driving

[ChisJo]

We were thinking about driving down from Windsor to Orlando in January for the marathon. We are debating between flying or driving....need some advice here.

We can get a flight from Detroit for $175 return...a GREAT price and I would love to book it today, but the problems lie with this: We would need a rental car, and I know I could probably get a 10 day rental for about $175 - $225, which would be fine, but at the present time, the best price I can find on a rental for the time we are going is over $350! Also, if we flew, I know for a fact that we would have to pay for extra lugguage, or an overage, which would cost an additional $100 minimal each...(we love to shop in Orlando)...So, just to summarize, the minimal cost of flying would be about $625, and I believe this cost is very conservative.

If we drove, we could do it straight, since we have no kids. I would drive at night and he would drive in the daylight hours (I work nights so this is no big deal to me). We are about 1160 miles from WDW and we could probably do this is about 16-17 hours (interstate driving and my fiance go hand in hand!!). However, my fiance will not be able to stay the whole time, and will be leaving early, leaving me driving that distance home by myself, which is where I'm stalling in this decision. Gas wouldn't be that bad for our car since it's a smaller car - costs $50 to fill up and we can go easily 800km on that tank. Also, since this is the first time driving down there, I don't know the I-75 and don't know what to expect....any help with that would be great as well. Are there fun places to stop? Things to do?

However, driving will alleviate the hassel at the airport, and the baggage restrictions, but will be a saviour to me on the way home.

Any suggestions or advice???

Thanks - Jo

 

[ForeverDance]

We've driven every year and will be again in a few weeks. We drive straight through switching when needed (DH probably does 75% of the driving) and really don't mind the drive.

The issue I would have with driving in your situation is coming back alone. I just wouldn't feel comfortable driving that kind of distance without someone there with me. But that's me and I'm not a big fan of driving to begin with so maybe you'd be fine. Of course you'd definately need to take a couple days coming back so that's another factor.

Also, don't forget it will be January and you never know how the weather will be at that time of year... just another thing to consider.

 

[yxe dad]

What about shipping your purchases home instead of on the plane with you?
Get an owners locker and store some of the heavier items you bring back and forth with you on your WDW trips. We did this and only travel with carry-ons!


Do you need the car for entire trip? Get a price for the amount days you really need the car, and then as the prices come down(hopefully) add days or rebook.

I've driven from Saskatoon to Seattle straight through, also about 17-18 hours but I shared the driving duties with someone. I really think driving home by yourself would suck, it's nice to have someone to talk to and take over when you need a break.

What's Westjet's prices looking like, or any other airline that doesn't charge for extra luggage?

 

[mtmbyck]

keep watching the NWA flights out of Detroit. Flying on Tues and Thurs are cheapest. I would absolutely NOT DRIVE! I appreciate that you can drive all night with no kids but then you are bagged and ruin your whole first day - not to mention with that lack of sleep and the time of year, you will be bound to come down with something (if you don't already have some little bug as you are headed down-which would make the drive that much more painful). Listen, so it costs $200 more but it guarantees safe and healthy travel! FLY FLY FLY!

 

[ChisJo]

It would cost more to fly with west jet than it would to pay the overage fees. What other airlines don't have lugguage restrictions? I thought they all have them applied now due to the increase in gas prices.

For shipping, would you just use US Postal service? Please forgive my ignorance, but I've never had to ship across the border before. Would they ship larger boxes? Or would I need to use UPS?

 

[F4disneyfan]

It would cost more to fly with west jet than it would to pay the overage fees. What other airlines don't have lugguage restrictions? I thought they all have them applied now due to the increase in gas prices.

For shipping, would you just use US Postal service? Please forgive my ignorance, but I've never had to ship across the border before. Would they ship larger boxes? Or would I need to use UPS?

Grab the Along the I 75 book it is a must for driving or even researching the drive to Disney from Canada. You can also visit www.i75online.com for info about the book etc.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I agree with flying. It only cost less to drive if there are 4 or more people in the car. We drove down last year in August and this year in June. I kept very careful track of the cost because my DH thinks it's cheap to drive, which I finally proved to him that it's not. This year it cost us $623 to drive round trip. That includes packing our meals in a cooler and only 1 night in a hotel (we drove straight home).

I can break down the cost in more detail if you want.

 

[F4disneyfan]

I agree with flying. It only cost less to drive if there are 4 or more people in the car. We drove down last year in August and this year in June. I kept very careful track of the cost because my DH thinks it's cheap to drive, which I finally proved to him that it's not. This year it cost us $623 to drive round trip. That includes packing our meals in a cooler and only 1 night in a hotel (we drove straight home).

I can break down the cost in more detail if you want.

Wow what kind of vehicle are you driving our 05 Montana makes it to and from Disney on under 300 bucks in gas and we pack an electric cooler and get a room in Valdosta GA our last trip was actually under 350 with the drive and hotel room. We get over 600K out of half a tank of gas in our van.

 

[disneyfreak89]

We have always driven down to Florida and prefer to drive because of the freedom of having our own vehicle when we want it, and taking as much luggage and souvenirs back as we want with no worries.

As for having to drive back solo, why not invite a friend to fly down shortly after your DH leaves, one way tickets are cheap, and then they can drive home with you.

I also second the advice on getting the I-75 book. That's all we ever use. Unless you have a GPS.

 

[digskat]

We have driven the last 4 years, taking a Ford Windstar the first year, and a Ford Escape the last 3. We have never spent more than $300 on gas, and that includes a couple hundred kms driving around Orlando/Kissimmee shopping. We pre-book our hotels, and stay at Country Inn and Suites for $60 USD. Using Fuel Cost Calculator, we expect to spend $310 this year in our Montana (depending on gas fluctuations), and have our room booked for $55. We leave at 4am, and take snacks, stopping for supper ($30 at Cracker Barrel) the first day and lunch the second.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Weather! What about the weather concerns????

 

[ChisJo]

What would the weather be like??? This is my first winter on this side of the country...I don't know what the weather is like in the winter, I've heard they can be troublesome....I don't know how different they could be from Alberta, but maybe the storms are stronger???

 

[disneyfreak89]

Since your winters seem to be more severe than ours in Southwestern Ontario, I'd say consider leaving a day early and stopping over night in lower Michigan. We've driven through some major winter storms, but most times than not, it usually cleared up by Cinncinnati, Ohio and was smooth sailing from there.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Wow what kind of vehicle are you driving our 05 Montana makes it to and from Disney on under 300 bucks in gas and we pack an electric cooler and get a room in Valdosta GA our last trip was actually under 350 with the drive and hotel room. We get over 600K out of half a tank of gas in our van.

I drive a Chev Venture. So the same as your Montana.....I'm not sure how you would get 600km from only a half tank.

The total is gas, hotel, and the cost of groceries to make the food for the cooler. We purchased only 3 meals for the roundtrip drive, 1 breakfast and 2 dinners all were fast food type. Plus, the hotel was about $75. Gas alone was over $400. We had to fill our tank before we left home and at the time(June) gas was $1.39 per litre. It was about $75 for just that 1 fill up.

 

[myrsfmly]

I always drive alone or with small kids and am just always careful to stop in well lit high traffic rest stops/gas stations but other than that I never have any qualms about the trip! Airfare is so high now I just can't justify the cost difference- and I really like having my car on site with me.

 

[F4disneyfan]

I drive a Chev Venture. So the same as your Montana.....I'm not sure how you would get 600km from only a half tank.

The total is gas, hotel, and the cost of groceries to make the food for the cooler. We purchased only 3 meals for the roundtrip drive, 1 breakfast and 2 dinners all were fast food type. Plus, the hotel was about $75. Gas alone was over $400. We had to fill our tank before we left home and at the time(June) gas was $1.39 per litre. It was about $75 for just that 1 fill up.

We are averaging over 30+MPG in our montanna not sure if using 100% synthetic oil makes a difference but that is all we have run is mobil1 from our first oilchange back on 05. We find the engine runs smoother and cooler than running regular oil that came in it from the factory. as for our food we pack it all and bring it from home so as to not have to buy it on the road and we stop in Valdosta GA at the fairfield inn and get the room for under 50 bucks.

We also do not drive over 105KPH we find that gets us our best gas mileage.

 

[digskat]

I don't count the food I pack, since it is food from home, that would be eaten here anyway. As for the first fill up, it isn't counted in your MPG, since the tank has to have gas in it to measure. We are getting approx 33MPG in our Montana, and the gauge reads approx 600km until next fuel, when about half full.

 

[F4disneyfan]

I don't count the food I pack, since it is food from home, that would be eaten here anyway. As for the first fill up, it isn't counted in your MPG, since the tank has to have gas in it to measure. We are getting approx 33MPG in our Montana, and the gauge reads approx 600km until next fuel, when about half full.

Sounds like we get about the same mileage on teh top half of our tanks. It will be interesting to see what our new Acadia will get while towing the wifes tent trailer this Oct.

 

[canadaman]

I drove down a month ago. it was my first trip on the i 75. WE have a 2008 Hyundai Elantra, and were able to average about 38mpg. Our trip was about the same distance as yours. It was 4423km there and back, and it cost us $322 in gas. All together the drive there and back including one hotel stay each way and food while on the road cost us $596.
I think the time you are staying is a little low. It took us about 24 hours including all stops for gas, rests, and food.

 

[digskat]

Sounds like we get about the same mileage on teh top half of our tanks. It will be interesting to see what our new Acadia will get while towing the wifes tent trailer this Oct.

We just sold our tent trailer, and bought a used motorhome. I doubt we will take it to WDW, since it gets between 10 and 13 MPG. I look forward to being able to sit in my chair within 20 minutes of arriving at our campsite. As well as the air conditioning....