Now to decide if its worth the drive!

[adedward]

We have only 4 free days for christmas and today i was able to snag a tent site for the whole long holiday weekend. Now for the hard part: whether its worth it to drive from NC for that short of a visit. 2 looooong days of travel for two days at the parks and 3 nights at ft wilderness. Decisions, decisions! Could rent a tent and fly, but flights are $1100.00 for 2. Ouch.

 

[tiggerdad]

There's not really a way to decide except based on your preferences for what you want to accomplish during your visit.

 

[2goofycampers]

That decision would certainly differ from person to person. I would say heck no, my DH would say heck yes. Whatever you decide have a great time!

 

[peg110]

I am assuming you are talking 2 days of travel as 1 day down and 1 day back.

I can tell you from my experience, that traveling by AIR can ruin a whole day as easily as driving can (timing of flights, arriving 2+ hours early, delays, etc...) We come from NEPA and can do the drive (usually) with 2 days (1 LONG day and 1 shorter day). Given that we spend anywhere from $600 to $900 (towing the camper) from NE PA (round trip), coming from NC would be a no brainer for us. Especially if I am not towing the camper (and just a tent and related stuff). I would drive.

Of course as others have said, it's a personal decision on what works for you and what your priorities are. My DW's priorities are to have a good time at Disney. My priorities are to try and keep DW happy without going broke.

 

[North of Mouse]

We have only 4 free days for christmas and today i was able to snag a tent site for the whole long holiday weekend. Now for the hard part: whether its worth it to drive from NC for that short of a visit. 2 looooong days of travel for two days at the parks and 3 nights at ft wilderness. Decisions, decisions! Could rent a tent and fly, but flights are $1100.00 for 2. Ouch.

Worth it? At the busiest time of year? No way it would be worth it to us (we are in Raleigh). Actually, we wouldn't even go for 'free' at that time! To each their own!

 

[adedward]

Yep, just have to figure out whether we want a warm place to spend time outdoors enough to tackle the drive. Like many others I am sure, we have little choice on when we both can get away to go, and busy time it is! I do love that feeling that comes as we drive away from cold and cloudy and slowly get warmer and warmer and usually sunnier and sunnier as we go south. You dont get that in airports and on flights, and you are right, by the time you count all the driving to the airport, wait for flights, and factor in layovers, its almost a half day in airports. Nice problrm to have, deciding whether to go to disney or not over christmas!

 

[snowmedic]

Let's see, a site available for Christmas at the Fort, (not sure what part of NC you live, but) a 9 - 12 hr. drive to get to said Fort, and 2 days at the Fort relaxing and enjoying all the Christmas decorations, I would so go, but I like driving. I drive 5 hrs. round trip once a week to go out to dinner with DW. I would leave the afternoon or night that you got home from work, check in early and enjoy.

 

[tiggerdad]

I drive 5 hrs. round trip once a week to go out to dinner with DW.

Dang son! I thought Mississippi had some remote places...

From here in Meridian it is an 11 hour drive for me one way and I drive through the night typically stopping in Ocala for a 3-4 hour nap to allow for check-in time to roll around.

I've done a straight shot in and then napped a few hours after arrival while the girls explored around the Fort or went swimming.

Not sure on your distance, mine is exactly 650 miles so maybe that gives you some idea of time. If you guys can split the driving then it's a lot better. My wife refuses.

 

[dmaxphil]

Tough one. Do you have annual passes? I'm guessing it's 9 hours there? What else would you be doing in that same time?

If I lived that far away, I'd do it. But I've driven 18 hours for a 3 day stay. Straight through both ways.

 

[sirenia88]

9 hours is a no brainer to the Fort. Friends of mine live in the Charlotte area, they are about 8-9 hours depending on the traffic. When I am hooked up with a trailer from NJ, it's a 20 hour run to the Fort. Without a trailer, probably more like 16 or so. (More direct route no beltways. Can travel much quicker 70-80 vs 60-5. Less fuel stops due to trailer)

 

[adedward]

11 hours for us. We are leaning towards a go! We are even looking at our first little camping trailer for our christmas present to ourselves for the trip. Its really just a heated/cooled sleeping box with a connected outdoor kitchen, total waste of way too much good money, just a toy! Why is it so tempting?

 

[peg110]

total waste of way too much good money, just a toy! Why is it so tempting?

I think for most folks who don't spend a LOT of time in the Trailer/Camper/RV, it's a "Waste of Money". If your decision on this is strictly on the financial VALUE of it, you will never buy one. What you have to consider is the Value of the convenience (or not) of it. For us we have a TT (my DW doesn't camp, she GLAMPs, so I end up doing it too), the convenience of full size beds, a (virtually) full kitchen, Heat/AC, the ability to carry MORE "Stuff" either with you or from your destination (Souvenirs) and for my DW, the convenience (and value) of having a "Facility" to use when ever she needs to (particularly when Traveling).

Everyone would value those things differently. So your value and my value (and my DW's value) may be (and probably are) totally different.

Of course the more you use it, the better the value as well.

 

[adedward]

Peg110, you are absolutely right, those are all great reasons. You clearly missed though that i need help talking myself out of, not into, the purchase

 

[KristinU]

I'd do it in a heartbeat! But then again, we'll drive 6 hours to go run a race over a weekend.

 

[JustinD]

It seems to me that you really have two decisions to make.

1. Is it worth it to go there at that time of year, for a two day trip? To me, that might be a "no". Two day tickets are expensive and that is an incredibly busy time to visit. But, to each his own...

2. Drive of Fly? Assuming a 9 hour trip, I would drive it rather than spend $1100 to fly. You would leave home at 7:00 for a 10:00 flight. If all goes well you have your luggage at noon. You might get to the campground by 2:00. It would only take a couple more hours to drive it. I would leave at 6:00 and be there by 3:00.

 

[mco65]

I asked the same question this morning.. Are flying or driving? Its still up in the air but we can drive in ~6 hours.. easy. I prefer to drive, my wife prefers to fly and once we did just that.. i drove and picked her up at the airport. She had to work half a day.. or she did it so she could have an excuse to fly..