Jump directly to the content
ROAD TRIP

Getting to Disney World will now take longer after TUI moves all Orlando flights to airport that’s 80 miles away

The new airport is an hour and a half from Disney World

TUI has announced that its flights from the UK to Florida will now land at Orlando Melbourne Airport - nearly 80 miles away from Disney World.

The change is being introduced in 2022 and will affect flights from Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and London Gatwick.

 TUI will launch flights to the new airport from 2022
3
TUI will launch flights to the new airport from 2022Credit: Getty - Contributor

At the moment, Tui flights land at Orlando Sanford Airport, which is 45 miles from the theme park - about an hour away from Disney World.

But the new airport will mean passengers travelling with TUI to Disney World will have to drive nearly an hour and a half to get to the resort without traffic.

Other airlines, such as British Airways and Virgin, fly directly to Orlando International Airport, which is just 20 miles from Disney World.

It's a short 20-minute drive, and there are direct shuttle buses as well.

 Orlando Melbourne Airport is nearly 80 miles from Disney World
3
Orlando Melbourne Airport is nearly 80 miles from Disney World
 The new airport is an hour and a half from Disney World
3
The new airport is an hour and a half from Disney WorldCredit: Alamy

However, the move is good news for Brits who want to avoid Disney World.

Tui explained that the airport is located on Florida's "Space Coast" as it is the closest airport to NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

It is also just a few miles from some of Orlando's beaches, including Paradise Beach and Canova Beach.

Dawn Wilson, Managing Director TUI Airways said: "Our new Orlando gateway will be perfectly situated to offer TUI UK customers total flexibility in designing their holiday around any combination of theme parks, beaches or cruising."

Three-star Ramada Kissimmee Gateway ​is ​located just 10 minutes drive from the Disney World Resort

Orlando Melbourne Airport has nearly 500,000 passengers travel through it each year.

This is in comparison to Orlando Sandford, which has 3m per year, and Orlando International, which has 47m per year.

Tui recently launched an additional two million seats for summer 2020 following the collapse of Thomas Cook.

The holiday provider is also the first to offer holidays to Sharm el-Sheikh since the flight ban was lifted earlier this year.

Disney World fans can book VIP tours which let you skip the queues - but it costs over £500 per hour.

The theme park also has cheap tickets for guests who don't mind missing out on the morning in the park.

Here are some of the exciting new attractions and shows which will launch across Disney next  year.

Topics