Is Orlando feeling the effects Gas crunch yet?

[drakethib]

Gas is almost 4 bucks here and more and more of the people that I know (who all have good jobs) are commenting that they are cutting back and not going to travel this year.

I myself have quit taking the 20 trips to Home Depot and Lowes every weekend (I needed to do that anyway) to help fight the gas beast that I drive.

I know Pete and John have mentioned that they monitor the travel in Orlando very closely.

Just wonder what the Orlando folks are seeing.


Thanks

Drake

 

[ericafny]

Gas is up to $4.19/gallon here in Long Island and we are still planning on driving down to Orlando this summer...we have been saving for the gas anticipating this, using reward points to buy pre-paid gas cards, and converting our spare change into gas money. Nothing is going to stop me from going to Disney

 

[wilde_oscar]

for this summer, plans are already made, and deposits already deposited... so if there will be a pinch, I don't think it will be this summer. Also WDW has been somewhat recession proof over the years with the exception of 9/11 (which was a lot different than just a recession) and the hurricane season after the 4 back to back storms that hit (hence free dinning in Sept.). The economist in me believes that 2009 will see small to non existent growth in the numbers... but not a reduction in the numbers.

that will not slow price increases on property, but off property, look for amazing deals in 2009.

 

[WaltD4Me]

for this summer, plans are already made, and deposits already deposited... so if there will be a pinch, I don't think it will be this summer. Also WDW has been somewhat recession proof over the years with the exception of 9/11 (which was a lot different than just a recession) and the hurricane season after the 4 back to back storms that hit (hence free dinning in Sept.). The economist in me believes that 2009 will see small to non existent growth in the numbers... but not a reduction in the numbers.

that will not slow price increases on property, but off property, look for amazing deals in 2009.

I'm already seeming some great deals...not for on property, but not just for Orlando. I get emails about great deals to Vegas about twice a week lately and I've gotten some for other spots and off site places in Orlando too.

I think you are right about this summer though, most trips are planned and paid for or partially paid for, but I am curious to see what happens more towards the end of the year and in 2009...especially if gas stays where it is or gets worse. For me, I don't drive all that much, but I am definitely seeming the impact in lots of other places.

 

[miss missy]

gas went up about 5 cents in the 9 days I was in Orlando, I left on the 25th it was I think 3.74/gal

 

[Flightman]

Come on over to the UK.

We're currently paying the US equivalent of $11:50 per gallon!

 

[BRobson]

Come on over to the UK.

We're currently paying the US equivalent of $11:50 per gallon!

and rising Don't get me started

 

[wishspirit]

Come on over to the UK.

We're currently paying the US equivalent of $11:50 per gallon!

and rising Don't get me started

WHAT?????

I am borrowing my sis' car for the summer, im gonna have to go easy on the petrol!

Soon the petrol in the car is gonna be worth more than the thing itself!!!

 

[JFrey4240]

Come on over to the UK.

We're currently paying the US equivalent of $11:50 per gallon!

Yikes! That is crazy! Yesterday it was $4.15 in Buffalo and I thought that was high. I'm so glad we already paid for our summer trips. I'm wondering what the airfare will be like for Easter 2009. Even driving to FL will cost an arm and a leg. And a foot. And maybe a hand too...

 

[SanFranciscan]

Come on over to the UK.

We're currently paying the US equivalent of $11:50 per gallon!

I think the current fuel prices in the U.S. really do have many in a mess though because we have an economy based upon a privately-owned- automobiles culture. The typical view of public transit in the U.S. has been that if it gets other drivers off the road then the one speaking is all for it. Until driving hits the pocketbook much harder than it does now, the sense that driving is a birthright is going to be nearly impossible to dislodge in this country.

I no longer drive and haven't in years, but I don't think occasional driving is the problem. If a family takes a road trip down to Orlando or wherever once in a while, well la dee da. The problem is that in most "communities," which are often nothing more than track housing occupied by people who have little more in common than their zip code, those people who do not drive live a life similar to house arrest.

Have you been to the United States and seen how often everything is an absurd distance from everything else? It is not unusual for U.S. residents to take a Interstate highway just to shop for some groceries. Children living close enough to school to walk are being driven because the high volume of cars between their homes and their schools make walking unsafe. It is insane how motor vehicle dependant that we are here, and I am speaking as a resident of a region where mass transit, bicyles, and scooters are used at a much higher rate than the national average.

 

[ADP]

Have you been to the United States and seen how often everything is an absurd distance from everything else? It is not unusual for U.S. residents to take a Interstate highway just to shop for some groceries. Children living close enough to school to walk are being driven because the high volume of cars between their homes and their schools make walking unsafe. It is insane how motor vehicle dependant that we are here, and I am speaking as a resident of a region where mass transit, bicyles, and scooters are used at a much higher rate than the national average.

I agree with this; however, with a slightly different twist. Sometime over the past 30 years we've decided that picking up and driving 150 miles is no big deal. I remember when I was younger when driving 50 or 60 miles was a big deal.

I hear people in Indy say "my son has a hockey tournament in St. Louis this weekend so we are driving there on Saturday morning and coming back Sunday"....Yikes! I hear this kind of thing all the time, like; "Oh, it's no big deal". To me that is a long way to drive, but the majority of the popluation doesn't think so anymore. Sometimes I think people spend more time in their car than in their home.

I hope we start lessening our 200 mile trips and become less dependent on driving far distances.