When would you come home?

[labst60]

I have a little dilemma maybe some of you can help me with. I wasn't sure which board to post this on - it is sort of a transportation question, sort of a budget question, but I think mostly, a "family" related one, so here it goes:

Currently we are flying to WDW on Wednesday 5/16 (arriving around 2:45PM) and will be staying at the Swan for 4 nights, checking into the BWV on Sunday and I have reservations up through and including Thursday night (check out Friday). Our flights would arrive back in Philly at 2:45PM - but this is the FRIDAY BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY!

I HATE traffic and congestion, especially when I am tired and/or sick, and given that I will be 24 weeks pregnant and have felt pretty lousy up to this point (not horrible, but the thought of driving to the airport, waiting for the plane, flying, trecking through another airport, getting our bags, gettting to the car, AND THEN sitting in memorial day traffic on 95 South does NOT sound like a fun end to a vacation!) Without traffic, we live less than 45 minutes from the airport (and not a whole lot of it is on 95), but I would have no idea what to expect that day! If our flights get in (on time) at 2:45, best case scenario is that we'd hit the road at around 3:30 (BEST CASE!)

SO... I also made a return flight for Thursday (same time), which happened to be a total of $30 less - plus we'd save about $30 on the rental car (park tickets are probably not an issue since I think we'll get annual passes.) However, I would still have to cancel the last night of our BWV reservation and either eat the 11-12 points or try to transfer them on the rent/trade board (our banking window is over and they will need to be used by 5/31/07, so I doubt people would be jumping all overthemselves to get them.) So, I might take a loss there... and as much as I think it would be "easier" to fly home Thursday, I'm afraid I'll be sorry once we're down there (does it really make sense to give up a whole day for the Friday traffic???)

Oh boy - this has gotten long - anyway - any thoughts or advise guys?

 

[Princess Roo]

I would say to post those points on the board and see if you get any interest (I would think at $9/point they would get snatched right up, even with the short deadline - maybe even $10.)

OR

Is there anything to do at/around the airport that you could do until 7PM or so and then head home? I forgot to check the ages of your children if you have them in your sig, but my DS LOVES the airport and would be thrilled to walk around and look at planes and go to eat, etc.

I would hate to cut my vacation short, but I would also hate to end it on a bad note if you are really dreading the traffic. Tough choice...

 

[Ratpack]

If it were me, I would possibly look at a flight out on Saturday morning and just find a nice hotel stay one more night in Orlando. Then use Friday as a real down day to relax and rest, the additional cost may be worth it.

Another option it to look real hard for alternative routes that would avoid I-95 or possibly get an earlier or later flight.

 

[Hannathy]

I'm really surprised you made a reservation to fly into Philly during rush hour if you hate traffic so much. ANY day from 3:30 to 6 is bad traffic on 95 let alone a Friday before a holiday.

I vote for extending your vacation a day till Sat. that would avoid the 95 traffic altogether. You aren't down there very long as it is to cut a whole day off the trip would hardly make it worth while. Especially because you can never count on getting there exactly when you are scheduled so you may loose time also on that end.

Of course even if Traffic is bumper to bumper on 95 you are only talking about adding tops an hour to a 45 minute trip, is an hour worth loosing a whole day at Disney?

 

[labst60]

Hi everyone - thanks for your input!

We normally return home on a Saturday or Sunday, so when I originally made the reservations, I was more concerned with not waking up too early, having time to pack, but not ENOUGH time that we get caught up doing something and end up running late for the airport (as always seems to happen!) So, leaving Orlando around noon sounded perfect (whenever we try to get the last trip to the pool in - for a 2 - 4 PM departure, it always ends up a disaster!) I never even originally thought about what we were going to face once we arrived in Philly!

I have thought about trying to extend another day, but wasn't able to get a room at the Boardwalk for that Friday, so we'd have to move AGAIN - 3 hotels in 10 nights seemed like a little much to me - I think I'd rather it be only an 8 night vacation or sit in the traffic on Friday for it to be 9 nights. I still don't know exactly what I want to do - but the additional opinions/points of view are very helpful - thank you!!!

 

[Hannathy]

I misread your days and was thinking you only were there for 4 days! duh, I need more coffee. I still would just stick with the original plan. Having driven on 95 for years even if it is crowded an extra hour of traffic isn't worth changing your whole trip.