Who drives to WDW

[dixipixi]

We always drive. We can make the trip in one day. Even with high gas prices, we can definitely drive cheaper than flying.

We like to stop in Destin on our way back for a night or two to have a little "vacation" after our vacation!!!

 

[mjperry]

I rather fly but if I would take a Bike to WDW if I had to. It's 12 hours from MS. but I would drive it right now I had a chance to go.

 

[ChicagoMommy2Two]

Well after doing the math a rental care and gas is cheaper for us than 4 plane tickets. Even if gas goes up. Plus Dh says that he LOVES to drive and wants to. I do like the idea of having a car while at Disney and not having to worry about transportation if we don't want to.

I think we will probally drive straight through on our way down and I will book a hotel after Atlanta on our way back.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

We often drive from Ontario, Canada. It depends on how many people are going (and what our finances look like!). When there are six or seven of us, it's cheaper to pack up the van and drive overnight than pay for all those plane tickets. We can usually start around dinner time, and be in Florida, or at least close to it, by the next evening, and the kids have slept through a good part of the drive. We check into a hotel, everyone has a good night's sleep, and then the next morning we drive the last bit to WDW.

I've also done it as the only driver with young kids in the car - it takes me about three days that way.

Teresa

 

[ekmom]

Even with $3 gas I can't fly 4 people down there as cheaply as I can drive. For the last 2 years I have paid around $300 per person for airline tickets and I think it cost me around $500 for a rental car for 9 days. I get around 25 miles per gallon and its around a 2500 mile round trip so about $300 in gas. I'm getting a hotel room on points on the way down so I only need to pay for one night of hotel on the way back.

 

[DaParkers]

I've driven from N.C. the last 2 years and it takes about 8 hours. My best friend drove from New Orleans last year and it took him 10 hours. It doesn't bother me because I've driven from N.O. to Ky, and N.O. to N.C. many times, so this 8 hours is not a big deal at all. Plus it's very scenic once you get to Fla. And the fact that my final destination is WDW makes it a lot more tolerable.

 

[creativeamanda]

We drive from Southeastern North Carolina--a 8 hour drive. We have a Ford Explorer, which gets at best 20 mpg, but right now for some reason has only getting 18 mpg. So we'll be getting tune-up, fuel injectors clean and all before we leave. We drive at night during the summer for several reasons:

1. Kids sleep. We don't but it's more important for the kids to be comfortable, anyway.

2. Car has to work less hard (air conditioning, etc) and therefore uses less gas.

I priced plane tickets for the five of us to go to WDW. The least expensive was $1200 and that is without us driving to Charlotte first (3 hours and about $100 round trip in gas). I've budgeted $400 for gas for WDW trip. We'll be driving, of course.

 

[Julie*]

We have driven down the past 3 times from Vermont and have really enjoyed it. We stay overnight one night on the way down but drive straight home at the end of the trip.
Our kids have been young so we've liked having our van with their strollers, car seats etc.
We both like to drive though and have found it's been a chance for our family to really enjoy each other's company. Of course it helps that our kids are great in the car and we both like to drive.

I imagine we'll start to fly as they get older as long as it's not too $$. Flights out of Vermont are usually not cheap and they are never direct to Orlando.

 

[tadamom]

We drive from Atlanta. I am hoping to maybe fly there sometime b/c it would just be soooo much quicker!!!!

 

[ChristaDeVil]

We'll be driving in April. It's only going to take 10 or so hours, and that's nothing for us. We love road trips, and we all of the technology that's easily accessible (dvd player, psp, game boy, etc.) we won't hear a peep out of the 7 year old unless he has to potty. I love the idea of having my car there, too!

 

[allaboard]

We drive from central PS each time because we save money that way. There are five of us, and we'd have to drive a few hours to get a plane, or pay more to fly out of State College, then get a rental or use ME. Anyway, we save just based on airfare alone. We enjoy the downtown the ride down gives us and the family time/memories someone else mentioned. We have our favorite two places to stay on the way as well. And, I don't have to do much of the driving ... lucky me.

 

[Promomx2]

We always drive from central virginia. Usually stop and stay overnite in Savannah or just recently we stay in Jacksonville. That way Husband can take the tour of the Budweiser factory and get his free beer. He's soo cute, like a kid in a candy store

 

[murphnjamie]

We are planning on driving this time. It is going to save us about $500. I have flown down and though I actually like to fly, I want to stay a full week this time and the budget calls for a cut somewhere.

We plan to drive down possibly staying the night in or around Macon, GA and then driving the last 5 hours to Orlando in the morning. That way we won't be completely exahusted when we get down there. And I have found several hotels, which are about $64-$75 with good reviews.

On the way back we may take our time and spend a couple of days seeing some stuff. We'll see how tired we are.

 

[loveladyntramp]

We drive from Northwest NJ. Usually 12 hours one day, we stop overnight in Santee SC. The next morning, it's 6 hours to Disney.
We leave in 79 days.

 

[Kumquatmelon]

We used to fly everytime we went. But, now since airfare is so high we have been driving the past 3 years. I used to hate driving and the flying aspect used to be a huge part of my vacations. But, driving has grew on me and we can take more with us. =)

 

[Juanaiguana]

We drove 13 hours from Illinois with a 14-month-old. I don't know how I'm still sane enough to be here writing this right now!

Plus, there is a small airport nearby that had $80 round trip, so it would have actually been CHEAPER to fly than it was to drive (esp. since we stopped at a hotel for ZZZs in Atlanta).

Next time we are FLYING for sure. But, we have driven there with our older two and it was not a problem at all. So maybe once baby is older it will be back to driving again!

 

[druidcat]

we stay in Jacksonville. That way Husband can take the tour of the Budweiser factory and get his free beer. :

What's this about free beer in Jacksonville...we're so there

 

[xXTinker_BellXx47]

We drive from Jacksonville, Florida about 3 hours away from Disney property.

 

[saxman]

We are two teachers from MS with a DS (5). We leave the Friday before Spring Break as soon as school is out and drive half of a 12 hr trip, stay the night and get to Disney by lunch on Saturday. Our Spring Break is early March so the crowds aren't too bad then.

 

[TSMAMI]

Anyone who drives from New York or New Jersey, do you bypass 1-95 through Washington?