To fly or drive, that is the question...

[todzwife]

A friend of mine is going to disneyLAND, but the question is applicable for any situation.

Here are the options:

3 hour drive to the airport, check in and get situated with 3 children and her husband. (6 month old, 4 YO and 7 YO (or 8 I can't remember). Fly from Albuquerque to LAX (about 2-3 hour flight). Get rental car (or do Disney Express) to get to DL. Total time would be approx 8-9 hours done in 1 day.

OR

Drive from NM to California, taking breaks along the way. Car packed full to the gills. Kids do well in the car, but 6 MO needs to nurse every 3-4 hours. Older child could give a bottle in an emergency. Travel would be spread out over approx 3 days (4 hour, 3 hour, 6 hour because that's where they have free places to stay).
Total time traveling would be about 13-15 hours in the car depending on how long the stops on the road are. 3 days of travel. Time off from work is the same if they fly or drive (travel Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, do Disney Mon-Thurs and travel home Fri-Sun)

Cost difference is approx $600-$800 more to fly. Time saved in the car/plane would be about 5-7 hours.

Suggestions?

 

[NU2WDW]

For a 13-15 hr drive, I think I'd be looking at any and all ways to do it in one fell swoop or make it no more than 2 days. JMHO. Of course I don't know their exact situation, but I don't think I'd be willing to take 3 days for the trip. Possibly an overnight (can they skip the first 4-hr free stop?). The 4 & 7 yr olds should be okay with that. Even the 6 mo. old, who may sleep a lot more than usual while driving.

 

[carj]

We are planning to drive from North Texas to Disneyland. I have to say that if they drive, I like their plan of stopping more. We are about 20 hours and are breaking up ours into 6 hour, 9 hours, 6 hours. The first day we are leaving in the late afternoon. Our kids are 8 and 5 and even though they travel fairly well, we are not going to try to do the trip in 2 days.

I don't think that I would make that kind of a road trip with a 6 month old but that is just me.My children hated, hated, hated being in the car for long periods of time. It would have been a miserable trip. Maybe their baby travels better??

I would also really check into the price of a car rental. That is one of the reasons that we are driving. The cost of flight, plus rental car pushed it beyond my comfort level.

So... in exactly 2 months, we will be 1/3 of the way to DLR right now. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[adventure_woman]

We are going to be driving from MI to FL w/ my DD2 (about 20 hr drive). We'll see how it goes. BUT, we'll be leaving at around 1am, so ideally she will sleep from 1am-7am, which gives us 6 free hours. We go to bed early and then get up and drive. We'll drive until about 6pm, stop and then get up at 6am and be at Disney by 10am. It works out really well to try to do it while most of them sleep (if possible).

 

[chesterpdt186]

choosing driving is less about being bored, then about your endurance level.
Questions:
1. how long can you drive without getting pains in your legs.
2. Is someone avaialbe to drive as well, so you can switch.
3. Does anyone get car sick easily

For you nursing is an added issue. plus you dont know how the infant will do on the plane. (have a 7month old myself)

I would suggest to you if you vehicle is big enough, to drive. If you dont have a dvd player get one, this will help when the kids are awake. You may need to have the older child ride in the front seat for awhile (hr or so at atime so you can handle the infant).
I would try your best to get as much driving done as possible. Switch up drivers when possible.
do 7hrs to first day and skip the free stop. If its a relative and you want to visit. Ok make this a lunch stop.
Then you should hit the next stop by dinner time, Try and have a daybag for you and the kids so you dont have to unload the entire car.

On the 2nd day, hopefully you should only have to feed once on the road (feed before you leave). I would use bottle for the road. More convienent.

so.
Leave Saturday Morning:
travel sat,sun.
dis mon-fri =)
leave sat morning
travel sat,sun. with enought time to unload for work monday =)


Hope this helps.