Cost analysis- How much is your time worth??

[Flyerfan]

I agree with everything BC says (post #19). I will add something my DH always says....if air travel is disrupted in any way, shape or form, you don't have to worry. You get in your car & drive.

 

[glo]

We have flown many times...more than I can count. We have driven three times. Not many good memories of flying. Really no bad ones either about it...just something that has to happen before we get there. The three times we have driven have all had great memories of getting there. Each one I remember vividly! I will be driving probably twice this year...and I can't wait.

last year drove with my friend and three 13 year olds my twin DD's and a friend. Next year in Feb my Dh and I are driving with the twins during Feb vacation. My friend and I will maybe drive in the summer...my twin DD's my oldest DD (18) and her boyfriend!!!!! I can not wait!

 

[ClanHarrison]

...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)!

We're going June 2010 also so I'd be VERY interested in what airlines you've looked into (and at this price). They have dates available that far out? We are so excited we're gonna bust!

 

[WillCAD]

I travel solo, so price differences between flying and driving are not that much for me. It's 900 miles from Baltimore to WDW, and my truck averages about 22mpg on the open highway. 900/22=40.9 gallons of gas. At $2.50, that's about $103 each way, for a round trip gas cost of about $206.

Flying BWI-MCO generally costs me about $150. But I like to round it up to $200. Renting a car for a week usually costs me about $150, but I usually round that up to $200, as well. So basically, my travel costs for flying are about $300-$400, or about $100-$200 more than driving.

That extra $200 buys me nearly two whole days of time at WDW, since the drive each way would take a full day, but flying takes less than 1/3 of a day each way. $200 is a lot of money to me, but I judge my time and exhertion to be worth it.

When I arrive in Orlando after a 14-hour drive, I'm exhausted, sore and stiff from being cooped up in a vehicle for so long. I'm also bored ouot of my gourd by 14 hours of monotonous interstate scenery. "Look, pine trees... Waffle House... South of the Border sign... another Waffle House... more pines..."

When I arrive in Orlando after a 2 hour 10 min flight, I'm a little stiff from the small airplane seat, but far less than after 14 hours in a car. I'm far less tired and bored, since I was a passenger, not a driver, and was able to sleep, read, and listen to music on the plane, and I still have most of the day to enjoy myself in the parks.

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

Aggravation varies from person to person.

Your example shows that flying aggravates you more than driving. But in my case, the aggravation is far less when I fly than when I drive - and this is also the case for many families with small children.

When I fly from Baltimore to Orlando, I show up at BWI 2 hours before my scheduled take-off time, get through checking bags and passing security fairly quickly, and usually have more than an hour to relax in the terminal, have breakfast, and read something before boarding. I've been fairly lucky with weather and mechanical delays over the years, and never been stuck on the tarmac. I also fly non-stop, so I never have to worry about changing planes or dashing across an airport to make a connection - I am willing to pay more for non-stop.

From the time I leave my apartment, my total travel time to WDW when flying is about 6 hours - 1 hour drive to BWI, 2 hours wait/boarding time, 2 hours 10 mins flight time, about 20 mins to collect my luggage and pick up my rental car, and about 30 mins to drive to my resort or hotel. I've been quite lucky over the years, and the most I've ever been delayed has been about 3 hours due to mechanical problems with an aircraft.

When I drive to WDW, it takes about 14 hours on the road from door to resort. I drive it straight through, by leaving at about 4am and arriving around 6pm (a few times I've driven overnight, leaving at 6pm and arriving around 8am). But 14 hours on I-95 is boring, monotonous, and uncomfortable, not to mention the stresses I encounter with other drivers trying to kill me, cops trying to ticket me, and gas stations trying to fleece me. And for families with small kids, who can't sit still and quiet for 14 hours in the back seat of the family minivan (they can only watch so many DVDs before they get bored), a 14 hour drive is impossible.

So I fly. Knowing the potential problems of both methods ahead of time, I still prefer flying, because if I compare a perfect flight to a perfect drive, the flight is still far shorter and easier.

 

[My_3_Mi_Princesses]

We're going June 2010 also so I'd be VERY interested in what airlines you've looked into (and at this price). They have dates available that far out? We are so excited we're gonna bust!

There are a few airlines that have dates out that far. This particular fare I found was on NWA, however I actually didn't try to book it yet but its on their website so there should be no problem. Of course its only for travel on certain days like Mon - Fri or something.

A few of the previous posters also mentioned they get airfares for less flying out of DTW (Airtran and Spirit I believe), but $150 including taxes and fees but not luggage fees is the lowest I have ever seen.

 

[marius97]

Yes, it may be a two day drive for you, but I don't think that flying should be considered as only a 1/3 of a day. Unless you get an early flight out of Detroit, you won't be getting to WDW until late afternoon. Sure, you may get into the parks before dark, but it isn't much time to enjoy...Personally, with our situation, we can drive to WDW faster than flying. We live in SW Michigan so we fly out of South Bend, IN. The one flight leaves early afternoon and flys into Sanford. By the time we get our car, grab a bite to eat, and drive to WDW, it is early evening. When we drive, we go straight through...I'm not driving 18 hours with three kids awake. We leave after DW gets off of work and just keep going. We'll be in WDW early afternoon the following day...about the time that the flight would be leaveing if we had to wait a day for the flight.

Plus, I don't believe that the 50cents/mile is accurate in these situations. That is factored as normal driving conditions. If you time your drive correctly, you can do just about the entire drive without touching the brakes...well, not quite the entire drive. 2000+ miles driving to Florida is WAY easier on your car than 2000 miles driving around rush hour traffic.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I know I would want to fly. My time is worth alot to me and I'd want to get there and start having fun fast.

Since you found a great rate from the airlines, we would definitely fly if we had as long of a drive as you do.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Driving is aggravation times 10.

Flying - take a cab to airport, skycap my bags, security, have a nice breakfast, do a little shopping, get on a plane and 2 hours later I am there! Plus flying is SAFER than driving.

I leave at 7:30am and am on the ground by 11:00am. Usually at a park in time for lunch!

Driving: weather, construction, accidents, traffic, boredom etc. it is way too much of a hassle.

Plus we have done trips on a whim - such as waking up on a Saturday and saying lets go to Disney for 2 days - we live 20 minutes from an airport. There is no way if I have 3 days off that I could do Disney.

 

[maxiesmom]

Yes, it may be a two day drive for you, but I don't think that flying should be considered as only a 1/3 of a day. Unless you get an early flight out of Detroit, you won't be getting to WDW until late afternoon. Sure, you may get into the parks before dark, but it isn't much time to enjoy...Personally, with our situation, we can drive to WDW faster than flying. We live in SW Michigan so we fly out of South Bend, IN. The one flight leaves early afternoon and flys into Sanford. By the time we get our car, grab a bite to eat, and drive to WDW, it is early evening. When we drive, we go straight through...I'm not driving 18 hours with three kids awake. We leave after DW gets off of work and just keep going. We'll be in WDW early afternoon the following day...about the time that the flight would be leaveing if we had to wait a day for the flight.

The above all depends. I live in SW Michigan too, and we are flying to Orlando from Grand Rapids next month for less than $180 a person. We have an early flight, so even with connections we should land in Orlando at 11:22 am. So I'm hoping we hit the parks around 2 or so. Plenty of time to enjoy WDW for a while.

Honestly, unless I could take 2 weeks off and I could do it slow, you couldn't pay me to do the drive to WDW. I've drove to Florida plenty of times, and while the ride down isn't too bad, the ride home is the pits!!! Everyone is exhausted, and cranky, and all you want to do is get home and sleep in your own bed. No thanks! I'd much rather fly and be home in a few hours instead of in a few days.

 

[appletini]

We just came back form WDW in August. Left on on a Sunday and came back on Tuesday. Flying wins hands down! 10 min. to the airport. 4 of us DW, DD's (11/8), and myself. Flight was just under $1000.00 plus the rental car (from Monday - following Tuesday) was $220.00 (Enterprise - NOT from the airport).
Left the house at 2:30pm, 4:20pm flight (direct - the ONLY way). Arrived at MCO at 7pm. DME to Pop Century. On-line check-in, checked our room to make sure it was ok, and took bus to MK, all by 10pm (extra magic hrs in effect till 1am - was in bed at 2:30am ). Monday am, Enterprise picked me up, back to their bat-cave, received car, went to Wal-Mart, picked up family and was at Chef Mickeys for 12:30 buffet. The following tuesday: DME to airport at 10am, was back home, IN THE HOUSE UNPACKING, by 4pm.

To drive?? from NY (for us) it would be 2 10-12 hr days BOTH WAYS. 2 nights hotel - $200, gas - $150, food - $350, wear and tear on vehicle. That's $700 right there to drive it. Minus break-downs, traffic, South of the Border signs - that's a clincher right there, we'll fly and rent anytime!! We save, what?, $400 maybe driving. Time = $$$ to me. 4 days drive does not equal 2 1/2 days fly. You need to be fresh and perky for Disney. Good luck and have a safe trip. PS - ticker below has expired and yes we LOVED our trip!!!