Drive or Fly

[cwhite04]

Trying to decide if we should fly to Orlando Airport for a cruise or drive down from Delaware. What would you do? Is it easy and hassle free to get transportation from the airport to Port Canaveral?

Driving = 14 hours
Flying = 7 hours (with travel to airport and wait time included)

Thank for sharing your opinion.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Trying to decide if we should fly to Orlando Airport for a cruise or drive down from Delaware. What would you do? Is it easy and hassle free to get transportation from the airport to Port Canaveral?

Driving = 14 hours
Flying = 7 hours (with travel to airport and wait time included)

Thank for sharing your opinion.

Personally, I wouldn't want to be faced with 14 hours in a car, dodging all the crazies driving on the road after getting off a cruise.

 

[Momto2minniemice]

We drive last year the same distance and said NEVER again! The drive down was not bad the drive home was horrid!

 

[MickeyEarrings]

I imagine the biggest buzzkill after a great cruise is a 14-hour drive...

 

[NHDisneyFan]

Trying to decide if we should fly to Orlando Airport for a cruise or drive down from Delaware. What would you do? Is it easy and hassle free to get transportation from the airport to Port Canaveral?

Driving = 14 hours
Flying = 7 hours (with travel to airport and wait time included)

Thank for sharing your opinion.

I'd drive if it was saving me enough to pay for a nice chunk of the next cruise. You are correctly calculating it is 7 extra hours. All travel after a cruise sucks. MCO is no promise to be easy.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I'm a huge proponent of the drive, but I'm actually only ever a passenger. DH does the driving and he's pretty much 'been there, done that', so we're now flying. That said, what's better for your budget and your time? Will it be the middle of winter where flights might get delayed or roads backed up? How does the family feel about driving? Only you can answer these things.

 

[RafikiTiki21]

We are flying from NoVa, so same distance. It wasn't even a decision to me! Easy two hour flight, great DCL transport options, and low stress. We also have a small family so cost of tickets isn't a problem that grows exponentially for us.

 

[sc426]

I live in Virginia and I wouldn't dare even consider to drive down. Sure driving down may be fine before the cruise, but its the last thing I want to do after my cruise coming home. My vote is for flying. I am doing that October 2017 for my next Disney cruise.

 

[olookasquirrel]

Trying to decide if we should fly to Orlando Airport for a cruise or drive down from Delaware. What would you do? Is it easy and hassle free to get transportation from the airport to Port Canaveral?

Driving = 14 hours
Flying = 7 hours (with travel to airport and wait time included)

Thank for sharing your opinion.

Driving 14 hours by the map or you've done the drive before? We just learned our lesson driving Chicago to Connecticut - 14 hours per the gps turned into 18 after traffic, meals, dinner, potty, etc. It was The Worst and I spent the whole trip dreading the ride back....

 

[rcchello]

There were some years that if I wasn't driving, I wouldn't have made it. Since I was driving I could leave a day early and avoid the blizzard that shut down the airport. Driving also let's you stay in hilton head for a few days on the way home.

Maybe once my global entry application is approved flying may be a little easier.

 

[Osum]

Have you priced one-way rentals/flights? I've found that driving is great when you're on the way to something fun. Driving home, however, seems to take three times as long! I've been known to rent a car one-way (also avoiding parking fees), then fly home. you can sometimes find great deals on one-way trips.

MCO to Port Canaveral is super easy!

 

[cmph]

95 through VA is usually pretty horrifying. We knew how to skirt the worst of the DC beltway traffic, but you can't avoid 95 through VA. We had semi-season passes to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg a couple years ago. We still only went twice (from MD - Baltimore area). We didn't even consider driving all the way to Orlando after that.

 

[Laundress]

OP: what time of year are you considering. That could sway the decision. Personally we fly and hate driving.

 

[CamColt]

We have driven from MA to Orlando about 11 times now. We also fly often too. A lot depends on the situation for us, cost of airfare. if 2 or 4 of us are going, time limits for that trip, etc... I never thought I would want to drive but I have found I do enjoy it, and since I really hate flying, that adds to the pros for driving for me. I think both ways have pros and cons, you just have to figure out what works best for you.

 

[disneyholic family]

Driving 14 hours by the map or you've done the drive before? We just learned our lesson driving Chicago to Connecticut - 14 hours per the gps turned into 18 after traffic, meals, dinner, potty, etc. It was The Worst and I spent the whole trip dreading the ride back....

very good point!!

14 hours on mapquest is minimum 18 hours and possibly a lot more if you hit the traffic wrong (and god forbid there's an accident along the way to muck up the works)...

but like the previous poster, i much prefer driving to flying, so if i lived in north america i probably would drive whenever i could....

 

[disneyholic family]

We have driven from MA to Orlando about 11 times now. We also fly often too. A lot depends on the situation for us, cost of airfare. if 2 or 4 of us are going, time limits for that trip, etc... I never thought I would want to drive but I have found I do enjoy it, and since I really hate flying, that adds to the pros for driving for me. I think both ways have pros and cons, you just have to figure out what works best for you.

hi camcolt!! haven't 'talked' to you in centuries!!! DD's on the magic right now in the med having a magically fantastic time!!!
i'm trying to remember what cruise we were on together....maybe our very first?..either our first or second...many many many many years ago!!!!! (2002 or 2004)

oops..sorry for going off topic..

getting back to the topic - (and repeating myself)....we always have to fly given that we live on the other side of the atlantic, but if i lived in the US (back in detroit where i grew up), i would probably drive every time - if i had the time..
.

.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

We always drive and we are 19 hours, but we don't just take off right away. We head down nice and easy and stop at various things on the way down and then spend a couple days in St. Augustine for beach and fun, next we head into WDW for whatever length of stay we have decided on and then the DCL and on the way home we hit up the Gulf coast somewhere new for a couple days and take our time going home. It's always relaxing and fun!

 

[adisneyaunt]

Flying is so much easier and relaxing if the budget is okay with you.
Flying in the day before is better ( ya just never know..) gives time to unwind a bit, relax and start the vacation a little earlier. The Hyatt is right IN the airport, so no trekking anywhere or need for a car...discounts available, roof top pool and nice room/dining. (Did you know that they also offer a room for part of a day if ur return flight is late, and ur cruise departure is the typical early morn? )
Anyway, for relaxation, ease of travel flying is the way for us. Transport to cape not an issue imho
Have a wonderful cruise!

 

[RedSox68]

We have done both many times. We drove down when we were doing other things (like WDW and Universal) and wanted the car. We always loved those trips because we took our time and stayed a couple of nights on the road (it's 16 hours for us).

Then we started flying down and using private transportation. Cheaper and less hassle free, of course, but I hate flying.

However, I will say that in our past four trips flying, it's been no picnic and I think I would rather be back on the road! Or maybe take the auto train! The whole TSA, airport and airplane experiences are so abysmal anymore that it's become a lousy way to start one's vacation I think The Orlando airport is okay and seems to have their act together way better than the airport we fly out of -- who are always a mess and losing luggage is their norm.

 

[ghtx]

We are from Atlanta, so we are driving (about 6.5 hours) instead of flying (probably at least 4-5 hours total including MCO to port). For a 14-hour drive I am not sure which I would do. The bigger the family, the more money you save by driving.