gas budget

[Corjack]

I have used a gas calculator online and estimate our gas costs and my DH does not believeit would only be $300ish to drive round trip. We are in Northern Indiana(fort wayne). Anyone drive that(or close) and want to share their gas budget??

Jackie

 

[msmayor]

Its easy enough to show him the math.

Its about 1100 miles one-way to Orlando from Fort Wayne, so 2200 round trip. If your vehicle gets a conservative 20mpg, you would need 110 gallons of gas for the round-trip drive.

110 gallons of gas at an average of $2.75/gallon is $302.50.

 

[Corjack]

I guess it just seems like it should be more? And gas isn't as pricey as it was, hopefully it stays that way!!

Jackie

 

[marius97]

I was the same way as your husband. We are just north of you into MI. We averaged 28 MPG and our total was under $300. You just can't compare that to five airline tickets.

 

[msmayor]

I guess it just seems like it should be more? And gas isn't as pricey as it was, hopefully it stays that way!!

Jackie

The reality is it WILL be more in terms of total cost to drive...because there will be food stops along the way, and probably a hotel stay. Those are also costs to factor in when deciding whether to fly or drive.

 

[Maude4Disney]

The reality is it WILL be more in terms of total cost to drive...because there will be food stops along the way, and probably a hotel stay. Those are also costs to factor in when deciding whether to fly or drive.

We were just having this debate the other night. We can't do the drive straight thru thing, so there's always 2 nights hotel stays to figure in and we can only stand so much snacking in the car regardless of what we pack in the cooler. So there is at least dinner on the road and DH refuses to do fast food when we've been in the car ALL day. We figure a budget of what we would spend if we drove and if I can find a good deal on airfare that matches or beats the budget.... we fly! But there is only 4 of us, probably couldn't do that if there were more... and we're coming from Mid Michigan

 

[shafke]

Our trip last Feb cost about $500 round trip.
About 2000 miles at 25mpg @ 2.50/gallon = 200
2 nights hotel (one each way) 75/night = 150
About 150 for food (definitely less than 200).

Airfare for the trip would have been between 1800-2000.

Even adding extra wear an tear on the car which is not a lot on highways and the cost of driving over flying is 1/4 - 1/3 the cost of flying.

The only additional cost to driving is the time... 1 extra day each way.
Flying will take about 6 hours (trip to the airport, 2 hours in the airport, flying time, trip from airport to disney 45min to 1 hour).

 

[jlewisinsyr]

The reality is it WILL be more in terms of total cost to drive...because there will be food stops along the way, and probably a hotel stay. Those are also costs to factor in when deciding whether to fly or drive.

Loss of time is a big deal to me. Being in a car for 18 - 20 hours, no way, my time is to valuable for that long. Maybe 4 - 5 hours, beyond that, driving takes too long (and costs too much).

The way I look at is, I take what we make in an hour (salaries divided by 2080 hours a year) and then multiply it by the number of hours. I then take the IRS rate of .55/mile for driving (IRS rate which factors in fuel, wear and tear, etc - often used for mileage reimbursements) and add the hours cost prior.

For 1,250 miles (how far from Syracuse to Disney) plus the cost of my hours cost, the cost to drive would be significantly more then flying.

 

[Corjack]

We have always drove straight through. We never drove with kids though. I imagine we will stop on the way down and spend the night but on the way back drive straight through. We will also be packing a cooler because we want it for in our value room when we get there for breakfast stuff and bottled water. This is a big time budget trip so we have to drive. Next spring we will be flying!!

ETA: we have flown the last 2 trips so driving will suck. I pray for a financial miracle to let us fly, but am not holding out hope for it! LOL

 

[mgilmer]

On our last trip from just south of Nashville we had a gas budget of $220 and that was with gas at $3.95 a gallon. 1500 miles at 27 miles per gallon. I hope it will be much less next December.

 

[disneylovin24]

I guess it just seems like it should be more? And gas isn't as pricey as it was, hopefully it stays that way!!

Jackie

The further south you get gas also gets cheaper

 

[Brian Noble]

The only additional cost to driving is the time

This is what it comes down to, for sure. Our drive time would be about two full days, and flying direct is about a half-day. My wife is an independent contractor, and I have a side consulting business, so time we don't work is time we don't get paid. I also use the IRS mileage reimbursement rate as an estimate of total driving costs (both out of pocket and depreciation).

A round trip drive from here is about 2300 miles ($1265 at IRS rates), two hotel nights ($200), and about 36 hours. A round trip flight is about $1200, takes about 10 hours (we have 2.5 hour direct flights), plus rental car is another $300. So, almost identical in costs. Even if my time were free, I'd rather fly---and my time is not free.

 

[LdnCpl]

We've driven from Ontario several times. Even with the SUV I don't find gas cost to be that bad. Actually for us north of you it feels like you're giving it away. Right now it is at .98 cents a litre which is $3.72 gal. I love the drive down. We leave Sat early am, stop Sat night in KY, early Sunday and stop in Valdosta then the short drive to WDW Monday morning. It's nice as it gets warmer as you head south, you're in a good mood etc. I bought the I75 book and love it for the restaurant list. The only thing about driving down I don't like is the long depressing drive back home. That is a hard stretch when you're not pumped for it like you were heading down.

 

[Brian Noble]

That's a good point. Even if getting there is half the fun, getting home is NOT the other half.

 

[mmwelch]

bought the I75 book and love it for the restaurant list

we are driving down in april down I75 where did you get the book? thanks

 

[Hannathy]

Plus there is the extra wear on the tires and if you want to be realistic oil costs and even if it is easy miles it is still miles on the engine,belts, air conditioner, etc.

Where are these low gas prices people are quoting? Cheapest I have gotten lately is $2.78

 

[LdnCpl]

bought the I75 book and love it for the restaurant list

we are driving down in april down I75 where did you get the book? thanks

Got it at Chapters but I think any of the big book stores sell it

 

[LdnCpl]

Where are these low gas prices people are quoting? Cheapest I have gotten lately is $2.78

I found it cheapest at the Truck stops like Flying J and Pilot. Also fill up just before you leave Georgia going down. You don't want to fill up near WDW Then fill up again back in Georgia. I believe Georgia has some of the cheapest prices IIRC

 

[disneylovin24]

I found it cheapest at the Truck stops like Flying J and Pilot. Also fill up just before you leave Georgia going down. You don't want to fill up near WDW Then fill up again back in Georgia. I believe Georgia has some of the cheapest prices IIRC

Flying J always has cheap gas and you can check the prices at all of their locations on their website

It's 2.53 at the Flying J in Brunswick,GA right now!!!