Plane, train or car.....

[Kazzy1548]

I know we are still very early. We are in the begining stages of organizing our August 2010 trip. We were planing to drive down, since it is cheap, but we don't want to be dead once we arrive in the world. I read about taking the auto train from Lorton,Va. It seems interesting but it can be expensive, we would rather take the plane for a few hundred dollars more, but we would have to rent a car half way threw our trip. Any comments or suggestions are welcomed....

 

[twokids0204]

I know we are still very early. We are in the begining stages of organizing our August 2010 trip. We were planing to drive down, since it is cheap, but we don't want to be dead once we arrive in the world. I read about taking the auto train from Lorton,Va. It seems interesting but it can be expensive, we would rather take the plane for a few hundred dollars more, but we would have to rent a car half way threw our trip. Any comments or suggestions are welcomed....

You could always move there...

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

I would save the cash and drive. This is what we do so were not exhausted when we get to disney. We drive 10-13 hrs the first day then 8 to 10 hours to Daytona and get a room on the beach front for the night. We then get up early in the am and its a 1 to 1.5 hr drive to disney you check in and head to the park. If you drive on your own time table with all that money you saved not taking the train or flying you can buy more stuff to take home. We have done this twice with our kids last time aged 9 and 6 and a few years earlier they were aged 6 and 3. We are a 20 hr max driving with regular meal stops and the odd bathroom stop plus 2 nights in a hotel each way. Not including accidents and major back ups due to construction.

 

[DonaldDC]

I would save the cash and drive. This is what we do so were not exhausted when we get to disney. We drive 10-13 hrs the first day then 8 to 10 hours to Daytona and get a room on the beach front for the night. We then get up early in the am and its a 1 to 1.5 hr drive to disney you check in and head to the park. If you drive on your own time table with all that money you saved not taking the train or flying you can buy more stuff to take home. We have done this twice with our kids last time aged 9 and 6 and a few years earlier they were aged 6 and 3. We are a 20 hr max driving with regular meal stops and the odd bathroom stop plus 2 nights in a hotel each way. Not including accidents and major back ups due to construction.

We're planning on driving down for the first time in March. I've read a lot of reviews about driving and I think if you're considering renting a vehicle anyway you're better off to drive.

Thumper - where did you stay in Daytona? I'm thinking it would be nice to hit the beach for a day before WDW.

Cheers,
Don

 

[braydensmom]

I dont understand how you save money driving rather than flying if you stop on the way there for two night, and on the way home? Factor in car maintenence, gas, food and activities on the way down plus 4 nights in a hotel, sounds like it would cost more than the $250 it cost for my son and I RT?!? Plus I can spend more days at Disney if I fly.
Just saying.

 

[tjbaggott]

Driving makes it worth it for a family of 4 or more in my opinion. We are a family of 6, thus we are definately saving LOTS to drive down. If I was taking just one of my kids, or just DH and myself going, we'd fly. Actually next summer I am planning on taking my two younger DS's to WDW for a week, and we will definately be flying then.
Our trip this fall, with all 6 of us, we are definately driving. We are using Room Saver Coupons for Hotel stays and since it's OFF Season that we are travelling, we are likely to get room rates of $35 - $40. We plan on taking a cooler so we won't be purchasing too many meals (probably will only buy dinner on the way down and the way back).
We plan on doing about 16 hours the first day of driving, and arrive in Orlando after another 8 or so hours the next day, arriving mid afternoon. We'll rent a room off site and visit DTD that night. Hit the sack early that night so we are ready to check in to hour WDW hotel before the parks open (yes check in isn't till 3, but that means we can't get into our room till about then, but can actually register anytime before then. We'll hit the parks at opneing, and Disney CM's will have all our luggage waiting in our room for us when we arrive back there later that night).
This fall trip will be our FIRST time driving!!!!

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

DonaldDC On our way down we stayed at holiday inn express. They are not the cheapest but they are new, clean, smoke free, have a pool, and have contental breakfast. In Daytona we stayed at hmmmmmm Best wertern Mayan Inn . It was older but still clean and had beach front rooms. They have sence redone the hotel.
Braydensmom
As for cheapness. Sence we are in Canada air from Toronto is not cheap and not willing to drive across the border just to fly to florida cheap. As for car car. Oil change $50.00, hotel 2 nights down and 2 back $400.00 (thats over pricing it as i dont remember) fuel $350 for a 2001 chev astro. Tolls maybe $6 total. Daytona usa $80 for 4. Hotel in St petes on the beach about $200 Then there is the fact that we can take as mush stuff as we need including fridge for the room stuff for the beach We also went to st petersburg for 2 nights. We also went 1 night in cocco beach Hotel $100 for the space center about $150 for everything. We also brought back enouh souverners to fill 4'x4'x1' deep. We spoil the kids and ourselves rotten. What we save in air and the ability of not taking alot back we spend in stuff for home to remember our tripand do disney at home lol. Our last trip lasted 16 days and we didnt just do disney. If were heading to florida were making the most of our time. My wife and I are lucky to have 5 weeks vacation each a year so we can have bigger trips. Then there is the road trip we love driving its part of the adventure. If your not into it most wouldnt understand if you are into driving you will understand. I hope that explains why we drive.

 

[mermaid&cinderella]

I will only fly, no way I would drive. I will not waste all that time driving. Flying is sooo convenient. This sept trip we are doing 10 days WDW and 4 days Daytona Beach and we are flying and then renting a car for a few days, its not that expensive to rent a car now a days. A vacation to us does not involve long drives, very unenjoyable, who wants to be in a car for that long

 

[braydensmom]

I will only fly, no way I would drive. I will not waste all that time driving. Flying is sooo convenient. This sept trip we are doing 10 days WDW and 4 days Daytona Beach and we are flying and then renting a car for a few days, its not that expensive to rent a car now a days. A vacation to us does not involve long drives, very unenjoyable, who wants to be in a car for that long

100% agree. I do run my own business, but I dont have 4 days around my holidays to do all the extra travelling. I am pretty cranky after sitting in a car for long periods of time, i cant imagine how i would be on the way home, I am already sad that Im leaving Disney World, and exhausted to boot.
Plane any day for me!

 

[michelle1]

Forget the train...you would have to drive part way anyway and it's fairly costly...you might as well drive the rest of the way or fly. My Dh refuses to drive because he is in his car so much for work that it's not a vacation to him to do so much more driving. That being said, we have the advantage of living 2 hrs from Buffalo and can fly for what we would spend in driving expenses. We went last week to WDW for 3 days on a last minute trip (booked 1 week ahead) and got flights for $120 return. I agree if you have a large family it is more economical to drive but for us, having 4, it never is worth the few dollars we might save. You should probably price out what you would spend to drive and price out air and see what works better. On the AAA website there is a mileage calculator you can calculate how much it will cost you at todays current gas prices. There might be one on CAA but on the AAA you would have to choose as your starting city as the closest US city as your starting point (we would choose Buffalo)

 

[SydneyFalco]

I can see the advantages of either, but the tipper for me is the drive back. After the last two vacations I was spent and the plane ride was a chore.

 

[Thumper_ehhhhh]

I can see the advantages of either, but the tipper for me is the drive back. After the last two vacations I was spent and the plane ride was a chore.

Ahhhhhh on the way down the kids are all excited and jumpy. On the way back there tired and either rest or sleep. I find it enjoyable but thats me. If I could bring back all I want on a plane no extra cost I would prob take that but we like bringing to much stuff home lol.