Buffalo or Toronto? **UPDATE on post #10

[danajune]

I'm having such a hard time with booking a flight!
I want to save as much money as possible, as everyone does. But I'm stuck deciding between money or convenience!

We (DH and I) need to fly out Aug 18th and return Aug 26th..

We do not have a car and we live RIGHT by the airport in Toronto, so it would be the most convenient. We could take public transportation or cab there and get an early flight to Orlando and a late flight coming home which means more time at Disney on our first and last days. But flying from Toronto to Orlando appears to be QUITE pricey.

So our other option is taking Coach Canada (the bus) from downtown Toronto straight to the Buffalo airport. It takes about 2.5 hours, which we don't REALLY mind. It's just more challenging as we would have to fly out of Buffalo after 12pm on the 18th to allow us enough time to get there by bus and most flights after 12pm are actually at like 7pm and don't get to Orlando until like 11pm which is NOT an option, that's just a total waste of a day.
There are some flights from Buffalo leaving at 12pm that get in at like 4pm which is GREAT but the prices are always changing and I just don't know when to commit and when to wait!!
And also we would have to be back in Buffalo on the 26th by 2pm to take the bus back to downtown Toronto.

I'm also looking into early flights from Buffalo on the 18th and maybe staying at a cheap hotel near the airport the night before? I've checked out some and even with one night at a hotel it is STILL cheaper than flying out of Toronto.

- Flying from Toronto is about $655.46 Canadian for the two of us.
- Flying from Buffalo is about $572.80 Canadian (including bus fare) for the two of us.
- Flying from Buffalo on an early flight and staying at a cheap hotel the night before the flight would cost about $547.56 Canadian (including bus fare and hotel) for the two of us.

And that's just based on today's search! It changes daily!

I just want to know what other people have done that are in my situation. Do you usually fly from Toronto or Buffalo? Which do you think is the better option? Spending a little more by flying out of Toronto and not having to take a bus all the way to Buffalo? Or saving money and going from Buffalo?

And also, has anyone stayed at a cheap hotel near the Buffalo airport? Where and what was it like? How was the shuttle to the airport?

Aaahhhh!

 

[biggroofy]

Check out southwest for their 48 hour sale! I was able to get $62 ticket from BUF to MCO!

There is a Hilton Garden Inn right across the street from airport. Nice...around $100/night?

 

[danajune]

Yah I saw the sale but I think it's only if you're flying between September and November and we're flying in August

I was looking at staying there, I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn downtown Toronto and loved it. But I think it's closer to $150-$200 for one night.
If I can find a discount for it, I would definitely stay there and fly out of Buffalo on an early flight the next day.

 

[biggroofy]

I am not sure about the dates, but I am flying in two weeks and I got a $62 deal yesterday.

Price for Hilton Garden Inn seems to have gone up. I got some $111/night for prepaid rate. I would suggest you to try hotwire.com, or even checkout the Holiday Inn Express that is close to airport.

 

[stefanospops]

I don't think it is worth it to save $80. That is a lot of extra aggravation. However, that is one real good price you are getting from Toronto. Which airline is that with?

 

[danajune]

That's what I keep thinking..
I know it will save me money to go from Buffalo but getting to downtown Toronto takes over an hour, the bus to Buffalo takes over 2 hours, then we wait at the airport for 2 hours, then take 2 planes, then waiting for ME and we probably won't get to our hotel till like 2 hours after we land..

I got the flight from Toronto at expedia.ca with Continental.

 

[treehugnmama]

i would go TO. We are fly out of buffalo but it takes us the sma etime to get to buffalo vs toronto and on 4 tickets we saved $600.oo do to a flight sale...NOBRAINER BUT
think of the money you are spending at disney to save under 100 dlallars with all the hassle and the loss of hours at disney I would fly TO in a minute.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would go with Toronto because as you said you live very close to Pearson International, plus when you fly back from Orlando it won't take you long when getting back to your house.

 

[Alderbrook]

If getting to Buffalo wasn't such an issue for you I would vote for Buffalo but because of the hassel & extra cost for bus fare I would say go TO.

 

[danajune]

Looks like most of you think I should go the more expensive yet more convenient route, Toronto.. Hmmm..

DH received a phone call just 2 hours ago about a job he wanted, and he GOT IT!
But now I'm worried about what they'll say when he tells them he has a WDW vacation booked for 36 days after he starts working there.. So now I don't want to book any flights in case we have to change our dates.

If we needed to drop the first 3 days of our vacation and add on 4 more at the end to work around DH's new schedule do you think Disney would allow us to do this and still stay at ASMu? The only other resorts available for those dates would cost us $1, 000 US more!

 

[dancin Disney style]

I voted before I read your post....I voted for BUF....but after reading your situation and the prices that you have noted....I would fly from YYZ.....it's not at all worth saving $80 -$100....try to save that money someplace else.

 

[mommylo]

Hi DanaJune
I have done all of the options you mentioned. I personally will NOT do the coach ever again because the WHOLE bus has to clear immigration and customs together. When I did it last October with DS9, I was ready to kill myself because it almost took one and half hours for that (there were 5 buses ahead of us and we were traveling at 10pm!).
We as a family of four have been flying out from Buffalo, doing the park and fly, staying the night before. We always travel during peak times (March breaks, Christmas), when the airfare differences are significant.
Looking at the numbers you posted, it probably makes more sense for you to fly out of Toronto.
Good Luck in your decision

 

[brighteyes]

For a difference of about only $100.00 or so, I would save yourself the hassle and fly out of TO for convenience sake.

Stephanie

 

[minnie56]

For that kind of saving...I would do TO. If it were a big difference, then I would re consider.

 

[bbrnca]

I have done the TO and Buffalo flights before and am a happy repeat flyer with Southwest.... I priced tickets for 6 from TO just over 4K (CND roundtrip) and from buffalo it was only about 1500 (US roundtrip) direct flights. I also only live about 1.5hr-2hr from Buffalo so i don't mind driving and saving the difference... more money to spend at Disney... .... all I can say is do what you feel best suits your needs and plans..... Congrat to your DH on new job...

 

[danajune]

Hi DanaJune
I have done all of the options you mentioned. I personally will NOT do the coach ever again because the WHOLE bus has to clear immigration and customs together. When I did it last October with DS9, I was ready to kill myself because it almost took one and half hours for that (there were 5 buses ahead of us and we were traveling at 10pm!).
We as a family of four have been flying out from Buffalo, doing the park and fly, staying the night before. We always travel during peak times (March breaks, Christmas), when the airfare differences are significant.
Looking at the numbers you posted, it probably makes more sense for you to fly out of Toronto.
Good Luck in your decision

I wondered why it was like a 3 hour bus ride! I've been to Niagara Falls a few times since I've moved to Toronto and it only takes an hour... I assumed it was customs but I wasn't sure how they went about it.
Doesn't sound like something I want to do.
And DH is crossing the border for the first time and he has a US visitors visa so I don't want that to hold anyone up.

Congrat to your DH on new job...

Thanks! We're SO excited!! We've been waiting a long time for this.

 

[mommylo]

I wondered why it was like a 3 hour bus ride! I've been to Niagara Falls a few times since I've moved to Toronto and it only takes an hour... I assumed it was customs but I wasn't sure how they went about it.
Doesn't sound like something I want to do.
And DH is crossing the border for the first time and he has a US visitors visa so I don't want that to hold anyone up.

For anyone considering the bus, it really is a very time-consuming process. On our trip, all 50+ people had to get out of the bus. All luggages were unloaded from the bus. Everyone goes through Immigration with 2-3 Immigration officers. Then you have to pick up your own luggage and walk through customs. Everything then gets loaded BACK onto the bus. I totally was not ready for that.

 

[homebug]

Another vote for Toronto here. It would be different if you had a car, but I would not take a coach to the Buffalo Airport. A dedicated airport service maybe, but for the Customs & Border protection hassles alone, it will be worth the extra money to go out of TO.

We live near Detroit, and I still recommend that clients either take a dedicated airbus or drive down the night before.

Congrats to dh for the new job! No small feat today!!

 

[Hockeychic]

BUF gets my vote. We have flown out of both many times and I just don't like Pearson, the airport is huge.

My advantage for flying out of Buffalo. DH gets 2 cases of Alexander Keiths at the duty free, for $34.00, would cost over $100 here.

We always go in a day early and shop at the Waldin

Much smaller airport

SW is awesome, the flight crew is amazing, and best part is if you have to cancell the flight you get it back in a flight credit that you have up to a year from when you first booked to use, no penalties.

Regardless, have a awesome time!!!!

 

[Hockeychic]

Sorry just re[read your post, ya not having a vehicle definatley changes everything it is probably easier for you to go out of YYZ, the less stress will be worth the extra money.