To drive or to fly, that is the question!

[harleyquinn]

Okay, I swear this is the last thread I'm going to start about my transportation issues!

After fretting about airfare to my DF (Stupid, stupid, stupid, I should have just kept it to myself) he now has it in his head that we should drive from Cleveland.

Okay here are the facts:
we will not drive at all while at WDW, we use the buses;

I figured with gas/lodging/tolls/food it would cost about $320 to drive(which depends on gas prices); It will cost $525 to fly w/transfers;

We both do enjoy road trips and I'd like to try the route before we have kids;

it is our honeymoon so we will be tired after all that excitement and DF wants to leave at like 5am the next morning

So what do you all think?
Thanks for listening (reading?)

 

[palmtreegirl]

Originally posted by harleyquinn
Okay, I swear this is the last thread I'm going to start about my transportation issues!

After fretting about airfare to my DF (Stupid, stupid, stupid, I should have just kept it to myself) he now has it in his head that we should drive from Cleveland.

Okay here are the facts:
we will not drive at all while at WDW, we use the buses;

I figured with gas/lodging/tolls/food it would cost about $320 to drive(which depends on gas prices); It will cost $525 to fly w/transfers;

We both do enjoy road trips and I'd like to try the route before we have kids;

it is our honeymoon so we will be tired after all that excitement and DF wants to leave at like 5am the next morning

So what do you all think?
Thanks for listening (reading?)

We have done both and since it's your honeymoon I say treat yourself and fly! Once you have kids you might not have the option anymore, it gets expensive buying the extra tickets, trust me. You'll be tired from all the excitment of the wedding and this way you can rest up and be ready for all the fun you're going to have!

We also honeymooned at WDW it was the best, have fun and Congratulations!

 

[safetymom]

Fly. It is your honeymoon. How many days or hours would it take to drive? It would only be less than 4-5 probably to fly. Treat yourselves.

 

[tinaluis]

Since the cost difference is so little, I'd fly. Like someone else said, by the time you have kids it will be a little more expensive and you may have to drive. We just returned from a 23 hour drive from Chicago and we chose to drive because the air tickets for all 5 of us (2 adults, 3 kids) and rental car for two weeks were up around $1500. We were able to drive down for amout $230 in gas, $80 for hotels on the road both ways and a $100 check-up for our van which included a tune-up, oil change and alignment. It was a no-brainer for us but if the cost difference were only about $200 as in your case, we'd fly. Good luck with you decision.

 

[harleyquinn]

Thanks!

I'll try to talk DF into flying, but now he's got his heart set on driving. I keep telling him that with all the wear and tear to the car it's really worth the extra $ to fly, but he told me something I never suspected...he really hates to fly! He has this weird notion that he's meant to die in a plane some day

BTW we're coming from Ohio so it's about 20 hours.

Thanks for responding!

 

[palmtreegirl]

Originally posted by harleyquinn
Thanks!

I'll try to talk DF into flying, but now he's got his heart set on driving. I keep telling him that with all the wear and tear to the car it's really worth the extra $ to fly, but he told me something I never suspected...he really hates to fly! He has this weird notion that he's meant to die in a plane some day

BTW we're coming from Ohio so it's about 20 hours.

Thanks for responding!

I have a pretty serious fear of flying and I did this program on the internet set up by an actual pilot and I was able to fly this past Feb. It's a really great free program that explains everything from how a plane actually flys to all the little noises you'll hear on route. Helped me tons! He might want to give it a try!


Fear of flying help

 

[dpayne1969]

we are in the same boat as you are.We have 4 in our party but we would have to rent a car for a week which would be around 250-300.00 for a blazer.Then you have gas prices and then hotel for on the way up and on the way back plus tolls.We are about 23 hours from Orlando.I am waiting for prices for airfare to drop to about 200.00 r/t pp.This would probably be about the same but if we cant get the tickets for that price we will probably have to drive unless i make them eat beans and cornbread for a month and skimp on groceries.LOL
If it was my honeymoon i would fly definately!!Go for it and enjoy your selves.

 

[harleyquinn]

Thanks palmtreegirl that sounds great!

I'm thinking about hinting to my parents that buying at least one of our tickets would help us out (We are paying for the wedding all by ourselves) If we spring a gift flight on him I think he'll go for flying.

He's not super afraid, we did fly in August. It was my first flight experience so I think he concentrated on telling me not to be afraid and I didn't realise he was the one who was more afraid!

 

[TinkHappy]

We are in the same boat as you...our cost to drive in $400.00 cheaper. We are driving.

Just a story...When my husband and I decided to get married, I lived in CA and he lived in CT, after much discusion, we decided that living in CT would be a better choice for our future...anyway, we drove from CA to CT and it was LOOONG, but it was one of the greatest trips I will never forget. We talked the whole way and the time flew by. So now, we just enjoy driving (even with the kids)

 

[harleyquinn]

Thanks Tink.

My DF and I took a shorter road trip a few years ago (about 10 hours) and we had a blast.

I think as long as we take it easy and don't drive too long without breaks that we may have a really good time driving.

As you can see each way has pluses and minuses and since I'm kinda torn I think I should let DF have his way. And if I hate it I can say its all his fault

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

2 hours vs 20 hrs...................no comparison.............fly.

 

[harleyquinn]

Nick
I wish my fiance was as easy to convince as you.

It's alwats all about the money for him...and now we've thrown in the afraid of flying thing.

 

[garylpn]

i'd fly, i've driven our camper to fw from eastern long island ny, 3 times while dw has flown to save vacation time, 95 is most dangerous, boring road in us, imo,
and this from 22 yr police, looking at the world through a windsheild
got to fly for convention at cs april 03 and it was so nice, got on plane 1100 hrs, landed orlando, walked down to luggage, met by towncar driver, checked in to cs and headed for pool by 1500
headed down in may, ofered dw choice of drive w/stop for 2 days to tourist in charleston, or fly and do 3 nights at portofino bay at universal followed by 6 at bcv
she is not fond of landings and takeofffs and she chose flight, you just can't beat the time savings, thus maximizing precious vacation time
btw, we honeymooned in 89 at polynesian, that started the wdw obsession for us
gary
a son of a son of a sailor

 

[georgina]

The drive down 77 through West Virginia, VA, NC, and SC is actually very pretty. Once you hit 95, it gets more crowded, but the drive is not that bad. We fly if we are staying a week or less. We have driven when we take our camper and stay a couple of weeks.

 

[Goof]

Cast my vote for flying!

I want my family to be totally relaxed when they arrive in Orlando. We have driven in past years with children and can't seem to force ourselves to do it again even though the cost factor is much less. You are in the air only a few hours and you're there, much more relaxed and excited

 

[HaleyB]

Looks like we are no help here, as I think it is about a 50/50 split on drive or fly. We like to drive. My DH hates to fly too, and I would rather drive than fly with the kids.

When we got married we moved cross country (California to North Atlantic Canada, actually) right afterwards, and it was a great drive. We had a blast and never really ran out of things to talk about. I think we had a girl's name picked out by the end of that trip... 3 years later we got to use it!

Which ever you do, good luck and enjoy. We went to WDW on a belated honeymoon (two kids worth of belated). It was wonderful.

 

[harleyquinn]

Thanks everyone!

I think I'm resigned to driving, DF really wants to. Now I just have to figure the best route from Cleveland.

Thanks Again!!!