How far will you drive vs fly?

[JerJan]

FLY!!! If it's more than an hour we will definately fly! I would rather spend my time enjoying my vaction not sitting in my car listening to my DD's fight!

 

[lbdpw1285]

we are in new jersey. for the last 12 years we have done the auto train.
it's more cost efficient when figuring flight and rental car.
we leave home at 8am on saturday, we are in fla at 8am sunday.
in disney by 10am, usually so early, rooms are not yet available.
plus i have my car, and i can take an extra suitcase you cant take on a plane anymore.

 

[dzorn]

We have an 18+ hour drive. For us it depends on the price of air fare. We are driving in Feb due to $450 flights for 4 people (not including luggage fee). We are going for 13 days. Flights for next August are much cheaper. Well have less luggage due to getting OL in Feb. and are staying less days so we will probably fly. For us it is just not the cost but how long we are down there. We do not usually rent a car but for longer trips a car is nice to have. If I'm paying for a rental for 2 weeks and airfare driving may make more sense.

Denise in MI

 

[ElasticGirl]

We drive. We have about a 24 hour trip when you include our rest stops and border crossing.
But there are 5 of us so airfare is way more than the $800 we spent on meals and gas on the way down last time.
We also have a toddler and I don`t think he would do well with flying. We just stop every couple of hours for breaks and with 2 drivers we drive all the way through.
It`s actually quite a nice drive and it`s neat for the older kids to learn about geography when we are going through all the different states.

 

[Love That Mouse]

WE always fly. We are about 50 minutes from both Baltimore and Dulles, BUT this year we are driving for the first time due to airfare. We are leaving Dec. 25th and driving back on Jan. 2. We will see!! Mapquest says about 14 hrs.

We may love it or decide to never to it again. We will let you know

 

[Disney_Villain]

Our airfares are now around $800/person. However, with the cost of gas, lodging & meals along the way - as well as the time wasted (only so much vacation time from work) - flights are still the way to go for us and will continue to be even if fares double on us.

 

[DVC Jen]

We have only flown once - and I seriously doubt we will again anytime soon.

 

[shelly3girls]

WE always fly. We are about 50 minutes from both Baltimore and Dulles, BUT this year we are driving for the first time due to airfare. We are leaving Dec. 25th and driving back on Jan. 2. We will see!! Mapquest says about 14 hrs.

We may love it or decide to never to it again. We will let you know

We are in a similar situation going 12/27-1/3. Airfare for the 5 of us would cost about $2000. We are spending half our trip in Vero Beach so we would need a car. That would run us another $300-$400 plus paying for parking at the airport is another $90. We can drive for a total cost of $500. I may want to kill my kids by the end of the trip but I will try it once to save $2k.

I swore I would never drive the 18 hours since we always found airfare around $200 even during the holidays. I am thinking of canceling our cruise for Christmas '09 b/c I do not want to be forced to pay this outrageous airfare.

 

[jamstew]

We live in Michigan and I believe the drive is about 20 hours. We will not drive straight through and usually leave in the afternoon and spend 2 nights on the road on the way down. When we drive back, we leave early in the morning and only spend one night on the road on the way back. With gas, food and hotels, driving costs us about $1300. With only four of us going, our break even point for airfare is $325. We can usually get airfare for less than that so it is actually cheaper for us to fly. Actually, I would still fly even if it was up to $200 more to do so. We can usually find airfare under $375.

In 2010, we're going down with my parents. With 6 people, our break even point is down to only $225. Since we are going over spring break, I am sure we won't be able to get anything under $300 so we'll be driving. Besides, the driving is part of the fun (or agony ) so we don't mind doing it once in a while.

A very logical formula

As a 62-year-old solo traveler 18 hours away from Disney, driving really isn't an option. Lodging costs alone would be more than a plane ticket.

For my family group in May (5 adults & 3 children), even if my adult children could take the time off for a 7-night stay, which they can't, it would take two vehicles and two overnights each way (no way I'd travel 9 hours a day in a vehicle with my grandchildren ).

Lodging: 4 hotel nights, 3 rooms per night, at $75 = $900
Food: $20/day/adult, $10/day/child = $520
Gas: 20 mpg/2 vehicles/$4 gallon = $920

Total: $2340, or $292.50 per person. We should be able to get airfare for that (or possibly less), so flying is the way to go for us. Yes, the driving trip could probably be done a little more cheaply, but I simply don't travel that way. I'm also one who will spend more for the convenience of flying. How much more remains to be seen when Southwest fares come out

 

[bgraham34]

I'm about 18-20 hours from the world and have not driven in about 9 years. I will again one day but taking 3-6 day trips a car ride is not worth it.

 

[pjstevens]

Alternative to flying is Amtrak. For those in the northeast the auto train is a nice way to drive with much less hassle.

This is a nice idea, except our friends who we cruised with earlier this month had their train cancelled on the way down (due to storm) and they arrived five minutes EXACTLY after the load time (due to unforseen traffic) and had to drive home.

 

[shelly3girls]

We priced the autotrain. For the 5 of us and our car it was going to run us $1800 plus we had to drive 5 hours to get there. I just want not worth it.

 

[pjstevens]

We priced the autotrain. For the 5 of us and our car it was going to run us $1800 plus we had to drive 5 hours to get there. I just want not worth it.

Shelly, that's my thought too. When my friend was traveling there was a special so I think her kids would have been free (and she a lot closer to VA that you or I).

 

[JUDSON]

I have found that vehicle comfort and amenities plays a big part in how smooth a 12-hour-plus road trip goes. Our run-of-the-mill minivan turned out to be very uncomfortable for everyone because the rear bench doesn't recline and the foam in all the seats didn't really cut it. We now use the vw passat; still not recline-able in the back seat, but angle of the seat back is more obtuse than the minivan, which allows them to fall and stay asleep easier. It made a big difference. Would love something a little larger though with back seats that recline.

And obviously having a 6 CD changer and portable DVD really helps the time go easier as well. Last trip, my wife gave our kids (5 yo and 7 yo) about 10 pounds of construction paper and some crayola markers.. kept them quiet for hours, and we made a scrap book of their work at the end of the trip.

 

[Princess Tink]

We will be driving to WDW for the 2nd time since joining DVC. ALL 18+ hrs from MO. This time, we will book a room and break it up into 2 days rather than arriving home exhausted. And with our travels being during the winter months, I'm expecting it to take longer due to possible dealys caused by weather related conditions. We've been looking at tix since SW opened their Dec schedule, and the cheapest we've been able to find is $1700 for the 3 of us. I refuse to pay $575 a person, just because it's peak holiday travel (Dec 28-Jan3).

 

[dlz]

We technically live, according to mapquest, about 13-14 hours away from disney. We make the drive in 12. I have a dh, a dd (17) and a ds (13). I am not opposed to flying, but it is not my favorite thing.

I absolutely love the time in the car with my kids. I know that it makes a lot of parents cringe, but to me the quality time of being cooped up with each other is priceless. When you run of of things to do, you have to talk. I learn so much about my kids and family on our trips. This past August, I learned my daughter wanted to pretend she had a tatoo on her behind just to get a rise out of me and start a conversation in the car because she was bored. My son, as I recall, said he was dedicating his entire next summer to learning how to be left handed, and said he was jealous of girls who can wear a thong????? Let your imagination lead you to where a 13 year olds mind went with that, let's just say it was gross and only a teenage boy could come up with it. It was all stupid, and trivial and insignificant, but it is memories that I will have forever and will think about from time to time. If we fly, it's all over in two hours and we wouldn't have that.

Just my opinion and wanted to share.

 

[homedad]

12 hours is really our break point, kids are great car travelers but flying is still preferred....now if flying to disney hits over $400 a ticket then maybe we'll drive...

 

[janni518]

we are in new jersey. for the last 12 years we have done the auto train.
it's more cost efficient when figuring flight and rental car.
we leave home at 8am on saturday, we are in fla at 8am sunday.
in disney by 10am, usually so early, rooms are not yet available.
plus i have my car, and i can take an extra suitcase you cant take on a plane anymore.

I'm in NJ too. We looked into it and I didn't see that much of a saving. Not enough to give up vacation days for. We even looked into doing it without the car and still didn't see the savings that'd make me willing to give up a day at Disney.

I would however like to take a train trip somewhere else, I love trains! Maybe if we are able to take longer vacations in the future I'll give the train another look.

 

[nikkistevej]

We have always flown in the past from Maryland, but for our trip next August we are driving- we are doing WDW for a week, and DCL for a week. Last September we did the same (WDW and DVC)- although we didn't own DVC yet- stayed at POP, and we had too much luggage- it was a pain to fly. We will fly for shorter trips though- if we get cheap airfare.

 

[photobob]

We live 550 miles away and always drive. We have made the drive in a little over 8 hours with limited stops. I actually rather enjoy the drive down, the anticipation and excitement makes for a pleasurable trip. The drive back however can be pure drudgery, the long awaited trip is over and I'm tired and have to leave and head back to reality.