How much would you have to save to drive instead of fly?

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

We've been waiting for flights to drop below $330 pp from northern Ohio to Orlando and it just hasn't happened yet. With our trip in three months we are considering driving down with our two kids on our first Family road trip. It should save us close to $600-700. Would that be enough for you to endure a 17 hour drive each way?

Update on page seven- we decided to fly!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The AAA estimates the cost of operating an average sedan at 60.8 cents per mile. Based on this metric, the cost of driving 2,000-mile roundtrip is $1,216.

Of course, some of costs are genuinely a function of driving -- gasoline, tires, maintenance, wear and tear against the finite life of the car, reduced resale value due to more miles on the odometer. Other costs, such as insurance, would probably be the same whether or not you used your car on such a trip. The important thing to consider is that cost of driving is not just the cost of gasoline.

The other big factor that's harder to quantify is your time. A flight (and time at the airport) uses a half day each way. Driving eats up substantially more time, and it's not fun after a few hours. If you stay in hotel in both directions, you have those costs, plus you've substantially reduced the time at your destination if your vacation time is fixed. But driving through the night while your body is telling your eyes to close is dangerous -- and very unpleasant.

You can tell I prefer flying.

 

[PolarWSU]

For our family, we turn the road trip into part of the vacation- plan something fun or educational to do with the kids each day. That way, while you are going to WDW, you can at least look forward to something other than bedtime each day.

We started driving once the airfare started costing more than driving. I love not having to wait in a terminal (with kids that DONT want to wait in the terminal), I love the freedom of doing what I want as loud as I want (and the kids can be as loud as they want..within reason), I LOVE having my car at WDW so that I can just bypass the buses and drive everywhere and not spend money on a rental car.

My family and I drive from the Pacific Northwest and it really doesn't take too much financial prodding to get us to drive to Florida. It is part of the adventure.

 

[imabeimabe]

We've been waiting for flights to drop below $330 pp from northern Ohio to Orlando and it just hasn't happened yet. With our trip in three months we are considering driving down with our two kids on our first Family road trip. It should save us close to $600-700. Would that be enough for you to endure a 17 hour drive each way?

Absolutely not. I drove and it was only 11 hours for me. Going down was great. Coming back not so much. We left early in the morning thinking it would be better on the kiddos. I was so tired after a week of running around the parks and then leaving early. I said never again. It wasn't safe. I'm paying for 5 of us to fly in October and I consider it money well spent.

 

[buzz5985]

We've been waiting for flights to drop below $330 pp from northern Ohio to Orlando and it just hasn't happened yet. With our trip in three months we are considering driving down with our two kids on our first Family road trip. It should save us close to $600-700. Would that be enough for you to endure a 17 hour drive each way?

We don't mind driving - and we leave from a little north of Boston. My DS first trip was at the age of 4. He is now 16 and is a great traveler. We brought one of his friends with us last year - and claimed he never had so much fun in a car. We play goofy games - front seat against the back seat - who can find the most state license plates. We each have a notebook - winner pays for dinner. LOL When he was younger he had his Gameboy, portable DVD player. We like the portable DVD player - since they can bring it into the rooms and watch too. We listen to books - we have listened to Harry Potter, all The Hunger Games.

We don't have new cars - our last trip we took the 2003 Ford Escape, so I don't worry about price depreciation. We pack a cooler with drinks and lunch. I have a plastic tablecloth for the picnic tables in the rest areas. I am a member of mypoints and cash in for chain restaurant gift cards and we will eat at one of those for dinner on the trip.

I am flying to Las Vegas next month for a visit to the national parks and we are driving to the Grand Canyon to Monument Valley to Mesa Verde to Zion to Bryce up to Yellowstone and flying out of Denver. LOL I downloaded the books Divergence and Insurgent to my iPod that we will listen to. But I am flipping out about the plane ride, what I can bring, how limited I am on what to bring. Should I bring my rolling cooler as a carryon?? Or just buy one at walmart out there. Now if I was driving - I wouldn't have this stress!!! And I would have my coffee maker with me!!!

Whatever you decide - have a great time.

Janis

 

[Gracie09]

We're wrestling with that now. Fortunately we have some time. I did insist that if we drive it get broken up into two day and we take the longer scenic route instead of 95 all the way.

 

[Allison]

I would never make that drive with the family loaded in a car.

 

[cheerbop]

We have done it a few times already with our family of 6 from Northern Ohio.
Honestly, we all don't mind it.
Of course the drive on the way home isn't as fun, but we do it.
It saves a lot more money.
With 4 children, it is pretty stressful for us to fly with security and worrying about the younger kids' behavior.
We have a busy life and actually look forward to the drive. It gives hubby and I time to talk. The kids love to watch DVDs, etc
And we love having our car to go wherever we want whenever we want.

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

I really appreciate all of your advice while we try and make this decision. If we were to drive we would stop on the way down most likely (luckily I have credit cards points saved so hotel will be free) and on the way home we'd stop over night and visit a friend in Atlanta.

Flying is preferred for us- saves time, kids are used to flying, convenient- and we are hesitant to drive that far since our longest car trip to date has been about five hours. But I really am leaning towards saving the money, and making the drive an adventure for our family. Time will tell I guess.

 

[nono]

We've been waiting for flights to drop below $330 pp from northern Ohio to Orlando and it just hasn't happened yet. With our trip in three months we are considering driving down with our two kids on our first Family road trip. It should save us close to $600-700. Would that be enough for you to endure a 17 hour drive each way?

Yes, it is more than enough for us. In fact, for flying, unless the in-flight time is 5 hours or we have to cross a border, we drive, even if it is more expensive. There's just the 4 of us, and time in the car = pure happiness for us. If that equation isn't true for your family, I don't know what dollar figure would be acceptable to make it worthwhile.

 

[dvczerfs]

Yes, it is more than enough for us. In fact, for flying, unless the in-flight time is 5 hours or we have to cross a border, we drive, even if it is more expensive. There's just the 4 of us, and time in the car = pure happiness for us. If that equation isn't true for your family, I don't know what dollar figure would be acceptable to make it worthwhile.

 

[sam_gordon]

Yes, it is more than enough for us. In fact, for flying, unless the in-flight time is 5 hours or we have to cross a border, we drive, even if it is more expensive. There's just the 4 of us, and time in the car = pure happiness for us. If that equation isn't true for your family, I don't know what dollar figure would be acceptable to make it worthwhile.

My "breaking point" is somewhere around $1500, and we only have a 14 hour drive.

As mentioned, the drive down isn't too bad, but the drive back is murder (to me). You're tired from being in the parks, you aren't really "looking forward" to being back, etc.

If it only cost us $700 extra to fly, sign me up baby! That's at least one (approaching two) extra days (whether vacation or "recovery").

 

[Jules54]

Absolutely not. I drove and it was only 11 hours for me. Going down was great. Coming back not so much. We left early in the morning thinking it would be better on the kiddos. I was so tired after a week of running around the parks and then leaving early. I said never again. It wasn't safe. I'm paying for 5 of us to fly in October and I consider it money well spent.

I agree, the drive down is not so bad, the drive back is rough. I would fly.

 

[browniemtb]

For us it would be about a 24 hour ride....so it's really never a consideration. That being said with a family of 6, flying is very costly. But like some posters have already mentioned it's really not the ride down that will get you..it's the ride home.

 

[aliyasmomma2003]

We have drove the 15+ hour trip once and flew twice at this point. We are driving down in the end of September. Our first trip, we flew and it was with all four kids, DH, and me. Kids were small then, 8 months, 5, 6, and 7. The next year we drove our Toyota Sienna, packed to the gills, and drove all night. DH drove a little more than half way and I slept. I drove to Daytona and we had breakfast at IHOP, was on the beach at sunrise and in bed before noon. It wasn't fun but it worked and was much cheaper even with the hotel cost. We did drive straight through coming home but it was daytime and we stopped plenty along the way. I loved having our vehicle there. It was so much easier with four kid an a stroller. The third trip was an anniversary trip with DH. We flew due to time constraints. I am a teacher and had to be back before school started plus two tickets are much cheaper than 6! I didn't miss the car this time as the buses aren't bad when I'm only responsible for myself. Lol!
Now, DH and I are taking the youngest, now turning 5 for his third trip and the first one he might remember. The older kids, now 11, 10, and 9 have made other trips with their grandparents. I'm still having to justify it a little bit to myself though. We are driving again. I wanted to fly but the costs are making my choice. I can drive for about $500 excluding wear on vehicle etc but plane tickets were going to cost us at least $1000 and then I would have to do without my car with a 5 year old who can be exceptionally cranky when he is tired.

 

[henry72]

It would be almost a 17 hour drive for us so I assume we would break it into 2 days. That is 4 extra days on our vacation just for driving. I can fly to MCO in about 2 1/2 hours. I think the money we spend on flying is worth a potential extra 4 days in WDW!

(Also with DH's work - there is no way we could take the extra time to drive.)

 

[dvczerfs]

it always makes me laugh when people try to compare flying to driving. if they fly, they are there in two hours, no hassle. driving, woooow, days on the road, meals, wear on the car, car insurance, kids are hanging off the back seats screaming. lol

I have to fly for work a few times a year. you flyers have to direct me to these hassle free airlines and airports. I seem to sit on i78 trying to get to Newark. get stripped search to get on the plane. cant take half of what you need. delays and still have to worry if theres some anti American on the plane wanting to make a statement. gotta hope the bag you were allowed to take is there in one piece when I get there.the little brat behind you keeps kicking the back of your seat. sounds like a blast to me. flying to me is the biggest pita. when you drive, you are in control. you can pee when you want.

I rather more people fly, keeps them out of my way on the road.

a good friend ask me one day, how can you spend all that time in the car with your wife and kid?

I think if you have to ask yourself that, you have more to worry about then should I fly or drive.

there is a lot of reasons people fly or drive. find what is best for you and have fun doing it.

 

[rwdavis2]

For us it would be fly or not go. No way I would drive from here to Orlando just to go to WDW. Luckily flight prices rarely get out of hand due to the 3 airports around DC.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Barring an airline strike, there's nothing that would make me choose driving over flying.

It's not all about the money, it's the overall value.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I agree. There's nothing that makes me want to drive.
I don't need a lot "stuff" to pack and SWA allows 2 bags pp. For our family of 4 we could bring 8 bags. If you need more stuff than that, you have issues.

I've never been strip-searched for a flight and PHL is less than a 30 min easy drive. Even with arriving 2 hrs pre flight, we're still door to door in 5 hrs. and most of that time is sitting back, relaxing either at the gate or on the plane or getting something to eat. This is far less stressful than dealing with traffic on 95 for hours on end.

If we left at the same time, we'd be in FL while drivers are still somewhere in VA. I guess they call that quality time together?

Either way, we're spending time together but that's a LOT less time in the car and more time spent in WDW.

To each his own. Do what works for you.