Orlando airport or Tampa
 

Hi all:

What airport do you think is easier to get out of and get a rental car to take us to The villages? Both airports are convenient from where we live. We are hopefully taking a short trip first. I would move in tomorrow but have to convince my husband so want to get a feel of the Villages before we book a future Lifestyle visit.

Thank you

Always Orlando

Thank you very much. I thought so but my contact there said both are the same distance. That could be true but the car rental in the airport would be very convenient.

Check ticket prices also. Fares vary from airport to airport even though the airports in question may be geographically very close.

Orlando, just avoid Avelo airlines. We had a nonstop flight and they still managed to lose our luggage for 2 days. Don’t forget during holidays to not count on parking either. Always take the shuttles during those periods or you could be stuck with parking unavailability just before your flight. Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Years travel makes the “long term” lots fill fast.

One plus may be where you reside in the Villages, if you are South of 44 , Meggison will basically connect to the turnpike and reduce the drive time to Orlando by about 15 minutes! This should happen within the next 6 months.

Orlando airport

Also look at Sanford airport.

Tampa is about 20 minutes further than MCO
MCO car rentals are easy to get to, just cross the street. Not sure about Tampa.

Orlando is closer and generally the traffic driving to/from Tampa is worse. The worst part about Orlando is that it’s home to Disney. Be prepared for lots of screaming kids with mouse ears on the plane, hopefully not sitting behind you kicking the back of your seat the whole flight.

Many of the comments here could go either way.

We prefer Tampa, modern terminal, much easier to pick someone up and park.

No Disney crowd with many kids. Not much difference in travel times if you include time to gate.

Try both and decide for yourself.

I always choose Tampa over Orlando if possible.

1. Yes, Tampa is a bit further away but I never have traffic and there are no tolls.
2. The airport is 'in and out'. I have never had long lines going thru security.
3. Pickup and drop off is quick and easy.
4. There is no Disney traffic inside or outside the airport.

If you are flying into/out of MCO Terminal C, evidently they don't have the car return/rental areas open yet. This means there is quite a hike/time delay trying to pick up and drop off so please ensure you take that additional time into consideration. If I understand correctly, you have to take the rental car back to Terminal A & B area and then head over to C. Something to consider when allotting for arrival before your flight along with TSA. Seems a lot of folks were unaware and did not plan on the delay. Personally, we prefer Tampa.

Orlando MCO, bonus you can pick up a shuttle that brings you to the villages for $40 each. No need for a rental car if you are supplied a good cart with your rental. Bad news every family is going to mouse house.

Tampa, beautiful easy terminal. Rental cars reasonable, and no mouse house family to deal with. Bad news never fly into Tampa during high season the last few days of the month and the first week of each month. Made that mistake twice, sat parked on I75 for 4 hours in traffic. Normal 80 minute drive was close to 6 hours, both times.

If you choose Tampa avoid rush hour as the best route from airport to The Villages is through downtown and at rush hour very conjested.

I used to fly in and out of Tampa every month, for 12 years.

Since I moved to TV, I've used Orlando 6 times for me & 4-5 times to pickup/drop off friends.

There is absolutely no comparison. Tampa is lightyears more efficient and easier than Orlando. Orlando is full of "tourists", mostly with children ... & no one has a clue where they're going, how to get there or why they have to go there.

Flying into Orlando, is the only airport I've flown into in 30 years, where people "clap" when the airplane lands. If that's not a indication of novice flyers, nothing is.

Yesterday, it took me 25 minutes to get from the Orlando "Cell Phone Lot", back to Terminal B. The signage is atrocious.

Orland is amateur hour, use Tampa.

Thank you everyone for your reply. We are visiting for the first time and staying at the Brownwood hotel. Traveling from the airports with a rental car seems daunting so have decided to hire a car/limo service back and forth. Need now to find a car rental in or near the Villages and hopefully a place to rent a golf car for the week. Thanks again!!

^^^ This
I-75 is much easier than the turnpike and no tolls.
And if you're south of 44, the same 15 minutes off of your trip applies.

It kills me the cell phone lots have poor to no signal...

Depends on where you are coming from I guess. We and our guests use Sanford because they fly from secondary airports. Smaller, faster in and out. Works well for where we go and from where our guests come from.

No rental car experience. For pick up and drop off I like Tampa. Orlando is a very busy airport and just opened an expansion section and has many many problems for passengers using that new facility. Rental cars are probably at the top of the problem. If you are coming in a few weeks the problems might be solved.

The Villages Golf Cart Store in Brownwood Square rents carts. It's walking distance from your hotel. You can't reserve one now, but there MIGHT be some available when you arrive...

Our choices in order of priority: 1)St. Petersburg/Clearwater 2) Tampa International 3) Sanford/Orlando 4) Orlando International

We always pre-book a reservation with a highly-rated lot. We have never had a problem driving and parking.

Enterprisecrent a car is in Lake Sumter.

There is. Enterprise rental in Lake Sumter 352-751-2417 good luck

We prefer Tampa. My husband travels frequently for work and insists in Tampa. Yes it’s a tad further but worth it because the crowds are less in the airport. We went to pick up our daughter there last Thursday the 22nd and it was so easy. Orlando airport is always a madhouse. You can incur traffic going to either. You never know what you will encounter on the turnpike. Lately it’s been questionable. And you may have some thick traffic on 275 near hillsborough area in Tampa. But it’s worth it once you get to the airport and have no congestion.

We have used both and found there are good and bad with both. Orlando is a bit closer but always seems more crowded especially with kids. Tampa is a little further and rental car experience is a little longer but less crowded. Sometimes flying into Tampa was less expensive also.

That new connection to the Turnpike is great news. Can you cite a source for it?

Mco

I suspect they are referring to Megason Road connecting to 470 near the Turnpike entrance.

Tampa or Orlando Airports
 

Being that I lived i Tampa for 30 years I find it much easier than Orlando. Traffic is so much easier, and no tolls. Parking in Tampa is easy easy. The Terminal is a dream, easy convenient and comfortable. Rental cars abound all the big names and some smaller ones.

Airport
 

Flying into Orlando isn't too bad but flying out is a nightmare. I flew into Orlando yesterday (12/26) and when we walked off the plane the crowds were horrible waiting for flights. Flying out has been really bad. I flew out in November and had a cancellation while waiting to board with a very packed boarding gate and a very late delay the next day with the replacement flight. This was Frontier but all airlines are messed up flying out of Orlando. Lots of sick kids too! I fly every few months but still use Orlando with caution. If you can, book the first flight in the morning. I agree Tampa is better and the rental car area in both are very convenient but I always fly Orlando due to distance. Remember to bring your
E Z Pass or Sun Pass for Orlando tolls. They go through TSA with no problem. They can add up. Best of luck!

Tampa, no doubt about it. Orlando is an insane asylum gone amok

Airport
 

IMHO Tampa is by far easier. Straight down I 75 no turns. Farther but about the same travel time and a lot easier.

One thing I would advise, if you fly into Orlando you’ll need to use the toll road to get to TV. Toll roads in rental cars can be expensive depending on the company. The trip from Tampa is not a toll road. If you choose to go from Orlando to TV without taking tolls the trip is hellish.

If you are staying at the Brownwood hotel & Spa, Workman bus company will pick you up at the airport and take you to the hotel. When you're ready to leave and go back to the airport, they will pick you up and take you again. This service is free of charge to hotel guest. You can call the hotel at 352-626-1246 to ask about it or you can call Workman Transportation bus at 352-259-9398. You can pick up a rental car in The Villages for less money than at the airport.

I forgot to tell you that Workman Transportation will only pick up at Orlando airport. They don't do other airports.

I applaud every time I land. Have never understood how heavy planes stays up.

Just got back from our second trip to the villages last week. Our first trip we flew into Orando and had a shuttle take us. This time we flew into Tampa. Drive was super easy and no tolls! We rented a car for 2 weeks. I rented from an offsite Hertz that was 5 miles from the airport. Rental at the airport was over 700 and off airport was 282. Same car. Took uber to the rental and back to the airport. $21 to Hertz and $14 back to the airport. We also had a golf cart for our stay. But also wanted to venture outside of the Villages to get to know the area. Also saw friends in Ocala and Cocoa beach while we were there. I liked Tampa airport better. But would use both.
Kevin

Turnpike
 

We live about a half mile from Homestead recreation center and took the golf cart to the newest construction area of Newel etc. You can actually see the on-ramp sign off of 470 from the Franklin recreation center if you are in the road up front.

Homefinder - The Villages(R) Homes and Villas for Sale

Enterprise Rental Car office, Sumter Landing
 

There is an Enterprise Rental Car Office in Sumter Landing Square. They are pleasant to deal with. Rentals can be arranged through Costco Travel Car Rentals, with Costco discounts.