Buffalo Airport Timing

[AndyMcV]

Hi Gang

We are going down to WDW in June. We live about 3.5 hours from the Buffalo airport (on the east side of Toronto). The flights we have fly out at 11:15am on Sunday. We are thinking of just getting up early, driving and getting on the plane. Can I get your advice as to how much time we should allow or what time we should be leaving?

Thanks
Andy

 

[damo]

Hi Gang

We are going down to WDW in June. We live in Peterborough about 3.5 hours from the Buffalo airport (on the east side of Toronto). The flights we have fly out at 11:15am on Sunday. We are thinking of just getting up early, driving and getting on the plane. Can I get your advice as to how much time we should allow or what time we should be leaving Peterborough?

Thanks
Andy

About 5 am.

 

[fivebyfive]

Yep, 5-5:30AM.

 

[disneyfan2]

Hi Gang

We are going down to WDW in June. We live in Peterborough about 3.5 hours from the Buffalo airport (on the east side of Toronto). The flights we have fly out at 11:15am on Sunday. We are thinking of just getting up early, driving and getting on the plane. Can I get your advice as to how much time we should allow or what time we should be leaving Peterborough?

Thanks
Andy

have you considered getting a hotel for the saturday night? YOu will be able to park at hotel and save the parking fee at the airport. There are alot of hotels within a short drive to airport. and you will be able to sleep in and make everyone have a good sleep. that is my suggestion. Then you won't have to worry about unexpected traffic delays through GTA or borders. good luck

 

[Questforthemouse]

If money isn't an issue and you have the time on Saturday I'd also recommend driving down on Saturday and staying at a Stay/Park/Fly hotel near the airport. They usually run between $100 - $175 for a night and include up to 14 days parking and offer a shuttle to the airport and back. I'm gonna guess you'll need to haul the family out of bed by 3:30am if you drive down Sunday morning. Makes for a long day. You won't have to roll out of bed until 7:30am if you stay the night before in Buffalo. You won't have to worry about traffic issues or the border either. We like the Holiday Inn Express right across from the airport. Around $170 for the night but it's newer and has an excellent breakfast bar including eggs, sausage, toast, muffins, danishes, cereal, milk, juice, coffee...yummm. Whatever you do...Have a great trip!

 

[Ham Ham]

Going the evening before is a good suggestion. If not don't leave the home of the Petes much past 5:30.

Border crossing shouldn't be an issue at 8:30.

If parking at BUF you might want this.

http://www.buffaloairport.com/pdfs/BNIA_Parking_Coupon.pdf

 

[MomAndrea]

We live just outside of Peterborough (Bridgenorth) and we haven't booked our flights yet. If we get a morning flight we plan to stay overnight in Buffalo.

Thanks for the hotel recommendation, we'll check out the Holiday Inn Express!

 

[misslissa]

We lived in Niagara until recently and flew out of Buffalo many, many times. Even living there, we would probably have left at around 5:30 am if we had that same flight time. Have you considered an airport hotel? You can find Comfort Inns around that area, or even just this side of the border for less that $100. I think I'd do that now that we live in the GTA, you never know what can happen at the border.

 

[karters*mom]

We lived in Niagara until recently and flew out of Buffalo many, many times. Even living there, we would probably have left at around 5:30 am if we had that same flight time. Have you considered an airport hotel? You can find Comfort Inns around that area, or even just this side of the border for less that $100. I think I'd do that now that we live in the GTA, you never know what can happen at the border.

5:30am for a flight that leaves 6 hours later... We lives in Welland 40 min away from the airport. Our flight is at 7:45. We are leaving at 4:30 am!

 

[fatty4iz]

Just to be sure, we are flying out at 7:25 on a Monday Morning. I was planning to be at Buffalo airport between 4:30-5:00. Is this leaving enough time? I also thought at that hour in the morning there shouldn't be any traffic at the Fort Erie crossing. Am I on the right track?

 

[AndyMcV]

Hi Gang

Thanks everyone for the great advice. It sounds like we'd have to leave at the latest 5am. Uuugh. My DW have talked about it and I think we are going to take your advice and stay over at the Holiday Inn Express on Friday night (we've decided to add another day on the front end of the trip). It looks nice for an airport hotel and the price is $119 including 2 weeks parking.

I'm typically the worrier so I'm thinking of any delays at the border, trying to find and pay for parking, getting our DS8 and DD4 up at 3:30am. It will be so much nicer taking our time and getting up at a reasonable time so that no one is exhausted by 11am. Also for the difference of say $30 between airport parking and the overnight hotel, I think the $30 is well worth it.

We live just outside of Peterborough (Bridgenorth) and we haven't booked our flights yet. If we get a morning flight we plan to stay overnight in Buffalo.
Thanks for the hotel recommendation, we'll check out the Holiday Inn Express!

MomAndrea, I'm not sure when you are going but I just booked 4 seats on a direct SouthWest return flight for $656 total!! ($164 each with taxes in). We're going May 31st and returning June 12.

Andy

 

[Questforthemouse]

Hi Gang

Thanks everyone for the great advice. It sounds like we'd have to leave at the latest 5am. Uuugh. My DW have talked about it and I think we are going to take your advice and stay over at the Holiday Inn Express on Friday night (we've decided to add another day on the front end of the trip). It looks nice for an airport hotel and the price is $119 including 2 weeks parking.

I'm typically the worrier so I'm thinking of any delays at the border, trying to find and pay for parking, getting our DS8 and DD4 up at 3:30am. It will be so much nicer taking our time and getting up at a reasonable time so that no one is exhausted by 11am. Also for the difference of say $30 between airport parking and the overnight hotel, I think the $30 is well worth it.



MomAndrea, I'm not sure when you are going but I just booked 4 seats on a direct SouthWest return flight for $656 total!! ($164 each with taxes in). We're going May 31st and returning June 12.

Andy

Hey Andy,

If you don't mind me asking...who did you call to get that $119 rate for the Airport HIE?

John

 

[Questforthemouse]

Just to be sure, we are flying out at 7:25 on a Monday Morning. I was planning to be at Buffalo airport between 4:30-5:00. Is this leaving enough time? I also thought at that hour in the morning there shouldn't be any traffic at the Fort Erie crossing. Am I on the right track?

As long as you are at the check-in desk 2 hours prior to your flight you should be fine. Having said that...we arrive 3 hours ahead to keep my wife's stress level down as she doesn't enjoy flying and always worries we won't have enough time to get through the airport. You won't have a delay at the border at that time of morning. Enjoy your trip!

 

[AndyMcV]

Hey Andy,
If you don't mind me asking...who did you call to get that $119 rate for the Airport HIE?
John

Hi Questforthemouse

Sorry... I just noticed this is a Holiday Inn for $117 about 1/2 a kilometre from the Holiday Inn Express. The Holiday Inn Express starts at $134. They are both located on almost the same street south of the airport, which to me seems really dumb from a Holiday Inn perspective.

Buffalo Airport Holiday Inn...http://www.hibuffaloairport.com/

Buffalo Airport Holiday Inn Express...http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/bufap?_requestid=163543

Andy

 

[MomAndrea]

Hi Gang

Thanks everyone for the great advice. It sounds like we'd have to leave at the latest 5am. Uuugh. My DW have talked about it and I think we are going to take your advice and stay over at the Holiday Inn Express on Friday night (we've decided to add another day on the front end of the trip). It looks nice for an airport hotel and the price is $119 including 2 weeks parking.

I'm typically the worrier so I'm thinking of any delays at the border, trying to find and pay for parking, getting our DS8 and DD4 up at 3:30am. It will be so much nicer taking our time and getting up at a reasonable time so that no one is exhausted by 11am. Also for the difference of say $30 between airport parking and the overnight hotel, I think the $30 is well worth it.



MomAndrea, I'm not sure when you are going but I just booked 4 seats on a direct SouthWest return flight for $656 total!! ($164 each with taxes in). We're going May 31st and returning June 12.

Andy

We are going at the end of August so I'm just waiting for SouthWest to release the fares before I book.

 

[disney0210]

Thank you all for the great advice. We are going to WDW 10/5 - 10/13. After reading your advice, I went to the parksleepfly.com website and was able to book an Econo Lodge room with up to 14 days parking, plus continental breakfast for $79.95 + 13.75% tax + $4.99 transaction fee = $95.93. They only charged me a refundable $11.99 USD deposit plus the $4.99 transaction fee for now. The deposit will be deducted from the price of the room upon check out. Considering what I needed to pay for 9 days parking at the airport anyway, I probably just added $15 - $20 to my original budget, plus now, we have breakfast plus we don't have to wake up too early to avoid the border traffic. Our flight is not until 12 noon anyway so we can take our time in the morning and not feel that the first day is just sooooooooooooooo tiring.

Again, thanks for all your expertise! DH was so happy when I told him about this. Normally we wake up before 4am on the day of the trip so we get to the border by 5:30 thus avoiding border delays, but this is so much better!

- disney0210

 

[disneyfan2]

Again, thanks for all your expertise! DH was so happy when I told him about this. Normally we wake up before 4am on the day of the trip so we get to the border by 5:30 thus avoiding border delays, but this is so much better!

- disney0210

Glad it worked out, plus there is a Superwalmart not far from Airport and a mall close by (eastern hills, mall) I think it has a Disney store there that you might find some bargains at.

Have fun

 

[misslissa]

5:30am for a flight that leaves 6 hours later... We lives in Welland 40 min away from the airport. Our flight is at 7:45. We are leaving at 4:30 am!

Grew up in St. Kitts and once got held up 3 1/2 hrs at the border. You never think it is going to happen... but it turns out that the flight leaves without you whether you are there or not.

Of course, when we go for shopping, it takes 10 mins.

 

[Questforthemouse]

Hi Questforthemouse

Sorry... I just noticed this is a Holiday Inn for $117 about 1/2 a kilometre from the Holiday Inn Express. The Holiday Inn Express starts at $134. They are both located on almost the same street south of the airport, which to me seems really dumb from a Holiday Inn perspective.

Buffalo Airport Holiday Inn...http://www.hibuffaloairport.com/

Buffalo Airport Holiday Inn Express...http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/bufap?_requestid=163543

Andy

Thanks Andy. The Holiday Inn has a restaurant but doesn't usually include breakfast in the price while the Holiday Inn Express doesn't have a restaurant but includes the breakfast bar in the price. $134 plus tax at the HIE is a good price. We paid that at Christmas two years ago. This past Christmas it was $165 plus tax and this coming summer it is $155 plus tax.