For those who drive...

[Csaks]

The only reason driving would be a downfall is the drive home. Going home is so much harder, I just want to get there. Going down you have something to look forward to.

 

[sjsjbrook]

one word of caution as my gf found out. Debit is not the same in the states as here.

Through a series of unfortunate events, and thanks to Disney preauthorizing her credit card (she paid cash at check out), she ended up stuck in georgia, with no cash and no credit card. Her debit card did not work in the ATM (though it was a credit union card). She had some pretty stressful times on the phone with the credit card company and her parents back home in Canada.

If you are driving make sure you are prepared. She just didn't think she would have a problem if she had her debit card.

After 2 days in Georgia and her parents paying their hotel bill via the phone, everything was fixed and they are on their way home now.

 

[snarfieca]

We like to drive. It's about a 36 hour drive from Manitoba. We like to go in April or May - after winter and before it's too hot. We don't drive straight thru. We take about 3 1/2 days. We like to be in Southern Georgia or Northern Florida so we have a short drive on the last morning.

Driving lets us take more stuff for the kitchen and have a car to go to Publix and the Outlet Mall.

We usually stay 7 days.

Brenda
from MB
<7 months until our stay at the Treehouses>

 

[Csaks]

We like to drive. It's about a 36 hour drive from Manitoba. We like to go in April or May - after winter and before it's too hot. We don't drive straight thru. We take about 3 1/2 days. We like to be in Southern Georgia or Northern Florida so we have a short drive on the last morning.

Driving lets us take more stuff for the kitchen and have a car to go to Publix and the Outlet Mall.

We usually stay 7 days.

Brenda
from MB
<7 months until our stay at the Treehouses>

Wow, you guys are troopers. That sounds like a long haul.

 

[DisneyFairytale]

I had to agree with the drive home from the states. It does feel a bit long when you make the way back. I think when you're driving down you're excited and happy of all the things you saw, and take it easy, but the way back is always rough. You dont want to go to home, and you have to make it back a bit more quickly because of work and time constraints.

 

[kellyla]

I hate the drive home too.So lucky for me we are able bookend our Disney trip by driving down to Charlotte the weekend before to take in a NASCAR weekend then on our way home from Disney we take in the races in Virginia.There is only 10 hours home from there.Only 13 days til we go...

 

[Mybails]

We have always driven. Both to WDW and DLR. We leave Friday after work and are normally in Orlando on Sunday. We sometimes stop in Nashville or just outside Atlanta depending on the number of people and the ages. If some of the folks are senior, we stop. If we are a full load or more than 1 car, we stop. In the summer it was 6 people aged 18 - 59, we just drove straight through and arrived early sunday morning. We stay 9 - 11 days in Orlando and head home, normally straight through again. For 6 adults, we owuld have spent $1800 or more for airfare. We drove it for less than $600 and the food was about $200 and the scenery was wonderful. Can't beat saving $1000. And all the stuff that was bought didn't cost additional bag charges. LOL

 

[DisneyFairytale]

...and you can make the drive so much fun, more so if you enjoy driving. We are leaving in just over 2 weeks and driving down again. Cannot wait.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I forgot to mention that one way my family and I kept some costs down when we recently drove down in August 2011 and back home in September 2011 we stayed at Courtyard Marriott locations and a Fairfiled Inn & Suites on Marriott reward points, so we paid nothing for those rooms. Plus it also helped that we had a lot of points that were never used and that's how we were able to do that.

This December when we drive down again we are staying on Marriott reward points at a Residence Inn located in Lexington, Kentucky, 2X at the same Fairfield Inn & Suites in Cleveland, Tennessee driving to WDW and once again driving home, along with another Fairfiled Inn & Suites located in Troy, Ohio. The only Hotel we are paying for is a Hampton Inn & Suites located in Valdosta, Georgia because we didn't like the Courtyard Marriott located over there. Finally one thing those Hotels we are staying at this December all have in common, they all offer continental breakfasts and that means not having to eat at Denny's or a Waffle House.

So if you are a member of a certin Hotel brand that gives you points for staying at their locations, check to see if you are able to get free nights.

 

[Greenfield1984]

thank you everyone for all of your responses, tips and tricks! We actually moved our Jan trip up to now! We left last minute on Friday evening, drove for 24 hours, stopped in Jacksonville for the night to get a good night's sleep before our vacation started, then drove the last 2 hours the next morning. It worked out really well and I'm glad we did it now instead of Jan so we didn't need to worry about bad weather.

The drive went really well, the kids were great and it was definitely worth it to save some $$$

Now we'll see how the drive home goes...ugh

 

[AnnieDan_Artlover]

Reading everyone's comments makes me jealous and a bit frustrated...

We're going next year in late Novembe to late December, and we're driving.

And it would be cheaper to fly (driving from Montreal).
I figure, by about 500$.

Because we'll have to do it in 3 days both ways.

Not my choice.

It's only me and Mama, and Mama hates to drive period. (I love to).
She CAN'T drive at night because of bad night vision. But on top of it she refuses that we be on the road at night because it stresses her out too much... not seeing the road well, she freaks out when, for example, thinking the road curves right and I end up turning left... (which I totally understand).
And she's unable to sleep in the car, even if we do a 24hrs straight (I knew, we did one last June... which is when she realized driving at night made her near-heart attack)
So it will have to be 9-5 driving (more or less), and still she'll go crazy because being late fall, sun will go down before we stop (and I WON'T do four days).

Why not fly? Because she's scared of flying. In the phobic kinda way. She could invest a bit in a treatment, see a psychologist and try to have it cured (at least TRY) but she won't... so flying is out of question.

So we'll spend almost a week on the road, I'll do all the driving and throw money away.

Of course there are good sides to having the car once in Florida... but I don't think they are worth 5 more days of travelling and 500$...

But hey, at least WE'RE GOING!!!