For those of you who drive to DW, specifically long drives...

[Mercy]

how often to you go? We live in Md. and it's about a 15+ hour drive. Everytime we do it my DH says..."next time we fly", but the expense of flying always causes us to drive again. Anyway for those who do drive, do you ever go more than once a year?

 

[mogwoi]

We live in Québec city, Canada. Our drive was around 26 hours each way with two kids ( age 4 and 6). It was the first time we drive and we had a great time. The kids were fantastic, we were very lucky they enjoyed the drive. I don't think we will go more than once a year (even once every two years) but next time we will drive as well. It is an economical choice as well as one based on fear of flying for myself. I don't like to be on a plane and that just got worse with the terrible attack on september 11.

 

[porkchop]

Im driving down in 2 weeks. Im driving with 2 kids both 13 yrs. and an elderly woman 78. Im stopping at hotels going down to make the trip more of a vacation. Im wondering if anyone knows about how much for gas it costs to drive from massachusetts.

 

[Mercy]

porkchop... use mapblast.com to calculate the mileage from your house to Orlando. Then if you know how many miles your car gets per tank of gas or per gallon, multiply that by the cost of gas. I get about 300 or so miles per tank and it's around 900 miles for us so...

20 gallons per tank X $1.45 per gallon (avg.) X 3 tanks = $87 give or take

Much less than flying, we also use priceline for hotel stops along I95. We've gotten good deals with them ($20 for a room at Holiday Inn).

 

[Kaa]

We live approximately 17 hours from WDW. We always stop on the way to Orlando, but drive straight through on the way home. While the actual cash outlay is less when we drive (about half the travel cost), we have begun to factor the cost of the time lost to extended travel. If we hadn't had to take an extra day of vacation to drive, what would we earn that day? While placing a cost on your sanity is VERY difficult, we have also found we are much happier on that first and last day at WDW when we fly than when we drive. By that I mean we are much less tired on the first day and we don't spend our last day at WDW dreading the drive home!

I should mention that our first three trips to WDW were within a period of one year and we drove all three times. Sometimes it takes me a while to rethink my situation. It also took me that long to finally decide I needed to purchase Annual Passes instead of coughing up much more money for Park Hoppers!

I hope this helps with your decision. I know it is difficult to hand over that additional cash to fly, but I have to say I feel it is worth it!

Good luck!

 

[macs4us]

We are driving from San Diego to WDW (via two nights in New Orleans), leaving this afternoon. It is our first road trip to WDW, but we drive to MN a few times a year, which is almost comparable (MN is 30 hours, WDW is 36 hours). We are doing this drive three times in the next three months, and can't wait to see a new part of our beautiful country!!!

FYI: Try freetrip.com - they actually give you average gas cost for your trip.

Bests to all,
Amy

 

[jx3smom]

We usually drive and we go about twice a year. The drive is 16-17 hours. We leave at 2 am to avoid DC traffic. Last time we left before 1 am. DH loves driving at that time. We got to St. Augustine, Fl by dinner time. This Oct. we have airline tickets because we got a good deal ($148.00) from Phila. Now I wish we were driving and we're hoping the flight gets cancelled.

 

[porkchop]

thanks for the info.

 

[Minnie's Mate]

We live in Metro Atlanta. We used to fly until our second child came along. Now we drive and find that is not that bad, about 7-1/2 hours. We have a DC powered TV-VCR combo for the kids to watch and that helps with the trip.

In the past we have average once per year, even when were flying. Now that our second is almost two, we will be going about two to three times per year.

However, I think 8 hours would be my max for driving. We (i.e., I drove, wife and kids watched Disney movies for the entire trip, lol!) drove to Virginia Beach this past June and it took 14-1/2 hours with rest stops and playground visits at meal time. We decided if we ever go that far again, we will fly one way or the other. But, the destination can make a big difference.

 

[Magic2000]

It's about a 12 hr drive for us and we usually do drive. On the way down, we've been stopping about half way in Tallahassee, on the way back, we drive straight through. We usually go to Disney every other year, but last summer, we bought annual passes, so we drove in July, flew in Nov/Dec, and then drove again this past June. We will be flying again in Nov/Dec (yes, I am very nervous about that now). We are a family of 5, so it is much more economical for us to drive than fly, but the visits in Nov/Dec were just little short trips to see the Christmas decorations. Last Nov/Dec, my DH couldn't make it so we're going back this year so he can see the decorations. It's about 650 miles one way, and we can usually drive for about $100.00 in gas, round trip.

 

[bobcat]

We usually drive and it is an 18 hour trip. Its a long drive and it usually takes a year until I am ready to do it again! LOL! I drive myself with my two kids and I always have to stop for the night along the way.

 

[GEM]

We have gone twice a year for the last several years. It is about a 20 hour drive. We usually drive down for one long trip (usually 10 nights or more) and fly for our short tirp (usually just five nights). We really enjoy the drive. Of course, it is just me and my husband - no kids.

 

[Tessie]

We usually drive also. Its about 18+ hours with 3 kids. After a whole day in the car we have found that the kids really need to run off steam. We try to pack a picnic lunch and stop at a rest stop or a park not far off the interstate. That way we can let them run around a bit and it helps us stay sane. We also have AAA books with us and look for a place to stay for the night that has an indoor pool. After dinner we all go swimming for as long as we can. It helps the kids to relax and they love it. We actually drive for financial reasons but we really don't mind. It sure helps that our kids are pretty good in the car too!

 

[Mouser]

Our first 11 trips down we drove and we enjoyed the rides down..we would take it in two days...ten hours the first day and then two hours the next day, worked good for us.This year we flew down for the first time, loved it..but had to drive our rental car home as our flight was cancelled due to the airports being closed....so I got to fly 1/2 trip anyway..will fly again in a couple of years when we go. We were going once a year up till this year.

 

[mom2boys]

We're just west of you mercy. We've been 6 times in 4 years - 3 times in 2000. We've driven all but once. It's about 16 hours for us. 2 of the last 3 drives have been with a stop on the way down but straight through coming home. (We want to be rested upon arrival.) The trip we stopped in both directions there were 7 of us in the van - it was just too crowded for 16 straight hours of driving. The one time we flew we ended up spending 2 extra nights at Disney because they closed Dulles airport due to ice (superbowl weekend 2000). If we could get really cheap airfare, we'd fly again. I just can't justify doubling the cost of our trip by adding airfare for 4.

 

[nalasmom]

I found out something about myself recently. We usually drive form Florida to Connecticut once a year to see my folks about 1 week before Xmas. Well, we went this past August to surprise Grandma for her 75th birthday. Flew. Hated it. Thought I'd love the luxury of not having to take two days to drive, stop over, listen to kids argue etc.etc., but you know, I found that flying is a big pain. We got to OIA no problem, waited around the requisite hour (now it will be MUCH longer, I am sure,) and then hopped on the plane to Laguardia. Flight was great, but then a 2 hr limo ride to Bridgeport. By the way, I had a major problem with Connecticut Limousine, telling me on the phone that I could buy my round trip tixx to Bridgeport from LGA at the airport for 78.00 RT for me, and kids would be free. They then told me at the Airport I had to do it 2 weeks ahead of time, by phone with a Credit Card, so I got taken big time. I have a complaint in to management right now and am waiting for it to be resolved. Anyway, long story short, I plan never to fly again, not because of what has been going on lately, but because I found that even though it takes longer to drive, you do get to see the country, and you get to spend time talking to your kids, and you are in control of your own destiny. You can stop and tinkle, eat, stretch, whatever, anytime you want. On the plane you get a dinky little snack box, on the road you can eat anywhere you like, plain or fancy, and y ou can stop along the way and see a little of America. I doubt that I'll ever fly again, I think it wastes a whole day. Days spent in the car bonding with your spouse and kids (despite the occasional argument), are days worth spending. And, If they argue, it usually means they are hungry. I feed 'em and they go to sleep!!!

 

[DiznEeyore]

nalasmom:

I know exactly what you mean. I flew for the first time at age 19, cross-country (all my previous childhood trips, including one to WDW from Michigan were car/truck/motorhome). I do not like to fly -- I *tolerate* it, with the help of a Xanax, pillow, blanket & a Walkman! LOL

We had tickets to fly to WDW on Sept. 15, but Spirit couldn't guarantee us they'd be flying, so we had to decide whether to wait & take our chances or leave two days prior to drive. We decided to drive. It was dh, me & our 8yo ds in our little Saturn LS. I did go to Target the day before we left and buy one of those nifty 9" TV/VCR dealies to have in the car.

We left Friday at 3 (picked dh up from work) and drove 6 hours with a quick stop for dinner. We spent the night in Lexington, KY. The next morning we left at 8 and hit WDW property at 9:30 p.m. The trip wasn't bad at all. In fact, we really enjoyed the adventure! It took 19 hours each way.

We used the car extensively at WDW, too. We stayed at the WL & Poly, and never set foot on a bus. We always rent a car when we fly -- we like to be able to go from a park to Downtown Disney, or another resort, if we feel like it.

We have tickets to fly down in December (not looking forward to that), but dh and I are seriously considering driving again after that. We really didn't mind it, and I honestly did find it less stressful than flying!

 

[Dream]

We have been twice a year for the past 3 years and have grown to enjoy the drive. We live in Richmond, Va. and usually leave in the wee hours of the morning, stopping in St. Augustine for the night. We could do it in a day but stopping makes it more fun and less exhausting. We make a big deal out of choosing a book or two on tape to listen to as we drive. There are also some great books on travelling with kids with many games to play and ideas to keep even the littlest ones entertained. We enjoy the "forced togetherness"! No phones or tv or friends...just family enjoying being together. We flew once...what a disaster! We like to "do Disney" around Christmas time and the year we flew was the year of that huge ice storm! NOTHING was moving from Charlotte North! We ended up taking a 15 hour train ride from Charlotte to Richmond, with no food or water on the train and my DD (who was 7 at the time) was very ill...pneumonia we found out when we got home!! But that's another story!! Soooo...we enjoy our peaceful car trips to Disney! Is it December yet??

 

[leslieh]

Hi Mercy, we live in Southern Md, 25 miles south of Annapolis. We usually go several times a year, but have been flying alot due to frequent flyer tickets. My daughter was in college in St. Augustine last year, went down 5 times, drove twice, and flew down once to drive her home. She now goes to UMBC, near you. It takes us about 13-14 hours if we push it. We only stop for gas, bathroom and food at the same time. (that doesnt sound right) oh well. Either way we cant wait to go again. We are DVC members go as much as we can. We are now trying to plan a short trip in Dec. to visit without the crowds. Airfare was 110.00 RT from BWI on Monday, now its gone

 

[Carole]

Hi leslieh! Gee, we live about 60 miles south of Annapolis in St. Mary's County. Where are you?

We have APs for this year only.... So far, we flew down in December, drove in February & March, flew in August with the kids, planned to fly down on September 13, and have reservations to fly down in November. I prefer to fly if it a short trip and drive if we have to see family in Florida. Our passes expire in December - I don't know how long it will be until we go back.....

Carole