When did you give in to driving over flying?

[molly2004]

You know, it's funny, but after reading through this thread I started thinking. 3 hrs on the plane, 2 hrs waiting to get on the plane, an hour to get to said airport to wait 2 hrs to fly for 3 hrs. So, a total of 6 hrs before we even get to WDW. Then, going home, 3 hrs waiting (DME, and then 2 hrs at MCO) 3 hrs on the plane, an hour going home....7 hrs. So a grand total of 13 hrs...just for travel. QUOTE]

My thoughts exactly! So when you look at it, comparing the time "door to door", flying doesn't even cut my travel time in half! Geez!

 

[sue1013]

I've done the drive twice never again! It takes 17-18 hrs from our house with no major traffic back up. Both times on the way back we were stuck on 95 sitting for about 2 hrs due to accidents. If we fly airport is 1/2 hour, get there 2 hrs ahead then flight is 2 hrs. Return ME 3hrs ahead 2 hrs for flight and 1/2 hour home. 10 hrs compared to 36 no question for me. Quite a few posters have mentioned hassles with flying as reason to drive. I'm curious what are the hassles?

 

[kydisneyfans]

My parents live in Ohio, 1000 miles from orlando, we live in KY, 850 miles from Orlando. We left at the same time for our trip 2 years ago. They flew, we drove. We could not check into the condo since it was in their name and we beat them to Orlando by about 30 minutes.

 

[FINFAN]

We do both...but ideally, any drive that can't be done in one day (15 hour max for us) justifies flying. We are about 20 hours away. When DH was job searching and open to anywhere in the country...when a prospect would come up we'd always check the atlas and see how far a drive to WDW would be from there! Seriously....because we prefer the flexibility of driving and the fact that we are not penalized a fee of we "cancel our drive" like canceling a flight. We do realize however, that we are not behind the wheel of the plane, so even thoo the airport can be a hassle, the actual flight is not stressful to us. Also, we do like at least 7 nights on a long distance trip, so if DH only has a week, we put the $ into the flight and go more budget on resort/food.


Pam

 

[Psymonds]

It's too far for us to drive to WDW, but we almost always drive to Disneyland. I wouldn't pay to fly to southern california, as it's a 6 hr drive to D'land from my house and it would take about that long to get to the airport, go through security, fly, get a car and get from the airport to d'land.

We've been able to get up in the morning (very early) miss all the traffic and make it to D'land for opening, and we live outside of san francisco. it's tempting every morning just to get on the freeway and go... call into work on the way.

 

[sakura-panda]

We flew the last time when it was just DH and I, but now there are five of us (toddler ds and my parents) so we are driving. I'm renting a car, so no wear-and-tear on my vehicle, and I'm saved the trouble of what do to about the car seat and stroller. Grandma has no patience for waiting, and even though I could get non-stop down, the best I could do coming back was a two-hour layover -- with a toddler, a hyperactive Grandma and a grumpy doesn't-like-crowds-or-waiting Grandpa? I don't think so.

Cost-wise, I think it will be almost the same, maybe slightly less, with hotel rooms, gas, and those extra touristy stops we will be making along the way.

--Katie