45 minute drive to save money on hotel??

[Bebella]

So my in-laws just moved to Orlando, they are living in Maitland. We are planning a trip and will be taking out 2 & 4 year old. It's a 45 minute drive to MK ...When they were looking for condos, I was trying to steer them closer to WDW But no luck ...and the NW side is closer to where my father in law is teaching. ANYway ...is it crazy to do the 45 minute drive in the morning and evenings to save money on a hotel? I'm thinking maybe just 1-2 nights in a hotel for the MK days to make it easier on the kids ...I'm not even sure if we'll bring them to Epcot and my husband and I could leave them with their grandparents then. Just wondering if anyone else has stayed farther away and regretted it, or thought it was worth it?

Thanks!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

It depends on your budget, of course, but I would stay much, much closer, preferably onsite. With little ones, it would be nice to be able to take a break in the middle of the day and swim or nap. Maybe you can stay with your in-laws on your travel days?

I'd also be concerned that the kids would nap on the way back to the condo at night and you'd never get them to go to bed. You would also have to wake them much earlier to make rope drop.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

If it is truly a 45 minute drive to the magic kingdom parking lot it's not really that crazy. Most of the offsite hotels are a 15-25 minute drive already. However, I've seen some of these "45 minute away" places that are really like 60+ away and that would be a difficult proposition on the way home after a long day at the parks in my opinion. Good luck!

 

[unrequited23]

What sort of trip are you planning? Is the focus Disney or visiting grandparents? If you were doing the parks every other day a 45 minute drive doesn't seem crazy. Rope drop to fireworks 5 days in a row with a 45 min drive seems a bit much for me.

 

[kymom99]

I personally would make the drive so that I could stay in one place every night. But my kid was a good car rider.

 

[LYSE]

Yup, you have to decide if the focus of the trip is Disney or not, if it is and you plan to be there everyday most of the day for multiple days in a row then staying closer or on site makes sense.

If Disney is a plus to the trip, then that's not so bad.

 

[lpizzuro123]

My FIL used to live right by SeaWorld and we would usually split up our trip - a few nights with him for family time and a few nights at a Disney Hotel for Disney time. While it was great staying with him and saving some money on a hotel - he did not always get that on some days we wanted to get to the park early and always wanted to make us a big breakfast, or we always felt like we should come back and have dinner with him, even if we wanted to eat at a special Disney restaurant. That way we could spend time with him and if we wanted to do special Disney things we could do that also.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

We would not want to drive that much on vacation.

 

[wilkeliza]

To me the answer lies with who are you visiting. Are you going to Orlando to visit your in-laws or are you going to Orlando to go to Disney? If I'm hanging out with my in-laws I'll stay with them and cut out park days to be with them more. If I'm going to Disney then it depends. Probably would get a hotel on property just because and maybe spend a night with the in-laws but not make seeing them a priority. It really just depends on why I'm taking the trip.

 

[littlbugmom]

My first thought is "heck no am I driving 45 mins to and from every day......but I guess it would depend on the trip. If the main reason for the trip is to spend time with the inlaws, I guess I'd try to make that work. How many days are you planning in Disney and how many just hanging with the inlaws? If Disney is a major factor, I'd figure out a way to stay closer.

If this is your family vacation and you're trying to do Disney while also spending some time with the inlaws, I'd stay closer to the parks. Rent a 3 bedroom and have them come stay with you. They can relax at the condo while you're in the parks and you'll back with them in the evening.

 

[marsh0013]

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, my grandparents lived in St. Cloud which looks to be about the same distance, just south instead of north. We never once stayed on Disney property or even near Disney property, only with the grandparents. I shared a bedroom with my 2 younger brothers as my parents got their own room in the 3-bedroom house. And all 5 of us shared a bathroom. I never knew anything else existed. They were the best trips and probably the only way my parents could afford to take us.

I know it was a different world back then, but we never made it to rope drop, and we stayed all day through the parade and fireworks. But then we didn't go to the parks 2 days in a row either. So if you need breaks, it would be more difficult.

These days I'd never do it because I have learned that I love staying onsite. But I'm so glad I was able to have so many trips growing up. That was Disney to me. So I guess it depends how much money you'd save and how accustomed to on site (or at least closer proximity) you are.

 

[Lvsdisney]

I think it depends on a few factors: How long are you staying? What kind of park people are you (Open to Close? Late morning to early evening?) How well does you little one nap in the stroller?

45 minutes isn't that long. Many people have commutes that long. But to do it everyday and leave the parks late everyday, it may get old quick.

 

[maxiesmom]

I wouldn't do it. When I'm ready to leave the park, I'm ready to leave. I wouldn't want a 45 minute drive back. And that ride would seem a lot longer with tired kids, or one who may not feel the greatest.

 

[amcnj]

Also do your kids nap? Are you going a time of year when park hours are long and you might want to take a mid-day break?

 

[gottalovepluto]

I think it's crazy if you can afford to stay closer. If that's the only way you can visit WDW, then do it. But, if you can afford a hotel significantly closer to WDW I'd pay up for it. On vacation, time is money. You've worked and saved in order to get this precious vacation time, don't waste it driving back and forth if you don't have to.

 

[bladiator]

I think every time you drive 45 minutes to Disney World you've bought yourself a nice meal.

 

[TwoMisfits]

So my in-laws just moved to Orlando, they are living in Maitland. We are planning a trip and will be taking out 2 & 4 year old. It's a 45 minute drive to MK ...When they were looking for condos, I was trying to steer them closer to WDW But no luck ...and the NW side is closer to where my father in law is teaching. ANYway ...is it crazy to do the 45 minute drive in the morning and evenings to save money on a hotel? I'm thinking maybe just 1-2 nights in a hotel for the MK days to make it easier on the kids ...I'm not even sure if we'll bring them to Epcot and my husband and I could leave them with their grandparents then. Just wondering if anyone else has stayed farther away and regretted it, or thought it was worth it?

Thanks!

With the age of your kids, I would stay with the in-laws...I would do parks every other day and enjoy the time with your family...I'd plan a few date nights wherever you want since you'll be able on your non-park days - that will make up for the "work" that park days will be for you both...

You mention saving the hotel cost, but you will save more than that...having the babysitting for evenings out with the spouse, having the fully stocked kitchen to have breakfasts every morning and to bring snacks to the parks, having entertainment amenities that you can't count on having at a hotel, a washer and dryer (and probably an in law willing to do your kids laundry while you're at the parks even when you tell them no - been there, done that - and the priceless time with family)...

As far as the drives, I guarantee the kids will fall asleep on the return drive, so that trip won't feel so long...

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I think it is very doable even if it takes one hour. May even be easier than packing up little ones for a hotel.

 

[Bebella]

If it is truly a 45 minute drive to the magic kingdom parking lot it's not really that crazy. Most of the offsite hotels are a 15-25 minute drive already. However, I've seen some of these "45 minute away" places that are really like 60+ away and that would be a difficult proposition on the way home after a long day at the parks in my opinion. Good luck!

Yeah ...I think leaving the parks at night and driving up the I-4 would be about 30-45 minutes because it's late ...it's making rope drop in the morning that would worry me, on weekdays, the drive could be up to an hour I would guess.

 

[Bebella]

It depends on your budget, of course, but I would stay much, much closer, preferably onsite. With little ones, it would be nice to be able to take a break in the middle of the day and swim or nap. Maybe you can stay with your in-laws on your travel days?

I'd also be concerned that the kids would nap on the way back to the condo at night and you'd never get them to go to bed. You would also have to wake them much earlier to make rope drop.

Yeah...rope drop is definitely the concern ...waking up so early! And the breaks during the day ...they really needed that rest/nap time when we were at DL last year, we stayed at the Grand Californian and it was so nice being so close. Our daughter sleeps really great in the stroller, and our son is pretty much over naps ...maybe we could leave property and have lunch at one of the monorail resorts to give us a little down time. Decisions, decisions!