Driving to WDW - Pros and Cons

[ajf1007]

So I'm thinking about driving from Philadelphia to WDW for our trip in September. There will be three drivers so we could split it up nicely. After looking at the costs with airfare, paying for baggage and parking our car at the airport for a week, it looks like we could save about $700 driving.

I think the drive down would be doable, but the drive home would be hell. But with that kind of savings, it might just be worth it. Plus I was going to have to rent a car for a day to run to the grocery store so I would have some savings (though small) there as well.

We'd have to leave Friday night (around 7pm) due to my DH's schedule but my mom and I would split up the driving so he could sleep mostly.

Do we have to pay for parking at the DVC's? We usually fly so this is our first adventure in driving and I wasn't sure how the parking worked.

I'd love to hear some of your pros and cons if you wouldn't mind sharing your experiences. Thanks so much!!

 

[Cyndibear]

Hello neighbor!!! We started to drive to Disney after the 911 event. Just didn't feel safe flying. It is just Dh and I and we drove straight through going down stopping only for bathroom breaks and a quick bite to eat that we packed. We took turns driving but it was long. The way home was even harder so we would stop somewhere for the night. It used to be fun and we too thought it was cheaper but we found out it wasn't. We get cheap flights going Southwest out of Phila, we park at an off site parking lot, and we don't have to pay for bags. Having Owners Locker helps with that too! We leave on the first flight of the day so we are at WDW before 11am. We just love flying now and having to loose 3 of our vacations days to just traveling kinda stank. If we need groceries we just use Wego Shop and it's taken care of. It is an easy drive, just boring.

If you are planning to go I-95-I-4, there are a lot of toll roads too so don't forget to figure that into the trip total. We ended up going Route 81 to Route 26 to I-95, no tolls just more curves and hills and it took a little longer.

Unless you use valet parking, you don't have to pay to park at your resort.

We just like the ease of flying now and have extra days to enjoy at WDW.

Whatever you decide on doing, have fun!!

Cyndi

 

[pluto2417]

I drive from Massachusetts. We leave about 7pm and stop for something to eat then we drive through the night and only stop for gas. The next morning we stop for breakfast and then lunch. We stay the night in Jacksonville at a hotel along 95 or 295. At that point were usually about 3 hours from Disney. When I add in the stops it's about a 21 or 22 hour drive. The ride down is always faster than the ride home. It doesn't cost anything for parking at the resorts. When you get to the gate at the resort you just give your name and tell them your checking in. The guard has a list of people checking in. I like driving because then I don't have to worry about the added costs of flying. Whatever you decide to do have fun

 

[ajf1007]

Hello neighbor!!! We started to drive to Disney after the 911 event. Just didn't feel safe flying. It is just Dh and I and we drove straight through going down stopping only for bathroom breaks and a quick bite to eat that we packed. We took turns driving but it was long. The way home was even harder so we would stop somewhere for the night. It used to be fun and we too thought it was cheaper but we found out it wasn't. We get cheap flights going Southwest out of Phila, we park at an off site parking lot, and we don't have to pay for bags. Having Owners Locker helps with that too! We leave on the first flight of the day so we are at WDW before 11am. We just love flying now and having to loose 3 of our vacations days to just traveling kinda stank. If we need groceries we just use Wego Shop and it's taken care of. It is an easy drive, just boring.

If you are planning to go I-95-I-4, there are a lot of toll roads too so don't forget to figure that into the trip total. We ended up going Route 81 to Route 26 to I-95, no tolls just more curves and hills and it took a little longer.

Unless you use valet parking, you don't have to pay to park at your resort.

We just like the ease of flying now and have extra days to enjoy at WDW.

Whatever you decide on doing, have fun!!

Cyndi

Hi neighbor! Thanks for the tips! I was just looking at flights tonight and though Southwest was a bit cheaper, they only had two non-stop flights listed which got us there late in the afternoon. I don't like to get there that late. Maybe they'll add flights if it gets closer? If not, the remaining flights are about $370 x2. We park off site too, but it's still about $100/week. When I totaled everything up, diving things by 3 between us and my mom, the savings was significant. BUT... I completely forget about the tolls, thanks! Believe me, I would rather fly but it's hard to pass up the savings. Hmmm... what to do, what to do!

I drive from Massachusetts. We leave about 7pm and stop for something to eat then we drive through the night and only stop for gas. The next morning we stop for breakfast and then lunch. We stay the night in Jacksonville at a hotel along 95 or 295. At that point were usually about 3 hours from Disney. When I add in the stops it's about a 21 or 22 hour drive. The ride down is always faster than the ride home. It doesn't cost anything for parking at the resorts. When you get to the gate at the resort you just give your name and tell them your checking in. The guard has a list of people checking in. I like driving because then I don't have to worry about the added costs of flying. Whatever you decide to do have fun

Thanks! I come from a long line of "drivers" but I've never made the drive before. My DH is leery about it though but like I said, the savings is hard to pass up. Straight mileage says its 16 hours from my house, so I'm figuring about 18 with stops. I think my adrenaline would take me down, but I'm a bit nervous about the drive home. Do you prebook your hotel or just pull over when you find somewhere? Do you have somewhere you prefer? I was think that I'd stop around Savannah.

 

[goldenears]

We love to camp and I have always wanted to try Fort Wilderness, so we decided to drive down from NH in Dec. of 2010. It was me, DH and our 3 kids. I always say that I will try almost anything once. If it goes badly, I won't do it again. With that said, I would drive down again in a heartbeat. I didn't think the drive was that bad and if anything, it added to our vacation experience. We did stay down there for a few weeks (one week at Fort Wilderness and then moved to our DVC resort), so i think this impacted my feelings about driving down.

 

[gojoe]

Don't forget to bring an E-Z pass for the tolls.

 

[luckyman_apd]

For me, driving that distance is one of my own personally hells. We went last summer and considered driving. We were guests of friends. They had the place for 9 nights at SSR. What saved us from driving was the fact that my daughter's Dance recital was the 2nd day of the trip so we had to meet them down there. We are from south jersey, about 30 minutes from Philly/45 minutes from AC.

We have kicked the thought around to save money. I did the math, and to be honest, I don't feel like it would save that much money, and with the added stress and exhaustion on the trip, I believe I would need a 10 day trip to make it worth it. After the trip we had to drive out to Michigan for a few days and then back. That was 12 hours. 12 hours in the car 2 times in 4 days with my wife and kids....... When we arrived home we said "THANK GOD WE DIDN'T DRIVE TO DISNEY! You have consider gas milage/tolls/wear and tear on the car/ and most importantly YOUR SANITY.

We are going in Nov, and I'm hoping Southwest will have decent prices/flight times. Southwest always seems cheapest when you consider bag fees, but we shall see. It is even more complex, as I have to arrive a day after the wife and kids, but we will fly home together. But our next summer trip we will reconsider driving.

By the way, we used Garden grocer for groceries and they were great.

 

[ajf1007]

We love to camp and I have always wanted to try Fort Wilderness, so we decided to drive down from NH in Dec. of 2010. It was me, DH and our 3 kids. I always say that I will try almost anything once. If it goes badly, I won't do it again. With that said, I would drive down again in a heartbeat. I didn't think the drive was that bad and if anything, it added to our vacation experience. We did stay down there for a few weeks (one week at Fort Wilderness and then moved to our DVC resort), so i think this impacted my feelings about driving down.

That's kinda what I was thinking, why not give it a whirl and if I hate it, we won't do it again. I'm thinking it might be fun! I'm actually HOPING it will be fun. Though no decision is final yet, and maybe flights will come down alittle to make it a wash.

Don't forget to bring an E-Z pass for the tolls.

Thanks! I forgot about that! Does it work all the way down? I knew it worked all the way through to Virginia, but I wasn't sure if it worked all the way in to Florida.

 

[hedge333]

Our drive is around 14 hours. The drive back isn't all that bad. We just make sure everyone knows what shift they're taking so sleepers sleep and drivers drive. With everyone else sleeping the driver gets to choose the radio station which is always nice.

 

[alicat07]

We've driven down to Disney the past 2 trips, and we are coming from Central NJ, close to where you are (you are probably up to an hour closer than us). If you don't plan on stopping at a hotel, then it can definitely be cheaper than flying depending on when you go! We take our SUV (not great on gas mileage), and it takes about 3 tanks of gas each way to get there. Around today's gas prices it came out to about $70 a fill, so we estimated $210 each way for gas, plus some tolls, so figure $450 for driving not including quick food stops or hotel stops. If you can get cheap flights (sometimes you can grab RT flights from PHL or NJ for $150 a person, but you have to shop around and keep checking) it may end up being less or breaking even depending on how many tickets you would need. But at the price you said you found, driving would be much less! Keep in mind the car you take--we take our SUV bc we need the space, but if we took our car (which is a hybrid), it hugely would knock down our gas expense to about $110 each way, making the driving trip about $250 total!

We just like the convenience of having the car down in Disney. Parking is free at the DVC hotels and the parks. It always worked out for us because in case we were running late for any ADRs, we just hopped in the car and went instead of having to wait for Disney transportation. Also, it was more flexible of a trip...for instance, the past 2 trips when we drove we had PLANNED to leave Disney to come home around noon, but both times we decided to stay and go to a park for a few hours, then have dinner, then finally hit the road in the early evening. So we extended our Disney trip without having to worry about catching flights.

The trip down takes us about 17 hours if we drive straight through with a few stops for bathroom and fast food. Since we have stayed later than expected in Disney, on the way home we do stop at a hotel for the night (we usually stop driving around 1-2am). We are going again next January and will again be driving. It just makes it easier because of the strollers, luggage, all the extras that we like to bring but normally wouldn't be able to if we flew. Plus remember if you decide you want a rental car down in Disney, add that expense as well (although it is not needed! Disney transportation really covers it all!).

Good luck with your decision...its even easier if you have people to switch off driving. Once you pass Richmond, it's literally one straight road down I-95 for like 8 hours!

 

[Disney DVC Lover]

We just drove from NY. We stopped in Jacksonville FL, we could have made it with out stopping but it was nice to have a good night sleep and a good breakfast. From Jacksonville it is only about a 2 1/2 hour drive to Disney World. This gives you time to stop by the store for food and supplies. You my be able to check in to your room if not the resort will hold your bags and when you get back from the parks or shopping they will send your bags up to your.

 

[KyCruisinSusan]

We have always driven down from Ky. It runs 12-14 hours depending on who's traveling.

This summer we are driving down and I expect that I will be doing the majority of the driving, not that I mind, and we are planning to leave early and stop somewhere along the way, spend the night and finish the trip the next day. We will stop overnight on the way home.

We could probably make the trip in 1 day but Mom is having cataract surgery in a couple of weeks and I would feel better if I do all of the driving, not to mention she will be 70 and drives like a turtle , even on the interstate.

Even if the cost of gas is $5/gallon it will save us hundreds by not flying and since we're taking Mom's brand new minivan we will be driving in style.

 

[Disney Commando]

Have you looked into the Autotrain

We used to drive, tried the straight though, and the over night stay, but either way you get beat up pretty good by the time you get there

I got turned on to the Autotrain about 5 years ago, you get on in VA, your car goes with you, they serve dinner and you get to sleep all night, in the A.M. when you get off you get your car and you are 39mi from WDW. You will be at the parks a little after opening and your not tired

We had to drive home in August due to the hurricane ( rail & flights were cancelled for days), after we got home we remembered why we only take the Autotrain

 

[ajf1007]

I'm loving all of these tips! Thanks guys! Keep 'em coming! Since we're splitting the gas and stuff with my mom and taking her car, I'm figuring our costs to be (for my husband and I) about $300-$350 round trip. Thats still alot cheaper than two flights. And I can bring stuff for my owners locker (which I was going to pay to ship down). Hmm...

 

[melissapealo]

We've driven from central NY once and I said I'd never drive again. The drive down wasn't bad. We left about 6pm so my oldest ds would sleep during part of the drive. Stopped in Jacksonville for the night as we were going to Kennedy Space Center before Disney or we would have just driven straight through. On the way home we had problems with a tire so had to stop and get it repaired and ended up staying the night. Finished driving home the next day and was still exhausted even with stopping. I think the drive down was easier because we were all so excited about the vacation. By the time we got home we were all tired from the long drive. On the plus side we did have the car so were able to do more things offsite. We were also able to bring more things with us.

You won't know if driving is something you like until you try it. If you end up driving at least you'll know for future trips.

 

[JennMouse32]

me and sis are driving down this year, we flew down in 2009... i prefer driving.. its not really as bad as everyone thinks.. long as u give yourself time.. that way there is no rushing, you go at your own pace.. its very nice.. besides you might find a treasure on the way there or back. like i did last year...


a big pro is there is no limitians other than what your vechile can hold.. no extra fees for anything! its great... no security to go through...

 

[VLee]

If our trip works out, there will be myself, 3 grandchildren and daughter and son-inlaw. I am thinking that I might fly down with the kids or at least one of them (since I have the SW companion pass) and that my daughter and son-in-law will drive down. However, for the return trip, my daughter and son-inlaw will fly back (since they need to get back faster for work) and that I will then drive their car back with the kids. In fact, we will probably stay a few days longer.
It will also save them a little money.
The drive is about 15 to 16 hours.

 

[JennMouse32]

i gotta say you guys are wimps...

ive driven down from both upstate NY, and Indiana several times.. its not as horrible as all that..

u give yourself enough time, you dont rush, take your time.. enjoy your time toether, stop as much or as little as you want.. pull over to a hotel to sleep... not that horrible..

i find it very relaxing..no stress of leaving at a certain time... no size limits.. no extra fees.. no secruity.. i find it great!

ive have both flown to and from and driven to and from disney and indiana and disney and NY.. i prefer driving.. we found a nice little place last year.. it was a fun side trip

 

[luckyman_apd]

It definitely sounds like your scenario will save you money. For us, not so much unless Airfare goes through the roof. PHL airport sucks too IMHO. I figure $500 on gas/tolls with our minvan being on the liberal side. Just my wife and I with young kids, we will have to stop at least once each way. Even at a cheap motel for $60, I figure over $600. If I can get airfare for under $1000 for the 4 of us, I won't hesitate to fly. I'd rather add an extra two days in a studio, than spend that time driving.

 

[DisneyMama21]

For my family of 5, you can't beat the price of driving! Our 3 kids are awesome in the car, and my husband does most of the driving and I wrangle kids, We live in northern Indiana so our drive is pretty long. We stayed at a hotel halfway last time but this summer are going to drive straight through (I think my DH might even let me drive!) Its not so bad if you don't stress yourself out with a schedule