My dh thinks it will cost 1,000 top drive from Ny to FL

[boxer]

He insist that it will cost 1,000 rt for us ( includeing driving arond in FL) I did the AAA fule cost calculator and It was not even close to that! We have a minnie van. We are going from Central NY. How much do you really think it will cost? He dose not trust the AAA fuel estament

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope you drive better than you spell.......LOL

 

[Befferk]

He insist that it will cost 1,000 rt for us ( includeing driving arond in FL) I did the AAA fule cost calculator and It was not even close to that! We have a minnie van. We are going from Central NY. How much do you really think it will cost? He dose not trust the AAA fuel estament

If you are spending $1000 in fuel with your van, then we are going to be in serious trouble We are driving down from central Wisconsin, driving a diesel pickup, towing a 27' camper and I have done a very detailed analysis and come up just shy of $1000. That also includes a couple hundred miles driving around (going to Daytona) and driving to Key West and back.

Beth

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

After the first 3-4 hours in the car driving the rest of the way to WDW isn't that bad.
My wife hates to fly; so the first time we went to Walt Disney World with my 3 year old daughter we drove from my office in downtown Boston to WDW Old Key West.
Our Trip to WDW started Friday, 3/26/04 at 1 pm: Miles, Stopped, Time

Leaving, Boston to Walt Disney World: Friday, 3/26/04, 1:00pm
1, Boston to New Jersey 212 212 6:00pm
2, N J to Aberdeen MD 183 395 9:07 pm
3, MD to Rocky Mt NC 266 661 1:36 AM
4, NC to Florence SC 209 870 4:40 am
5, SC to S Newport GA 210 1,080 7:58 am
Arrived, GA to WDW 251 1,331 12:00 PM

Started, Friday, 3/26 0 1:00pm
Finished, Saturday, 3/27 1331 12:00pm
A 23 hr trip with 5 stops along the way down
76 gallons of gas, $131 for the gas, 17.78 mpg 58mph
Driving around WDW 21

The Trip Home started Friday, April 2nd 11 AM: Miles Stopped Time

Leaving Walt Disney World to Boston:Friday, April 2nd 11:00 am
1, WDW to St Augustine FL 116 116 12:44 PM
2, FL to Savanah GA 178 294 3:55 PM
3, GA to Florence SC 174 468 6:22 pm
4, SC to Battleboro NC 181 649 9:30 pm
5, NC to Aberdeen MD 295 944 2:17 am
6, MD to Bloomfield NJ 181 1,125 5:30 AM
Arrived, NJ to Boston, MA 237 1,362 9:30 am

Started, Friday, 4/02 11:00 am 0
Finished, Sat, 4/03 9:30 am 1362
A 22 1/2 hr trip with 6 stops on the way home
81 gallons of gas $126 for the gas 17.58 mpg 60.5mph
Driving around WDW 62

157 gallons, $257 for the gas, $44 tolls, 17.68 mpg, 59.2mph 2776

We packed a cooler full of sandwiches, snacks and drinks; cost about $50 ?

The traffic was a mess from Hartford through Delaware on the way down.
It rained from North Carolina to Boston, Mass. on the way home

Me and my wife alternated turns driving our Nissan Xterra when we stopped for gas. My 3 year old held out a lot better than I thought she would on the way down and on the way back to Boston.

It's not that Bad, Good Luck,
Joe

 

[CleveRocks]

Joe,

Magnificent information.
I'm in awe of your data collection.
Absolutely astounding.
But I truly just don't know whether to idolize you or make fun of you.

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

Joe,

Magnificent information.
I'm in awe of your data collection.
Absolutely astounding.
But I truly just don't know whether to idolize you or make fun of you.

All I did was write down the miles from my trip odometer at the gas stops on the gas receipts. All the information; galllons, $, time, place and miles were saved on the 12+ gas reciepts. It was originally for my own benefit so I would know what to expect if we drive down to WDW in the future.
Good Luck,
Joe

 

[shafke]

I second the recommendation to take into consideration time, after all time is money! Taking into consideration that you may have to take extra time off work (very precious vacation days) and you will be when you could already be with the mouse. I'm not a big fan of driving the 18 hours to disney, we are there in the plane in 2 hours but thats just MHO

For the plane you need to take into consideration

From our last trip...

Trip down to FL...
trip to the airport: 30min
waiting at the airport: 2 hours
On plane: 2 hours
getting luggage: 30 min
getting rental car line or other transport to the hotel: allow minimum 15 minutes - rental car could take an hour depending on how efficient the company isn't
driving to the resort: 30min
total: at least 6 hours

Trip home...

to airport: 1 hour (driving from Ocala)
2 hours at airport to drop off rental and wait
2 hour flight time
1 hour to pick up luggage
30 minutes waiting to be picked up at airport
30 minutes drive home
Total: 7 hours

 

[TDC Nala]

I am not sure about New York but I have driven from Virginia (doing it again in July) and I have to fill the car up four times en route (not counting what I started off with). I also don't stop for anything but bathroom breaks and gas. I bring food in the car.

You will have to add perhaps another tank of gas (maybe two), hotel costs and dinner for the family costs.

I'm still of the opinion that my 6 hour total travel time for flights is better than 13 hours behind the wheel, but if I'm staying awhile I like to bring my own car more than coughing up the cash to rent one.

 

[hobogary]

Driving from Norwich NY to WDW. If we leave with a full tank, stop around Exit 104 in VA (I 95), Exit 164 in SC and Exit 3 in GA. If you dont drive much at WDW, you can get back doing the same thing, so 6 on road fill ups,( your not too empty so buying about 3/4 tank). To check current gas prices I use www.flyingj.com, and usually stop at the exits they are(but dont always fill up at their stations.) That being said, I leave with whatever is in the tank, get as far into PA as i can for cheaper fuel, and then do the above stops, or near them for the cheapest price.as for tolls, there really arn't any, but I take the PaTpk around Scranton (was $.30 but it went up recently), and the Greenway (i think it is) around Orlando for a few bucks.Motels are cheaper south and you can check their prices on line, Depends on how posh you require.

 

[cranbiz]

I drive from MA all the time and will be doing so in 3 weeks. I drive a small pickup now (it used to be a full size pickup both are/were 4X4's), but the number of stops for gas were the same and just the amount spent was different. New truck gets 23mpg with an 18 gal tank, old truck got 17mpg with a 25 gal tank

I make 4 gas stops each way ( NJ, VA/NC, SC and top off in GA) and usually 1 meal stop and whatever potty breaks are needed.

I spend about $300 in gas and about $40 in snacks and $15 for the meal (if I'm alone) I never stay in a hotel/motel just because, but that's me. Tolls for the entire trip (both ways) will be about $50 .

So if I add up what it cost's me I'm looking at an out of pocket of $400 in transportation costs (no, I'm not going to figure wear and tear as I drive 30K miles a year without going to FL It's only 1% of the miles I drive a year)

If I get a good DING and rental, sure, I'll fly but if I have 4 to 5 of us going driving is an economical way of getting to FL.

So to answer your question, NO it will not take $1000 to travel from Albany to Orlando (that's unless DH is planning 2 trips )

Also, If DH is adding in casual FL fuel costs, unless you are using ME and only going to stay on property, you will still pay for that fuel. IMHO that cost is a non issue in the cost of driving. I actually have a house in FL about 45 minutes from WDW and normally only use 2 tanks of gas for an entire week and that includes driving to the World several times during that period.

 

[stahshee]

Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope you drive better than you spell.......LOL

Thanks you are to kind

 

[hobogary]

Stahshee, If your coming from Albany, you may want to consider I 88 to I 81 and down to US 17 in VA, That way you miss NYC< Phila<Balt and DC. And I dont think it adds many miles. Just a thought.

 

[taurus8012]

Thank you all for the help. My Dh just wants to make sure we are over pre paired. Has anyone ver driven from Syracuse/ Albany in a van do you know what you paid? I am planning on bringing lunch/ breakfast food with us. So we will pay for dinner. Do you know of any deswnt hotels on I 95?

We went in 2000 Dodge Caravan it was dh,dw,dd(15 and 10)and ds(4) before trip tune-up/oil change 135.90 , Dvd players for van Walmart 218.00(keep kids busy) 2-tires 226.00 couldnt afford any tire problems on trip.Purchased snacks,water,soda bread lunchmeat used large cooler put in van 61.30.Purchased a Rainex overhead softside cargo bag for roof of car to put suitcases etc. 65.00. car inverter(radio shack) so kids can play their X-box 39.50.Toatal so far 609.80 this was before even starting to see Mickey. Now the drive: gas at the time 1.85 Mobil 7th North and Buckley 1st fill 31.10 got as far as Pa next fill 29.10 ate a McDonalds 16.10 (breakfest)next stop Va. fill 28.40 next fill S.Carolina 1hr away from Ga.25.50 got hotel Comfort in (very nice with pool) 85.00. My wife is my Queen and she loves the chicken beans and rice at Popeyes so I had to like it too 24.30 . Well rested drove to last stop in Ga.(gas was cheapest 1.65 the fill was 22.00 also had B.King breakfest 15.30 from there made to room around 2pm ate at downtown disney 67.00 waiting on room for carribbean beach to get ready. Now this was when gas was rather inexpensive compared to now .......positives we bonded I got cool electronic stuff (portable navigation system so we would not be lost,car dvd players but if I had my choice I would fly. I said to my self that if flying would cost anyway near 200 a person I would fly because I didnt feel like I saved a lot for the amount of time that was put in .

 

[stahshee]

We went in 2000 Dodge Caravan it was dh,dw,dd(15 and 10)and ds(4) before trip tune-up/oil change 135.90 , Dvd players for van Walmart 218.00(keep kids busy) 2-tires 226.00 couldnt afford any tire problems on trip.Purchased snacks,water,soda bread lunchmeat used large cooler put in van 61.30.Purchased a Rainex overhead softside cargo bag for roof of car to put suitcases etc. 65.00. car inverter(radio shack) so kids can play their X-box 39.50.Toatal so far 609.80 this was before even starting to see Mickey. Now the drive: gas at the time 1.85 Mobil 7th North and Buckley 1st fill 31.10 got as far as Pa next fill 29.10 ate a McDonalds 16.10 (breakfest)next stop Va. fill 28.40 next fill S.Carolina 1hr away from Ga.25.50 got hotel Comfort in (very nice with pool) 85.00. My wife is my Queen and she loves the chicken beans and rice at Popeyes so I had to like it too 24.30 . Well rested drove to last stop in Ga.(gas was cheapest 1.65 the fill was 22.00 also had B.King breakfest 15.30 from there made to room around 2pm ate at downtown disney 67.00 waiting on room for carribbean beach to get ready. Now this was when gas was rather inexpensive compared to now .......positives we bonded I got cool electronic stuff (portable navigation system so we would not be lost,car dvd players but if I had my choice I would fly. I said to my self that if flying would cost anyway near 200 a person I would fly because I didnt feel like I saved a lot for the amount of time that was put in .

What time did you leave from Liverpool?

 

[ducklite]

We went in 2000 Dodge Caravan it was dh,dw,dd(15 and 10)and ds(4) before trip tune-up/oil change 135.90 , Dvd players for van Walmart 218.00(keep kids busy) 2-tires 226.00 couldnt afford any tire problems on trip.Purchased snacks,water,soda bread lunchmeat used large cooler put in van 61.30.Purchased a Rainex overhead softside cargo bag for roof of car to put suitcases etc. 65.00. car inverter(radio shack) so kids can play their X-box 39.50.Toatal so far 609.80 this was before even starting to see Mickey. Now the drive: gas at the time 1.85 Mobil 7th North and Buckley 1st fill 31.10 got as far as Pa next fill 29.10 ate a McDonalds 16.10 (breakfest)next stop Va. fill 28.40 next fill S.Carolina 1hr away from Ga.25.50 got hotel Comfort in (very nice with pool) 85.00. My wife is my Queen and she loves the chicken beans and rice at Popeyes so I had to like it too 24.30 . Well rested drove to last stop in Ga.(gas was cheapest 1.65 the fill was 22.00 also had B.King breakfest 15.30 from there made to room around 2pm ate at downtown disney 67.00 waiting on room for carribbean beach to get ready. Now this was when gas was rather inexpensive compared to now .......positives we bonded I got cool electronic stuff (portable navigation system so we would not be lost,car dvd players but if I had my choice I would fly. I said to my self that if flying would cost anyway near 200 a person I would fly because I didnt feel like I saved a lot for the amount of time that was put in .

IMHO if you maintain your car according to manufacturer specs, you shouldn't have to do any type of special maintenance on it, and if you replaced the tires that was something you were going to have to do sooner than later anyhow. You can't count the food, you'd have to eat anyhow.

Bottom line, the only costs you can really add up when making the drive/ly comparision are true costs. The rooftop carrier and airport parking for example. Gas/tolls and plane tickets. That sort of thing.

Anne

 

[FINFAN]

While I prefer flying (lets face it, I'm not behind the wheel in the plane) I do have to say there is some value simply in the control you have of driving..your times...your pace. Also, We really don't count either day we fly as vacation time...so for us to drive even if we take 2 days each direction, it is using 2 additional days from flying for us, not 4. I would try it once...and then you will know if it is for you or not. I will say the drive hime is MUCH LONGER than the drive down tho...simply because there is not WDW waiting for you at the end of the road!

Pam

 

[pongoperdigirl]

He insist that it will cost 1,000 rt for us ( includeing driving arond in FL) I did the AAA fule cost calculator and It was not even close to that! We have a minnie van. We are going from Central NY. How much do you really think it will cost? He dose not trust the AAA fuel estament

We drove from Central NY to WDW in June, it didn't cost anywhere near 1000 and that was including the rental car fee. But it was just the two of us, not sure how many you are traveling with. We stopped overnight once down and once coming back. It was actually a great time. DFi wants to do it again.