How Far Do You Drive?

[Jubaby]

It takes exactly 24 hours to drive from our home. We've done it twice. Once we drove all night and got there the next day, and we've also broken it up into two 12 hr. days of driving.

If you do it in 2 days, then that eats up 4 days of your vacation, and if you drive all night you arrive already so exhausted that you can't enjoy yourself.

We'd rather fly, even if it's more expensive, just so we can relax and enjoy ourselves.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

Many of y'all are braver than us. NO desire to drive from Maryland. Airfare does add up - we are a family of 5 - but we'd rather not waste vacation days in the car (or money on gas and likely a hotel, not to mention fast food). We drive to visit relatives in the NYC suburbs and Ohio (~ 6 hours) and that's about the maximum we can stand in the car.

 

[Stargazer]

We drive and it takes about 14 hours (860 miles) ~ we take two days on the way there and straight through on the way home. We make sure to factor in a day or two after so we can get back on schedule though.

Economically, it does make more sense for us. Typically, it's $300/each for round-trip flight, and my car gets, on average, 32mpg.
We actually enjoy the drive! We stop when we need to or if we notice something we'd like to explore and DD has plenty of things to keep her interest so she doesn't get too bored (books, surprise bag, DVD player, DS, MP3).

 

[Stargazer]

We drive and it takes about 14 hours ~ we take two days on the way there and straight through on the way home. We make sure to factor in a day or two after so we can get back on schedule though.

 

[LovinPooh]

21 hours. We break it up between 2 days. DH is afraid to fly. So from NH to FL lol

 

[Kaewin]

We are 902 miles away (according to mapquest) and it takes about 14 hours with stops. Last time we went about 4 pm and got there about 6am. ANd guess what! Our rooms were ready!!! I thought I would have to sit by the pool fort a few hours (did anyway)

 

[momof2disprincesses]

We are leaving tomorrow!

It is 1200 miles from our house to our home away from home. It takes about 24 hours. We've driven it 5 times. For us, we drive when it is too expensive to fly and it is at Christmastime.

Plus, I love having my own car in WDW!

 

[TinkandGoofy'sMom]

We drove on our first trip in Aug '08. We live an hour North of Toronto and it took us exactly 24 hours, split into two days. We will never drive again. Now we fly out of Buffalo on JetBlue, and it costs about the same when you factor in gas, meals and extra hotel stays (in some really cheap and somewhat shady places!). Even if it cost more to fly, you can't put a price on my sanity!! My girls tend to annoy each other in the car, and the youngest gets car sick, so is pretty much drugged the whole way there and back in the car. We also find that JetBlue has a great schedule, with direct flights each way. I almost forgot to add that we use the Disney bus system and so our car sat in the parking lot our entire first trip.
Elizabeth

 

[carly chloe]

We drive from Minnesota. Flew acouple of times but the last 3 times we drove. With 4 people it is ALOT cheaper to drive. It takes about 22 hours straight through. We just think of it as part of the adventure. (the kids just watch movies and sleep anyway)

 

[Fabooliss]

We drove on our first trip in Aug '08. We live an hour North of Toronto and it took us exactly 24 hours, split into two days. We will never drive again. Now we fly out of Buffalo on JetBlue, and it costs about the same when you factor in gas, meals and extra hotel stays (in some really cheap and somewhat shady places!). Even if it cost more to fly, you can't put a price on my sanity!! My girls tend to annoy each other in the car, and the youngest gets car sick, so is pretty much drugged the whole way there and back in the car. We also find that JetBlue has a great schedule, with direct flights each way. I almost forgot to add that we use the Disney bus system and so our car sat in the parking lot our entire first trip.
Elizabeth

When are you going... we are flying out of Buffalo on JetBlue in Jan too? We are near Newmarket... you must be closer to Barrie?

 

[tjlamphere]

For us it is about 1200 miles, one way, from Upstate N.Y. First day we drive to Manning, S.C. (about 14 hours), then about 7 - 8 hours the second day. We go during Winter or early Spring, so it is exciting to watch the season change right before your eyes...going from snow, to brown grass, to green grass, to buds on trees to trees with leaves. Amazing to see that in 2 days. Less than 3 months and we'll experience it again !!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo !!!

 

[ZoZo]

Live in the Seattle area, so driving is not an option. The drive alone would take a few days each way -- I work, so no way would I drive (vacation time is too precious!).

The only way I'd drive from the West Coast would be if I was retired - I'd have all the time in the world! Until then, I'm a flier!

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

We drive just under 1000 miles each way. We like to stop to eat at sit-down restaurants and stay at least 2 nights along the way. We'll stop in Savannah and St. Augustine this trip, one going and the other on the return, plus wherever else we decide to break.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

It takes exactly 24 hours to drive from our home. We've done it twice. Once we drove all night and got there the next day, and we've also broken it up into two 12 hr. days of driving.

If you do it in 2 days, then that eats up 4 days of your vacation, and if you drive all night you arrive already so exhausted that you can't enjoy yourself.

We'd rather fly, even if it's more expensive, just so we can relax and enjoy ourselves.

We actually pay MORE for the experience of driving. Minnesota to WDW is 1560 miles one way. We normally take 2 days to get there sometimes arriving very late on the second day. We have 3 kids under 5 and the older two are great travelers. We will learn how the 3rd travels in a couple months.

We drive a Class A Diesel motorhome that should get somewhere between 7 and 10 MPG. Assuming 8 MPG, that is a total of 390 gallons of diesel with an average cost of $3.10 per gallon. Total fuel cost....1209.00. Fort wilderness is the same cost as on-site economy room and we do save a few bucks on food by eating at the motorhome. Air would be about $900.00 assuming 4 month old as a lap child. In the end it costs us more but....

We do enjoy the drive. The best part for my family is having our own "home" with us. Its familiar to the kids and they get to experience Fort Wilderness. They can play outside, ride their bikes, and stay busy without the hotel feel. Another benefit is that we stay much longer. Our last stay was 3 weeks in December of last year. We could never do that in a hotel.

No matter how you travel just the ability to spend time at WDW is reward enough. Merry Christmas to all and safe travels wherever they might take you.

These two sum up the whole argument/discussion. Both do it the way they want, not the one that's cheaper. Many of us do the cheaper thing out of need, but when it comes down to it, we do, and should do, what we want. In a perfect world(retirement), I'll drive down over a couple of days and spend 2 weeks, then drive slowly back. But til then, I will do what I can, and for right now, I'll fly.
BTW snocrossmechanic, you folks at the Fort are just a whole other kind, and maybe someday I'll try it that way. Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[mjbradeis]

Just got back saturday, we drive 1100 miles, and drive straight through from Southern NJ. Had some snow coming home at NC/VA border, but other then that it was a nice ride.

 

[bcuinohio]

Our drive is about 1,100 miles each way. I don't mind the drive there but I hate the drive home.

If I can get cheap air fare and a decent rate on a rental car, I fly. I got $197 RT per person for our spring trip and a rental car for $195 (inc tax) a week. Ironically, I booked the flight in September, yesterday the same flight was over $500 RT and thr car was almost$700. If I had not booked when I did, I would be driving.

 

[MIChessGuy]

I come down from SE Michigan -- 1,160 miles.

 

[angierae]

I come down from SE Michigan -- 1,160 miles.

We're also coming from SE Michigan - 1184 miles. At this time I'm HOPING to do 12 hours to a friend's house north of Atlanta, spend the night there, and then finish the trip down in the morning. That'll save us a couple hundred dollars in hotels.

(Will probably pull the girls out of school the last day before Spring Break - they never do anything but watch movies, anyway) and drive 9am-9pmish, and then get up as early as possible the next day to put us in the World by mid-afternoon Saturday.

Then the following weekend on the way home we can leave early-afternoon Saturday, drive up into Georgia, spend the night, and do the long push on Sunday, leaving early.

(And underestimating 33 miles per gallon (my car gets closer to 36 on the highway) that's 7 tanks of gas there and back, which will cost about $210. We'll bring food to eat in the car and anticipate our travel costs to be under $350. A LOT cheaper than flying four people. And all four of us will be able to drive by that point, so no one will have to drive for long periods of time.)

 

[thej]

About 475 miles (~ 8hrs), and we drive it often since most of our family is in Central FL as well as our favorite vacation destination. It would be nice to fly, but it's a lot cheaper to drive. In any case it would take us 4-5 hours from our door to the resort if we flew anyway.

 

[baw]

i am a dedicated flyer. we visit the world once a year, and we always fly (washington, dc to orlando). the flight is 2 hours, give or take a few minutes, and we live 3 miles from the DC airport. i think it would probably take us 14 hours or so to drive. i've never considered driving (too easy and quick to fly, we can go door to our resort room door in 4 hours, maybe a little less).

I've always wondered, though, isn't it a huge BUMMER to have to make a giant drive (more than 4 or 5 hours) BACK from the world? i know it is bad enough just to be leaving (the ME ride back to the airport is the saddest little ride in the world), but at least i know i'll be home in a few hours, ready to go back to work the next day. i can't imagine having to leave the magic and then face a giant drive.