Okay crazy or fun? Road Trip

[mom4scrapbooking]

I live in Oregon and want to take my family to DW. We had gone to DL this last summer and oh I want to go back. I love Disney. We are a family of 6 and on a very tight budget. Airline costs that I have found would be like $3600. I can't do this. So Dear hubby and I talked about a road trip. Driving to FLorida and bringing our camping gear and camp all the way there. Am I crazy? My kids are ages 13,12,8,and 3. We drove TO DL which is about 15 hours away but not 3000 miles away.

Any advice would be helpful!
Holly

 

[OhMari]

It's doable, but I would think it would take at least 3 days road trippin each way. So that is almost a week right there. Will you be taking a tent or a trailer. We have a trailer and when we go long distances, we just pull over usually from 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. and sleep and sometimes we take an afternoon nap for an hour.

I don't think this belongs on the Trip Report Boards, but I don't know where else to put it, so I will leave it for now. If you make your decision, I can put it up on the Pre-trip board. That board is for telling us your pre-plans before you get to WDW.

 

[natale1980]

ROAD TRIP!!!! Me and my family used to drive to Disney World every year!! We live in Chicago so it took about 24 hours.
Although when I got married and my husband, brother, sister-in-law and myself would drive we would get there in about 17 hours.

good luck!!
-nat

 

[eternaldisneyfan]

Last summer, we drove from California to Florida. I am planning to post my own trip report. When we lived in Oklahoma, we drove to Florida three times. We drove from Oklahoma to California twice (once for the move). The really big road trip was my sister's wish trip. I did my first road trip when I was 7. I think driving across country gives you a better perspective of how big the country is and it's beauty. Also good family bonding. I say pack some entertainment and give it a go...

Christamae

 

[runwad]

I live in OH and I know lots of families that take a road trip to the "west coast" to visit the Grand Canyon and other sites, they always seem to come back with some great stories and memories. I say if you got the time and the inclination, go for it.

 

[MommaPooh]

Road trips are the best in my opinion!!! I say do it!!!

 

[In Luv with Disney]

How long would that trip take you?

I say GO FOR IT if you've got the time!!!!!

I drove to WDW from NY for the first time in December. We're doing it again in August!

 

[Barb D]

You'd have to stop pretty often with a 3yo in the car, but if you have enough time on either end, I'm sure you'd be fine. Will you be doing tourist stuff along the way?

 

[DVCJones]

We drive from MA to FL every year. Yes, it is a long ride....but, it is a fun ride. We make sure we have snack, toys, book and a DVD player for the kids 1.5 and 4. It is a lot of fun we save a lot of $$ not buying airfare and it is great family bonding time. Nothing says " family bonding" like being trapped in a car for a couple of days

Seriously, we love the road trip to Disney. I do have to warn you though, the ride back is not as fun as the ride there. I think the anticipation of getting to WDW keeps everyone on the "Disney High" The ride home is sorta like...lets get it over with and get home.

I vote for the rode trip!

 

[TinkandAriel]

if we go this April, we'll be road-tripping, from Maine. Last year, I fought tooth and nail to fly, but for some crazy reason I'm ready to drive this time. Back in our younger years (well, alright, 10 years ago) dh and I spontaneously decided to drive to Washington DC. I mean, we decided one day and the next we were gone. Oh my word, that was the absolute best time we've had together (BESIDES DISNEY OF COURSE!!!) in our 14 yrs together. Our 6yo is a great traveler, and she's excited to see the Pyramit (??) in Washington DC that her teacher told her about (double ????). So, we shall see.
I say road trip!!!

 

[Bibbidi]

We drive everywhere--the longest trip of late was to Colorado from Ohio--19 hours each way. I have to agree with another poster that there is an element of the Disney High on the way there. Maybe on the way home you might want to spend a night or two in a hotel with a fun pool (if you could swing it) just to make the trip back a little more exciting. For our family, as much as we try to avoid it, there is always that "letdown" feeling during the drive home and my husband starts thinking about work etc, it's almost like the vacation has ended once you see that Goodbye sign out of the parks. Something to look forward to on the way home could go a long way in making that part of the trip fun too!

 

[natale1980]

I actually thought of it the other way. To me the way home always seemed to go faster... I guess I just couldn't wait to get there, and really wasn't ready to go home.

-nat