Flying out of Toronto Vs Buffalo ??

[Claud26]

this will be our first trip to WDW, we are trying to keep this on a budget... that said our dd is 5 and ds is 2. Just wondering if it is really worth driving 2 hrs to Buffalo and then having a 3/4 hr stop over only to save $600.00 ?? So instead of a 2:45hr flight you have a 5/6 hr flight with two little ones ?? and sort of wasting a day on travel.

There is just so much information and tips and just trying to sort out everything. I contact Dreams Come true Vacations for a quote, and I was very happy with her service. But I have some questions, should I book my flight first ?? and then my stay ?? or do I book my stay and then wait for good deal on air??

Thanks for all your help

Claud

 

[dsneygirl]

Southwest does have one daily non-stop I believe. And even with a 45 minute layover it's still only about 4 hours total. $600 will buy a lot of Disney Food or pay for 6 nights at a value resort to put it in perspective.

Also PIA is a nightmare to navigate, BNIA is a walk in the park.

 

[KatieKateKate]

When are you travelling? I am going in December and I haven't booked air yet - but will soon.
Air Tran flying out of Buffalo is offering $79 fare both ways are per person it comes to $187 US.
You'll have a stopover in Atlanta, but I'm not too concerned about it. Take a flight at 6 a.m. and you are due to arrive in Orlando before noon. I don't think it's a wasted day!
I booked with Dream Come True Vacations too! I got the Canadian agent - she's mega-helpful!

 

[mousy_in_canada]

SW has 2 non stop flights a day.
In January when we went we got our tickets for $75 return N/S.. for 5 of us it was $375 for Return! to Fly out of TO on Air Canada it was $2,979 HUGE difference.
that savings covered our stay and the food and all the take home stuff!
It is really worth it to fly out of Buffalo in my opinion.

Good luck making your decision

 

[Claud26]

When are you travelling? I am going in December and I haven't booked air yet - but will soon.
Air Tran flying out of Buffalo is offering $79 fare both ways are per person it comes to $187 US.
You'll have a stopover in Atlanta, but I'm not too concerned about it. Take a flight at 6 a.m. and you are due to arrive in Orlando before noon. I don't think it's a wasted day!
I booked with Dream Come True Vacations too! I got the Canadian agent - she's mega-helpful!

Katiekatekare, I'm planing on Leaving Nov 27 and coming back on December 3rd.
Did you book your fligth with Dream come True? So far I only asked her about hotel and WDW Ticktes.

Claud

 

[hockey mom]

If you are not going until late November then you will not know if you have a stop over or not. Southwest has not opened up the schedule that far yet. I look at it this way- I can spend an extra 2 hours driving with my kids in the car or 2 hours at Pearson trying to keep my kids in all the line ups. Six hundred is alot of cash for souvineers.

 

[tmli]

Yes, yes, Yes and did I say yes...I would fly out of Buffalo to save $200. Toronto airport takes at 2 hours to get through security and customs...it was 30 mins from the time we pulled up in front of the Buffalo airport to the time we were at our gate. Curbside check in....this in itself was worth it. If at all possible i will never fly out of Toronto again!!!

 

[pjpoohbear]

Remember you only have to be at BUF 1 hour before your flight, they have curbside check-in and the security takes like 15 mins tops (we have never been more than 5 mins). At YYZ you have to be there 2-3 hours before take-off, check-in can take anywhere from 10 mins to over an hour and security and immigration another 30 mins. And the walking at Pearson is horrible, BUF is a fairly small terminal.

For us the extra drive is only 1.25 hours then to drive to YYZ, we live on the east side of Metro Toronto, and it takes 40 mins in good traffic to get to YYZ and 1.75 to 2 hours to get to BUF.

My last four trips have been out of BUF instead of YYZ and we only save about 200 per person and will always fly out of BUF now.

An added benefit is that you do not have to go though immingration and customs at an airport on the way home, that will be done at the bridge you chose to cross over at. We have never taken more than 10 mins for boarder-crossing.

Penny

 

[pjpoohbear]

P.S. If you do an early morning flight then the drive is very quiet the whole way from T.O. We leave at 2:45 am and get to our Gate(#8, go Jet Blue!) at 5 am. So that is bags checked, security done and seating with a cup of coffee in 2.5 hours. This always includes a BR & final Tim's break in Grimsby, at the travel stop. The time from the boarder is 20 mins in the early morning. And I only go a little over the speed limit, but much slower than most of the other cars on the QEW.

Penny

 

[Claud26]

thanks so much for all the help... I have gone ahead and made arangements to fly out of Buffalo on Air Tran ($79.00) each way ... actually saving me $1000.00 !!
I was thinking of Driving over on Saturday and spending the night but it sounds like most of you just leave TO very early in the morning ... our flight is at 6:15am... I think that could work for us too. The kids could finish sleeping in the car.

thanks again
Claud

 

[dsneygirl]

We always stay over the night before. Most hotels will charge you about $85 which includes parking for the week. And many include breakfast as well. You would have to leave T.O. by 3:15am or you could leave your hotel at 5:15am.

 

[Leanne1972]

I'm driving to Buffalo on Wednesday after work, staying in a hotel and flying out bright and early Thursday morning. I saved over $700.00 by doing it this way. I'll post when I get back about how the experience is out of Buffalo.


3 more sleeps until vacation!!!!!

 

[poohbear7]

Leanne1972
We will also be going to Buffalo and staying overnight for our SWA flight early Thur. morning.

 

[Leanne1972]

Leanne1972
We will also be going to Buffalo and staying overnight for our SWA flight early Thur. morning.

I am staying at the Quality Inn on Genesse Street, how about you? I'll be at MK on Friday May 20th, and Saturday May 21st. I'll be at Seaworld on Monday May 23rd, and AK on Wednesday May 25th.

 

[maryliz]

We're from London and we flew out of Buffalo in January. I would do it again in a second ... except that we usually drive to WDW ! Loved Buffalo airport because it was so easy to get around. Liked doing the customs thing at the bridge instead of the airport. Curb-side check-in definitely a plus!

You might want to check-out the airport hotels though, because you might spend just as much $$$ in parking as you would for a hotel, and it will be a great way to start your vacation. As well, you never know what the weather will be like end of November so at least you'll have lots of time to get to Buffalo if you're planning on going down the night before. We stayed at my sisters in St. Catharines the night before as they were flying with us. The roads were horrible the next morning, but luckily there were few cars on it at 4:30 AM.

MaryLiz

 

[poohbear7]

We are staying at the Holiday Inn on Genesee St. We are going to Vero till the 22nd and going to the MK on the 22nd after we check in. Just playing the rest of the parks by ear. Hope you have a Magical Time.