TPA to WDW?

[Wildcard]

Has anyone recently driven from TPA to WDW (or vice versa)? We found an excellent fare and will be arriving at TPA on 12/2 around noon. We've also got a rental from National lined up. I've never driven this route before, but it looks fairly straightforward. Just curious if there is any road work or issues that I should be aware of, or if anyone has any tips, etc.

Thanks!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I can tell you we have done the same thing many times, and the trip from TPA to WDW is 75-90 minutes, and is usually pretty simple - especially at lunchtime during the week. That being said, we've not done it for more than a year, so your concerns about any road construction that might have popped up are legitimate. All things being equal, we actually prefer flying and and out of TPA over MCO, which can be a zoo most of the time.

 

[JimMIA]

It's been several years since we've done that drive, but it's as easy as it looks. When we did it, there was road construction in Tampa, but once you're out of Tampa it was pretty easy. Obviously if you catch rush hour in either Tampa or Orlando, that will slow you down.

Pretty shortly you'll get some better feedback from some local residents in that area.

 

[SteveH]

Easy peasy, but be aware of the traffic and stay alert. As JimMIA said avoid the rush hour, which is pretty much all day but once your past I75 it's a less stressful drive.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

I've made that drive a lot. We used to go to SeaWorld in Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa. Usually a little over an hour if you don't hit rush hour.

Road work is always possible.

 

[Stratman50th]

We live off of 4 almost in the middle between Tampa and Orlando. For what it's worth when i have to pick up or drop off, I always try and talk friends and family into flying in and out of Tampa as I despise the traffic in the Orlando area. Especially around the Disney exits. Not because of Disney, but because it's a major merge from three main roads onto I-4. That being said, you shouldn't have any problems at that time of day unless there's an accident which is always a possibility.

 

[Wildcard]

Thank you all for the input!