Driving whole way vs flying one way & driving

[ktate82]

We have about a 13 hour drive to WDW. We are headed down in Sept for two weeks then going on a week long cruise. Originally, we were just going to drive as airfare was high. But now we are looking at flying down, renting a car, and then driving home. If we fly one way, it would be about $350 more than driving the whole way (this includes the flights, car rentals, and such). Either way, we would get to Orlando on Friday. We aren't planning on going to the parks till Saturday.

pros for driving: save $350
cons for driving: 13 hour drive, DH and DS can both get carsick (sometimes they do, sometimes not)

pros for flying/driving: no carsick risk, 6 hour total travel time, using a rental car so no wear and tear on our car (or risk of break down, etc.). We have $200 in Southwest Vouchers that if we don't use for this trip, we loose.

cons for flying/driving: cost $350 more

What do you all think? Is it worth it to fly one way and drive home or would you just drive all the way?

 

[nacho113]

Just to be clear, are you saying you have a 13 hour drive each way...or 13 hours total (6.5 each way)

 

[happily single]

I did exactly this last May. Are you factoring in that one-way rentals can be very expensive (I got lucky and got an amazing deal on a one-way rental).

We flew down to Orlando ($99pp), stayed in Orlando for 2 days, went on a three night cruise and drove home. I would do it again, but only to save money.

 

[nacho113]

Just to be clear, are you saying you have a 13 hour drive each way...or 13 hours total (6.5 each way)

6.5 hours is a very do-able drive (have breakfast, start the drive, stop for a quick lunch and gas up the car and then arrive at supper time...easy peasy).
Especially when you compare the time to it would take to drive to the airport, arrive a couple of hours before flight time, add the length of the flight, deplane, collect luggage and finally rent the car. You would have to figure maybe 4-5(+) hours, doesn't look like your saving much time by flying.

13 hours each way is a different story. It makes a very long grueling drive if you try to do it in one day OR clips a couple of days from your vacation if you split the drive into 2 days each way

 

[nacho113]

We have about a 13 hour drive to WDW. We are headed down in Sept for two weeks then going on a week long cruise. Originally, we were just going to drive as airfare was high. But now we are looking at flying down, renting a car, and then driving home. If we fly one way, it would be about $350 more than driving the whole way (this includes the flights, car rentals, and such). Either way, we would get to Orlando on Friday. We aren't planning on going to the parks till Saturday.

pros for driving: save $350
cons for driving: 13 hour drive, DH and DS can both get carsick (sometimes they do, sometimes not)

pros for flying/driving: no carsick risk, 6 hour total travel time, using a rental car so no wear and tear on our car (or risk of break down, etc.). We have $200 in Southwest Vouchers that if we don't use for this trip, we loose.

cons for flying/driving: cost $350 more

What do you all think? Is it worth it to fly one way and drive home or would you just drive all the way?

If you drive (or even rent), don't forget that you will also have to add the cost of parking for the days that you are on your cruise.
Parking at most of the Ports is around $20/day.
Almost all of the Ports having offsite parking available for about half that (independently owned and operated, 5-10 minute shuttle ride to the Port)

 

[ktate82]

If you drive (or even rent), don't forget that you will also have to add the cost of parking for the days that you are on your cruise.
Parking at most of the Ports is around $20/day.
Almost all of the Ports having offsite parking available for about half that (independently owned and operated, 5-10 minute shuttle ride to the Port)

We were going to do two rentals. One for the time we are at the parks, return the car, and then get another rental for the way home.

 

[ktate82]

Just to be clear, are you saying you have a 13 hour drive each way...or 13 hours total (6.5 each way)

13 hours each way and thats if we don't get caught in anything. We had planned to be around Nashville and Atlanta in off times to avoid traffic.

 

[ktate82]

I did exactly this last May. Are you factoring in that one-way rentals can be very expensive (I got lucky and got an amazing deal on a one-way rental).

We flew down to Orlando ($99pp), stayed in Orlando for 2 days, went on a three night cruise and drove home. I would do it again, but only to save money.

With the one way rentals (we would have two, one before and one after), flights, and everything else, it would be $350 more. But would cut the trip down in half, and we wouldn't have to use our car or van. We are debating if it is "worth" the extra.

 

[Iowamomof4]

If I were going to do something like that, I would drive down and fly back. We did fine on our drive to Disney because we had so much to look forward to. The drive home was really rough though. Of course, we had a much longer drive though.

 

[ktate82]

If I were going to do something like that, I would drive down and fly back. We did fine on our drive to Disney because we had so much to look forward to. The drive home was really rough though. Of course, we had a much longer drive though.

I would like to, but the flights back are double what the flights down are. I'm hoping that since we will be heading out as soon as we are off the ship, that we will be home that night (so no driving overnight or hotel).

 

[happily single]

Driving home after the cruise is very do-able. We were off the boat and in our rental by9:30am. Easy, peasy