Any North Carolinians have APs?

[WilsonFlyer]

We live in NC and are DVC and have APs. We go 4-6 times a year and I refuse to fly anymore with flights being so ridiculously expensive out of RDU. We've been driving it every time for over 10 years and it doesn't even bother me anymore. We leave at 5:00am and you can generally set a clock on us arriving around 2:30-3:00 and we check-in and go full bore till midnight. Did it week before last on one stop on the way down for food and gas.

 

[Branflakes]

We live in NC and are DVC and have APs. We go 4-6 times a year and I refuse to fly anymore with flights being so ridiculously expensive out of RDU. We've been driving it every time for over 10 years and it doesn't even bother me anymore. We leave at 5:00am and you can generally set a clock on us arriving around 2:30-3:00 and we check-in and go full bore till midnight. Did it week before last on one stop on the way down for food and gas.

If the flights get out of control, I imagine we too will start driving. For our upcomingMay trip, we scored $69 pp each way nonstop on Southwest. But by and large, I'm not paying more than $200 round trip to MCO from RDU. It's only 1:30 max usually 1:15, so when flights are $400 pp we just reschedule for a better time.

 

[Jennasis]

The flights from Charlotte to MCO are soooo expensive that we would never dream of flying when driving only costs about $150 round trip. Plus we enjoy the drive. It builds our excitement, and we love the time together. We listen to Disney podcasts (and Howard Stern for DH lol) and sit back and relax. On the way home we use the drive to decompress. Plus we also love having our car for ease of park hopping and checking out all of Orlando.

 

[compshu]

Plus, for many of us this close, flying takes just about as long to get there as driving does. You have to factor in time to get through security and check in, then wait for DME once you're in MCO. It can easily reach 10 hours from arrival at your home airport to arrival at your resort.

 

[NuJoy]

We started driving soon after buying DVC so we could haul our tubs of "necessities", which is also about the time airline prices began to skyrocket. DH drives through the night to arrive at Disney about 4:30am.

 

[Jamie77]

I live in SC and about 6.5 hours away. With the exception of a few trips, I've always had an AP. I go about twice a year if I have one.

 

[grumpy28]

Everyone has great POVs! I am sure if we decide to get APs we will find reasons to take several long weekend trips, in addition to our regularly scheduled trips. That worries me a bit, since I know the cost will add up (food, gas, hotels,ect..). I have no self control when it comes to taking Disney trips! LOL

 

[wfjny]

The flights from Charlotte to MCO are soooo expensive that we would never dream of flying when driving only costs about $150 round trip. Plus we enjoy the drive. It builds our excitement, and we love the time together. We listen to Disney podcasts (and Howard Stern for DH lol) and sit back and relax. On the way home we use the drive to decompress. Plus we also love having our car for ease of park hopping and checking out all of Orlando.

I look at it his way, for my family of 4:
$228 per person for the 8:15 AA flight Friday night, arriving at 10:00 PM (about $1000 for the 4 of us)
Need to get to the airport 2 hours ahead of time, so 6:15
Google says 37 minutes to the airport, lets say 45 (although probably more at rush hour)
So, that is now 5:30. Lets just say a half hour to park and get to the terminal, so, need to leave home by 5:00PM
Arrive in Orlando at 10:00 (assuming the flight is on-time, it always is )
So, then get the bags, and either rent a car or take the magical express. I think an hour is bare minimum to get from plane to hotel room.

So, about six hours travel time by plane...
$1,000 in air fare, how much more in parking/car rental/etc.

Or, 8 hours door to door while driving. No bag fees. no car rental, take as much as we want, buy what we want, and get it back home.
540 miles, about 25 gallons of gas each way, yeah $150 in gas.

I'll stick to the driving for now...

The more we save, the more we can go...

 

[CarolinaBlue]

We're from NC (GO HEELS!) and we are DVC with APs. We try to do 3-4 trips a year. We were there in Jan., going again next week (yay!), a few days in October before our cruise, and back again for either December or January. We got in on the 13 month deal this time and ours expire in Feb.2018. I don't like the drive, but it's worth it. Our kids are grown, so it's just DH and I, which makes it much easier than when we had to work around school schedules.

 

[Jennasis]

We started driving soon after buying DVC so we could haul our tubs of "necessities", which is also about the time airline prices began to skyrocket. DH drives through the night to arrive at Disney about 4:30am.

We have our "Disney Box" too! Instead of that Owner's Locker stuff, we bought a lockable, rolling tote from Walmart and just keep the stuff in it we need each trip (toiletries, shampoo, deodorant etc...OTC meds and the scripts I only use for Disney for motion sickness, pool towels, a fleece blanket because the triple sheets aren't enough etc). My cousin made us the sticker on top.

I look at it his way, for my family of 4:
$228 per person for the 8:15 AA flight Friday night, arriving at 10:00 PM (about $1000 for the 4 of us)
Need to get to the airport 2 hours ahead of time, so 6:15
Google says 37 minutes to the airport, lets say 45 (although probably more at rush hour)
So, that is now 5:30. Lets just say a half hour to park and get to the terminal, so, need to leave home by 5:00PM
Arrive in Orlando at 10:00 (assuming the flight is on-time, it always is )
So, then get the bags, and either rent a car or take the magical express. I think an hour is bare minimum to get from plane to hotel room.

So, about six hours travel time by plane...
$1,000 in air fare, how much more in parking/car rental/etc.

Or, 8 hours door to door while driving. No bag fees. no car rental, take as much as we want, buy what we want, and get it back home.
540 miles, about 25 gallons of gas each way, yeah $150 in gas.

I'll stick to the driving for now...

The more we save, the more we can go...

I like the way you think! Our math was pretty much the same. Plus there is nothing more fun and hilarious then having WAZE sing directions to you in the boy band voice!

 

[NuJoy]

We have our "Disney Box" too! Instead of that Owner's Locker stuff, we bought a lockable, rolling tote from Walmart and just keep the stuff in it we need each trip (toiletries, shampoo, deodorant etc...OTC meds and the scripts I only use for Disney for motion sickness, pool towels, a fleece blanket because the triple sheets aren't enough etc). My cousin made us the sticker on top.

View attachment 233670

OMG...if my husband sees this, our tubs will be custom-stickered too.

 

[Jennasis]

OMG...if my husband sees this, our tubs will be custom-stickered too.

She made it for us to stick on our windshields (it's that type of sticker) but I totally had to put it on the box!

 

[Trip planner]

I look at it his way, for my family of 4:
$228 per person for the 8:15 AA flight Friday night, arriving at 10:00 PM (about $1000 for the 4 of us)
Need to get to the airport 2 hours ahead of time, so 6:15
Google says 37 minutes to the airport, lets say 45 (although probably more at rush hour)
So, that is now 5:30. Lets just say a half hour to park and get to the terminal, so, need to leave home by 5:00PM
Arrive in Orlando at 10:00 (assuming the flight is on-time, it always is )
So, then get the bags, and either rent a car or take the magical express. I think an hour is bare minimum to get from plane to hotel room.

So, about six hours travel time by plane...
$1,000 in air fare, how much more in parking/car rental/etc.

Or, 8 hours door to door while driving. No bag fees. no car rental, take as much as we want, buy what we want, and get it back home.
540 miles, about 25 gallons of gas each way, yeah $150 in gas.

I'll stick to the driving for now...

The more we save, the more we can go...

*this! The last time we flew, we had to wait an hour to get our rental car so it was 6 hours door to door and over $1000 for flights and rental car. We now drive!

 

[NuJoy]

She made it for us to stick on our windshields (it's that type of sticker) but I totally had to put it on the box!

Good call. I think we sent my oldest daughter off to college with luggage carrying custom Disney tags my husband had created back in our flying days lol.

 

[dmetcalfrn]

We live north of Charlotte, NC and have had APs for the past 5 years and DVC members as well. We usually go 4 times a year and drive (about 10 hours) or fly if the price is right. We love the feeling with our APs that you don't have to do everything and can spend time enjoying the resort because there's always next trip!

 

[Branflakes]

For us, 630 miles from raleigh to the Yacht Club. All things going well without traffic and any delays, 10 hours including a stop for fuel and a to go meal.
So if I leave at 5 am, same time I'd leave my home for a 7:15am flight, I'm arriving by car at about 3pm, park check in go to room drop off stuff, and get a little settled then I'm in the MK by 5. Cost would've about $150 in gas and approx $25 in food. Plus 1200 miles in my car.
For us, flying is a better option. We leave at 5 am for a 7:15 flight. We arrive at MCO 8:30 ish. Board magical express by 9:15, arrive at Yacht Club around 10am. Check in, drink my welcome cocktail, go to room if ready, if not leave carry on with Bell services, I'm in MK by or before noon.
We fly on Tuesday to Tuesday, because this works for us, and never pay more than $200 each round trip. This time, leaving May 9-16, we scored nonstop round trip for $275 total for both of us.
So for us, driving doesn't work.

 

[NH-to-FL]

We are now snowbirds with resident AP's but DW and I got our AP's many years ago once we started taking two, one week trips per year from New Hampshire. Thankfully Southwest flies non-stop out of our local airport with very reasonable fares provided you have some travel date flexibility. Once you go over 10 days per year at WDW then the AP's make sense.

 

[NYCANC]

I am right outside Raleigh too- it seems like there are a bunch of us! We should have a meet-up! Maybe the Disney Store at Crabtree!

 

[johnsgrl]

Fayetteville, NC for us, also DVC and AP' holders. We used to live in NH and drive down for our Disney fix, now the 8.5 hour trip is a breeze!
A weekend last September, a week in October, a side trip during a conference in January (yes, I drove and got mileage for that one!), leaving Saturday for another week, a Memorial Day weekend trip planned for Pandora and a week in October all on the schedule. Good thing we have newer vehicles cause the miles are racking up!

 

[csjordan]

Hi! I am about 9- 10 hours from Disney (about 11 with stops). Thinking of upgrading my 5 day PH into APs. Then taking a long weekend in Sept and Nov, and hopefully some next year before APs expire.

Just curious if other NC folk, have APs. It is a long drive (we always drive), and I want to make sure it'd be worth it. We are a family of 4.5 (baby is 2), so staying on property can be expensive (we will always stay on property).

Anyone else an AP holder living in NC? How often do you make it down?

GeeensbORO/High Point NC here! We have had AP's for 3 years. On average go down 4 times a year. Usually try to get a good deal on southwest out of RDU!