are arriving on the Pride on May 30th, docking from 7am to 7pm. My current plan is to rent a car and go to Aquatica until about 5pm, then head back. We have season passes to Sesame Place, so tickets will be half price for us. We're planning to eat there. It seems simple. Is there anything I'm overlooking? Road construction? Is this a sound plan?

 

I would highly recommend you leave Aquatica before 5pm. It will take you a minimum of 1 hr driving time to get back to port. That is not taking into consideration 5pm rush hour traffic. Leaving at 5pm is way too close for me.

[lotusbogardi]

I would highly recommend you leave Aquatica before 5pm. It will take you a minimum of 1 hr driving time to get back to port. That is not taking into consideration 5pm rush hour traffic. Leaving at 5pm is way too close for me.

 

Is rush hour traffic very bad from Orlando to Port Canaveral?

[SuchAVirgo]

The traffic is a hit or miss. The beachline is only 2 lanes so if there is an accident you will be backed up.

 

Make sure you bring water shoes to aquatica or your feet will hurt.

[Jman1118]

Is rush hour traffic very bad from Orlando to Port Canaveral?

 

The traffic is not bad, but if there is an accident, 528 can get backed up fairly quickly so It would be best to leave two hours before you have to be on the ship to be safe.

[vavasmom]

Remember to allow for time to buy gas, return the car, and return to the port. We did a day at Aquatica from the Enchantment in April. We hit a little traffic and it took over an hour to get back to Coco Beach.

 

Here is a review of our day. As noted above EZ-Pass from the northeast does not work.

 

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=33363348&postcount=22

[lotusbogardi]

Thank you so much! Your review pretty much convinced me that it was a good idea, so long as we leave ourselves enough time. Hubby and I are REALLY looking forward to it now!

[Evilgrin72]

Is rush hour traffic very bad from Orlando to Port Canaveral?

 

No. I drive it every single day (live in Cocoa Beach and work in Orlando.) It takes me roughly 50 minutes to get to the port - my office is 5 minutes from Aquatica and I drive right past the port to get to my house. Unless there's a major wreck, you can leave Aquatica at 5:00 and have more than enough time to be back on board by 7:00.

 

Aquatica is a very nice park, I've been there roughly 25 times. Lazy river is great, 2 wave pools, lots of cool slides. Taumata Racer is my favorite.