Long question, really need advice

[kkmauch]

Here is the background: I am going to WDW with two friends (possibly three) who have never been to WDW before. We are all from the Twin Cities, MN and they will likely be flying together. Here is my problem...I have to be in Washington, D.C. on October 29th (Sunday) at 8:00 AM for a 10k race. Then I need to be in WDW on October 30th.

The girls are flying in around 11:30AM on Monday the 30th. Because they have never been to MCO and neither of them has flown in the last 5 years, I am concerned about leaving them at the airport alone to take ME to OKW.

It seems to me I have three choices:
1.) Drive to D.C. and then drive to WDW (about 15 hours of driving-never done it before, just me, but could pick them up at the airport)
2.) Fly to D.C., fly to MCO, fly to MSP (VERY expensive, over $400 using NWA and just as bad using all one ways, same flight back to MSP as the girls, no driving)
3.) Drive to D.C. and fly roundtrip to MCO (less expensive flight and I arrive earlier than the girls, could possibly meet them at the airport, or at least be in touch via cell phone)

What does everyone think? Anyone have some advice?

 

[robinb]

How old are these "girls"? If they are grown-ups they can fend for themselves using ME and you should meet them at your resort. I would fly from MSP->DC->MCO->MSP. With gas prices the way they are you will spend more money driving to/from DC or MCO.

 

[fac]

How old are your friends? ME is easy, I suspect they are more than able to handle it. Is your reservation in your name that they have to wait for you to check in?

based on your three options, it sounds to me you are looking into different routes to get to WDW from DC and going back to MN. I assume the cheapeast route for you will be to drive, I see no reason for you to rush to be at the airport to be earlier than your friends. On the other hand, you can take both round trips, say fly home from DC after the race.

I assume you do not have the one-way carriers, say southwest or Airtran in your area, right?

 

[kkmauch]

Sorry, should have been more specific.
My friends are 27 and 30. They should be able to fend for themselves, but to be honest I could see them both getting lost in the grocery store!
The reservation is in my name, I'm the DVC owner. But, their names are on the reservation also.
And yes, FAC, we do have Airtran and SunCountry here, but neither one had good options for times when I last looked.

Thanks for the advice.

RobinB, do you think that I would save money if I flyed to DC and then drove to and from WDW? You're from Madison so you know what a long haul it would be from MSP to WDW.

Thanks!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

What does everyone think? Anyone have some advice?

I think that unless your 27 & 30 year old friends are mentally disabled, that you need to stop worrying and let them do this on their own. How do they get along in their every day life without you holding their hands every step of the way? I think that your plan to make an extra trip just to make sure they get on the ME bus is CRAZY. Time to grow up.

 

[CleveRocks]

Ditto the above.

PLUS, even though I haven't done it for years, I used to travel from my home airport to two or three other cities before returning home, and got the "round trip" price. This was all on one airline. I don't know if you already checked it out, but don't just assume that it will be ungodly expensive to fly a circuit among multiple cities.

 

[fac]

Time to grow up.

was about to say the same LOL. If they have a problem taking ME to OKW, then you have a bigger problem for the trip.

As I said earlier, your main focus may to see how to get to WDW inexpensively while running the 10K race at DC. If so, probably we should leave your friends out of the discussion and focus on what the best route should be.

I checked MSP -> MCO, it is about $108 one way on airtran, how much do you expect it to be? Isn't $200 a normal round trip fare? How much does your friend pay?

Now you add a trip from MSP to DC, how much do you think is a reasonable addition to the cost? $100?
I do not know your financial situation, my point is that the $400 wasn't too high. But then I am not sure how much does it cost to drive from DC to WDW, but at least you will have a car.

 

[snowy76]

If ME is really going to be confusing... I would just have them pony up the money for a cab. Don't spend extra money on airline tix when $50 will resolve the dilemma. Honestly, it wouldn't be worth the hassle.

 

[snowy76]

Oops -- just wanted to add.... Jetblue has flights from Dulles to MCO for $99 one way on October 30th.

 

[CarolMN]

Are you running in the marathon? If so, I think you are totally nuts to even consider driving to D.C and then to Orlando afterwards. Sounds like a good way to do way less than your best - and an accident waiting to happen on the way to Orlando. Aren't runners pretty much exhausted after a marathon?

I agree with the others -your adult friends should be able to find the ME desk at MCO. Hundreds of people (lots who have also never been to MCO) do it every day. There are plenty of people around for your friends to ask for directions if they do get temporarily lost. (I'd be a little insulted that a friend of mine thought it necessary to fly or drive all over the country just because she was afraid I couldn't manage to navigate an airport on my own).

If your friends are reallly worried, you might suggest a towncar service - the drivers generally meet their clients near the baggage claim and provide a phone number in case of trouble. A towncar (or a cab) is way less expensive and you flying/driving all over the country because your friends can't manage on their own.

Best wishes -

P.S. Good luck in the marathon

 

[CleveRocks]

If ME is really going to be confusing... I would just have them pony up the money for a cab. Don't spend extra money on airline tix when $50 will resolve the dilemma. Honestly, it wouldn't be worth the hassle.

There's really nothing confusing about using DME when you're in MCO. The "girls," as they're being called, have to find one place or another, right? They'd either have to find the DME Welcome Center, a place to catch a taxi, or a place to meet the OP. No one of those is any more complex than the other.

Heck, they got through their home airport and onto the correct airplane, didn't they???

As for checking in at the DME Welcome Center, presumably these "girls" know their names. Not much more is needed, really. From there, they will be pointed to which bus queue to get into. Each queue has a sign denoting which resorts that bus will be going to.

This isn't rocket science. As someone else said, unless these "girls" have some sort of cognitive disability, they will be just fine. They have to find ONE location, and from there they will be directed, and if they don't understand there are plenty of employees there to help them end their confusion.

 

[paults]

if there are 3 of them why not have them take a towncar one way $ 60 split 3 ways = $20 plus tip. problem solved. Driver will be a bottom of esculators with sign with one of there names on it.

I wouldn't want to stay in MCO any longer then need be. I rather be at the resort by the pool waiting for you.

 

[seashoreCM]

The girls are flying in [first]. Because they have never been to MCO and neither of them has flown in the last 5 years, I am concerned about leaving them at the airport alone to take ME to OKW.
?

You have a right to be deeply concerned(1) about their getting into a gypsy cab or following an imposter limo driver and being ripped off to high heaven. I actually consider ME easier to use.

Only if the ladies themselves are that apprehensive and/or have frequent dumb blond moments(2) should they travel with you rather than ahead of you.

Will you be reachable by cell phone the moment they arrive in Orlando? You could walk them through the process no matter what mode of transportation you/they choose, over the phone.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/magicx.htm

(1) apologies to the late Ann Landers regarding the preceding phrase.

(2) not restricted to females or persons with that hair color.

 

[robinb]

RobinB, do you think that I would save money if I flyed to DC and then drove to and from WDW? You're from Madison so you know what a long haul it would be from MSP to WDW.

It is a long haul to WDW. We're flying out of there next month, but I have family who will take me to the airport so I don't have to pay for parking. I drive to Chicago all the time for Cubs games and it takes a full tank of gas at 25-27 MPG. That's $45-$50 in gas alone. From MSP you would double that, so your gas would be about $90-$100 (depending on your mileage), plus meals on two 8 hour drives. Depending on your dates, you can fly Airtran for about $340. It would have to be a really big savings for me to drive all the way to MDW ... like a Ding! fare. Ding!s into MCO from MDW are between $49 and $69 (I'm paying $155 RT) so you would have to add a one-way to IAD or BWI onto that price. You might be able to shave off another $100-$125 off Airtran by flying SWA, but you would spend your entire savings on gas .

FWIW, we are driving to Orlando for Christmas/New Years because I missed the good airfares . We figure it will be about $350 in gas, plus meals and hotels. We might fly SWA if a good Ding comes up, but then we have to pay for a rental car at the most expensive time of the year (we're going to Tampa to see family too).

 

[kaytieeldr]

I just ran a sample itinerary through kayak.com:
Airtran:
10/28 MSP flt 866 BWI flt 490 (discount coach fare) $129.60 (11:07-4:55)
10/30 BWI flt 498 > MCO (web special fare) $89.30 (arrive 11:13 AM)
11/5 MCO > MSP flt 871 (discount coach fare) $117.80 (10:02-12:27)
Total $336.70