Decided to drive to WDW

[HoosierDaddy71]

We are driving this next trip. Last year we were going to drive but decided about 1-2 months out to fly because it was going to cost about the same. Driving this time allows my DW's dad and stepmom to come along with the only added expenses being food and WDW tickets. (We booked a slightly larger timeshare through RCI since they were coming, no added cost) It is a 17 hour drive, which is not going to be a lot of fun but it saves over $1000, not including the grandparents.

There are so many factors but I think it comes down to if you want to fly and can afford it, do it. If not, driving is a good, sometimes great, option.

 

[kydisneyfans]

$1660 to fly from Lexington, KY to Orlando. Estimate time involved just under 6 hours.

$320 to drive, estimated time just under 12 hours. We have driven at least 10 times and have never met that drive time, 14 is more realistic.

There are 4 of us in a small SUV.

I'll keep the $1300 for 12 hours of my time, thank you.

 

[peigirl]

Our drive is 31 hours each way...New Jersey is our halfway point.
We have done it 3 times and I would not hesitate to do it again. Flights are outrageous from here.

Paula

 

[StuckInKS]

That's taking into account all the driving costs? Gas, tolls, wear-n-tear, etc.?

If you really want to see the price difference, try http://www.befrugal.com/tools/fly-or-drive-calculator/.

That is an awesome calculator

It says we will save $950 and that is without including DS2 (who will need a plane ticket) because they will only allow up to 6 travelers in the calculation. Our last day at WDW is on DS1's 2nd bday, but we could always move our departure up one day to save on a one-way ticket

They estimated our driving costs at $1,100, but when I check gas buddy, they say about $600 in gas and then two hotels each way should be $300, so I don't know where the extra $200 comes in unless they are calculating $100 in food costs each way

To OP: We are with you! 24 hours each way with 6 kids to save between $1000-$1200.

ETA: I just priced it myself using Southwest. $2615 to fly vs $900 to drive. $1700 would get us several extra days at WDW!!

 

[StuckInKS]

I'd rather spend an extra thousand to cover the resort I want and eating where I want

 

[ssawka]

They estimated our driving costs at $1,100, but when I check gas buddy, they say about $600 in gas and then two hotels each way should be $300, so I don't know where the extra $200 comes in unless they are calculating $100 in food costs each way

Could be wear 'n tear or possibly tolls. I really wouldn't consider the hotel or food unless you are extending your vacation in order to drive. You will have to pay for food and lodging whether it is along the highway somewhere or at Disney.

OP: After thinking about it, I would probably consider driving to save $1000, however anything less than that, FORGET IT!

 

[gorkt]

Interesting. I used that calendar and for us it is a $500 savings round trip. I will still fly for that money because DH and I both work and I would rather spend the three days doing something other than driving. I DO enjoy shorter driving trips though.

 

[patsal]

Losing 4 days of actual vacation to driving is worth spending the $1000 for me!

 

[Bell30012]

We are only 7.5 hours from WDW by car. Only 1 hour by plane. We used to fly every year until the security got so difficult at ATL. You have to get to the airport an hour early. Then there is the hour of flight time. Then an hour of Magic Express. Not to mention all the flights cause us to get to WDW in the early afternoon.

By driving we leave at night. The kids sleep most of the trip. We work it so we can arrive just in time to check in, freshen up and hit the MK for Rope Drop. Usually the room isn't ready so I just have to freshen up at the pool house of the resort.

Now that I'm driving a Prius it only costs $35 each direction. I love those 500 mile tanks!

 

[lauradis]

$1660 to fly from Lexington, KY to Orlando. Estimate time involved just under 6 hours.

$320 to drive, estimated time just under 12 hours. We have driven at least 10 times and have never met that drive time, 14 is more realistic.

There are 4 of us in a small SUV.

I'll keep the $1300 for 12 hours of my time, thank you.

always add hour for every 6 hours of driving time for traffic, potty/ gas stops.

 

[preschoolmom]

We're planning our fourth trip to Disney this fall. We've driven twice and we will have flown twice. Both have their advantages!

My kids are seasoned car travelers, though - we've been going to the East Coast to visit family since they were born. Driving to NJ seems like an easy trip compared to driving to Orlando

This trip, I got the SW card - which enabled me to get four flights for free. We only had to pay for one. So - flying it is!

I do think the time savings is a factor with a Disney Trip - unless you're doing a longer trip, two days down and two days back eats off a good chunk of vacation time.

We did it for a cheapie trip two years ago - two days down, 5 days at Disney, two days home - but we're flying this trip

I like driving because there are no security check points, I can make my own schedule, I can pack whatever I want, we bring a cooler of goodies, and I love cheesy rest stop pictures.

I like flying because it's fast.

 

[JoiseyMom]

We are driving down on Friday...DH's idea. He hates flying...with security and all the crap we carryon he would rather drive. Should be interesting since our DD17 and DS12 kinda hate each other. Fun times! LOL

According to that website, we are saving 1600!!

 

[CarolynK]

When I was growing up, road trips were the only way my family of 8 could afford an annual vacation. I have fond memories of our trips in our 8-pasenger van, all of us kids sleeping wherever we wanted to with no thoughts of seat belts!! Our "hotel" was our Coleman pop-up, and it never got anywhere near WDW!

I wanted to pass on to my kids the excitement of a road trip - while we mostly fly to WDW, we have driven a few times, when we have more than a week. Last summer, we made a planned stop in Huntsville to visit the Space and Rocket Center and see an actual Saturn V rocket. Huntsville itself would not be a destination for us, but as a stopover? Well worth it - it was a highlight of our entire trip!! And, as a bonus we were able to avoid Atlanta traffic by driving down through Alabama.

We're already planning next summer's drive to WDW, just need to figure out the dates, and whether we want to visit HHI (a first for us) or Vero, or both....

 

[MrsPete]

That's taking into account all the driving costs? Gas, tolls, wear-n-tear, etc.?

If you really want to see the price difference, try http://www.befrugal.com/tools/fly-or-drive-calculator/.

Interesting website. For me, it said flying (to Miami, not Disney, 'cause that's what interests me at this moment) would cost $1853, while driving would be only $221. For every vacation ever, I've never been able to fly as cheaply as we could drive. Never once.

 

[timmac]

A huge part of the drive-vs-fly argument is personal preference, but I would definitely echo the point of the very first response that it's important to consider the whole cost of driving (e.g. not just gas).

For me, I'm not a huge fan of driving, mostly due to time... it's doesn't directly translate to a monetary argument, but if vacation time is a scarce resource, then it might be pretty easy to put a dollar figure on it.

Something else often overlooked, is the fatigue factor, typically more pronounced with whatever mode of transit you like less. For some who despise flying, even a 2-3 hour flight might mean feeling a bit queasy the remainder of the day. For a long drive, that might mean the driver(s) are just lounging in the hotel room (or at home, on the way back) for nearly a full day after the travel.

Just things to keep in mind, whatever one decides to do.

 

[roberthodgson]

We are driving from Toronto at the end of the month, we like having the car as we get free parking (staying onsite) and not having to deal with the bus's to get to and from the parks. If we get a rainy day we can go to a mall or other indoor attraction. Also we love golden corral and olive garden have breakfast off site. At $5.99 you cant beat the selection at GC.

We took the Bus once to and from the park ant it took way to long (to many stops) and if the bus arrives full you have to wait for the next one.


Its a 22 hour drive for us and we take 2 days to get there I would only fly if we had access to a car while there.

 

[TLPL]

I wish I live closer to Orlando, it's too expensive to fly sometime, and too far to drive down.

 

[TLPL]

We are driving from Toronto at the end of the month, we like having the car as we get free parking (staying onsite) and not having to deal with the bus's to get to and from the parks. If we get a rainy day we can go to a mall or other indoor attraction. Also we love golden corral and olive garden have breakfast off site. At $5.99 you cant beat the selection at GC.

We took the Bus once to and from the park ant it took way to long (to many stops) and if the bus arrives full you have to wait for the next one.

Its a 22 hour drive for us and we take 2 days to get there I would only fly if we had access to a car while there.

If you planning to drive down this Christmas again, can my son and I hitch a ride? LOL
i got two weeks off and would love to go . It's too expensive to fly during that time and too far to drive down and back all by myself.

 

[winterwhite]

there is a money value to time lost, as well.

DBF and I both work-- and yes, we get vacation time, albeit limited amounts (15 8-hr days per year for me). To drive, each of us would have to take 4 extra days of vacation time-- almost a full extra week (24 hour drive, each way, 1250ish miles)

I get bonuses based on time that I work, so vacation time costs me anywhere from $6-10/hr to take. If I add in an additional 4 days, which is roughly 40 hours of billable time, it would cost me an extra $240-$400 depending on how things have been going that quarter. If taking the time causes me to go under the threshold and get NO bonus, then that vacation effectively cost me several thousand dollars.

That's just for me, it doesn't count the value of the lost time that could be spent actually on vacation, or more likely for us, taking some well deserved time off for the holidays.

So when you add in that flights are about $180/ea from where we are, I can't offset the cost just in the $$ value of the time I don't work. Never mind having to actually spend 2 full days in the car.

 

[sweetdana]

This surprised me. .
It says it is cheaper to drive, this is without a rental car (cost for flying), or without bags, and it gave me 4 hotel nights, which I think it would actually be 2 or max 3. (DTW to MCO). If I don't have a free ticket or 2, the next long trip I take we are driving. ( Maybe only a 1 way for DH, as DH get shorted already with less vacation time than me.)

This is exciting. For 2 reasons..
1) the obvious saving $$, and we would have a free rental car, and we could bring lots of stuff like pool noodles, and have rice milk not delivered..
2) I have help off on buying more DVC points, due to I am afraid of where air fare will go to once oil increases. (now I have to get over the hump of being afraid of MF going up to high too.. )

Currently my kids are DD8 and almost DD1.5. Based on a guess of when our next trip (flight not paid for), youngest would be between 2.5 -3.5 depending which season we go. (The oldest would be 9-10. and she is very good with her sis for a while, but does get tired of her too.)

Does this seam reasonable for 1 parent to drive both kids and stop for nights? I would make them planned stops, like we have a friend in Atlanta, probably stop there for the night, and get a breakfast in, before hopping back on the road! Maybe I could find some fun resort to do after like 10 ish hours or something a pool/hot tub/something with a walking trail or horses or something to keep the kids busy, but also relax for a day. IDK..