"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (Part V)

[BC1836]

This is the garbage that people seem to forget about when they say, "Oh it only takes 2 hours to fly". I challenge anyone in this area (Philadelphia region) to get from their house to their hotel in Orlando in 2 hours. Ain't gonna happen. You're looking at a minimum of 6 hours and that if everything goes exactly as planned, which almost never happens. If your flight is delayed, if it takes a while for your bags to come out, if you're in line for a rental car, if there is traffic from the airport, the total trip door to door can easily be 8 or 9 hours or even more as you had yesterday. Compare that to the 17 it takes us to drive and the difference isn't so big anymore.

Indeed. And many more reasons, too, like singing along to your favorite tunes, stopping at some place that looks interesting, opening your moon roof, making a phone call (hands free calls or passsenger calls only), no weighing your luggage, etc.

All the best.

 

[nono]

Indeed. And many more reasons, too, like singing along to your favorite tunes, stopping at some place that looks interesting, opening your moon roof, making a phone call (hands free calls or passsenger calls only), no weighing your luggage, etc.

All the best.

And the flexibility to start the journey whenever is best for you. We don't work for a big organization with a set schedule. Being able to leave late if a customer needed some help (and make a few extra $$) or being able to leave early if we're rested and all business is tied up...it suits our life.

I don't mind if people want to fly. I don't mind if they take the AutoTrain. I wish some folks wouldn't mind that we like to drive.

 

[disneysteve]

I wish some folks wouldn't mind that we like to drive.

Amen to that. The reactions we get when we tell people we drive make it sound like we belong in a padded cell somewhere. However, when we're actually on the road, we see hundreds of cars with license plates from NJ, PA, DE, NY, CT, MD, VT, NH and every other state so clearly we aren't the only ones doing it.

 

[C&G'sMama]

We're all crazy (lol). We LOVE to drive. A lot of people just don't get that. My kids have been riding in the car since they were babies, they are 11 and 14 now. We drove 400 miles to Boston to visit family when my son was 4 weeks old. They have each been in the car to Florida (1,250 miles from Western NY where we used to live, 1,150 miles from SW Michigan where we live now) since they were each 18 mos old. It's part of the vacation for us, not just a chore to get there. Like others have said, we love the flexibility. We have more than once stayed "just a little longer" or left a little earlier because we could. If there's a storm coming down the coast rather than sitting in an airport with canceled flights we book an extra night at Disney and go to the parks and leave the next day. We always allow 2 nights to get down and 2 nights to get back so that we can do that, because we don't need those 2 nights to travel but it gives us a buffer.

Happy travels all!!

 

[AaronInWI]

Why do we drive? We had a 12-hour air travel experience yesterday: home to San Antonio via Houston. Although the flight from Houston to San Antonio was only 46 minutes, we remained on the plane at the gate for nearly an hour awaiting the pilot! Ugh!

All the best!

The bold part is honestly one of my biggest travel nightmares. Call me crazy, but I'd rather sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic for an hour than have to sit in an uncomfortable plane, breathing recycled air, surrounded by complete strangers for an hour. It is the sort of thing that would keep me up at night leading up to a flight.

 

[sharadoc]

Why do we drive? We had a 12-hour air travel experience yesterday: home to San Antonio via Houston. Although the flight from Houston to San Antonio was only 46 minutes, we remained on the plane at the gate for nearly an hour awaiting the pilot! Ugh!

All the best!

Oh no! What's going on at the Alamo? Just checked - commemoration of the battle. See, we should be aware of this!! Plus the Crockett Fiddler's Festival tomorrow.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[BC1836]

Oh no! What's going on at the Alamo? Just checked - commemoration of the battle. See, we should be aware of this!! Plus the Crockett Fiddler's Festival tomorrow.

Enjoy your trip.

Howdy, Sharon! Speechifying and a multiple book signing at the Alamo!

Hopefully, we will cross your path again on Main Street USA.

All the best!

 

[pwdebbie]

43 days till we hit the road for trip # 5, second time for me as the driver. Just a wee bit apprehensive.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Well, our oldest just got into DCP Fall Advantage starting May 17th so we'll be getting APs again and we'll make 4-5 trips with them over the next year and a half! All road trips!

 

[BC1836]

43 days till we hit the road for trip # 5, second time for me as the driver. Just a wee bit apprehensive.

Hmm. It appears that we may be crossing paths on Main Street USA at about the same time.

All the best.

 

[sharadoc]

Howdy, Sharon! Speechifying and a multiple book signing at the Alamo!

Hopefully, we will cross your path again on Main Street USA.

All the best!

Howdy back! Would love to meet up with you and your lovely bride again! We seem to be stuck on Thanksgiving time for the foreseeable future. We would arrange our schedule as needed if we are in the World at the same time, for sure!

 

[BC1836]

Howdy back! Would love to meet up with you and your lovely bride again! We seem to be stuck on Thanksgiving time for the foreseeable future. We would arrange our schedule as needed if we are in the World at the same time, for sure!

Indeed! It is always a pleasure to meet folks from this thread who are are splendid folks in person. All the best to you and your family.

 

[byejou]

OK, driving our Class C RV down, leaving on Thursday 4/2 around 5pm. I know we cannot drive through tunnels so I am looking into driving west to 81 to avoid DC and tunnels. Anyone from NJ, Philly area ever done this and what is the best route. Thanks

 

[ForeverDisney6793]

Leaving tomorrow at midnight from South Jersey for my 5th drive down to Disney. Can't wait! This will be the third time driving straight thru except for gas and food breaks. Can't wait to either chill at the resort, go to Disney Springs or see Wishes on Friday night.

 

[amcnj]

Leaving tomorrow at midnight from South Jersey for my 5th drive down to Disney. Can't wait! This will be the third time driving straight thru except for gas and food breaks. Can't wait to either chill at the resort, go to Disney Springs or see Wishes on Friday night.

Have a safe trip and lots of fun! What time do you expect to arrive there on Friday?

 

[chepic]

Everyone leaving this weekend, drive safe and say hello to Mickey. We will be there very soon!!!!!!!

 

[BC1836]

OK, driving our Class C RV down, leaving on Thursday 4/2 around 5pm. I know we cannot drive through tunnels so I am looking into driving west to 81 to avoid DC and tunnels. Anyone from NJ, Philly area ever done this and what is the best route. Thanks

Can anyone provide information for these folks?

All the best!

 

[ForeverDisney6793]

Have a safe trip and lots of fun! What time do you expect to arrive there on Friday?

Thanks. I am hoping to arrive at my resort between 3pm and 4pm (that is around the time I arrived in August leaving @ midnight). In the past I have left at 7PM getting to Disney by 11:00am but was very tired. I have also left @ 2AM, 3AM and this will be the second time in a row leaving @ midnight. It worked out really well last time and I still had energy to hang out so I am hoping for a repeat performance.

 

[amcnj]

Thanks. I am hoping to arrive at my resort between 3pm and 4pm (that is around the time I arrived in August leaving @ midnight). In the past I have left at 7PM getting to Disney by 11:00am but was very tired. I have also left @ 2AM, 3AM and this will be the second time in a row leaving @ midnight. It worked out really well last time and I still had energy to hang out so I am hoping for a repeat performance.

I am usually a 2:30 AM departer so get there around 6:30 PM. The main thing is to find what times work best for you. Smooth sailing!

 

[sharadoc]

OK, driving our Class C RV down, leaving on Thursday 4/2 around 5pm. I know we cannot drive through tunnels so I am looking into driving west to 81 to avoid DC and tunnels. Anyone from NJ, Philly area ever done this and what is the best route. Thanks

Can anyone provide information for these folks?

All the best!

Have you asked over at the Camping at Disney board? Lots of RV owners who can give you a ton of information.