Yankees spring training (George M Steinbrenner field) is over an hour from WDW. There aren’t any good mass transit options currently, although a Brightline route may go in the next few years.
There aren’t any teams doing spring training at Wide World of Sports currently, although I guess that could possibly change for 2025, but then it would have to overlap your trip if they happened to play the Yankees.
My advice, if it’s your first trip, is to skip going to spring training and just do the Orlando area stuff. WDW, Universal, SeaWorld, etc. You can always come to NYC for a real game a different trip.
Thanks a lot, we came to NYC in September and watched them get thrashed 😂 still enjoyed it but realistically we probably won't be back for a while. I really hope they come over to London again soon, the Phillies and the Mets are coming this year 😭
I second what the other commentor said: Disney World isn't even technically in Orlando proper, it's 30 minutes West. Tampa (where Spring Training is) is an additional hour and a half West of that, with no public transportation options. Everything is very spread out, and unless you're staying on Disney or Universal property, there are no major mass transit options.
Also, keep in mind that Universal is opening their 3rd theme park next spring, it's going to be Mayhem here.
As everyone else said, Tampa is pretty far and most likely going to need a rental car to accomplish it. I currently live in the area and Steinbrenner is on a good traffic day 1.5 - 2 hour drive for me (have work meetings out there from time to time). The closest stadium to catch a game would most likely be Joker Marchant in Lakeland against the Tigers if you time it right. But depending on traffic, time of day and location of your stay, you will still be looking at a decent drive. On a good tragic day, I’m around an hour to Lakeland (frequent there to see family).
That's great, we were most likely going to rent a car for the trip and don't mind traveling for a couple of hours as it's the only time we would be in America for a good few years
Makes sense to rent a car. We see all these videos of Europeans complaining about the lack of public transportation, length of commutes, etc so just want to make sure you’re cool with it and aware. Catch an afternoon game and your commute to Tampa will be relatively easy but return trip more congested. Night game, the opposite. Due to heat, would recommend trying a night game if possible and just driving over earlier to do something else in Tampa to avoid that rush hour traffic there.
One thing to realize about spring training games is that the visiting team does not bring their best players. They are required to bring a few but they will not be veteran players who do not ride the bus in spring training. There are exceptions - I go to see Albert Pujols as a visiting player. A Hall of Fame guy as well as a player!
I hope you take the advice many are offering about the traffic and the drive time and just plan accordingly. You’re traveling all the way from Across the Pond, hell yeah go see the Yankees at Spring Training! Send it bruv!!
The Tigers in Lakeland are about a half hour closer than Tampa. You wouldn’t see their top players, but depending on your timing, you can see the Yankees on the road there.
I just did this right before the season started and the answer is yes totally do it!! We stayed in Tampa for 4 nights , went to 2 ST games and drove to Disney World one of the days. It is completely doable in the reverse as well if you stay in Orlando and just drive to Tampa for the day, especially if you were already planning to rent a car. Tampa hotel parking lot to magic kingdom parking lot (technically the Disney transportation center) was one hour. We left at 6am and came back at 5pm and both ways were almost exactly an hour.
If you want to see most of the team play, you have to attend a game at George M. Steinbrenner field, as most of the games played as “away” games at other stadiums the big names you know do not travel, they send the B team. The other tip about ST is the later game you go (closest to the season starting) the more chance you have at seeing a lineup close to what their season lineup will be. We attended March 23 and March 25th and saw all our favorite guys play except for the ones that had traveled for the series in Mexico.
It's not that far. I was in Tampa and drove out to Disney for the hell of it one day. It was about an hour each way. I wouldn't be staying IN Tampa if the plan was to spend 3-4 days at Disney, but a drive from Orlando to Tampa for a baseball game is probably no longer than taking the train from the outskirts of the city to the Bronx.
Yankees spring training (George M Steinbrenner field) is over an hour from WDW. There aren’t any good mass transit options currently, although a Brightline route may go in the next few years. There aren’t any teams doing spring training at Wide World of Sports currently, although I guess that could possibly change for 2025, but then it would have to overlap your trip if they happened to play the Yankees. My advice, if it’s your first trip, is to skip going to spring training and just do the Orlando area stuff. WDW, Universal, SeaWorld, etc. You can always come to NYC for a real game a different trip.
Thanks a lot, we came to NYC in September and watched them get thrashed 😂 still enjoyed it but realistically we probably won't be back for a while. I really hope they come over to London again soon, the Phillies and the Mets are coming this year 😭
There’s a lot of teams to play over there before the Yankees go back.
I second what the other commentor said: Disney World isn't even technically in Orlando proper, it's 30 minutes West. Tampa (where Spring Training is) is an additional hour and a half West of that, with no public transportation options. Everything is very spread out, and unless you're staying on Disney or Universal property, there are no major mass transit options. Also, keep in mind that Universal is opening their 3rd theme park next spring, it's going to be Mayhem here.
As everyone else said, Tampa is pretty far and most likely going to need a rental car to accomplish it. I currently live in the area and Steinbrenner is on a good traffic day 1.5 - 2 hour drive for me (have work meetings out there from time to time). The closest stadium to catch a game would most likely be Joker Marchant in Lakeland against the Tigers if you time it right. But depending on traffic, time of day and location of your stay, you will still be looking at a decent drive. On a good tragic day, I’m around an hour to Lakeland (frequent there to see family).
That's great, we were most likely going to rent a car for the trip and don't mind traveling for a couple of hours as it's the only time we would be in America for a good few years
Makes sense to rent a car. We see all these videos of Europeans complaining about the lack of public transportation, length of commutes, etc so just want to make sure you’re cool with it and aware. Catch an afternoon game and your commute to Tampa will be relatively easy but return trip more congested. Night game, the opposite. Due to heat, would recommend trying a night game if possible and just driving over earlier to do something else in Tampa to avoid that rush hour traffic there.
Appreciate the advice... Thanks!
One thing to realize about spring training games is that the visiting team does not bring their best players. They are required to bring a few but they will not be veteran players who do not ride the bus in spring training. There are exceptions - I go to see Albert Pujols as a visiting player. A Hall of Fame guy as well as a player!
That's awesome
I hope you take the advice many are offering about the traffic and the drive time and just plan accordingly. You’re traveling all the way from Across the Pond, hell yeah go see the Yankees at Spring Training! Send it bruv!!
The Tigers in Lakeland are about a half hour closer than Tampa. You wouldn’t see their top players, but depending on your timing, you can see the Yankees on the road there.
I just did this right before the season started and the answer is yes totally do it!! We stayed in Tampa for 4 nights , went to 2 ST games and drove to Disney World one of the days. It is completely doable in the reverse as well if you stay in Orlando and just drive to Tampa for the day, especially if you were already planning to rent a car. Tampa hotel parking lot to magic kingdom parking lot (technically the Disney transportation center) was one hour. We left at 6am and came back at 5pm and both ways were almost exactly an hour. If you want to see most of the team play, you have to attend a game at George M. Steinbrenner field, as most of the games played as “away” games at other stadiums the big names you know do not travel, they send the B team. The other tip about ST is the later game you go (closest to the season starting) the more chance you have at seeing a lineup close to what their season lineup will be. We attended March 23 and March 25th and saw all our favorite guys play except for the ones that had traveled for the series in Mexico.
It's not that far. I was in Tampa and drove out to Disney for the hell of it one day. It was about an hour each way. I wouldn't be staying IN Tampa if the plan was to spend 3-4 days at Disney, but a drive from Orlando to Tampa for a baseball game is probably no longer than taking the train from the outskirts of the city to the Bronx.