Miami to Orlando help please

[coastergirls]

Flying into Miami then travelling up to Orlando. Price difference to do this rather fly into MCO was well worth doing. Thing is my daughter suffers from anxiety and doesnt handle new situations regarding travel at all well. She needs to know that there are toilets available and within a reasonable distance.
We are fine now in Orlando or travelling from Springhill to Tampa as she has done it many times before .Now this year we have this journey and I am stressing as it really bothers me that she gets so stressed. It makes me ill and tbh I hate travelling with her at all. We go by train as we have access . We are even travelling to Manchester from Dundee rather than travel by car as I just cant take the stress. Dh and 2 others will meet us at hotel. She thinks it is purely for my benefit as I have sciatica and am struggling in the car but it is also for her. Sciatica and her would just tip me over the edge. Going to be hard enough on plane with sciatica. I dont sit on plane with her either as she feels need to go if there is turbulance and its not first time she has had to go on plane while waiting to disembark.
Which is best road to take and how often are there stops for food and drink. Not listening to DH who thinks he is going certain way as he wont have taken her into equation.

[Dragon31]

We did this drive in April, miami - orlando (we actually drove from the keys after a few days stopover) I mention that because its quite a long drive 4-5 hours, that doesn't bother me, I like drivin especially in Florida
Just wondering if you might be better stopping over for 1 night following the long flight? Especially with your sciatica and daughters anxiety.

Anyway in answer to your question, you basically have two options : The Turnpike toll road, this is fastest and most direct route, similiar to our motorways only less traffic, they have service stations dotted along the route but I woukd guess 50 miles between them. You do pass exits as well, but I wouldnt advise coming off the turnpike into unknown territory...

Option two would be Highway 27, more like an A road, a little more scenic but you can drive for miles and see nothing but greenery... and I mean miles... You do pass through the odd town from time to time but based on what you have said I recommend you use the Turnpike.

We drove up via H27 and back via Turnpike, both are boring drives but the turnpike was approx 1hr 30mins less. (I wasn't driving slow on the way back )

Whichever route you choose hope you have a fab holiday, we go back in August cant wait

[LindsayCat]

Can't help sorry but I do feel for you. My DD was 8 when we went to Florida last year. Has flown and travelled since the age of 5 weeks. As soon as she got on the plane she started having anxiety about being on it for so long. Must have gone to the toilet every 10 mins throughout the flight. Same in immigration hall. Not nice. Went to the pharmacy and got her some kiddies antihistamines for journey back, on advice of pharmacist. Did the job and she was much better. Unfortunately anxiety returned later on in the year during our annual holiday to visit family in Italy. Planning Florida next year and really hoping the anxiety doesn't return. Hoping your journey is ok x

[ailsab]

We did the journey up from Miami to Orlando last time (2010) and at the time I had a bladder problem so needed regular loo stops. I think the stops added a good 3/4 of an hour to our journey but I was able to stop regularly. Places such as KFC and McDonalds are advertised off the Turnpike and I made use of their facilities.

We stayed overnight in Miami and then left early the next day for the journey up to Orlando.

Good luck.

[coastergirls]

Thank you. We are stopping over in Miami first night and turnpike it will be. 50 miles will be fine she just kind of needs to know.
Lindsaycat I feel your pain. Her anxiety started in Florida at age 12 she had a mild infection and basically went more often than normal.We flew from Manchester that year and we had to stop on hard shoulder at 5 am it was that bad. Unfortunately when infection cleared she was left with the anxiety. We have been living with it and managing it for almost 5 years ! She has been through psych services and they were worse than useless. they said she was depressed and something else which was a lot of rubbish. She disgreed with their opinion and stopped going as they werent helpful. Thing is she copes with exams etc and has done really well .The only anxiety is around travel. Time was we couldnt go from house to Town a 20minute journey. She would be asking when we would be leaving and where we would be going to map out toilet. It was truely terrible time and it left me extremely stressed and anxious . I hated going anywhere with her .She had tests etc but takes a tablet for over active bladder which has helped. Phsically or mentally I dont know.
Recently she has had no problems and her travel behaviour has been completely normal since last years holiday. she has suggested herself that she cut down her tablet with hope of coming off but I suggested seeing as we away she should leave it till we get back. She has been away with friends on buses to Paris and middle of no where with no toilets and been fine so hoping it has gone. I also suspect that there was an element of bullying when she started as she had just gone to high school. She had no friends in any of her classes yet all her friends had some one. Common theme with our school did this with all my girls . She was also extremely thin and underdeveloped another thing they tried to tag her with was anorexia ! She most definatley was not. She is still thin but has put weight on but is underdeveloped suspected PCOS.
I hope your anxiety is a temporary thing and doesnt come back as it majorly affected the whole family .

[Guest]

There's an express bus that goes from Miami to Orlando, that has a bathroom onboard.

You could also use I95 to I4, it's an expressway but through very busy areas so there are likely to be bathrooms on every exit.

[Elsie]

Thanks for the updates on this thread!

We will be doing this journey in August and it's good to know the details, esp regarding rest stops. After much deliberation we've decided to do the drive up the day we land. I can live with a few stops on the Turnpike - I'll need them more than the kids!

[DIBBadmin]

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