Help talking husband into driving.....

[Brian Noble]

If you want a good estimate of just the incremental costs rather than the total costs, AAA is a good source:

http://www.ouraaa.com/news/library/drivingcost/vehicle.html

You'll find that, for late-model cars, the IRS allowance is significantly less than the actual total costs. For older cars, of course, it is more. The incremental costs (which I would think increase over the lifetime of the car in increased maintenance costs and decreased engine efficiency) vary between 10 and 15 cents, so you can cut your incremental cost estimate to $300-$450 or so.

So, if you are looking at out-of-pocket costs only, and you are a "getting there is half the fun" sort of person, then I suppose you could argue that driving from the northeast (each a solid 2-day drive) is cheaper. However, while I do know some people who think getting there is half the fun, I don't know anyone who thinks coming home is the other half. Coming home is never fun, and it takes just as long.

The other factor is the value of your time. Driving takes an extra two days round trip compared to flying; that two days either comes from your vacation time, or it comes from time you could be working. If you value vacation and work time equally, then you have a number for what a day's vacation is worth.

 

[Lewisc]

I agree with this analysis. Gas, tolls, oil change and about 10% of brakes and tires. The other item, the wife is trying to talk the husband into this plan. I'm not sure how they plan on dividing up the driving but not everyone wants to start and end their vacation with that much driving. Some of us think your starting and ending your vacation with a lot of driving stressful. I guess it may make some sense if your vacationing for 3-4 weeks.

If you want a good estimate of just the incremental costs rather than the total costs, AAA is a good source:

http://www.ouraaa.com/news/library/drivingcost/vehicle.html

You'll find that, for late-model cars, the IRS allowance is significantly less than the actual total costs. For older cars, of course, it is more. The incremental costs (which I would think increase over the lifetime of the car in increased maintenance costs and decreased engine efficiency) vary between 10 and 15 cents, so you can cut your incremental cost estimate to $300-$450 or so.

So, if you are looking at out-of-pocket costs only, and you are a "getting there is half the fun" sort of person, then I suppose you could argue that driving from the northeast (each a solid 2-day drive) is cheaper. However, while I do know some people who think getting there is half the fun, I don't know anyone who thinks coming home is the other half. Coming home is never fun, and it takes just as long.

The other factor is the value of your time. Driving takes an extra two days round trip compared to flying; that two days either comes from your vacation time, or it comes from time you could be working. If you value vacation and work time equally, then you have a number for what a day's vacation is worth.

 

[disney0928]

We have done the drive more often than we have flown. It usually costs us about $400-500 r/t to drive our minivan. That cost is for gas, tolls, and COFFEE!!!!!

My DH is a former trucker....driving to him is just 2nd nature. Having driven so often growing up, I don't mind it , or at least not as much as when I used to have to fight for the comfy seat with both my brothers, or put up w/ dad's "scenic detours" (LOST!)

We typically get the kids in their pj's, and put them to bed in the carseats at their regularly scheduled bedtime. We are on the road at about 8PM. The reason for doing this is summed up in one word: TRAFFIC. 8PM is after any rush hour nonsense here. It also puts us thru NYC at about midnight, one of the only times of day when the GW bridge is easy to negotiate! Hubby was a trucker...Parkway is not in his vocab! Down the NJTP, over the Delaware, thru DC before AM rush hour. The kids start waking up at about 1hr into VA. We dress them, have a nice walk, and a breakfast picnic (cold cereal, milk, juice...we get coffee at some point too). Smooth sailing to Richmond, taking the 295 around the city only adds about 5(?) miles, but saves again on traffic delays! From there, it's 95 all the way to I-4, and no other major rush hours to deal with.

For us, we just keep driving until we hit WDW! We average about 22 hours door-to-door. We break about every 3 hours for about 1/2 hr each time. The laptop has DVD-rom and that serves really well for movie viewing, and I have a good list of other driving diversions.

Another trick we use is a Coleman cooler that plugs in either to car cig. outlet, or standard A/C in hotel. When we aren't at the FW cabins, with a full kitchen, the plug-in cooler keeps milk, etc. fresher for longer, without ice melting into everything. It's small, but works well, and is useful on the ride, as well as the hotel. We typically stay at AS Sports if not in a cabin, so it eliminates the rental refrigerator cost (pays for itself in one trip!). Also, we have a "Big Mac" as Dad always called it, one of those cargo carriers that goes on top of the car. Yeah, it adds to the wind resistance, and therefore fuel economy. But, it gives us SO much more room in the minivan, and we can lock it up on any stops along the way. Anything you might need on the road gets packed in the van, along with an over-night bag for each of us with just the essentials.

Coming home is more difficult, not gonna lie to ya. But, we have found an easy last full day @ WDW, and then a couple hours shopping at DT Disney on departure day makes hitting the road seem easier to us. The trick is getting out of Orlando! If it's a weekday, think Boston rush hours! Plan accordingly, either leave around 2PM or 8PM, depending on how much night driving you want to do. Again, we drive straight thru, swapping drivers each rest break. But we take it easier coming home. We leave WDW on Friday evening, again at the kids' bedtime. We usually get home Sunday morning, but have done it in a lot less time for a family emergency.

For overnight stops, I haven't done any since having kids, unless we tented, since I was a kid. From all I have heard and read, as well as experienced many years ago, you have to stick with more reputable chain hotels. Yeah, there are less expensive "mom & pop places".... but in this case you will only get what you pay for!

We have found it not only do-able, but easy. I'm sure there are many others out there with other vantage points. That said, when we go this June, we're flying American. We're flying out from Logan on a Weds. early morning, coming home evening of the following Tues. for about $620 r/t for 4. These are direct flights, and we'll use Disney's Magical Express. This is strictly due to limited vaction time DH & I are able to take at the same time.

Good luck, which ever way you choose to go!

 

[leebee]

I can't imagine driving- I'd NEVER come home (LOL)! Other concerns- fatigue, break downs, speeding tickets. Can't imagine leaving at 8pm and driving all night long...how dangerous can that be (I know, to each his own...it wouldn't work for us)? I'm accustomed to long trips, often driving 16 hours at a time (doing the driving myself), but for consecutive days?

If I WERE to drive, I'd save the sightseeing for the trip home...that way, if you wanted to stay longer in WDW, you could. If not, there'd be some incentive for getting in the car and leaving Orlando, and it'd be shorter driving legs when you are already overtired.

 

[kdtwiss]

HI! I am from Salem Ma. We are planning on driving down in MAy. I hate flying. Scares me to death.
Anyway - it seems like Fayetteville NC> is about the little more than half way point (which I want to accomplish so the ride is mre than half way over!)
Our plan is to drive overnight first night, leaving around 7 ish. Kids will sleep all night - dh and I can take turns driving (though I will probably try not to let him drive much) Then in the am- get some breakfast, and hopefully dh can take the kids to a children's museum in Fayetteville so I can get some sleep. Then onward hopefully kids will take a nap. We hope to get in to Disney late that night.Can not decide if we will get a cheapo motel - probably will just to get some sleep - then onto Disney!!!

Good luck!