Florida turnpike to Port Everglads

[mattR]

We will be at Disney for a couple days before our Zuiderdam cruise on Dec 11th. How dose the toll system work on this hyw? How much will it cost approx from Universal Studios to Port Everglades?

[KAKcruiser]

I think it is about $10. There is a toll booth shortly after you leave Orlando where you pick up a ticket and another one about 20 miles before Fort Lauderdale in Lake Worth where you pay the bulk of the toll. Then there is another toll booth about 2 exits before Port Everglades for a small fee.

[tommy]

We took it in Oct. it was 13.50 at the end going north and were we got on in FT Lauderdale it was a small toll.It was worth the money for us. TOM

[mattR]

So I get the tickets on the freeway itself and not on the entrance/exits of it? Just don't want to miss anything. About 15 years ago my dad got charged for driving a long way on a toll road as he missed taking a ticket somewhere and we were only on th etoll road for a few miles. It wasn't a good way to start the holiday:(

[tommy]

Its a toll gate you have to stop.they do move really good [fast] on the turnpike. TOM

[mattR]

Do they have signage for hotels off the turnpike near Ft Lauderdale?

[johnnycruise]

If you want to save money, take the Bee Line Expressway (minimal toll) east from Orlando to I-95. That will increase your trip time by about 35 minutes. From either I-95 or the FL Turnpike you will take I-595 East toward Fort Lauderdale Airport and Port Everglades.

[scluvsrain]

So how long is the drive from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale/Port Everglades? Toll versus "regular" way???

[peaches from georgia]

If you want to save money, take the Bee Line Expressway (minimal toll) east from Orlando to I-95. That will increase your trip time by about 35 minutes. .

Avoiding I-95 is worth whatever $$$ it takes. From Daytona to FLL I-95 can be a construction/traffic/accident ahead/one lane next 5 miles nightmare and increase your time 3 hours and 35 minutes easy. :eek:

[mixer911]

Yes, Avoid I-95 at all costs! I live in the west palm area, in between Orlando and Ft lauderdale. The traffic is bumper to bumper from west palm to boca (about 20 miles). Alot of construction in this area. It will take you from 45 mins to 2 hours to get through that congestion

[mattR]

Plan on taking the turnpike just wondering if they have good signage for hotels right off the turnpike? Driving south for a couple hours after Disney on Friday night.

[peaches from georgia]

MattR- Get a reservation book at your local Holiday Inn, Holiday Express, Hampton, Days Inn, etc. and take a look where there are hotels on the Turnpike and make a reservation now.

[Aggie92]

Matt,

 

We drive the Florida Turnpike every year to Port Everglades. There is very little signage on this road. Basically all you are going to see are exit signs and turnpike rest stop signs. Also, between Orlando and Port St. Lucie it is very rural. If you are planning on stopping for the night, I would definitely know where the hotel of your choice is located ahead of time.

 

Nikki

[mattR]

Didn't want to pick a stoping point as it all depends what time we get out of Disney and how tierd I am. I guess I will try to research a few exits along the way to see what is handy.

[pamcdon]

Is most of the construction around Jacksonville?

 

We were planning on staying in Daytona Beach the night before our 1/29/05 cruise and then driving to Port Everglades the next morning.

 

What if we cut across 40 out of Ocala over to Daytona Beach? Would we avoid most of the problem areas?

 

Thanks. :confused:

[Oceanwench]

Matt:

 

When you leave Disney World, look for Osceola Parkway. It's one of the streets that runs directly from Disney to Florida's Turnpike.

 

It is a little over 3 hours from Disney to Port Everglades.

The turnpike is a better choice than I-95 ... listen to us natives! There is so much construction on I-95 in the West palm area.

 

The turnpike drive is boring, but shouldn't have much traffic.

You pick up a ticket at the toll booths at Canoe Creek, and you don't pay until you exit or pass through the toll booths on the turnpike at Lake Worth.

 

You can get off the turnpike in Jupiter - that is 2 hours 15 min. from Disney World.

There is a Fairfield Inn less than 1/2 mile from the exit.

 

From Jupiter to Port Everglades is abpout 1 hour 15 minutes.

I take the turnpike to Atlantic Blvd. in Pompano, then pick up I-95 in Pompano to 595 to the port.

 

Hope this helps.

 

And yes, parts of the turnpike south of Orlando are pretty desolate!

[Orcrone]

Is most of the construction around Jacksonville?

 

We were planning on staying in Daytona Beach the night before our 1/29/05 cruise and then driving to Port Everglades the next morning.

 

What if we cut across 40 out of Ocala over to Daytona Beach? Would we avoid most of the problem areas?

 

Thanks. :confused:

Pamcdon,

 

When I drive down to Florida I find that once you get south of Daytona Beach, I-95 does not have too much traffic for a couple of hours. However, I usually hop on over to the Turnpike at Ft. Pierce. It's not a direct exit, you need to get on a state road for about 1/2 mile. Although it costs a few bucks (I'm guessing about $6.00, but it's a guess) it makes the drive much easier.

[peaches from georgia]

I see you are coming from Indiana, so you would be on I-75 through Atlanta. The easiest way to go is to avoid I-95 altogether and stay on I-75 directly south down the west coast of FL and then cross over the state at the narrow part- Naples to Ft. Lauderdale (called Alligator Alley, but it really is still 75).

 

We've taken all conceivable routes from Atlanta to Ft. Lauderdale and driving I-75 all the way is as quick as any other way and much easier and trouble-free driving than driving anywhere on the east coast.

[Oceanwench]

But pamcdon is planning to stay a night in Daytona, which is on the east coast, and right off I-95.

 

Orcone is right -- I-95 south of Daytona is not a problem traffic-wise, most of the time.

Rather than getting off at Fort Pierce, you can stay on it till Jupiter, then switch over to the turnpike. The two highways come very close at that point.

I-95 really doesn't get bad until south of Jupiter, in the West Palm area.

[peaches from georgia]

But pamcdon is planning to stay a night in Daytona, which is on the east coast, and right off I-95.

I know where Daytona is. But it was entirely possible that the reason they were planning to stay the night in Daytona was because they thought it was the best driving decision to get over to the east coast of FL asap on their route from IN, that they thought I-95 from that far north was the best and most direct route to FLL, and that for them Daytona was a logical stop mileage-wise, but for no other reason. Pamcdon does not say it is imperative that they stay in Daytona.

 

I was simply giving them or anybody else driving down from the midwest another viable option, one that is time-wise comparable or faster than the east coast route and by far a less stressful and more enjoyable drive.

[Oceanwench]

Peaches, I certainly did not mean to imply that you are geographically challenged!

 

In reading the post from pamcdon, who happens to live in SPEEDWAY, IND., I thought she *planned* on staying in Daytona for a specific reason ... like maybe it's a place she's always wanted to visit? When I think of Daytona, I think of speedways!

 

I agree with you, Peaches, that a drive down I-75, stopping in Sarasota maybe, is a far better ride than down Florida's east coast.

And Alligator Alley is an experience everyone should have!

[pamcdon]

Didn't mean to cause a problem!

 

We were originally going to stay in Sunrise since the hotel/motel prices in Ft Lauderdale are expensive! I was offered a free nights stay in Daytona Beach for the night before our cruise and I've never been there. I didn't think the traffic would be that bad on I-95.

 

Normall we would take the Florida Turnpike down, but couldn't resist the free nights stay. That much more money I can spend on the cruise!

 

I appreciate all your suggestions. Now I just have to figure out which way to go.

 

Thanks again.

 

Paula (pamcdon)

[scluvsrain]

Thanks for finally telling us (well, me) how long the drive is from Orlando to the port.

 

So, based on comments here, should we take the toll road all the way down from Orlando, or stay on I-95 until Jupiter and then get on the toll road? I'm still a bit "road-challenged". Sorry, I'm from Calee-forn--eeeah......

[Orcrone]

Thanks for finally telling us (well, me) how long the drive is from Orlando to the port.

 

So, based on comments here, should we take the toll road all the way down from Orlando, or stay on I-95 until Jupiter and then get on the toll road? I'm still a bit "road-challenged". Sorry, I'm from Calee-forn--eeeah......

You're going to start off the trip from Orlando taking the Florida Tpk. You can either stay on it the whole way (easier, but more expensive) or get off at Jupiter and hop on I-95 (cheaper, but more traffic). I would vote for the Tpk. the whole way. You're going on vacation. Another several dollars is not going to make that much of a difference.

[Oceanwench]

Plus, as I noted in an earlier post, Osceola Parkway links Disney to the Fla. Tpk. -- and I've never ever hit traffic on that parkway!

It costs an extra $1.50 or so ... but is so worth it. You avoid all the I-4 Orlando traffic!

And you don't have to drive way east to pick up I-95.

 

Stay on the Fla. Tpk. till you get to Fort Lauderdale. DO NOT GET OFF and switch roads in Jupiter -- because if you pick up I-95 South in Jupiter, you will be traveling on the worst part of I-95! There is a lot of construction in Palm Beach County.

 

I never take the turnpike past Pompano [MLKing/Atlantic Blvd. exit] - I switch over to I-95, then 595 into Port Everglades.

 

Maybe someone else has other directions from the turnpike to the port?