Need some advice for planning a Tampa/Orlando area vacation

[Kairi_7378]

This got a little long when I typed it, sorry...

My husband and I are in the early stages of planning a trip for the late summer/early fall. We were originally going to wait a few more years to take DS (would be turning 3 on the trip) to the World. (Since we don’t go every year, we thought that it would be better until DS was 4 or 5 so he’d be tall enough for most of the rides and be more likely to remember the trip. DS is below average height and will probably be only 37 inches tall in August. But his ticket would be free, at least.)
However, sadly, DH’s grandfather who lives in FL has been battling cancer and is no longer able to fly north to see us. DS is the only great grandchild and they would love to see him. So the idea of a combined grandparent visit/ WDW trip was hatched. The grandparents live about 100 miles away from WDW and because Grandpa is so sick now, it is not possible for him to meet us at the parks or resort.
Right now I am trying to figure out the logistics of a visit/ WDW vacation. I am torn between flying to Tampa, renting a car and visiting for a few days, and then driving to Orlando. We’d return the car to MCO and figure out a way to get to our resort- probably Coronado Springs. (We have no desire to use a car while in WDW.) The other idea that I had was to rent a car in the middle of our vacation and drive to see them for a day. (The big advantage that I see here is that we’d be able to use Magical Express.) We would fly home from MCO. The third option would be to visit them after a week in WDW but I think that DS would be a little worn out by that point.
Can someone who has visited multiple places in FL tell me how they arranged their vacation? I am probably over thinking this whole thing and I would love some guidance from my favorite Disney fans. Thanks!

[Figaro]

If you're not far from Allentown...check out Allegiant Air to fly down there. They fly into/out of St. Pete/Clearwater (PIE) and also Orlando/Sanford (SFB). Ticket prices are a lot cheaper than most regular airlines. In terms of the drive, it's really not far from Orlando to get to Tampa. I-4 is a straight shot. I've driven it many times. It's not a long drawn out drive, it seems to go by quick, at least in my opinion. Allegiant also gives you the option to bundle your ticket with an rental car. I don't know if there's savings or not, but it's at least worth a look.

[Scar]

For option #1, if you rent from National or Alamo, you can return the car at The Dolphin. You can check into your resort and unload your luggage, then return the car and walk to Epcot or MGM.

[ThanxForNoticin]

We have done the Tampa/Orlando vacation several times in the past. It's not unusual for us to fly into Tampa International, rent a car, spend a few days in Tampa, drive the 90 minutes to Disney, enjoy time at Disney World, and then fly home from Orlando. To let you know, we almost always rent a car for the convenience of having transportation available when we need it, so we don't use ME. But as someone mentioned above, you could plan to rent a car in Tampa, return it at Disney (National and Alamo are at the Dolphin, Avis is at the Hilton by DTD, and there might be other Disney drop-off points), and then take ME back to the Orlando Airport when it 's time for you to leave.

[lettripp]

We have done the Tampa/Orlando vacation several times in the past. It's not unusual for us to fly into Tampa International, rent a car, spend a few days in Tampa, drive the 90 minutes to Disney, enjoy time at Disney World, and then fly home from Orlando. To let you know, we almost always rent a car for the convenience of having transportation available when we need it, so we don't use ME. But as someone mentioned above, you could plan to rent a car in Tampa, return it at Disney (National and Alamo are at the Dolphin, Avis is at the Hilton by DTD, and there might be other Disney drop-off points), and then take ME back to the Orlando Airport when it 's time for you to leave.

We have also made this trip several times. The nice part is you don't have to drive to the Tampa area and back... leaving more time for the Grandpa visit or the WDW time!

[Ramblingman]

It's a little different for us. I grew up in Tampa, and we now live in Alabama. In years past, we have lived in the panhandle as well. So we drive down instead of flying.

However, let me say that flying into Tampa and renting a car can be a great way of getting to see the family. You can either visit at the beginning or the end of the trip.

We just returned from driving down. We spent 6 days in Disney and then 3 nights in a beachfront condo in the St Pete area. It was a great way to wind down from our Disney vacation. It allowed us to rest up from all the go-go-going. Plus, it always seems so sad to end your Disney magic by heading back home. This gave us a buffer that eased us back into reality slowly. It was much nicer that way, and we were ready to get home by the time we pulled into the driveway.

Either way, spend some time with Grandpa. He'll appreciate it.

[TikiGoddess]

We do Tampa/Orlando every year. My husbands dad lives in Tampa, and if we're in Florida, we must go to WDW.

We've found that going to Tampa first is best. This way you give your body some time to get acclimated to the heat. Very important. WDW will be so much easier when you've slowly acclimated to the heat over a few days.

Also, travel days are tough. If you fly into Tampa, all you have to do is visit relatives, relax, etc. Then get up early one morning and drive over to WDW fully rested and relaxed. It's a nice short drive with just enough time to play the Disney park music in the car and build the excitement. We leave early and get to a park for opening most days.

Kathy