Deluxe Hotel or Flying????

[imatoad]

DRIVE! Just keep thinking about the deluxe accomodations once the trek is done. Besides, with all the electronic distractions for kids these days, they'll be occupied for hours. I can't imagine how we did it 30 years ago from the northeast, two days in a car, with none of the luxuries of today. DRIVE! DRIVE! DRIVE!

 

[my3kids]

No question....drive and stay at the deluxe. We just flew down...honestly, we could have gotten back to VA more quickly if we'd driven with late flights, delays and lines. My kids ending up sleeping on the floor of the Charlotte airport. For us it is a 12 hour drive, exactly. Take the road and enjoy a great stay.

 

[sandraB]

I live in Canada, so we are definitly flying, but we had a choice this christmas between driving 18hrs to my sister in virginia, or flying.

I picked flying.....big mistake. It took us almost four days, and an 8 hour drive to boston to get there!

With computers breaking down (Delta) and snowstorms what a nightmare.

Add in food poisioning for our youngest child and you have a wonderful image!


We are flying in March, and I am so scared of what could go wrong! If it wasn't a three day drive, I would much prefer the drive, you have so much more control! If we miss a night or two because of flights, we are losing so much money and time!

I would definetly drive if I were you!

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

Definately drive. 10 hours is certainly doable! Even if you left at 5am you could be there by 5pm. That's not bad at all and it would be worth it to me to stay in a deluxe. As another poster said. A few hours cramped in a car or a week cramped in a hotel room?

Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against the Value's and if my DH said Value or no Disney I would stay in the value but if I had the choice? Deluxe all the way!!

Do the drive. Besides that's one of the things that I remember from my childhood is the drive to the places with my family. We'd play made up games and look for liscense plates and we were just close to eachother. So, do the drive.

 

[jillybeanjo]

Drive! Part of the fun of a vacation is the anticipation, and driving gives you more of a chance to build the excitement as you get closer and closer. And you'll really appreciate the deluxe much more than value.

 

[Mari annie]

Hello
Couple weeks we are going on our 17th trip to WDW, we have always driven from MA! The portable DVD's and it's our family time together!
We take the kids out a couple extra days before their breaks and it's just a fanatastic way to spend a family vacation!
Kids are tween/teenager now and they love it, we have our favorite stops and places and we now stay in St Augustine a couple days before and go to our favorite places there before heading to Poly (this years pick)! Afterr driving all that way-when we get to Disney Property to have fun and enjoy it, the accomodations are worth the price, btw, we stayed at Value's for years-
the only one now I would recommend is Pop Century

Just my two cents worth...
No matter how you are traveling to WDW have a fantastic time!!!

 

[PamNC]

As a fellow Tarheeler, I would suggest you choose driving and stay at the WL. Of course, flying is a lot less stressful, but obviously more expensive. Where in NC do you live? That can make a difference in the distance. We live right smack between Greensboro & Charlotte. It's about 8.5 hours for us. Not bad. We drive sometimes, fly sometimes. If my DH gave me the choice...that would be an easy one for me. We don't like the value resorts!
In fact, if the choice were fly and stay in a moderate or drive and stay at deluxe....I'd still drive.


pamNC

 

[Luigi's Girl]

We drive every trip - 18 hours straight through. It's actually fun and part of the whole adventure. Definitely drive if it allows you to stay deluxe. Just realize that the ride back home is not as easy and fun as the ride to WDW.

 

[Dis2times]

Depends on the length of the drive and the ages of the kids. We opted against driving because our kiddos are really young. They'll be 4 and 18 months on our trip. I don't want to have to stop to change diapers or pick up dropped toys or for potty breaks every 30 minutes on a 21 hour drive. So if it is 21 hrs with toddlers, I say don't drive (but go for a moderate at least) but if it is 10 hours with a 6 year old and an 8 year old for example, then it is totally doable, and actually probably a great deal of fun.

HTH

Lisa

 

[java]

Deluxe! and drive. We drive the 16 hours from NJ and we always make our overnight stop either in NC or SC depending on what time we leave. It is a pretty easy ride from NC I think anyway.

 

[Mortlives]

Another vote for driving here! We enjoy the drive, and it takes us 2 1/2 days.

Have a great trip!

Kungaloosh!
Morticia.

 

[jessiangel]

We drive every year and love it! We have alot of family time together on the drive and can do alot of talking (which is hard once you get to Disney and into the parks and start having fun). We enjoy every trip!

 

[LorieDisneyLover]

Another vote for driving.

Year before last we decided to fly ... and while we did get to Disney several hours sooner than if we had driven ... it wasn't less stressful. It's a lot of stress getting to the airport so far in advance because of security and then just sitting there waiting ... and equally stressful waiting for your luggage, renting a car or getting the transportation to Disney ....

Ultimately, we decided the 'bonding' experience of the drive is a lot of fun and well worth it.

Lorie

 

[Harryo]

No contest,by all means drive. Not only saving on airfare but car rental as well!!!

 

[AndyMcV]

Wow you're first trip to Disney?? There's only one answer here... DELUXE. Hands down and no question. If it's only a 10 hour drive do the deluxe. You could leave at 6-7 in the morning and be there by 4-5 in the afternoon.

Also on a side note if you get your husband to go with the deluxe, he'll NEVER want to go back and stay at a value. So for your next trip there will be no question and perhaps you'll fly and stay at a deluxe.

Good luck
Andy

 

[macs4us]

We drive 36 hours everytime - we have almost always had problems when we fly, so it's worth the drive. WL is great, and totally worth the drive.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[tubachick]

Drive.... we are driving from Chicago 19 hours, we do it in two days, stop at a bunch of cool truck stops and such, and its a pre-vacation to the GRAND vacation at WDW. Plus it gives us "quality" time.

 

[ktink]

I say drive. Last year was our first trip to WDW and we stayed at Pop and flew down. This year we are driving and staying at WL! I'm very excited about this resort and as far as the drive goes we hope to do most of it at night while the kid's are sleeping.

 

[dreamflight99]

In your situation... I would DRIVE and stay in a DELUXE! The transportation is not as important (IMHO) as the STAY. 10 hours traveling time is not bad at all. Be sure to take some small breaks (stop along the way to stretch and run around every 2-3 hours), and you will be well-rested! You could leave at the crack of dawn...(5am...or earlier), and even with the stops you'll be there around 5 pm (or earlier). As you can see by all the posts...it's the general consensus here!

 

[sherry8253]

Deluxe, we drive from PA and actually enjoy the drive. In addition to saving on airfare, we have our car when we get there and don't have to rent one.