Transportation with Carseats from Tampa to Orlando

pinkgirlmommy

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 3, 2014
Hello! We have flown into Tampa multiple times and typically rent a car, but prices are outrageous this year, so I suggest we use Lyft/Uber. It cost us $100 last time one way. Not a problem except that we have 2 groups and my sister has 3 kids. She is trying to avoid bringing the carseat for her youngest one, but Uber seems to only have a carseat option on the app from the hotels to Tampa, but not from Tampa to Orlando. Has anyone had luck getting a ride from Tampa aiport to Orlando with a carseat? Is there a better option besides Lyft or Uber, like a shuttle or something? We will have 8 people alltogether so either 2 vehicles or some kind of shuttle/van or limo maybe? Thanks for any suggestions!
 
I can't say for sure, but I suspect that Tony Hinds might be able to accommodate this. He has a 10 passenger van with 2 car seats and 2 boosters. He has driven us between Port Canaveral and Orlando before, which is only a slightly shorter commute. He's often recommended on these boards so worth a call: http://taxi-mco.com/Drivers/Tony Hinds.htm
 
Thank you. Unfortunately, I contacted Tony and he cannot pick us up at Tampa airport, only bring us back so I am still on the hunt. Rental prices are pretty high since we have 8 people and luggage and would need 2, and Uber and Lyft do not have carseats from TAmpa. I am going to look into Super Shuttle but looking for other options. Thanks!
 
Just FYI, Lyft doesn't offer child seats anywhere. Uber offers some vehicles with child seats in the Orlando market, but I'm not aware of them offering them in any other market in the US. Uber might be a good option for your sister on the return trip.

I'd also check buses. Child seats are not required on buses. Red Coach picks up at TPA, but I didn't see a TPA to Orlando route when I tried their website. I think that's a glitch and they probably do run TPA to Orlando.
 


Have you considered using Amtrak? It's only about $10-13 per person from Tampa to Kissimmee (closest station to WDW) and there is no fee for checking car seats and luggage. This is way more cost effective than taking an Uber and also more relaxing, plus, if you are traveling with children they will LOVE riding the train!

http://www.amtrak.com
 
Thank you. Unfortunately, I contacted Tony and he cannot pick us up at Tampa airport, only bring us back so I am still on the hunt. Rental prices are pretty high since we have 8 people and luggage and would need 2, and Uber and Lyft do not have carseats from TAmpa. I am going to look into Super Shuttle but looking for other options. Thanks!

See my post above with recommendation to use Amtrak :)
 
Have you considered using Amtrak? It's only about $10-13 per person from Tampa to Kissimmee (closest station to WDW) and there is no fee for checking car seats and luggage. This is way more cost effective than taking an Uber and also more relaxing, plus, if you are traveling with children they will LOVE riding the train!

http://www.amtrak.com
I'm all in favor of rail travel, but one needs to take into consideration that there's only one train a day, it's often late, and transportation to and from the stations still needs to be arranged.
 


Hello! We have flown into Tampa multiple times and typically rent a car, but prices are outrageous this year, so I suggest we use Lyft/Uber. It cost us $100 last time one way. Not a problem except that we have 2 groups and my sister has 3 kids. She is trying to avoid bringing the carseat for her youngest one, but Uber seems to only have a carseat option on the app from the hotels to Tampa, but not from Tampa to Orlando. Has anyone had luck getting a ride from Tampa aiport to Orlando with a carseat? Is there a better option besides Lyft or Uber, like a shuttle or something? We will have 8 people alltogether so either 2 vehicles or some kind of shuttle/van or limo maybe? Thanks for any suggestions!

Started a private conversation please let me help you out....
 
Thank you everyone! We arrive at 10:30 pm at night, so that is going to be the difficult part and why I would like to arrange a ride ahead of time. Amtrak leaves way before that, but we would still have to get a ride to and from the train station so not sure that would be good for us. It looks like we may have to either rent a car, spend a lot of $$ for a private ride and bring the carseat anyway, which we were hoping to avoid, or use Uber/Lyft and request it when we get there and bring the carseat. I looked and the redline doesn't go from Tampa to Orlando. I had heard that Uber has some carseats offered in the Orlando area and not Tampa, and that is why I am still looking for a better option. Renting a van that we coudl all fit it is really expensive for the week and $ for one way. The Red Coach does not have a route from Tampa to Orlando, but thanks for that suggestion as well. Super Shuttle shows it doesn't have a ride for 8 people, so we would need 2 vans. A minivan is $423 for the week and we wouldn't all fit anyway. A big van is $612 for the week, so still looking for other options. I have been looking on here for coupon codes as well. Maybe we could rent two smaller cars fro cheaper so I will look at that option, but with 5 kids and a weeks worth of luggage, they will definitely need a bigger car. I did just check a one way rental and it is $167 for them for a Minivan, leaving us to get our own Uber/Lyft. Or a big van to share is $274. That might be our best option at this point. Ice cube I will check my messages now. Thanks everyone!
 
Try some other private transportation companies, like DIS sponsor Florida Tours.

You didn't say when you're going, but using Hotwire, I had a really difficult time finding a minivan over $100 total for 24 hours. Christmas Eve, February 17 - sure. Thanksgiving week, even tonight - not so much.
 
Have you considered using Amtrak? It's only about $10-13 per person from Tampa to Kissimmee (closest station to WDW) and there is no fee for checking car seats and luggage. This is way more cost effective than taking an Uber and also more relaxing, plus, if you are traveling with children they will LOVE riding the train!

http://www.amtrak.com
Mr. Knight, I am looking at Amtrak for a possible way back to the aiport and I am having a hard time reading their routes. It looks like they do go from Orlando to Tampa, but then woudln't we still have to get an Uber to the train station? At least Uber and Minnie Vans have carseats if we wnated to do that. How far from Disney is the Amtrak station for those that have taken that? Looking at times now to see if there is one we could take. Our flight leaves at 7:30 pm so we plan to have a late character breakfast before we head out.
 
There are train stations in Kissimmee (slightly closer) and Orlando (larger station.)

i guess I'm confused why you don't rent a car or cars for one night to get from Tampa got Disney, then either do the same for the return trip or engage Tony Hinds?
 
Mr. Knight, I am looking at Amtrak for a possible way back to the aiport and I am having a hard time reading their routes. It looks like they do go from Orlando to Tampa, but then woudln't we still have to get an Uber to the train station? At least Uber and Minnie Vans have carseats if we wnated to do that. How far from Disney is the Amtrak station for those that have taken that? Looking at times now to see if there is one we could take. Our flight leaves at 7:30 pm so we plan to have a late character breakfast before we head out.

The Amtrak train from Orlando/Kissimmee traveling towards Tampa is called the Silver Star (Train #91), it leaves Orlando station at 10:20am daily and Kissimmee station at 10:44am daily. There is only one train so it is pretty straight forward and that same train stops at both Orlando and Kissimmee stations. As far as distance to WDW, both stations are about the same travel time from WDW, Kissimmee is technically slightly closer to WDW but requires local roads to get there, the Orlando station is slightly farther but it is the larger station and easily accessible from I-4 which makes getting there easier.

http://www.amtrak.com

The stations are a quick Uber/Lyft ride away from WDW, even with this extra cost factored in it still costs significantly less than renting a car or using a private car service, it is also much faster.

Hope this helps!
 
Can you rent a car one way with a car seat for the family with children and return on Disney property while the others use uber/lyft?
Then same thing in reverse on the departure?

Also I have noticed sometimes car rental rates actually decrease as I get closer to my dates so you may end up with a good price closer to your trip so keep checking.
 
Can you rent a car one way with a car seat for the family with children and return on Disney property while the others use uber/lyft?
Then same thing in reverse on the departure?
These would be great questions for the individual rental agencies, but yes, two one-way one-day rentals are viable.
 
Yes, we can do any of these options. I think 2
There are train stations in Kissimmee (slightly closer) and Orlando (larger station.)

i guess I'm confused why you don't rent a car or cars for one night to get from Tampa got Disney, then either do the same for the return trip or engage Tony Hinds?


one way rentals are cheaper than Uber/Lyft.

Actually, the one way rental is $167 for a minivan, so not cheaper than Uber. That is why I was trying to find ohter options. We can do Uber for $100 per car, so it will be $400 for our group to do 2 one way rentals to Orland and 2 back, so that is an option we are considering. I was just trying to find other options. We are going Thanksgiving week (11/15-23) so that is probably why it is more expensive. Ice cube is trying to help me find a better deal, though, so hopefully that will work out. Thanks for all of the suggestions!
 
These would be great questions for the individual rental agencies, but yes, two one-way one-day rentals are viable.

My question was to the OP - ie would they be willing to split up? - not as to if it was an option :)

I have rented cars one way often and most of the time in FL there is no surcharge for returning in a different location.
 
The Amtrak train from Orlando/Kissimmee traveling towards Tampa is called the Silver Star (Train #91), it leaves Orlando station at 10:20am daily and Kissimmee station at 10:44am daily. There is only one train so it is pretty straight forward and that same train stops at both Orlando and Kissimmee stations. As far as distance to WDW, both stations are about the same travel time from WDW, Kissimmee is technically slightly closer to WDW but requires local roads to get there, the Orlando station is slightly farther but it is the larger station and easily accessible from I-4 which makes getting there easier.

http://www.amtrak.com

The stations are a quick Uber/Lyft ride away from WDW, even with this extra cost factored in it still costs significantly less than renting a car or using a private car service, it is also much faster.

Hope this helps!
This train travels all the way from NY, so delays are common.

Between 8/12-9/11, it has arrived in Tampa 4 hours late once, 2-3 hours late once, and 1-2 hours late 8 times. This should be taken into consideration if meeting a flight. The median arrival delay over the period was 44 minutes.

Also, the impact of Hurricane Florence is unknown at this time. If there is flooding damage to the tracks and roadbed, Amtrak may modify the schedule to substitute motor coach service over part of the route from NY, or they may suspend service entirely for a time. From 9/12 until now, the train is operating normal schedule, but only on a truncated route between Jacksonville, FL & Miami.
 
My question was to the OP - ie would they be willing to split up? - not as to if it was an option :)

I have rented cars one way often and most of the time in FL there is no surcharge for returning in a different location.
Yes, I mentioned before it is an option to rent two vehicles, just very expensive. Someone is helping me out with finding a decent discount for a rental so we will be going that direction and not with Amtrak. Thanks for everyones help!
 

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