Drive or Fly?

[caligirl06]

Have any of you driven from Beverly Hills, California to Disney World? I know it sounds crazy but we have family in Phoenix, and San Antonio so we could stop there for nights along the way. Obviously we could take another night off at a hotel on the way if needed. How many days do you think it would take? At the time we will have a 7,5, and 3 year old and a 10 month old. We flew to Texas a couple weeks ago to visit family and the baby did not do well on the plane and cried for an hour straight. Is this a horrible idea? I don't mind buying plane tickets if it really would be a disaster to spend 4 days on the road. Thanks!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I think you're looking at 4+ days each way. I've been on drives that long and longer and honestly consider that something everyone should experience sometime. Some of my best memories. But, it's best if you take time to enjoy the sights along the way. Maybe even travel a different route in each direction. It really boils down to how much time you have.

 

[oktxregulators]

I don't know about the drive from San Antonio, but I live near Dallas and it takes around 18 hours of drive time. Last year I drove half way the 1st day and the rest of the way the next day and still was able to hit Magic Kingdom on Sunday evening to take advantage of Xtra Magic Hours.

I would say from San Antonio you are probably looking at around 22-23 hour drive which would be hard on pretty much everyone.

 

[oktxregulators]

I agree Gumbo, doesn't hurt to drive along the way because there are things to do and look at if you have a few extra hours on the trip.

 

[Spunky946]

Unless you were taking at least two weeks, I'd fly. If you figure 4 days each direction, plus time at the parks, you need a longer time.

Personally I can't go more then 6 hours in a car, so I'd fly.

 

[cnetbuild]

You could take a train to New Orleans (2 days), rent a car, and drive the rest if the way (10 hours).

 

[pigletgirl]

I would fly for sure! Yeah, the baby will cry but it's better than 4 days in the car. I know Delta has some good deals out of LAX directly into MCO. Go price them out!

 

[baseballnut]

If you drive, look at the drive as part of your vacation and not just a way to get there. After the family stops, I mean. View it as oh, we can get out and explore for a while or whatever instead of oh, we have 10 hours to get there, stat. The more relaxed you are about it, the better it will go.

That said, I'd fly because that's a long time to drive with the little ones. But we love flying.

 

[magicwishes]

I would fly with those ages. We drove from Albuquerque to San Diego and back this year with a 6yo, 4yo, and 21 month old. I would not have wanted to to drive any farther. We will take longer trips more often and consider a marathon trip like you are proposing once they are all more self-sufficient and can understand why we are driving for so long. I think we could do it with appropriate breaks with a child as young as 4 (but will probably wait a little longer for our sanity). At that age they are content to watch movies and entertain themselves quite a bit, can understand in basic terms why the long drive, and are potty trained. I'm not even looking forward to the next drive to SD. I can only imagine the drive you are proposing.

Have you taken any other road trips to test how things will go? If the point is getting there, it would be too long for us. If you are going to stop along the way and visit and sight see, I would consider it but still not be terribly excited with kids that little.

One hour of crying on a plane stinks, but it's even worse for us in the car when you know you are going to have to keep going at some point. Our kids are done (even the 6 yo) after 2 days of driving.

 

[PGHDisneyfan]

I would fly, just make sure you have lots to entertain the kids. You might want to give the baby a decongestant and some saline nasal spray before going if their ears are clogged it's going to hurt. I drive and fly a bunch for work but 8 hours is my max car ride for the most part.

 

[mjkacmom]

You couldn't pay me to take that long of a car trip with kids those ages! That is A LOT of sitting. The longest I've driven with little ones was 12 hours, and it was 11 hour too long.

 

[ajwolfe]

We drive, for us it's about a 17 hour drive. We have driven it straight thru, but usually split it into 2 days. We make those 2 days part of the vacation. See the sights on the way and stop when we need to especially on the way back when we are dreading the end of vacation. For us it works, but that's quite a bit further than we drive.

 

[POTCAddict]

I think you're still running the risk of plenty of crying with eight days stuck in a carseat vs a 5 1/2 hr flight. I don't think you're saving the baby or yourself any trouble.

 

[Crystal824]

I would fly, for sure.

 

[tanyaandallie]

I don't think there is any way I would even consider driving that far with my kids to get to Disney. It would be torture! Fly!!!!! Flying will allow you twice as much park time as you would have if you drove. 4 days each way is spending an entire week of your vacation on the road rather than enjoying. If you were a couple going on a cross country journey that could be fun but it is just not fun to young kids.

We have driven to FL many times but no way I could do it if I lived in Cali!

 

[Lisa71]

We have flown from CA and I cannot imagine the drive..last trip we did an overnight flight and took a nap at the airport Hyatt for awhile..then had a great trip...I grew up with very long car trips and 4 days is too long.

 

[tiffjoy]

Having driven coast to coast 3 times, I would never do it with kids that young. Maybe older and if we turned it into a vacation road trip with plenty of stops, but not with such a young baby. Heck, the 6 hours to DLR for us was tough until just this year! We used to break it up with an overnight stay because when the kids are babies, it's just too much.

We fly a lot. I've had my kids cry on flights. I do the very best I can, but we have to travel, just like anyone else. I bring lots of distractions and break any rules (give juice to drink, let them watch too much tv, whatever it takes). Your little ones ears might have been bothering her on your last flight. Try bringing Motrin and making sure age drinks or eats during ascent.

 

[scrapquitler]

Keep in mind that 4 days to drive there, also means a four day drive on the way home. And that drive on the way home is going to seem a LOT longer than the ride to get there because you are going to be exhausted and less patient after the ride there and all the time in the parks.

 

[maxiesmom]

No way would I drive with that many kids that young. No way! You couldn't possibly pack enough stuff for them to be half way happy and entertained for that long of a trip. 8 days of tired, crying, whiny kids is 7 1/2 days too long.

 

[treemi01]

We are driving for the first time ever in a few weeks. Our kids will be 7, 5 (turning 5 a week before we go), 2, and 4 months. We are driving from MN and are expecting a 25+ hour drive, not counting stops. We plan to leave on a Wednesday after school, spend Wed. And Thurs. night on the road, and arrive Friday morning. I will let you know how it goes!