Distance between Melbourne FL and WDW - 1.5 hrs, really??

[CJsMom]

I'm hoping some of the "locals" can help me with this one. My aunt and uncle recently bought a retirement home in Melbourne, FL. Knowing how much I want to plan another trip to WDW, she told me we could use the house anytime we want. She said it was about 30 minutes from Orlando.

But...when I looked on Google maps, it looked pretty far away from Orlando. I checked the directions and it said 1 hr. 28 minutes. Who is right? Google or my aunt? I'm assuming Google is more accurate - just want to be able to plan accordingly if I have to drive an hour and a half every day and want to make RD!

 

[vicki_c]

I used to live in Melbourne. It usually took us about 70 minutes to get to WDW, depending on which way we chose to go (192 out of West Melbourne where we lived - can be longer with Kissimmee traffic) or up to the Beachline/Bee Line near Cocoa Beach and across to Orlando that way. But 70 minutes is probably a good estimate.

It's not 30 minutes even from West Melbourne (which is closer than beachside obviously).

(Now that I re-read your whole post closer -- I don't recommend staying in Melbourne and visiting the parks every day - you will spend so much of your vacation in the car! Even when we lived there, we used to go over and spend the night in Orlando).

 

[cranbiz]

Depends exactly where in Melbourne, but yup it's about an hour and a half no matter which way you go.

 

[CJsMom]

Thanks for the responses. I was pretty sure Google would be accurate - but I figured it couldn't hurt to check. This is a tough one, because it's a free place to stay, so it makes the trip much more do-able for us, but driving that far every day would be pretty tiring.

Oh well, if it's the only way I can get there, we'll make it work somehow!!

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I agree with VickiC; it really depends where in Melbourne. If the house is out near I-95 you can be at WDW in under an hour using TOLL 528 and TOLL 417. But if its over by the river or worse yet, out on Melbourne Beach, 90 minutes might be ambitious.

BobK/Orlando

 

[dis-happy]

We do the run to Melbourne quite often, but right off the freeway exit, and it takes us about an hour from WDW. One way to speed things up: get the little Sunpass at Publix; it saves a lot of time on the toll roads ( you have to have computer access to activate it though).

 

[CJsMom]

I agree with VickiC; it really depends where in Melbourne. If the house is out near I-95 you can be at WDW in under an hour using TOLL 528 and TOLL 417. But if its over by the river or worse yet, out on Melbourne Beach, 90 minutes might be ambitious.

BobK/Orlando

My aunt said it was 20 minutes from the coast (however, as we have seen, her estimates could be waaaay off ). I will have to ask her the name of the street.

We do the run to Melbourne quite often, but right off the freeway exit, and it takes us about an hour from WDW. One way to speed things up: get the little Sunpass at Publix; it saves a lot of time on the toll roads ( you have to have computer access to activate it though).

Can I buy and activate it from home before I leave?

Thanks again for the help!