For 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers only!

[pilferk]

Not to be argumentative either, but I will say that pilferk, I think you are way underestimating the cost of driving. The wear and tear on your car is well over $.08 a mile. Heck, the depreciation on your car is about that much. Go to Kelley blue book and type in a 2006 Dodge Caravan with 30,000 miles then type in the same car with 32,000 and the value drops $150. That is $.075 a mile.

I used the .08 per mile based on tire cost, break costs, oil change cost, and "other fluid costs broken down by mile, then used the number of miles for our round trip (2400 miles), to get the number. I then "padded" the number by a couple of cents to take into account other mechanical wear and tear (but not consumable). They were guesstimates of our costs, but they're based on actual prices we've paid within the last couple of years. Gas I included seperately. Am I forgetting anything you all can think of?



And while the depreciation scenario you depict above is technically true...try it with 32000 and 34000. You'll notice no difference. In "mucking around" with the finder, it seems like the changes occur about every 4000 miles or so, and vary in amount. For the vehicle in question, it would actually be more like .037 cents per mile. Still making the .08 per mile pretty close, IMHO...especially for our vehicle (where the difference is non-existent given the year, make, and model of our van).

As for OUR depreciation...we drive a 2002 Ford Windstar, which runs like a top. I'd grade it in "good" condition, from a body standpoint (and so far excellent mechanically). I plugged our current mileage vs the mileage after a trip...no difference at all.

The government mileage rate is $.505 per mile (which includes gas). Which for a 2400 trip is $1,200. I think that is a bit high but it is a ball park.

I steered away from govt mileage rates because the assume absolute "worst case" scenarios in every single category to get a "fair" number to apply to everyone. Great for work....because it puts the most $$ in the person travelling's pocket to ensure "fairness". Not so great for figuring out personal travel, IMHO. For us, it's more than "a little high". For you (meaning the global you, not you, exactly), depending on what you're driving...and if you hit "worst case scenario" that the govt uses...maybe it's more apt.

And if you are staying over both ways, that is two extra days that could be spent on vacation. That is an opportunity cost. Assuming your family income is around $100K per year, that is very roughly $550. Those vacation days could be used for another vacation or to extend the current one. If you consider being in your car and driving a vacation, that wipes out that cost, again, assuming that is your preference. And a lot of people love road trips!! I understand that.

Not the way we travel. I can't take vacation time on a Saturday (which is our final travel day and arrival home day on the return trip when driving). Even if we flew, we'd have to travel on home on a Friday (we're DVC members, we do ONE weekend night at the begining of our trip....won't spend the points on more of them), arriving home late in the day. No ability to reclaim costs, there.

As I said, the ONLY thing I'd be able to regain, from an ACTUAL opportunity cost, would be one vacation day. Adding that in, even, it's not "worth it" for us. We've analyzed this 6 different ways from Sunday....I'm a data guy by trade. Every family is certainly going to be different. I have not been able to find a way where flying saves us money, with prices at current levels.

And finally, as for wear and tear on your body, I have never done it, but from reading this thread it seems like most folks are pretty tired that first day especially if you drive straight through.

We did the straight through thing last trip. That WAS tough, and if you're doing that I'd say you might have a point.

But doing the split up thing? We arrive at Disney sometime around 4 PM on our first day. If we flew "cheap" we'd likely arrive around the same time, or a bit later, out of Bradley...that or we'd have to fly out at 6 - 7 AM. I wouldn't see much of an economy, either way, on THAT particular (actual arrival) day.

Again, I don't find it that tough, our kids travel well, and I don't find it any more stressful than flying, in sum total. How you feel about flying and driving are obviously going to effect you...but that gets down to preferences, and not "costs".

There is a similar opportunity cost there if can’t enjoy your time, but it is certainly harder to quantify. And another cost on you is the stress of driving and the much higher (statistically) probability of an accident. But that goes back to the preference thing. Yes, there are airline horror stories about delays and bad customer service which I agree is getting worse, but I would prefer to be delayed for several hours sitting in an airport lounge instead being stuck out on the road.

Yeah, I don't much enjoy flying, either. I don't hate it, but...there are certainly things I'd rather be doing. I feel the same way about the drive.
So in that respect....with driving, at least I'm somewhat at my own mercy. If there are delays, we have a GPS that can get us around them. If there is car trouble, we have AAA to come to the rescue.

So, when you consider those factors, I think it becomes more of a preference. That is what I meant. For my next trip, with airfares in the $500-$600 range per person round trip which is a huge factor, I am preferring to drive for a lot of the reasons everyone has stated and I am looking forward to planning it and doing it. I love to fly and hate to drive so I doubt it will be my long term preference, but it is something I always wanted to try.

For your family, that may very well be the case. Not for ours...and I daresay not for many. I hope I've shown why for at least some of us it IS a big cost savings. As you said, your mileage LITERALLY may vary.

 

[pilferk]

Good morning, all!
It's about 3:35 in the morning...
What are we driving in about an hour?

WALT DISNEY WORLD!

Gotta go...

Take care, all!

And THAT'S what you get for being up at 3:35 in the am!



Hope you have a great, safe trip!

 

[huskies90]

I steered away from govt mileage rates because the assume absolute "worst case" scenarios in every single category to get a "fair" number to apply to everyone.

I agree. The govt rate must be based on a 2009 H2 that gets 8 miles to the gallon with gas at $4.50 per gallon. And true, the older the car with more miles, the less deprecation but even a 2002 Windstar depreciates over the course of 2400 miles at any mileage. If your value didn’t change, it will eventually and you just need to prorate. Doing your own servicing will also cut the cost per mile. I think most people will fall somewhere between the H2 and a 1992 Toyota Tercel. The car I will be driving to Disney is my “family” car that just goes around town. It’s a low mileage 2007 SUV that I still service at the dealer so it has a much higher per mile cost than the Windstar. So, let’s agree our mileage WILL vary.

I can't take vacation time on a Saturday

I think I follow what you are saying about the days off. But let’s try this hypothetical. So, let’s assume you drive on Saturday and Sunday stay at Disney Mon-Fri and then drive back Saturday and Sunday the following week and let’s say if you flew you flew on the first Saturday and last Sunday. Flying would mean you would get two extra days (The first Sunday and second Saturday) at Disney. That is two extra days of vacation which you lose driving. That is the definition of opportunity cost. You only get so many days off a year between weekends, holidays and vacation days and any day you lose is a cost. And as for the DVC, I don’t have that variable either so I can stay in the same room the entire time but to help make the point, let’s assume you stay in the DVC room Mon-Fri and then get an offiste hotel room for those two exta days or stay in a value resort. So with all things being equal, you are at Disney for two extra days instead of being on the road and at a hotel off I-95…

 

[JanineandMike]

the government rate that is being referenced is not specifically (or at all for that matter) in regards to wear and tear on your vehicle. it is what the employee is paid per mile for driving their own car on official business. in other words gas money for driving your own car, so that figure cannot be used to estimate cost on your vacation. i will say that if my job wants to pay me 50 cents a mile to drive to disney i'll take it, but that's not official business

 

[amcnj]

The government rate is based upon several fixed and variable costs of owning and operating a vehicle. These include:

Deprecation
Gas
Maintenance/repairs
Insurance

To me all would apply to a specific trip except maybe insurance which is a fairly fixed cost (the premiums do vary a bit if you drive over certain yearly mileage limits), so the goverment rate can be lowered by the effect of the insurance. But what is the fairest way to do that, divide your annual insurance cost b the average miles driven per year I suppose? Here in high rate NJ that knocks 3-16 cents off the current rate of 58.5 cents. And gas prices have come down significantly at least for now, so the rate may be overstated at present.

 

[disneyfan55]

This thread seems is becoming an accounting lesson instead of a fun thread for those of us that travel greater than 2000 miles. It's not just the cost, it's the fun of the drive as well.

 

[cindermomma]

We are planning to drive to WDW next June from Nebraska. Google maps has us going to St. Louis and down through Atlanta. DH wants to avoid Atlanta. Any ideas of alternate routes that won't be much further out of the way? We are looking at around 1477 miles each way. This will be our biggest road trip ever as a family. It is me(31), DH(35) and DS(8). I had fun reading this thread! Our last flight home was HORRIBLE (people screaming for Jesus to save us, 90% of the plane vomitting, me almost flying out of my seat...BAD!!!) So, we are going to try to drive! Any tips from folks driving from our area, or about how to go without going through Atlanta would be so appreciated!

 

[loribell]

We are planning to drive to WDW next June from Nebraska. Google maps has us going to St. Louis and down through Atlanta. DH wants to avoid Atlanta. Any ideas of alternate routes that won't be much further out of the way? We are looking at around 1477 miles each way. This will be our biggest road trip ever as a family. It is me(31), DH(35) and DS(8). I had fun reading this thread! Our last flight home was HORRIBLE (people screaming for Jesus to save us, 90% of the plane vomitting, me almost flying out of my seat...BAD!!!) So, we are going to try to drive! Any tips from folks driving from our area, or about how to go without going through Atlanta would be so appreciated!

I reall don't see any route that isn't going to add over 100 miles each way. We have driven through Atlanta over a weekend and it really was not bad traffic wise. Good luck!

 

[Disneynutbsv]

This thread seems is becoming an accounting lesson instead of a fun thread for those of us that travel greater than 2000 miles. It's not just the cost, it's the fun of the drive as well.

I agree

 

[huskies90]

This thread seems is becoming an accounting lesson instead of a fun thread for those of us that travel greater than 2000 miles. It's not just the cost, it's the fun of the drive as well.

You mean like Accounting 101?? Cost is just one of the variables of the trip and it is discussed throughout the thread. And like I said in my post, I am totally looking forward to the adventure of the drive. February cannot come quick enough!! So let's get back to the drive itself. Here is my current plan:
I am planning to leave my house in NW Fairfield County CT on Friday the 13th after work at about 5-6PMish. I am going take 84, 684, 287, GSP, to 95 the rest of the way. I hope to be through Philly at 8-9PM and through DC by 11-12PM missing that traffic. Then the plan is to drive straight thru the night stopping for gas and breakfast and thru the Welcome to WDW arch by approximately 4PMish on Valentine's day. Since I am not a big driver, my thinking is to drive straight thru jumping in the deep end of the pool instead driving most of the day, stopping, sleeping, getting up and driving most of the second day. My kids are older and will most definitely sleep in the car and with a big SUV and only four, they'll have plenty of room to stretch out. We'll have two drivers, too so both of us should get some sleep en route (just hopefully not at the same time). On the way back, the plan is to do the same thing but if driving straight thru turns out to be a nightmare, we'll stop coming back...

Anywho...That's our story. Can't wait!!

 

[loribell]

We'll have two drivers, too so both of us should get some sleep en route (just hopefully not at the same time).

Umm, yeah try not to sleep at the same time. That would not be good.

 

[Momto3Girls&Max]

We have driven through Atlanta over a weekend and it really was not bad traffic wise. Good luck!

Same here. Traffic on a Sunday morning wasn't bad at all. It's just unnerving when we drive through Atlanta because of the placement of road signs. If our exit is coming up on the left, the place the sign on the far right. Very confusing!

 

[cindermomma]

I reall don't see any route that isn't going to add over 100 miles each way. We have driven through Atlanta over a weekend and it really was not bad traffic wise. Good luck!

Us either. So, what route do we use to go south through Atlanta? Thanks for the reply!

 

[cindermomma]

Same here. Traffic on a Sunday morning wasn't bad at all. It's just unnerving when we drive through Atlanta because of the placement of road signs. If our exit is coming up on the left, the place the sign on the far right. Very confusing!

Thanks for the warning on the signs! I am having so much fun looking into our drive! Thanks for the reply.

 

[pilferk]

I think I follow what you are saying about the days off. But let’s try this hypothetical. So, let’s assume you drive on Saturday and Sunday stay at Disney Mon-Fri and then drive back Saturday and Sunday the following week and let’s say if you flew you flew on the first Saturday and last Sunday. Flying would mean you would get two extra days (The first Sunday and second Saturday) at Disney. That is two extra days of vacation which you lose driving. That is the definition of opportunity cost. You only get so many days off a year between weekends, holidays and vacation days and any day you lose is a cost. And as for the DVC, I don’t have that variable either so I can stay in the same room the entire time but to help make the point, let’s assume you stay in the DVC room Mon-Fri and then get an offiste hotel room for those two exta days or stay in a value resort. So with all things being equal, you are at Disney for two extra days instead of being on the road and at a hotel off I-95…

Opportunity cost, to me, has to carry a $ value with it...directly or indirectly. On a Saturday, driving home or driving to the grocery store....I'm not getting paid. It's a "leisure" day either way, so to me speaks more toward preference than costs.

See, but we wouldn't change our travel time like that. As time share members, we have a finite number of points. If you were in a hotel, you'd likewise face increased costs (2 additional hotel nights, food costs, and theme park tickets) to likewise increase your stay. Those are all things we wouldn't do...and speak toward preference rather than costs. In fact, if we were flying...and this is what we've done in the past...we'd simply leave home a day later, and arrive home a day earlier, than we do when driving. The travel "pattern" wouldn't change..just our time to and from our destination.

I agree, in some cases, if you'd LIKE your time at Disney to be longer and would pony up the costs to lengthen your trip, flying might be better for you.

We wouldn't....flying or not.

 

[pilferk]

The government rate is based upon several fixed and variable costs of owning and operating a vehicle. These include:

Deprecation
Gas
Maintenance/repairs
Insurance

To me all would apply to a specific trip except maybe insurance which is a fairly fixed cost (the premiums do vary a bit if you drive over certain yearly mileage limits), so the goverment rate can be lowered by the effect of the insurance. But what is the fairest way to do that, divide your annual insurance cost b the average miles driven per year I suppose? Here in high rate NJ that knocks 3-16 cents off the current rate of 58.5 cents. And gas prices have come down significantly at least for now, so the rate may be overstated at present.

As was pointed out, while all the above is true, the government rate takes into account the "worst case scenario" in determining it's rate.

In other words: the highest insurance premium, the lowest fuel economy, the absolute most expensive "wear and tear" scenario on breaks, tires, etc (ie: pulling a full trailer loaded with stuff) AND very high gas prices when it was set, with an outlook for even higher ones. They do this to ensure that all possible expenses are taken into account...which is GREAT for business purposes.

But it's not practical for determining what YOUR car costs YOU to drive to Disney. I worked out OUR numbers, and when we've had to change "stuff" (45k for tires, for example) on our van, and came to approx 8 cents a mile (without gas....with gas you'd bump that up another 14 cents to around 22 cents per mile). It may be higher or lower for you depending on what you drive.

As for insurance...it's likely better to break that down by day (since your car is covered not by mileage, but by calender year). For us, that would amount to about an additional $6.50 for the total trip....or around 2 tenths of a cent per mile.

 

[loribell]

Us either. So, what route do we use to go south through Atlanta? Thanks for the reply!

We drive I-40 out to Nashville then go south on I-24 which then turns in to I-75 and go straight through Atlanta. There are loops you can take that will shave a little time off but if you are in the wrong lane don't worry about it. We have done it both ways and it doesn't make that much difference. The loops merge back in to 75. We usually just get in the HOV lane and don't have to worry about other traffic.

 

[loribell]

I am really starting to think moving this thread to the transportation board wasn't such a great idea. As is said many times over here there is no "pixie dust" on the transportation board. You guys like to just stick to the "facts".

This thread is about why we like to drive to Disney. That really includes "pixie dust" and not just "facts".

 

[pilferk]

You mean like Accounting 101?? Cost is just one of the variables of the trip and it is discussed throughout the thread. And like I said in my post, I am totally looking forward to the adventure of the drive. February cannot come quick enough!! So let's get back to the drive itself. Here is my current plan:
I am planning to leave my house in NW Fairfield County CT on Friday the 13th after work at about 5-6PMish. I am going take 84, 684, 287, GSP, to 95 the rest of the way. I hope to be through Philly at 8-9PM and through DC by 11-12PM missing that traffic. Then the plan is to drive straight thru the night stopping for gas and breakfast and thru the Welcome to WDW arch by approximately 4PMish on Valentine's day.

That's PRECISELY the route we take.

WITH little kids, frequent stops for potty breaks, an hour and 30 minute dinner stop, and leaving about 3 hours earlier than you plan to, it took us just under 22 hours.

With NO kids, infrequent stops for potty breaks, no meal stops, and leaving about 3 hours earlier than you are, we've done it in just under 20 hours.

I think 4 PM is CERTAINLY "doable".

But I don't think we'll do the "through the night" thing again, after this trip. THAT was tough on the body, and I'll be the first to admit that, around sun up, I was in rough shape. Once the half light was gone, I perked up (along with some Monster Energy drink), but it was TOUGH. And I had slept until about 2 hours prior to our leave time. You're going to do a full day of work before hand and then drive it? I don't envy you that one!

Since I am not a big driver, my thinking is to drive straight thru jumping in the deep end of the pool instead driving most of the day, stopping, sleeping, getting up and driving most of the second day. My kids are older and will most definitely sleep in the car and with a big SUV and only four, they'll have plenty of room to stretch out. We'll have two drivers, too so both of us should get some sleep en route (just hopefully not at the same time). On the way back, the plan is to do the same thing but if driving straight thru turns out to be a nightmare, we'll stop coming back...

Anywho...That's our story. Can't wait!!

Just to pass along OUR experience (and our kids were young, so take it for what it's worth):

We banked on the kids sleeping over night. We made two critical mistakes: We didn't tell them about the trip until we picked them up from school...it was a complete surprise and we banked our whole "strategy" on them sleeping so that my wife could sleep a bit, and switch off to do some driving. Man, did we pay for that.

Apparently the adrenaline rush of telling a 5 year old and a 3 year old they're going to Disneyworld is capable of propelling them forward for at least 30 hours (well, to be fair, they slept about 2 hours a piece). I wish I could have bottled the stuff. We (DW and I) got REALLY frustrated...until we finally decided to just go with it and keep the DVD player running through the night. Kept them happy, but left my wife unable to catch any sleep...which meant I did the WHOLE drive all by my lonesome. Which was fine....but unexpected.

With older kids, likely not as much of a concern. Also, if they know the trip is coming...probably not as much of a concern, either. But I still wanted to throw it out there...maybe there are others that can benefit from the experience.

 

[pilferk]

This thread seems is becoming an accounting lesson instead of a fun thread for those of us that travel greater than 2000 miles. It's not just the cost, it's the fun of the drive as well.

You know...two sides of the same coin. And certainly "on topic", ya know?

If the more "cost focused" posts aren't your bag, skip 'em. I won't be offended, I promise.