Driving a rental or put the miles on our car?

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Hi all! We are thinking of driving in October, and I am so torn about what I should do. I have read some other threads and have found some good points, but I want to put my scenarios out there to see if you can weigh in for me.

We have 5 kids. Right now, flights out of Cleveland are running about $3,000 total for our family. The flights at that price are about 7 hours long. That stinks when we usually fly there in 2 hours. Southwest out of Columbus has not released their rates for October yet, so I am holding out hope that they will fall within my price that I want to pay. We can afford the $3,000, but we have flown the whole family there twice in two years, and a third time would be overkill I think. So, here is what I am thinking about just in case SW does not fall into my price point:

We are considering two different options:

1. Drive our van:
PROS:
*Only real cost would be gas and tolls. We get free gas a lot of the time b/c we use Giant Eagle, and I use coupons to earn free gas. We also pay for Disney with gift cards bought at GE, so that gives us tons of free gas. So our first tank of gas will probably be free. It stinks that we can't carry cans with us, cause it could all be free, but we would be very, very high, and that's not good.
*We did a gas estimate and even without free gas, it would be under $500 round trip.
CONS:
*Our van is a 2000. It is in great shape, and we bought it on auction. We think it may have been owned by a company and used as a company car. It was really treated well. We are planning on taking it to a mechanic to have it looked over and put whatever we need into making sure it is solid. We are doing this regardless of whether we take it to WDW or not.
*5 kids in a van.
*I am a little concerned about putting over 2,000 miles on our van which has a lot of miles on it already. Like I said, it runs really well, but I am nervous.
*5 kids in a van. For over 16 hours.
*We are responsible if something breaks.

-OR-

2. We rent a van.
PROS:
*First and final gas would be free as it would be with our van.
*unlimited mileage
*Would feel a bit more luxurious b/c it would be newer than our van.
CONS:
*We have priced them out, and it will run roughly $800 for two weeks of rental plus cost of gas and tolls.
*5 kids in a van.
*um...5 kids in a van.


*We would probably power through to get there a day before the rest of our group so we could rest. That gives us an extra day to go see the show at Medieval Times Theater, which I think my kids will love! We think we would only need to stop once for a large meal, so the cost on food would be very low. Obviously we would need to stop to stretch and stuff, but I am planning on bringing food so we don't have to delay with tons of meals. Doing it this way would mean we would have to stay one more night at Disney as we would get there a day early. I think I can live with that though.

We are going to be at Disney for about 10-12 days with 2-4 days for driving or resting up before our family gets there. I can't avoid the con of 5 kids in a van, but I will deal with it! I just would rather spend more days at Disney than spend that money on flights and feel like we can't stay as long. I know my time is valuable too, but we have a full two weeks to make it happen, so I think it is doable to drive.

We will still probably use the bus system at WDW b/c we don't mind it, but it will be convienient to be able to hop over to Walmart without paying $39 for a taxi. We may drive some days, but are very happy on the bus too, so it doesn't really matter in that regard.

I guess what I am asking in a rather confusing way (Sorry, I am crazy tired and way past when I should've been in bed.), is would you put the miles on your older car if the car is good, solid, and reliable in order to save over 2/3 on travel? Or would you rent a van for 2 weeks and save less? Opinions please!

I eagerly await your responses!

 

[seashoreCM]

Change the oil before you go and the long trip puts much less wear and tear per mile compared with hotel to theme park while down there (and home to work while at home).

By driving you eliminate much of the hassle of flying -- schedule changes, cramped seating, having to get there early -- and much of the hassle of renting -- checking for pre-existing damage, agents pushing coverages.

But really it comes down to how far away from Disney you are. The break even between flying and driving, considering the hassles as well as the time, is something like 600 miles. (A little less if you need to go through Washington DC)

 

[I Love Pluto]

We drive from PA. It's not that bad. The best part is that we can take what we want (scissors, lots of shampoo, conditioner, & other liquids) - and we don't have to worry about airport rules.

If we should break down on the road, we have AAA. It's invaluable when we go on our trips.

Sometimes we stop in Georgia for the night, sometimes we go straight through. Both are good choices.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[mossy1]

I vote for fly and rental van. This has always been my preference. I just can't justify sitting in a car/van for that long when I can be there in 2 hours on a plane. I know it's not the cheapest way, but I think you can get your air fare numbers a little better and closer to your time you can get a rental van for say 400-450 plus taxes for a two week stay. Best of luck with whatever you decide. Have a great trip.

BTW...I'm not sure how a drive to Pittsburgh airport is for you, but the SW fares from there have been my cheapest option for our trip. Even less than BWI for us and that is rare. I really can't explain why this is but I'll take it!!!

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Change the oil before you go and the long trip puts much less wear and tear per mile compared with hotel to theme park while down there (and home to work while at home).

By driving you eliminate much of the hassle of flying -- schedule changes, cramped seating, having to get there early -- and much of the hassle of renting -- checking for pre-existing damage, agents pushing coverages.

But really it comes down to how far away from Disney you are. The break even between flying and driving, considering the hassles as well as the time, is something like 600 miles. (A little less if you need to go through Washington DC)

Awesome! Thanx for your opinion. I never thought about the checking for pre-existing damage part, and that maybe being a problem upon return. Hmmmm.....

We are about 1,000 miles from Disney. Our car has about 150,000 miles on it, but like I said, it has been treated well, and runs very well. We are taking it in shortly to check out the starter b/c it is giving us issues sometimes, and we are getting the stabilizer bar checked out. Once those two issues are fixed we should be A-OK. We will have all filters and oil changed, and if we need new tires, we will take care of that as well! I don't mind the hassles of flying b/c we get there so fast, but I also think it may be cool for my homeschooled kids to see some other states as we fly by them. I get pretty sick on planes but can also get sick driving, so the risk as far as that is concerned is even. I am a bit concerned that I won't be able to help my hubby drive much b/c I have narcolepsy and can do zero night driving. I get mesmerized by the lights and can't keep it together, so I avoid it if I can. I will do as much of the day driving as I can stand and let him sleep. Hopefully my GPS doesn't steer me wrong!!!

We drive from PA. It's not that bad. The best part is that we can take what we want (scissors, lots of shampoo, conditioner, & other liquids) - and we don't have to worry about airport rules.

If we should break down on the road, we have AAA. It's invaluable when we go on our trips.

Sometimes we stop in Georgia for the night, sometimes we go straight through. Both are good choices.

Enjoy your trip!

That is totally a bonus to driving. I won't have to cram everyone's junk into tiny suitcases to avoid checked baggage fees! Thanx for mentioning AAA! I was just saying to my hubby that we might want to look into it for our trip, so you saying it just confirmed that I should! I do have roadside assistance with my insurance, so I will look into that first!

I asked in another thread months ago about where some good places to stay are, so I have several choices if we feel the need to stop. We are going to try to go straight through though. Maybe on the way home we will go slower. Some people said Pooler or Brunswick, GA, some said Ridgeway, Columbia, Rock Hill, or Mooresville, SC, and some said Lake Norman or Statesville, NC. I want to try and avoid stopping if I can help it (except for potty breaks and such.)

I vote for fly and rental van. This has always been my preference. I just can't justify sitting in a car/van for that long when I can be there in 2 hours on a plane. I know it's not the cheapest way, but I think you can get your air fare numbers a little better and closer to your time you can get a rental van for say 400-450 plus taxes for a two week stay. Best of luck with whatever you decide. Have a great trip.

BTW...I'm not sure how a drive to Pittsburgh airport is for you, but the SW fares from there have been my cheapest option for our trip. Even less than BWI for us and that is rare. I really can't explain why this is but I'll take it!!!

I get ya. I would prefer to fly for sure. I wouldn't rent a van once we get there though. We don't find it necessary as we are totally happy with ME. If I can find flights for under $2,000, then I can justify it. We flew all 7 of us in October 2010, May 2011, and we will be going back in October 2012, and hubby and I are flying back to celebrate our 15 year anniversary in May 2013, so the flight money is adding up pretty quickly.

I will look into Pittsburgh. Thanx for the info. Columbus had been our best option as I have been watching for the last year, but recently they raised their rates for that timeframe and I was really irritated. I will have to see what they look like when they release those dates next month. We can always plan to drive and if we find a cheap flight closer to our dates, we can always buy our tickets last minute!

Thanx for the well wishes and for the responses!

 

[vikingdad]

If you drive and decide to stay a night in Georgia I would recommend:

Cambria Suites Savannah Airport (GA527)
50 Yvette Johnson Hagins Drive, Savannah, GA, US, 31408

They are just off I-95. You can book a 2 bedroom suite for around $150 (join the free CHOICE program and can save additional by booking early). Look them up on Trip Advisor for reviews. They are ranked 6 out of the 107 different hotels in Savannah.

 

[Brian Noble]

October

You have a long time to hold out for decent fares, especially if you can be flexible about which airport you fly out of. From Columbus, you are within spitting distance of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, either of which might have better fares. You might have to go a little bit above $300 per person, but that does not sound unreasonable for October, especially if you can be flexible about which days of the week you fly.

You can also save on checked luggage a couple different ways. From Cincinnati, you could fly Delta. They have a co-branded AmEx card that gives you one free checked bag per person on your flight. It's $75/year (though the first year is free), but with seven people, that's a big savings.

On the other hand, with two weeks off, it would not be terrible to have two days' driving each way. It's a long enough trip that you can afford to take your time driving.

Finally, with that large of a travel party, you really ought to consider staying offsite in a condo, town home, or pool home. Even after adding in the cost of parking (and, if necessary, a rental car) you'll be saving money and MUCH more comfortable than you'd be in two hotel rooms, particularly for such a long stay. Just having your own private washer/dryer is a nice bonus for such a set-up, and the kitchen can also help keep breakfast and snack costs down, even without "having to cook."

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanx for mentioning AAA! I was just saying to my hubby that we might want to look into it for our trip, so you saying it just confirmed that I should! I do have roadside assistance with my insurance, so I will look into that first!

Definitely check out your existing roadside assistance.

I had an experience where AAA couldn't help me despite my deluxe (or whatever) membership, and had to call a place and pay them up front (AAA then reimbursed me). The guy said that they HATE answering AAA calls b/c AAA pays them so little (they were going to pay me back more than they would have paid him, he said), but the insurance company programs are better for them.


I would make sure your car is safe and drive it.

Especially with your health issues, though, I would take a little more time. Night driving isn't really all that safe, and in my experience it's much nicer to sleep in a bed. Since you aren't tethered to a school schedule, it's just work to think about; being able to stop in towns would be even better for the homeschool learning experiences! (maybe choose your stops based on interesting towns along the way?)

Finally, with that large of a travel party, you really ought to consider staying offsite in a condo, town home, or pool home. Even after adding in the cost of parking (and, if necessary, a rental car) you'll be saving money and MUCH more comfortable than you'd be in two hotel rooms, particularly for such a long stay. Just having your own private washer/dryer is a nice bonus for such a set-up, and the kitchen can also help keep breakfast and snack costs down, even without "having to cook."

Good point.

 

[LovinPooh]

I am in the same position. My car has 120,000 on it. I am nervous that it will break down on the way there. Had a car break down in Jacksonvilled once. YIKES!!! The only local rental we have is Enterprise, and they no longer do unlimited mileage past VA border ugh! I get 150miles a day and .25mile after that. $228/week. The only good part is the car will be parked at WDW for 9days. So roughly it will cost about $750 total. Still cheaper than flying. I cant find anything under $2400 to fly for the 4 of us!! So rental it is... but they require a major credit card which irritates me. I hate using those things. I guess, the down side of having an older car and no car payment lol
Good luck OP!

 

[auger]

One thing to keep in mind about driving your own vehicle; if anything happens to it, you are paying the cost of repairs as well as being stuck on the road and losing vacation time.

We chose to drive our older high-mileage van a couple of years ago.
We had EVRYTHING checked out before we went.
Our mechanic gave us the all-clear on it.
We blew the engine on the way home; stuck in Charleston,SC.
Had to tow the van to the AAA station, rent a car to drive my daughter home to Ohio, then drive back down to try and dispose of the van. It was 12 years old and had 173,000 miles on it.
Towing it home would have cost a fortune, so we scrapped her.
Got $300 from the junk yard.
We paid for 2 rental cars, hotel stay, food, gas, etc.

We had taken great care of the van; always did maintenance when scheduled, and had it fixed whenever the littlest thing seemed to be not-quite-right.
Still, we lost her on that trip.
When you're dealing with high-mileage vehcles, you just don't know.

We rented cars for the next four trips, until we finally replaced the van.

I won't ever take that chance again.
It cost us so much more than we would have had into a rental.
We had debated renting a car before we went on that trip, but that all-clear from the mechanic gave us a false sense of security.

Just be sure you weigh all the consequences carefully before you decide.
That was the most horrible trip we've ever had. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy!!!