Easiest way to get from Port Everglades to Orlando, either Airport or Disney

[myfuzzy]

We are planning on dis embarking at Port Everglades and traveling to Disney, was thinking of flying, but it seems not to have flights convenient to dis embarkation. I really don't want to drive, but looking into rentals from Ft Lauderdale airport to Orlando, with a 4 day rental seems high, but if we fly to Orlando, car rental is minimal. I sure could use some thoughts!

[Mom33]

First I would consider where I was staying in Orlando. If you stay on Disney property, you won't need a car at all and might want to compare the cost of driving a rental there as opposed to flying. If you will be off property, you will need a car. You will have to compare the costs of the rental and the flight and pick which would serve you better.:)

[AF-1]

Also check out flying from Miami; which is thirty minutes away. You could uber to Miami or West Palm beach; so they may have better connections. You are three hour drive to Disney.

[iriemon]

Also check out flying from Miami; which is thirty minutes away. You could uber to Miami or West Palm beach; so they may have better connections. You are three hour drive to Disney.

 

There is also the tolls which a lot of them now are unattended so you need to purchase a electronic pass. You can gt around most of them by taking 95 instead of the turnpike

[capriccio]

There is also the tolls which a lot of them now are unattended so you need to purchase a electronic pass. You can gt around most of them by taking 95 instead of the turnpike

 

Not really since 95 parallels the Atlantic coast. OP would still need to join the turnpike at Fort Pierce and incur tolls.

 

I still think a car rental is best and possibly fastest compared to taking a plane that requires you to be at the airport at least an hour in advance (with even longer lead times if you are going to Miami or West Palm Beach to catch a flight).

[Mom33]

Not really since 95 parallels the Atlantic coast. OP would still need to join the turnpike at Fort Pierce and incur tolls.

I still think a car rental is best and possibly fastest compared to taking a plane that requires you to be at the airport at least an hour in advance (with even longer lead times if you are going to Miami or West Palm Beach to catch a flight).

 

OP could still avoid tolls by taking Rt. 50 at the Titusville exit. We visit our son by this route. :D

[myfuzzy]

So, when factoring in lead time at the airport, votes say rental car? Is there any way to get from A to B on non toll roads? Then am I reading the the companies will pick you up at the pier? We have a hotel reserved in Winter Garden, but, depending on arrangements as we get closer we can look into rooms at Disney. Maybe we can just drive to Orlando and drop off the car and use their transportation. So many options....I feel like the movie Trains, Planes and Automobiles. I have also looked into Amtrak, but the times aren't good with dis embarkation.

[gbldcl]

We did this a few weeks ago. Used the Red Coach from FLL to Orlando. Worked great. There is more info posted on the Florida boards.

 

 

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[Sea Day Cruiser]

What is the Red Coach?

[AF-1]

If you stay inside Disney Property at one of their hotels; you can take their transportation to and from airport. I do not know if they pick up at Rental car lot. Suggest you go over to Florida boards; there are a lot of people who live in Orlando and Cape Canaveral who can answer your question.

Edited March 30, 2016 by AF-1

[myfuzzy]

Thanks for the idea of going to the Florida boards, but not finding too much info. You folks are helping me a lot here. I will probable need a few "rest" stops. Anything on the road, or do you have to exit to get to restaurants?

 

Again thank you in advance for all the help that has been offered. It is really appreciated.

[LeeW]

Three to three and a half hour drive. Several car companies will pick you up at the pier (although those going to off-airport facilities are going to have a line since they are small and handling your whole bus at once). On-airport have an access fee added to the rental. In our case we picked up the car early and were still at Disney before we could check into our hotel.

 

Tolls on the tollway are not a problem - all the car companies have Sunpass transponders in their cars. You will get a separate charge later, plus about a $4 charge for each day you use the toll roads. Remember that Disney to the airport also is probably on a toll road. Do NOT buy gas just north of the airport since several stations there charge huge markups.

 

Also check your hotel to see if it has Disney transportation and maybe a checkin for your rental car.

 

Toll road has full gas/food rest stops on it, usually in the median. It is fairly common for flights to/from Orlando to be cheaper than Ft Lauderdale/Miami.

[capriccio]

The Florida Turnpike's official website (http://www.floridasturnpike.com/) will provide you with lots of info on rest stop locations and tolls. I-95 rest areas can be found on the I-95 exit guide website (http://www.i95exitguide.com/rest-areas/florida-rest-areas/).

[gbldcl]

What is the Red Coach?

 

 

http://www.redcoachusa.com/

[waltd]

Three to three and a half hour drive. Several car companies will pick you up at the pier (although those going to off-airport facilities are going to have a line since they are small and handling your whole bus at once). On-airport have an access fee added to the rental. In our case we picked up the car early and were still at Disney before we could check into our hotel.

 

Tolls on the tollway are not a problem - all the car companies have Sunpass transponders in their cars. You will get a separate charge later, plus about a $4 charge for each day you use the toll roads. Remember that Disney to the airport also is probably on a toll road. Do NOT buy gas just north of the airport since several stations there charge huge markups.

 

Also check your hotel to see if it has Disney transportation and maybe a checkin for your rental car.

 

Toll road has full gas/food rest stops on it, usually in the median. It is fairly common for flights to/from Orlando to be cheaper than Ft Lauderdale/Miami.

 

If renting a car please be sure to ask about the tolls, especially in Florida. Some of the cheaper car rentals forget to tell you that yes you will get charged at a future date for the tolls that can amount to just a few cents each toll but they use an outside company to bill you and the service charge they tack on can be as much as $15 for each toll. It happened to us in Fort Lauderdale/Miami. Just make sure you ask about tolls before you sign on the dotted line.

[knbcruisers]

Mears is another large bus company providing all kinds of shuttles and transfers. Is there a reason you are staying in Winter Garden? ....that really isn't in the main tourist areas.

[Cruisecrazy25]

You could also take 595 to Hwy 27 to avoid tolls. It will bring you up to either 192 or I4, depending on where your hotel is :) The worst part of living in Florida is the toll roads!

[Dawniepoo]

Most of the tolls on the turnpike are manned tolls. you can pay cash at these. As long as you stay on the turnpike you should have no problems paying at the time. There are a few smaller exits that are not manned and they will say exact change needed or give you a warning sign that you need E-pass. No need to purchase a transponder sticker. Mom22 gave great advice about staying on Disney property. You will absolutely need a car if you are staying at an outside hotel. Winter Garden is a little ways from Disney, so a car is needed.

[myfuzzy]

Actually, I booked the Springhill Suites some time ago. It is a new hotel just opened. We got an excellent rate, because it wasn't opened when I booked, I could get no location on mapquest. Then I found it was away from Disney, I thought it was by Disney Springs, when in fact, it was way the other way. Once Disney has specials for the fall, I will check rates then, my daughter and family are going in May, so when they come back, maybe they can give us ideas where to stay. I live right off the New York 90. Luckily I never have to go on it.

[mistycruiser]

We've driven a rental car between Orlando and FLL. Check the prices for rental cars on Costco Travel or AAA if you're members of them. We've found they

are normally cheaper than others and once you've booked it keep checking the prices because sometimes they even go back down so I cancel and rebook.

At Orlando the rental car return is at the airport so it's easy peasy to drop the car off and the rental car center at FLL is attached to terminal 1.

We've found Alamo to be cheaper on the per day transponder charge than others have been. You can check the transponder charges on the rental cars website to see what each charges. Also, we usually pay for the tank of gas when we pick up the car if we're going a fair distance because it's easier than finding a gas station on the return and we try to return the car as close to fumes as we can . :D

[myfuzzy]

We've driven a rental car between Orlando and FLL. Check the prices for rental cars on Costco Travel or AAA if you're members of them. We've found they

are normally cheaper than others and once you've booked it keep checking the prices because sometimes they even go back down so I cancel and rebook.

At Orlando the rental car return is at the airport so it's easy peasy to drop the car off and the rental car center at FLL is attached to terminal 1.

We've found Alamo to be cheaper on the per day transponder charge than others have been. You can check the transponder charges on the rental cars website to see what each charges. Also, we usually pay for the tank of gas when we pick up the car if we're going a fair distance because it's easier than finding a gas station on the return and we try to return the car as close to fumes as we can . :D

 

Last year in Orlando, we used Alamo, got a good price for an SUV for 9 days, used the Entertainment book coupon, so now I have the word out to the family...looking for discount car rental coupons.

[MJSailors]

We have spent winters in Florida near the Ft Pierce area and have visited Disney World several times while staying at our condo on Hutchinson Island.

It would be a three to three and a half hour drive from the port to Disney World.

You can drive I-95 which follows the coast, then go west when you reach the Titusville or Daytona area.

There are no rest stops per se on I-95.

You need to get off on an exit for food and fuel.

The Turnpike is more direct.

I know that you can pick it up at Ft Pierce from I-95.

There maybe places further south where you can get on the turnpike,but I am not certain about that. There are designated rest stops on the turnpike where you do not have to exit for food or fuel.

I agree with other posters that Winter Garden is not a convenient location for visiting Disney World.

It is a drive with traffic congestion at times. A great hotel rate does not compensate for time spent driving or dealing with traffic -IMHO.

I would consider staying at the Hilton Bonnet Creek hotel or the Wyndham resort complex ,both located right outside the Disney property ,near Disney"s Caribbean Beach resort. The rates at these hotels may be more reasonable than a Disney Resort hotel.

The Hilton Bonnet Creek provides shuttle service to the Disney Parks.

You could turn the car into the airport and get a cab to the Bonnet Creek area.

I do not think flying from Ft.Lauderdale or Miami would really be that convenient for you.

You may find that you spend more time on the ground ,than in the air,dealing with cabs to the airport,going through security and waiting in the terminal for your flight.

Whatever way you decide to get from the port to Disney World, I hope you enjoy your vacation!

[debbie35]

My wife and I just got off a cruise at Pt. Everglades and we live in Orlando so here is my 2 cents:

- rent a car and save time and money vs flying.

- it's about a 3 ½ hour ride to Orlando.

- take 95 to Ft. Pierce exit then follow signs to Florida Turnpike. You'll save in tolls doing it this way.

- after Easter holiday Disney experiences some drops in traffic. There might be some good deals on Priceline. Also, I believe there are some new hotels that are just opening near the Disney west gate. These hotels are right off highway 429.

- if you're not staying on a Disney property you will need a car.

- cheap gas is available inside Disney at a station near Hollywood Studios. I live in Winter Garden and we visit Disney about 2 times a month. This is where we purchase our gas.

- EPCOT is currently holding is flower and garden show. Don't miss this but know in advance that the wonderful ride, "Sornin" is currently closed.

[MJSailors]

PS

The Florida Tpk.

does have long stretches without exits/rest areas.

There is a rest area between Ft Pierce and Orlando. It is near Ft Drumm. This area is very clean, with a number of choices of food counters and fuel. Neat bathrooms too.

We just drove that stretch of the Tpk. this past February,so this is recent info.

The speed limit goes up to 70 mph. It is a two lane road ,basically straight without too many curves.

There are trailer trucks,but not as many as on I-95 ( IMO ).

The road goes through ranch and orange grove property.

I didn't mind the drive.

The Orlando area is another situation.

It has become very developed and there is a great deal of traffic.

That is the reason I suggest that you choose a hotel close to the Disney Parks.

[myfuzzy]

I can't thank everyone enough for the information give to me here. Some people post questions.....maybe just because they can, but I am reading each post with anticipated success upon finding my destination with ease.

 

You are most helpful in making my vacation the best it can be, and believe me I DO appreciate it. NOW...finding the car rental place and finding my way through Ft Lauderdale to the interstate.........:)