Cost analysis- How much is your time worth??

[My_3_Mi_Princesses]

Greetings all!

I have been a longtime reader of these boards and have found some great tips/advice etc on here. So I was hoping I could get some great advice on a decision we have to make soon.

For our June 2010 Disney trip we had decided to drive from up here in Michigan (usually we fly but now my two youngest are no longer free). It is about an 18 hour drive over 2 days. However I just checked flights for June 2010 and have found them to be the cheapest I have ever seen ($150 round trip + luggage fees)!

Doing some cost analysis I took all expenses of driving vs all expenses of flying. For driving I included gas ($3.50 a gallon - just a guess), extra car maintenance, hotels on the road, food, parking at the port (also doing DCL), and being able to eat off property (we will be staying on property no matter if we fly or drive).

For flying I included tickets, luggage fees, parking at the airport, rental car to get to the port and then to MCO and a night in a hotel room (after the cruise we have to stay in a hotel room and leave the next morning), in addition I also save 2 vacation days! The difference in price is flying basically cost about $500 more than driving (not including the value of the 2 vacation days saved, and of course my SANITY! ). While $500 is a lot of money to us, overall is not THAT much. And if I break it down to $250 each way then it really doesn't seem that much!

So my question is how much more does flying have to cost you before you consider driving?

Also did I miss anything major in my little analysis???

Thanks so much!

 

[TAKitty]

Hi from Michigan. We only fly because driving is expensive. Check for fights often. EVERY time I travel to Florida (four times this year), I have found good deals on airfare. We are going in Oct for 35 one way and 45 the other. I have never paid more than 65 each way.

Check Northwest, Spirit, and Airtrain for the best nonstop flights. There are some cheap hotels at the airport and some include your parking. Also, consider taking carry-on bags and doing laundry. Our family of five only travels with carry-on luggage and it saves on the cost of airfare.

Good luck and enjoy your trip!

 

[GEB@okw]

From Grand Rapids to my home at Old Key West it is 1201 miles. There is not a car made that can be driven for less than 50 cents a mile so round trip is $1201. For that price you can by up to six round trip tickets to Florida. Not to mention your time, meal expense, etc. Also, if you work at it, there are many "Bump" opportunities out there to get you next tickets free. Me next 3 trips to Disney (Oct 10, Dec. 30, Feb. 21) are all ticketed with one $400 voucher I picked up on my last trip. Try to get your money back driving....

 

[Brian Noble]

If I were to drive, it would take two days---we're not the sort of people who could drive all night. If we fly, we can fly non-stop out of DTW, and it takes a half day.

So, flying gives me two full and two partial days of extra vacation. Flights would have to be very very expensive to give up that extra time.

We do drive to the beach in North Carolina, but that drive is about 1.5 days, or a bit less, and it allows us to take all our "beach stuff" (umbrellas, boogie boards, beach chairs, coolers, etc. etc. etc.) that we'd have to buy and throw away when we got there.

Edited to add: as to what time is worth. Figure out how much more you could make if you spent those two days working (either on overtime if you are hourly, on a side business, or by not having to pay someone to paint the shed or clean the gutters or whatever). You'd be surprised at how much a day is worth in dollars.

 

[FINFAN]

I would ask myself if the $500 is needed elsewhere...because if you spend it on travel, then you need it, it will hurt. If you have the cushion that is is extra, not taking away from emergency funding, etc I guess so with your gut. Does getting the rental car during your vacation eat up any valuable time? We live outside Chicago and take 2 days to drive to WDW, so I know the effect of having 4 days used just for travel and it hurts, but we have also had seen an entire day lost just in flying, and basically, the cost of flying usually requires us to cut 1 night off of a hotel therefor shortening the acyual vacation part, so all in all we are losing 1 day if driving, and the best part? if we decide we can afford to stay longer and have the time, WE CAN! No airline penalties, jumping thru hoops etc.I love the DME service, it starts your vacaion off right, but the return pick up of 3 hours early stings, an I packed right for security etc. Many like to drive as it is actually family time, and yea, the way down is MUCH more exciting than the way back...that part is sad, but it isn't the end of the world. All that being said, we do not drive unless we have 10-11 days of time and usually we will wait until we have 12-14 as welike a day at home to recover before getting back to business.
We are driving this December, we know weather is always a factor for the first 1/2 of the drive there and the last 1/2 of the drive home, so that stress is a bummer, but we have also been grounnded for weather on a plane, had flights changed, cancelled, spend $ in the airport eating or whatever since we have to be there so far ahead of time...you know, it is a presonal preference, but just make sure the $500 is indeed expendable, so you do not have that hanging over your head when trying to enjoy your trip.

 

[TheWog]

I would spend the $500 and fly. It is worth it to me. Good luck deciding.

 

[PSUGuy]

Not only does flying buy you more Disney time, you will all be more 'fresh' and energetic than you would be after 18 hrs in any sort of auto. Pa. to Myrtle Beach is as far as we'll drive since I can do that in one 10 hr shift and a beach vacation is more laid back that our typical WDW vacation. For Disney, you don't want to be in a fog the first day or so.

Bill From PA

 

[MrToad_at_BLT]

From Grand Rapids to my home at Old Key West it is 1201 miles. There is not a car made that can be driven for less than 50 cents a mile so round trip is $1201. For that price you can by up to six round trip tickets to Florida. Not to mention your time, meal expense, etc. Also, if you work at it, there are many "Bump" opportunities out there to get you next tickets free. Me next 3 trips to Disney (Oct 10, Dec. 30, Feb. 21) are all ticketed with one $400 voucher I picked up on my last trip. Try to get your money back driving....

Maybe I'm just missing something...but how do you figure no car can be driven for less than 50 cents a mile? Assume an older car that gets 15 miles per gallon and a gas charge of 4 dollars per gallon and it would cost 25 cents a mile.

Are you building in the costs for a hotel for an overnight stay in that?

 

[clkelley]

Maybe I'm just missing something...but how do you figure no car can be driven for less than 50 cents a mile? Assume an older car that gets 15 miles per gallon and a gas charge of 4 dollars per gallon and it would cost 25 cents a mile.

Are you building in the costs for a hotel for an overnight stay in that?

Depreciation, an extra oil change, wear on the tires, wear on the breaks, the total average cost of driving a car is 50 cents a mile.

Shoot even the government gives folks .55 cents a mile for personal vehicle use.

 

[maxiesmom]

Do you really need the rental car? I though Disney provided transportation to/from the port?

 

[TheWog]

Do you really need the rental car? I though Disney provided transportation to/from the port?

They do, but it costs $69 pp r/t. Renting a car can usually be a bit cheaper. Depending on the number of people having a car service or limo can also be a less expensive, but better option as well.

 

[kksmom92]

Hi from Michigan. We only fly because driving is expensive. Check for fights often. EVERY time I travel to Florida (four times this year), I have found good deals on airfare. We are going in Oct for 35 one way and 45 the other. I have never paid more than 65 each way.

Check Northwest, Spirit, and Airtrain for the best nonstop flights. There are some cheap hotels at the airport and some include your parking. Also, consider taking carry-on bags and doing laundry. Our family of five only travels with carry-on luggage and it saves on the cost of airfare.

Good luck and enjoy your trip!

How do you find such great deals? I never seem to be able to find anything like that.. hense why it's always cheaper for us to drive down.

We drive straight through so our cost down is really just gas and maybe one or two fast food meals. We rent a van for our drive so I consider that a wash since we would have to rent one down there too. (Last year it was a lot cheaper to rent one in MI than it was in FL)

 

[budmanbiker]

They do, but it costs $69 pp r/t. Renting a car can usually be a bit cheaper. Depending on the number of people having a car service or limo can also be a less expensive, but better option as well.

Not sure if I missed something in your post, but if your flying into MCO and staying at a Disney resort, the ME is free both to and from the airport.

 

[GEB@okw]

Maybe I'm just missing something...but how do you figure no car can be driven for less than 50 cents a mile? Assume an older car that gets 15 miles per gallon and a gas charge of 4 dollars per gallon and it would cost 25 cents a mile.

Are you building in the costs for a hotel for an overnight stay in that?

Even at $4 a gallon, the cost of gas is less than 1/3 the total cost to drive.

 

[twinklebug]

I'm not rich, but there are other costs involved other than just finances when I decide to fly or drive. There are four factors that sway my decision:

1) Health. Is everyone healthy enough to drive? If I were bringing my grandmother along, driving would be out of the question as she can't sit still for 2 days without pain in her legs.

2) Time. If I just don't have it for a 4 day trip, plus one day of recooperation time on each end, I'll fly.

3) Experience. Is there anything my kids and I want to do, people to see or places to go along the way? I feel everyone should see more of the country than a 20,000 ft view of the world.

4) Money. Explanation not needed, but if I don't have the budget to do it, we don't. If I do have the budget, of the 4 items here, this is the last thing I think about.

To answer the OP's question, what is my TIME worth to me? My answer is "it depends on what's going on."

For example: I might need to be back to work early the day after returning home. (how much is having a job worth to anyone?!) To fly would be the obvious choice of transportation here.

I might want to stop off and see my nephews in SC, show my kids our Capital, Explore a national park or two with them... How much is that time worth? I doubt I could put a price on it, but the obvious choice for mode of transportation here would be car.

 

[clkelley]

3) Experience. Is there anything my kids and I want to do, people to see or places to go along the way? I feel everyone should see more of the country than a 20,000 ft view of the world.

I agree with you on experience!! I went to Disneyland in CA for the first time last year. I flew out there. I flew at night, took a shuttle directly to Anaheim, and never left the two block area around Disneyland, then took a shuttle back to LAX and then flew on a Redeye to Orlando. While it was a WONDERFUL trip, for what I saw, DL could have been 20 miles from my house.

I can not wait for the day when I can take my camper cross country and see all the wonders this nation has to offer.

 

[My_3_Mi_Princesses]

First off, thanks everybody for sharing! Its also a good feeling when others here have some of the same thoughts on driving vs. flying.

I don't think I have made up my mind yet, luckily I still have a few more months to decide! Either way June can not get here fast enough!

 

[hsmamato2]

Dh calculates how much $$$$ he makes per day at work- then how many extra days he'd have to take off just for travel if we drove(2 each way,so 4 total)
then we calculate how much airfare is(3 hour flight,plus 2-3 airport hours) and we usually fly the 4 of us for cheaper than the extra travel days would cost if taken off work.
that's not even adding in the food/hotel costs if driving.
we rent a car part of the time down there,but still come out ahead.

 

[BC1836]

Time and money are certainly factors that must be considered when traveling. But there's another concern: aggravation.

Consider flying, for example: flight delays, extended tarmac experiences, turbulence, no meals, uncomfortable seating arrangements, etc.

Then, of course, there's everything associated with getting on the plane: transportation to the airport, strategically packed suitcases, fees for baggage, security lines (finish that beverage bottle or toss it! And take off those shoes!), the boarding challenge to see who gets an opportunity to use the limited overhead compartments, etc.

Then, of course, you've landed. The slow exiting process, waiting at the baggage carousel (Oh no, a bag is missing!), securing transportation to your final destination. And remembering that you have to do it all over again.

Since 2002, we have done 15 2,000+mile round-trip drives. [One flight to Disneyland, though]. We leave when we want (we can leave a day early or later, depending on the weather); we bring whatever we want; we sit next to who we want; we can stop at any highway rest stop when we want; we consume freshly-made sandwiches on the drive or stop at any restaurant along the way; we can take breaks whenever we want...and we can do it all while never removing our shoes!


To be sure, consider all the advice the previous posters have offered. Exhaustion affter a long drive? We have driven straight-through twice; the rest of the time we book a hotel in FL for one night. In either case, the next morning we are fresh and ready to go. And, for example, don't worry about depreciation-per-mile on your vehicle. Our vehicles have registered over 33,000 round-trip miles to/during/from WDW. So? Drive number #16 is coming up for us next month. Depreciation on your vehicles? Worry about depreciation on yourself. Nothing ages you more than a hellish flight.

Keep us posted on your final transportation-method decision. And depending on what method you finally select, please join us on the "For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" thread.

All the best.

 

[TheWog]

Not sure if I missed something in your post, but if your flying into MCO and staying at a Disney resort, the ME is free both to and from the airport.

They are taking a cruise. You are correct that DME would be free to the resorts, but DCL charges to the port and back.