Philly To Kissimmee

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Joined
May 22, 2018
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Good Morning... I hope I'm creating this in the right section.

In August.. I'm going from Philly to Kissime to visit my mom in Palm Bay. Only reason I'm choosing Kissime instead of Orlando is because last year when I took the kids to Disney driving from Palm Bay to Orlando, I got BUTCHERED in tolls. I recall paying almost $20 in multiple $4 tolls. You bypass these tolls coming from Kissimi. Only part that I'm missing out on is a car rental. I've read up here that Orlando has the car rentals.

Now, the point of my thread is cost. Me and the wife are taking 5 kids, three of whom will be considered adults. I've seen some coupon codes out there... anyone successfully use them or any other deals? I'm prepared to pay the full amount (roughly $1500) but I would sure love to save a few $$$$

Plus any hints on the whole Orlando/Kissime thing would help too. I guess I coiuld get off at Orlando and somehow circumvent the tolls, even if it would add a few minutes to my trip.

Thanks.
 
Enterprise car rental has a location in Kissimmee. You can google car rental and see locations.You can buy a mini toll pass sticker at Publix and CVS Walgreens and other retailers to avoid the toll hassles.

Car rental companies often charge a daily fee in addition to the tolls.
 
Rx744, Kissimmee is closer to Palm Bay than Orlando, and there is no toll on 192 or I-95. From Kissimmee get onto 192 East to Melbourne and get onto I-95 South where they intersect in West Melbourne. Depending on where you are going to in Palm Bay either take the next exit onto Palm Bay Road or the following exit onto Malabar Road. That is my neck of the woods I live within a mile of the Palm Bay Road Exit, though not in Palm Bay but in West Melbourne.

That said, it is possible to get from Orlando Amtrak to Palm Bay without paying tolls too, but the routing within Orlando to get to 192 avoiding all tolls is a bit convoluted.

And yes, beware of Car Rental Company provided Plate Passes. They charge a whopping daily fee which dwarfs any actual tolls that you will pay.
 
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Tips on saving some $$$$ in Mickey World:

Don't stay @ Disney Properties, there are lots of affordable Motels etc.around Kissimmee.

Don't eat and drink @ the Disney Hotels, Chain and Fast Food places abound in Tourist City.

Consider riding the Shuttles to Disney World, Parking can also add up since it isn't included on Day Visits.

But your Souvenirs away from the Park and not in Disney Stores,theres tons of stuff available all over Florida @ Discount prices compared to Official Disney places.

Check The various on line sites for Discounted tickets but be careful you don't fall for a scam.

Stay off I-4 If possible, GPS is a useful tool in the Orlando Metro Area to avoid Tolls and Traffic Nightmares.

Also purchase the Jump the Lines Pass that gives you Early Access to the Park, it helps you avoid the horrendous lines that include standing in the Humid Heat that Florida cranks out daily!
 
Bob, Rx is not going to Disney. he is looking for information to pick up a rental car in Kissimmee and drive to Palm Bay to visit relatives.
I must have misunderstood, he talks about $1500 and Coupon Codes to save $$$. My bad if I took that as including a visit to Mickeys World.
And you are correct jis, we here in the only Bastion of Common Sense in Texas think that Orlando is one Giant Fantasy Land for Suckers with Kids that demand,Expensive thrills!
 
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Enterprise car rental has a location in Kissimmee. You can google car rental and see locations.You can buy a mini toll pass sticker at Publix and CVS Walgreens and other retailers to avoid the toll hassles.

Car rental companies often charge a daily fee in addition to the tolls.
Thanks Joeker, I read that the Enterprise location isn't walkable from the station though. The youngest is 8, so it's not like I have a toddler with me. But I wouldn't mind having an easy location to get to. Heck, Enterprise says they'll pick you up. Maybe that will work.

Thanks for the advice!

Rx744, Kissimmee is closer to Palm Bay than Orlando, and there is no toll on 192 or I-95. From Kissimmee get onto 192 East to Melbourne and get onto I-95 South where they intersect in West Melbourne. Depending on where you are going to in Palm bay either take the next exit onto Palm bay Road or the following exit onto Malabar Road. That is my neck of the woods I live within a mile of the Palm Bay Road Exit, though not in Palm Bay but in West Melbourne.

That said, it is possible to get from Orlando Amtrak to Palm Bay without paying tolls too, but the routing within Orlando to get to 192 avoiding all tolls is a bit convoluted.

And yes, beware of Car Rental Company provided Plate Passes. They charge a whopping daily fee which dwarfs any actual tools that you will pay.
My mom is all the way down near the canals... when I drove (yes, I've driven 3 times to Palm Bay) I've taken San Filippo to the sticks(sp?) from Malabar off of 95. I plan to come in on a Sunday, does that help... or hurt my situation?

Thanks for the advice!

Tips on saving some $$$$ in Mickey World:

Don't stay @ Disney Properties, there are lots of affordable Motels etc.around Kissimmee.

Don't eat and drink @ the Disney Hotels, Chain and Fast Food places abound in Tourist City.

Consider riding the Shuttles to Disney World, Parking can also add up since it isn't included on Day Visits.

But your Souvenirs away from the Park and not in Disney Stores,theres tons of stuff available all over Florida @ Discount prices compared to Official Disney places.

Check The various on line sites for Discounted tickets but be careful you don't fall for a scam.

Stay off I-4 If possible, GPS is a useful tool in the Orlando Metro Area to avoid Tolls and Traffic Nightmares.

Also purchase the Jump the Lines Pass that gives you Early Access to the Park, it helps you avoid the horrendous lines that include standing in the Humid Heat that Florida cranks out daily!
I would love to do Disney on this trip. Two of the kids coming with have never been, while my immediate family has, even as of last year. We did it for my daughter's 16th. I'd actually like to do Orlando Studios, but it will be tough to swing that after all I've done just to get there. Still have to rent a car, but I won't have to pay for lodging. More than likely I'll fall back on the non-mouse parks where groupon can be your friend.

Bob, Rx is not going to Disney. he is looking for information to pick up a rental car in Kissimmee and drive to Palm Bay to visit relatives.
I must have misunderstood, he talks about $1500 and Coupon Codes to save $$$. My bad if I took that as including a visit to Mickeys World.
And you are correct jis, we here in the only Bastion of Common Sense in Texas think that Orlando is one Giant Fantasy Land for Suckers with Kids that demand,Expensive thrills!
Coupon codes are for the travel. I've seen some... just wanted to know if they were worth looking into.

Thanks.
 
Btw, I haven't ridden Amtrak since I was a teen over 2/3 a lifetime ago. I'm almost giddy in anticipation. We are going to surprise the kids, who've never been on a train. They'll just know we are headed south. They should have a ball. So should I.
 
Btw, I haven't ridden Amtrak since I was a teen over 2/3 a lifetime ago. I'm almost giddy in anticipation. We are going to surprise the kids, who've never been on a train. They'll just know we are headed south. They should have a ball. So should I.
You taking the Silver Meteor or the Star?
 
Also, sleeper or coach? If you are in a sleeper, remember you can go to the Club Acela in 30th Street Station (free coffee, soda, and snacks and a lovely place to wait). If you're in coach, the main part of 30th Street Station is also lovely.
 
Rx744, Kissimmee is closer to Palm Bay than Orlando, and there is no toll on 192 or I-95. From Kissimmee get onto 192 East to Melbourne and get onto I-95 South where they intersect in West Melbourne. Depending on where you are going to in Palm bay either take the next exit onto Palm bay Road or the following exit onto Malabar Road. That is my neck of the woods I live within a mile of the Palm Bay Road Exit, though not in Palm Bay but in West Melbourne.

That said, it is possible to get from Orlando Amtrak to Palm Bay without paying tolls too, but the routing within Orlando to get to 192 avoiding all tolls is a bit convoluted.

And yes, beware of Car Rental Company provided Plate Passes. They charge a whopping daily fee which dwarfs any actual tools that you will pay.
My mom is all the way down near the canals... when I drove (yes, I've driven 3 times to Palm Bay) I've taken San Filippo to the sticks(sp?) from Malabar off of 95. I plan to come in on a Sunday, does that help... or hurt my situation?

Thanks for the advice!
On Sunday you will find the ride through St. Cloud on 192 relatively free of traffic. So it is good.
 
Just tossing this out there, did you consider taking the Auto Train? You would have to drive from Philly down to Lorton, VA, but it might save you a lot of hassles and the rental car.
 
Just tossing this out there, did you consider taking the Auto Train? You would have to drive from Philly down to Lorton, VA, but it might save you a lot of hassles and the rental car.
If the trip is less than a week, the Auto Train is almost certainly going to be more expensive than renting a car. Rental cars are dirt cheap down there, and Amtrak charges at between $404 and $500 to take a car roundtrip on the AT.
 
Just tossing this out there, did you consider taking the Auto Train? You would have to drive from Philly down to Lorton, VA, but it might save you a lot of hassles and the rental car.
If the trip is less than a week, the Auto Train is almost certainly going to be more expensive than renting a car. Rental cars are dirt cheap down there, and Amtrak charges at between $404 and $500 to take a car roundtrip on the AT.
Right. I would not consider the Auto Train unless the trip was for substantially more than one week.
 
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Doing some math now, since it's very easy to get a rental car for $30 per day, and the Auto Train usually charges $202 one way and $250 the other way, the break even point would be at 15 days.
 
Indeed, looking at a rental minivan for a week in August yields prices of $220-$300 (round numbers).

Add in the convenience of having your own car, and being able to load everything up at home, and then not mess with it until you get to your final destination, and the Auto Train starts to look pretty attractive.
 
Especially since, per the Service Standards Manual, you could theoretically have everyone sleep in a single Family Bedroom. (That said, you'd be looking at having four beds, two of which are shorter than normal, and none are particularly wide, but if two people can share one of the beds and the rest can fit with the three remaining beds (or one is willing to sleep on the floor, if there's enough space) then you wouldn't need another room.) Alternatively, a family bedroom + a roomette would work out easily, and if you call in they should be able to book the roomette next to the family bedroom if space is available.

On a Viewliner you're, at minimum, looking at two roomettes and needing three if you're wanting a bed for each person. It might be worth pricing it out and seeing if, for your travel dates, the Auto Train winds up being cheaper.
 
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If everyone could sleep in a family bedroom, everyone could fit in a normal car. In which case the cost of a rental goes down dramatically.
 
If everyone could sleep in a family bedroom, everyone could fit in a normal car. In which case the cost of a rental goes down dramatically.
I want to see you fit five adult-size people and two kids in a compact or mid-size car.
default_smile.png


It’s much easier to squish everyone into a room than a car. Rooms don’t require seat belts and booster seats.

Plus, you don’t have the option of spreading out in the lounge (during the day) when you’re crammed into the rear of a car. There is no escape.
default_wink.png
 
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If everyone could sleep in a family bedroom, everyone could fit in a normal car. In which case the cost of a rental goes down dramatically.
I want to see you fit five adult-size people and two kids in a compact or mid-size car.
default_smile.png


It’s much easier to squish everyone into a room than a car. Rooms don’t require seat belts and booster seats.

Plus, you don’t have the option of spreading out in the lounge (during the day) when you’re crammed into the rear of a car. There is no escape.
default_wink.png
I just saw the five kids part of the original post, so no, they couldn’t all fit in a normal car. However, they definitely wouldn’t all fit (or be allowed to fit) in the Family Bedroom. Max occupancy is two adults and two kids. You might be able to get away with five people, but seven definitely won’t be allowed. They’ll be taking multiple rooms, no matter what.
 
Actually, you can have more than 2+2 in a family b/r, albeit uncomfortably. The service standards manuals have the numbers for both berth and daytime usage only formats. 6 is the max for berth, so yes they would need a minimum of 2 spaces, but the family room + a lower roomette could work depending on their sizes and comfort levels.
 
Btw, I haven't ridden Amtrak since I was a teen over 2/3 a lifetime ago. I'm almost giddy in anticipation. We are going to surprise the kids, who've never been on a train. They'll just know we are headed south. They should have a ball. So should I.
You taking the Silver Meteor or the Star?
The Meteor... I think. I haven't booked anything yet, but that's the one that I think is making that route.

Edit: The Star costs a few hundred more..

Also, sleeper or coach? If you are in a sleeper, remember you can go to the Club Acela in 30th Street Station (free coffee, soda, and snacks and a lovely place to wait). If you're in coach, the main part of 30th Street Station is also lovely.
I was going to go coach, thinking the sleeper would be too much $$$$. But after reading all of you guys helpful replies, I may look into that option.

Just tossing this out there, did you consider taking the Auto Train? You would have to drive from Philly down to Lorton, VA, but it might save you a lot of hassles and the rental car.
I looked into it. Too much dinero. My 10 year old Ford Taurus X that seats 7 gets bad gas mileage. We are only doing 6 days. The added cost of Auto Train is way more than the price of a rental / better fuel mileage on a 2018 Minivan.

Especially since, per the Service Standards Manual, you could theoretically have everyone sleep in a single Family Bedroom. (That said, you'd be looking at having four beds, two of which are shorter than normal, and none are particularly wide, but if two people can share one of the beds and the rest can fit with the three remaining beds (or one is willing to sleep on the floor, if there's enough space) then you wouldn't need another room.) Alternatively, a family bedroom + a roomette would work out easily, and if you call in they should be able to book the roomette next to the family bedroom if space is available.

On a Viewliner you're, at minimum, looking at two roomettes and needing three if you're wanting a bed for each person. It might be worth pricing it out and seeing if, for your travel dates, the Auto Train winds up being cheaper.
Going to look into the sleeper option now. Just don't know if it will be fiscally easier.

If everyone could sleep in a family bedroom, everyone could fit in a normal car. In which case the cost of a rental goes down dramatically.
I want to see you fit five adult-size people and two kids in a compact or mid-size car.
default_smile.png


It’s much easier to squish everyone into a room than a car. Rooms don’t require seat belts and booster seats.

Plus, you don’t have the option of spreading out in the lounge (during the day) when you’re crammed into the rear of a car. There is no escape.
default_wink.png
Going to look into the room option. My kids are 16, 16, 15, 12, 8... with two being relatives.

Rx744, Kissimmee is closer to Palm Bay than Orlando, and there is no toll on 192 or I-95. From Kissimmee get onto 192 East to Melbourne and get onto I-95 South where they intersect in West Melbourne. Depending on where you are going to in Palm bay either take the next exit onto Palm bay Road or the following exit onto Malabar Road. That is my neck of the woods I live within a mile of the Palm Bay Road Exit, though not in Palm Bay but in West Melbourne.

That said, it is possible to get from Orlando Amtrak to Palm Bay without paying tolls too, but the routing within Orlando to get to 192 avoiding all tolls is a bit convoluted.

And yes, beware of Car Rental Company provided Plate Passes. They charge a whopping daily fee which dwarfs any actual tools that you will pay.
My mom is all the way down near the canals... when I drove (yes, I've driven 3 times to Palm Bay) I've taken San Filippo to the sticks(sp?) from Malabar off of 95. I plan to come in on a Sunday, does that help... or hurt my situation?

Thanks for the advice!
On Sunday you will find the ride through St. Cloud on 192 relatively free of traffic. So it is good.
That is good to know. Thanks.
 
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Actually, you can have more than 2+2 in a family b/r, albeit uncomfortably. The service standards manuals have the numbers for both berth and daytime usage only formats. 6 is the max for berth, so yes they would need a minimum of 2 spaces, but the family room + a lower roomette could work depending on their sizes and comfort levels.
I'm on the website... if we are talking about the same thing, they are making me purchase 4 roomettes... which comes over 2K.

The viewliner bedroom states that it can only hold three. For some reason, its still wants me to buy 4. But even if I only got 2 and sat out by myself, it would still eclipse the money spent, coming to around $1700. I might have to call to verify some things.

Thanks.
 
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