to drive or not to drive

[Sandi12404]

We live in NW Pennsylvania and are debating if we should fly or drive. I think it would save us a lot of money driving but it takes apx 18 hours to get there. Our daughters will be 4 and 10 when we go and both are very good travelers. We would probably drive all night switching off when we got tired. Does anyone know apx how much we would spend on gas and tolls to get to Florida. We have a Town and Country van. I'm just looking for an estimate. It would cost us about $1000 for all of us to fly and I'm thinking the long drive might be worth the smaller expense.

 

[MidgeD79]

There is a site that can calculate your mileage, buti don't have a link. When we drive our mini-van from Michigan we spend less than $300 in gas. For 4-6 of us (including an extra $100 for food/hotel) it's cheaper to drive than fly. I like the option of having our own car.

 

[dsnymomof4]

We've driven from Central NJ twice and both times it was roughly $300 for gas/tolls. Because there are 6 of us, it generally is cheaper to drive if we cannot get really good airfare. However, given the choice, I would much rather fly anyday! That drive is rough - especially through Virginia and the Carolinas where it is nothing but highway, a long, long, long highway (did I mention how long it is?) The drive home is much worse because your trip is over and you are not excited like you are on the drive down. So, I guess what I'm saying is, if you can afford to fly, I would definitely recommend flying, but if that monetary savings is crucial, then go ahead and drive. Either way, have a great trip!

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

We live in NW Pennsylvania and are debating if we should fly or drive. I think it would save us a lot of money driving but it takes apx 18 hours to get there. Our daughters will be 4 and 10 when we go and both are very good travelers. We would probably drive all night switching off when we got tired. Does anyone know apx how much we would spend on gas and tolls to get to Florida. We have a Town and Country van. I'm just looking for an estimate. It would cost us about $1000 for all of us to fly and I'm thinking the long drive might be worth the smaller expense.

Sandi-

Drive up to Buffalo and fly SW. I have gotten round trip as low as $103 per person, this trip is the highest I have paid and it was $135 pp round trip!!! Long term parking at the BUF airport is $39 or $40 per week, and there is a coupon for 10% off on their website!!!

 

[A&CsMom]

On the website that estimates the cost of gas, our Dodge Caravan came up at $323 return for gas from Buffalo to Orlando. We drive from Ontario to Orlando every year (22 hours) and we enjoy it. The kids each have their own portable DVD player (they are so cheap now) and we have no problems. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Kae]

On the website that estimates the cost of gas, our Dodge Caravan came up at $323 return for gas from Buffalo to Orlando.

I would like to know what the web site is please. We are doing the same thinking right now.

Kae

 

[buzz2400]

website to calculate gas:
http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com/

website for tolls on I-95
http://www.usastar.com/i95/homepage.htm

We drove from CT to FL in a minivan. This is where I got gas and how much:
fairfield, ct $35.10
Maryland $30.30
North Carolina $31.45
Georgia $29.75
Orlando $37.55
Georgia $30.30
North Carolina $31.40
New Jersey $14.00
Fill up again in Fairfield, CT $22.25
Total 262.10. This was year before.
Have to also account for two night stays (coming and going) at hotel
and also toll money.

Flying, I have to account for leaving car at home airport, car rental in orlando, and airfare.

It is a long drive but if you have two drivers, it is not that bad. I drove with my ds who does not drive.

 

[Kae]

Thanks.

Kae

 

[POOHLUV69]

We Live In Pittsburgh,pa Neighbor. We Are Planning A Trip For June And Will Drive. We Drive Straight Through Taking Turns Driving. It Will Cost About $325.00 For Gas/tolls. We Leave In The Evening And Drive All Night. We Have Done This Several Times And It Seems To Work For Us. Hope This Helps.

 

[SAKPEG99OKW]

Hello neighbor. We live in allentown and have driven and flown. The drive was not bad at all, I like to drive. But we did not drive straight thru. We stayed over in savannah, GA going down and NC coming home. We just got airfare this sunday for a trip we are taking in two weeks. We are flying southwest out of PHL for 351.00 for three of us. This beats driving, I don't care how you add it up. To be in FL in two hours and twenty min is amazing. With all that being said, I still love the drive too. Have fun.

Scott

 

[POOHLUV69]

Hi Neighbor,
Flying Isn't Out Of The Question. Southwest Hasn't Posted Flights For June Yet. If Something Good Comes Out, I Might Be Able To Convince Dh To Fly.

 

[Flyin2MCO]

fly

 

[toystorymom]

We have driven several times from MA, about 22 hours. This past summer we spent about $500 total - gas, tolls, quick meal stops, and an overnight stop each way. We're a family of 5, so for us it is much cheaper than flying, plus we have our car when we get there. The kids travel very well, and they think it is cool that they have been to (or at least through) so many states.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

We're from NW Pa too. I thought it was a longer drive than 18 hrs., but maybe that was with stopping. We've debated the fly/drive, but we would have to stop at a hotel. We just get too tired. Also, we like to stay at Disney hotels and don't need to rent a car. I would wait for SW, and don't forget about checking Cleveland along with Pittsburgh. Someone posted here a while back that Cleveland was often cheaper for them.

 

[mom2my3kids]

We have never flown as a family, my husband has flown lots because he goes to bowling tournaments in Reno,corpus christ, and back to Reno this year. He says its the way to go, so this year we are going fly instead of 17 hours in a car and spending the night somewhere. It will equal out if I get decent rates for a family of 5. The only thing is we wont have a car when we are at Disney world, but I think we can handle it.Now next year we will be going to the beach in June and we will be driving so we will have a car for the two weeks we are there. I won't lie, I am scared to fly but I can do it. Its just a 2 hour flight from Indy compared to 17 hours stuffed in a car.

 

[LauraAnn630]

We drove from cleveland for the first time. We planned to drive straight through. We were exhausted! We had to stop and sleep for a few hours.
It took us 26 hours. We ended up stopping more than we planned.
It was nice having a car in Disney. We will never drive again. We drove through the mountains at night. I didnt like that. Even though we were all driving good vehicals, I worried someone would have trouble. Thank God no one did.

Next time we will fly and rent a car on the days we need one.

We were tired and dreded the long drive home. I really hate to fly. Now that we drove the long drive...I dont mind flying! lol

 

[taximomfor4]

We're from NW Pa too. I thought it was a longer drive than 18 hrs., but maybe that was with stopping. We've debated the fly/drive, but we would have to stop at a hotel. We just get too tired. Also, we like to stay at Disney hotels and don't need to rent a car. I would wait for SW, and don't forget about checking Cleveland along with Pittsburgh. Someone posted here a while back that Cleveland was often cheaper for them.

I live near Cleveland, and usuaslly SWA is cheaper out of Pittsburgh for us...but Continental is often cheaper out of Cleveland (can get down to $200 pp after taxes).

That said, we tend to drive because we are a family of 6. Even at $130 pp for plane tickets, that is twice as much as driving costs!

We thought we would stop more than we did, driving straight through with 4 little kids -- and ended up arriving at our hotel at 2:30am!! OOPS! Only took us about 18 hours...and we live aboiut 10 minutes from any freeways, as far north as we can be (we can see Lake Erie).

We find that the drive home goes super easily, because we are all still buzzing a bit with relaxation. I barely remember the drive home!


Beth

 

[kydisneyfans]

We used to travel from the Canton, OH area to Disney yearly-exactly 1,000 miles doorstep to doorstep. We budgeted 16 hours, the range was 14 to 17. From NW PA you would want to take 79-77-26-95-4. The only tolls are the WV turnpike-it used to be 3 tolls of 1.25 each. It may be higher now. The drive is scenic once out of Ohio. Traffic is light except for Charlotte and Jacksonville. Gas along this route always seemed cheap in spots. I would not see more than 250 in gas and tolls from NW PA in a van.

My parents now fly out of Akron Canton via Airtran for as low as 49 each way-that may be something to look at if you want to fly.

 

[Darcy03231]

We live in Southern NH and the only way I'll go is to fly (we're a family of 6). Although my kids travel well, I don't. After about 6-7 hours in the car I'm miserable. Luckily we've never paid more than $200/pp to fly and most times its around $150/pp. For me that worth it just in the aggravation factor.

 

[Andy B]

I am from the UK where the distances you are contemplating just would not be possible. Assuming you do drive how tired will you be on your first day there or back swapping driving every couple of hours and dozing between shifts?

You say you children are good travellers but what is the maximum trip so far. 18 hours is a long time and value is not always about bottom line cost.