Rhode Island Folks

[XQIXX]

Do you drive straight through or do you stay some where overnight? How many nights?

How many days to stay in WDW for when you drive?

Is the drive home miserable?

I'm thinking about doing this when my kids are older so would like to know others peoples experiences. Thanks

I always swore I would never do teh drive but if the airfare for April is $800 per person round trip, I will have to do it!

 

[chepic]

Do you drive straight through or do you stay some where overnight? How many nights?

How many days to stay in WDW for when you drive?

Is the drive home miserable?

I'm thinking about doing this when my kids are older so would like to know others peoples experiences. Thanks

We have done the drive multiple times, so this is what we do. We pull out of Warwick at 3:00 am. We drive until the kids are fully up around 7:00 and stop at the first rest stop that has a bathroom. We then drive 95 south and stop every 2 to 2 1/2 hours for a 15 minute potty and walking break. We stop about 1-2 hours south of South of the Border at a reasonable hotel. We get up the next day, eat breakfast and hit the road by 9:00am. We arrive in OKW by 2:00 on Sunday. We stay until Saturday, and then my husband insists on driving straight through home which takes about 22 hours with the same stopping pattern. We leave Disney around 6:00am.

We pack a full cooler of food, and most of the things we will need at the resort. The boys have a back pack each of whatever they can fit and then I also have a DVD player, books, car games, cd's, an I-pod, and the 2 leapsters. Our boys are now 4 and 8, and we must be lucky because they both travel really well.

Financially it is a no brainer to drive versus the flights now. It also allows us to go every year.

Just make certain it is a comfortable car!!

Cheryl

 

[chepic]

I always swore I would never do teh drive but if the airfare for April is $800 per person round trip, I will have to do it!

We'll have to have a small chuck wagon on the way down!!! That would be fun!!! Get ourselves hooked up with some CB's and jabberjaw all the way down to keep the drive short!

Cheryl

 

[RLRDA]

chepic, you are brave . I would be open to trying to drive to WDW, my DH will not do it - actually he said he'll NEVER do it. You seem like you have it down to a science but it sounds like if I tried it, it would be stressful. Especially the part about leaving for the return trip home at 6am! We drove to Baltimore last summer and in took 7+ hours. Guess what, this year we flew! So, if I can't stand a 7 hour drive - 22 hours is out of the question for me, I guess. It would be nice if flying were cheaper though

 

[chepic]

chepic, you are brave . I would be open to trying to drive to WDW, my DH will not do it - actually he said he'll NEVER do it. You seem like you have it down to a science but it sounds like if I tried it, it would be stressful. Especially the part about leaving for the return trip home at 6am! We drove to Baltimore last summer and in took 7+ hours. Guess what, this year we flew! So, if I can't stand a 7 hour drive - 22 hours is out of the question for me, I guess. It would be nice if flying were cheaper though

We went in March 2009 and drove with Dave fighting it up to the day we left. He spent more time on Southwest to watch the flights than his facebook page... This was our 5th time driving it, so he really wanted to fly. But ultimately it really isn't so bad, and the money can be used in so many other ways.

cheryl

 

[XQIXX]

What does the total come to for gas and a nite stay?

 

[JasonDVC]

Just double checked AirTran out of Boston and it is still $89 each way on our travel dates. I would like to use Southwest out of PVD but if AirTran is cheaper then I will switch to Boston.

Here's to waiting for low Southwest fares on October 13th

 

[Cheryl726]

Good luck Jason!! I prefer Southwest from Prov too, but for that price Boston may be worth it.

 

[Goofy442]

Do you drive straight through or do you stay some where overnight? How many nights?

How many days to stay in WDW for when you drive?

Is the drive home miserable?

I'm thinking about doing this when my kids are older so would like to know others peoples experiences. Thanks

We have done this many times and it's not bad going down if you don't hit traffic. I like to fly and my DH likes to drive. We just came back in August and we drove down and it took us 30 hours to get down there which I thought I was going to lose my mind. But everyone faired well including the puppy. If your going to be down there for awhile we drive. I don't want to be with out a car for three weeks and not be able to run out to the store if I need something.

 

[chepic]

What does the total come to for gas and a nite stay?

It was just a tad over $400.00 for the gas, 1 hotel night, and dinner that night. We have a Saturn Vue/5 speed so we get good mileage. This is versus $200/ticket x 4 tickets plus renting a car for the week. We prefer having a vehicle to drive to places when we are there....can't stand taking the bus to DTD, and the boats aren't always available. Dave does the math, but he doesn't like it....

Cheryl

 

[XQIXX]

I miss the $99 round trip Southwest airfares.
I just don't think I could drive that far....I am from RI so 1 hour is far!!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I miss the $99 round trip Southwest airfares.
I just don't think I could drive that far....I am from RI so 1 hour is far!!

Ah...a true RIer!

We drove down once, and I will never do it again in the same way. That is, we didn't stay in a hotel either way.

This was over April vacation 2 1/2 years ago. Our oldest was away at college, our middle DD was a Jr in HS and going to Spain with her class, and our DS was in 8th grade and going to the UK with his soccer team. We debated (but not for long) about whether to paint the house that week, or go to WDW...a no brainer!

We ended up driving because we couldn't get good airfare. The days were so specific that we could travel because of when the kids were leaving and returning (normally, we travel in the middle of the week for better fares on SWA). So we decided to drive.

I told DH to get some good CDs to listen to. Found out shortly after departure that he had gotten a 30 hour Physics class on CD! Actually, I found myself paying attention and it was rather interesting, altho I personally would have chosen something with some MUSIC.

Left northern RI at about 9:30 AM on a Saturday, stopped 3 times along the way to eat and take potty breaks, and arrived at OKW at 7:00 Sunday morning. We took turns, but DH did the majority of the driving. Our room was ready (yay!) so we checked in, showered, and were outside the gates of EPCOT at 8:45 AM. We marveled all day how much energy we had, but we were back in our room at 4:55 PM and in bed and asleep by 5 PM! And we slept through to the next morning. (Originally we thought we'd sleep a few hours and then go back to EPCOT for Illuminations. )

We left at about noon on Friday to come home, and arrived home at about 10 AM Saturday I think. (Not really sure, but I remember eating at Earl of Sandwich Friday.) I did more driving this time...one stretch of 8 hours. We stopped 3 times on the way back, same as on the way down. (Sometimes I can't get through a soccer game without needing a bathroom; how I managed so few breaks on that trip...) Then I slept and slept and slept!

Having said all that...I'd never do it again. At least not without more drivers. I worried too much about fatigue. And besides, I wouldn't mind staying in a lovely hotel along the way.

 

[Monte Cristo]

We always fly, but I'd love to drive it once just to try it...

 

[chepic]

I miss the $99 round trip Southwest airfares.
I just don't think I could drive that far....I am from RI so 1 hour is far!!

My husband was that way; when we were first married he wouldn't leave Warwick to eat in a Providence Restaurant!!!!!!!!!! I have changed him. I am a RIer but I really don't mind driving somewhere, as long as I am the passenger.

Just went on Priceline....cheepest flight $332 per person....YUP, we are driving.

 

[XQIXX]

My husband was that way; when we were first married he wouldn't leave Warwick to eat in a Providence Restaurant!!!!!!!!!! I have changed him. I am a RIer but I really don't mind driving somewhere, as long as I am the passenger.

Just went on Priceline....cheepest flight $332 per person....YUP, we are driving.

I figured that Easter was early and our school vavcation was different that other states(I think??) I was able to get Beach Club April 16-20th and Wilderness Lodge 20th -24th so I was thinking this would be a fairly low crowd for April and airfare would be lower but I guess that was wishfull thinking. I guess I will have to wait and see but driving may be the only way...or train???

 

[chepic]

I figured that Easter was early and our school vavcation was different that other states(I think??) I was able to get Beach Club April 16-20th and Wilderness Lodge 20th -24th so I was thinking this would be a fairly low crowd for April and airfare would be lower but I guess that was wishfull thinking. I guess I will have to wait and see but driving may be the only way...or train???

I was thinking the same thing too, that is why I booked the April vacation. I found some link on this board to show when Floridians have vacation, and there were only 2 counties with the same week.

I didn't look recently, however I remember looking once and the train was about the same amount of money as flying, and it still took close to the same amount of time as driving so we never persued it further. I should look now and see if there is a difference.

che

 

[tara98]

Johnston, RI!

Members since 2006! WE love IT! Leaving in 6 days for BLT! We own at SSR, which we love also, but traveling this time with our new DD, 16 months and thought being closer to MK would be a little easier!

 

[Goofy442]

Okay when we have weather like this I am so ready to move to Florida.

 

[Cheryl726]

Thank goodness for the Disboards to give us something to do on this rainy day!!

 

[chepic]

Okay when we have weather like this I am so ready to move to Florida.