Does anyone have any idea how I can get from Tampa to Orlando? DH & I are flying into Tampa from Boston to visit M&D for a week! Then DH and I need to get to Orlando for our cruise. I do not want to leave M&D without their car for the week! And if I rent a car it is only going to sit in a parking lot while I am on my 7 DCL Land & Sea Cruise...hmmm...! Are their any bus lines going to Orlando from Tampa? If anyone has a suggestion for me that would be awesome!!!! momrek06:(

It looks as though about 24 people have looked at my POST re: traveling from TAMPA to ORLANDO and I am finding there is virtually really no way UNLESS I rent a car that will then sit in DISNEY for 7 days UNUSED...Florida needs to do something badly with their PUBLIC MODES of TRANSPORTATION. Living here in Boston we can get anywhere easily WITHOUT a car....man o man...HELP. I will probably "rent-a-wreck" or something to get me to the MAGIC KINGDOM. momrek06:p

You could try Greyhound or a SuperShuttle, or rent a car one-way. Two one-way car rentals for one day each might be more economical than a round-trip rental for a week.

Or drive from Tampa and return the rental car -- then take the DCL shuttle or a limo or taxi or another shuttle to the port.

HEY ALL: If I rent a car ONE WAY from TPA to MCO, then I could take a SHUTTLE(Mears) from MCO over to Animal Kingdom Lodge as I have my 4 nights first prior to the cruise. Then I could take Mears back to MCO,(or DCL could shuttle me to MCO) rent a car and return to TPA and meet up again with M&D for one more week out of the NORTHEAST COLD. Does this all seem overwhelming with luggage etc...maybe I should rent a car the WHOLE three weeks I am in FLA.....man.....I still have to Xmas shop, clean the abode and buy groceries for the crowd I am having tomorrow BUT I am so damn excited about this DISNEY CRUISE I could forget everything else and just plan this 24/7. GET HERE QUICK PLEASE. I am a MOUSE ADDICT and my DH knows it and yet he is verrrrry understanding of this passion I have for the MOUSE and all of WDW!!!!:D :D :D :D momrek06

If you rent from Alamo or National, you can drive to AKL, check in, drop your stuff, then drop the car off at either the rental location at the Car Care Center near the Magic Kingdom entrance or at the other rental location at the Dolphin. The Dolphin would have the added attraction of you being able to walk right over to either Epcot or the Studios after dropping the car. Then you can do a one-way rental from either the same location or at the airport, wherever your DCL shuttle drops you, to get back to TPA.

While your mileage may vary (pun intended) if you do decide on doing one-way rentals, make sure you compare the total costs for doing two one ways compared to a weekly rate. I mention that because there may be extra fees / mileage costs involved for the one way rentals. (Speaking from experience.) If there are, chances are you will have to pay those fees twice - once for each direction. It may seem silly to leave your car in a parking lot for that many days but if the bottom line says its cheaper, then so much the better.

In essence, you have several separate ground transportation portions to your trip. Tampa to Orlando and Orlando to PC and back. To get your total costs, you are going to have to do some extra comparison between renting cars, shuttles, and other public modes of transport between each portion of your trip. (Dont forget - you also have to pay for parking at PC so dont forget to include that in your costs.)

I know it can get overwhelming but travel plans can get kinda complex in a hurry. I am going through the same thing with my upcoming DCL trip as well, so you are not alone. :)

:) I am so pumped now...that IS the plan...rent a car and lv it in DOLPHIN after we check into AKL. PERFECT. And then I will reserve it for return to Tampa. DH & I are just thrilled with all the knowledge we are learning from ALL OF YOU out there POSTING. I love the idea of hitting the Parks from the Dolphin. As we will lv Tampa early am and get to AKL and probably our rooms will not be ready so off to the PARKS we will GOOOO!!! Thanks again EVERYONE out there who takes the time to POST me back with all my dilemma's...ugh....DISNEY, MICKEY...here we come....momrek06:D