what would you do?

[garberr]

Hey there. I have infant triplets (will be 7 months, 4 adjusted) and an almost 4 year old. We'll be traveling to disney next month with 4 adults total although only 2 from our location. We are trying to figure out if we fly or drive. All along we had decided to drive but now there is an airfare sale and we could go for $62 each. If we drive it will be about a 12 hour drive. We figured we'd leave early evening to get most of the driving done while all are asleep. We would however have to rent or borrow a very large vehicle. The obvious advantage of flying is the time factor. If we drove, we would have more freedom with what we bring as well as in transportation options at WDW. What would you do?

 

[flipflop]

I can't believe I am typing this but I would drive. Whew. I said it. I am very "flying" oriented but with infant triplets you are going to have a TON of gear and I think it will be easier to get that gear to WDW if you drive.

Two questions for clarification that may possible change my opinion, do you have to rent a car in order to drive down or you are talking about the car you will need to rent if you fly? Are you staying on property?

 

[garberr]

We are staying at the beach club on property and we would have to either rent or borrow a car for the drive. I drive a Pacifica right now and it already doesn't fit us sufficiently just for day to day use. If we fly, we probably won't rent a car.

 

[CastleCreations]

I was thinking the same thing... For the cost of all the airfares, you could rent something large, and take your time getting there, without having frazzled nerves.
If you left at like 3am, or 4 am...you would get there by bedtime, and that would give you like 4 extra hours to make stops, have lunch, let the toddler stretch his legs.

 

[flipflop]

Okay, that changes things. I would fly. You can use disney transportation and not rent a car. Keep in mind that you can always ship a package to BC before you leave or order things like diapers, wipes, formula from Garden Grocer. Either (or both) of those options will lighten up your packing. Would you hold the babies on laps on the plane or are you getting them each their own seat? If you are holding on laps, then I would leave the car seats home and put them in a double umbrella strollers that I would gate check.

Are you staying in the villas?

We recently upgraded size-wise from a Pilot to an Odyssey. We had the same issue with the Pilot you have with the Pacifica - okay for everyday for awhile but not an ideal car for the size of our family.

 

[Anthony1971]

I would have to say drive as well you never know how an Infant will react on a plane. You could have three sleeprs or three criers or somewhere in between...
The pacifica fits seven... You may be able to squeeze in the 4yo but luggage may be an issue... Or have some of the adults fly and meet you there...
I also think having the car to take the theme parks will be a good idea as you can turn around just in case....
But first I would make sure each adult has a stroller and knows how to use it....

 

[ampc3]

something to consider when flying (I used to work in reservations for an airline years ago so this might have changed)however at that time traveling with multiplies was always a problem for families b/c they didn't realize you can ONLY have one lap child per row b/c of the oxygen masks overhead. There is only one extra mask per row.
So either your babies would ALL need a seat or you would have to travel with an extra adult and all split up. So that there was only one lap child per row.
Most families had never thought of that or heard about that rule/faa regulation.

 

[Cruz91]

Pray. A lot. You'll have your hands full. I do, however, think it is AWESOME that you're not missing out on the magical age for your older child because of the new additions. For my two cents, the 2 to 4 year age range is the real wheelhouse for induction into the Disney way of life. At that age, there is still a lot of 'belief' in the magic.

DD is 5 now and starts K tomorrow. She's growing increasingly aware that they're all characters in costumes. Call me melencholy (or however the heck you spell it)

 

[fun4disney]

For less than $800 you could fly with everyone having a seat. That is what I would do if the kids were older, But I think that would be a pain for you. you need soo much with the babies, and draging 4 car seats threw the airport would be way too much, you would of course be able to take 12 check suitcases with you, but I still think that is a lot. You were already planning on driving, so I'd stick with that.

have a great trip!

 

[twinspluscade]

Hey there. I have infant triplets (will be 7 months, 4 adjusted) and an almost 4 year old. We'll be traveling to disney next month with 4 adults total although only 2 from our location. We are trying to figure out if we fly or drive. All along we had decided to drive but now there is an airfare sale and we could go for $62 each. If we drive it will be about a 12 hour drive. We figured we'd leave early evening to get most of the driving done while all are asleep. We would however have to rent or borrow a very large vehicle. The obvious advantage of flying is the time factor. If we drove, we would have more freedom with what we bring as well as in transportation options at WDW. What would you do?

I think I would drive, just because you will have to haul soooo much stuff and it will be way easier in a vehicle. Also--with just two adults on the plane, that means one of you would have to wrangle two babies, and one of you wrangle one baby plus the four year old. ALSO--just thought of this--since the flight is just a month off, won't it be hard to get seats all together? What if your 4 year old ends up having to sit alone?

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I would fly. People always talk about taking so much "stuff" with them. I don't get it. How much stuff do you need? Yes I have children (4 of them pretty close in age) and I am a pretty light packer. Ship down things like diapers and wipes and fly. I would not drive to WDW (or any long trip) if there was a flying option. Even if I had to be a lap child and sit on someone's lap!

 

[1Prince3Princesses]

I have GGGB quadruplets so I CAN relate. I live in PA and will ONLY fly to WDW. I could not even imagine being in the car for that many hours with all of them at any age. They just turned 4 and we will be going again next month from Sept.20th thru Oct.6. I never took them when they were that young though. When they were all still in diapers I packed all of my diapers/wipes and baby food. Although I only had 1 still eating baby food due to reflux and eating issues. Since we always fly it does make a big difference if you use a participating airline or not for the return. Since my husband never goes with, he drops us off with all of our luggage at the curb @ PHL. I use curbside check-in right there and get rid of all of my bags and get checked in. (We always park at the curb in the very back to try and stay out of everyone's way) Then I go and get my stroller and the kids out of my truck and we'd say good-bye to my husband. I only used a double stroller to because when they were that small, my son sat in the front since he is/was the biggest and I'd lay the back seat all the way down and my girls would sit in a row between eachother legs back there. It was me, and my disabled nephew who has CP, and 4 kids that just turned 2. All I had & needed was the stroller, the kids, and a LARGE diaper bag. You could easily fly with 2 adults and infant triplets with a 4 year old. For safety reasons, I would use a harness on the 4 year old. That is just my opinion though. My kids all wear the safety harness through the airport. I'd probably use the infant carriers that you wear for 1-2 of the infants since it would free up your hands too. It can be done. As a Mom of HOM you know how creative you have to be. Good Luck and have a great trip.

 

[twinspluscade]

I would fly. People always talk about taking so much "stuff" with them. I don't get it. How much stuff do you need? Yes I have children (4 of them pretty close in age) and I am a pretty light packer. Ship down things like diapers and wipes and fly. I would not drive to WDW (or any long trip) if there was a flying option. Even if I had to be a lap child and sit on someone's lap!

I'm a light packer too, but think of all the stuff she'd need for the plane alone:

With only two adults going, at least one car seat--and possibly three if they decide to get seats for all babies.

Either a triple stroller, or a double and a single for transporting babies around airport, plus they'll need strollers at WDW--and they are very expensive to ship--cost us over $75 to ship our triple stroller when someone bought it off ebay.

Bottles, formula, diapers, etc to last through the flight.

Not to mention, the three infants......

To me, it would just be way easier to drive......