Will higher travel costs affect your travel plans?

[simzac]

We can only afford one week per year for WDW, and I don't want to spend 2+ days of it driving, so flying is our only option. Will just bite the bullitt and pay whatever SW charges for 4 RT tickets from Indy to Orlando each January.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I just asked DH this question at dinner. In '04 we booked just a Saturday/Sunday stay in October at OKW (which we both think of as just about the best 2 days/nights we've ever spent) because we got 2 plane tickets @less than $150 each. Now, the fares are closer to $300 each, and I said that I guess that's the end of those sort of trips. He says we could still manage them, I'm not so sure.

Bobbi

 

[prez65]

Living in NYC and having 3 major airports right here, we always Fly. I just got air of $89 (one way) it's just not worth it to drive to us and there are 4 of us.

Mary Anne, Where did you find those prices? are they non stop? I have been looking at Jet Blue prices which have always been the lowest and can not find flights for the end of June at under 180 each way. Unless I want to leave disney at 6am or 10pm....Let me know the details if you read this....Thanks

 

[Jen D]

We don't own a car so to drive it we'd have to rent one. That's actually exactly what we do when we visit relatives in Cincinnati--- an 11 hour drive. Still cheaper than flying four to Cincy (not cheap from NYC.)

But driving to WDW is a different story. Everyone in our family would be miserable on a drive of that length. I'm going to miss the low airfare of the past but NYC remains a competitive market for airfare so I'll keep fingers crossed. We paid $250 rt for out tix next February 2007, which is a high for us (we once paid $105 RT) but it is President's Week and I think we did quite well.

If we visit HH, which is about 13 hours, we will rent a car and drive. We would have to rent a car when we got there anyway.

 

[TAKitty]

I think that we won't be able to take as many smaller trips with the airfare increasing. I usually pay 108-120 roundtrip. Now those same flights are between 150-207. I just can't bring myself to pay over 200 for air.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Nope.

 

[ACDSNY]

Flying is our only option since it would take over 42 hours to drive the 2,896.90 miles I don't think I could handle that.

I was crazy enough to purchase our airline tickets for our Oct trip last Dec 28th since they were $210 RT SMF-MCO. Expedia had the rate only for a short time and I haven't seen it come close since. $330 was the cheapest we've ever gotten before.

 

[brivers222]

Still driving 20 Hours from Detroit, MI in May... As expensive as gas is getting, $250 for round trip fuel with 4 people is not bad at all. Still doesn't come close to the price of four airline tickets! NOt to mention having to purchase a rental car and then gas ontop of that.

 

[sssteele]

I'm waiting to see what Southwest and Airtran have available for December(nonstop from Baltimore). There are very few non-stop flights posted by other airlines, and no reasonable fares in sight. We (wife and I) will pay up to $300 each RT, but that's a lot more than our $200 we paid for June tickets. I may consider driving, but we would be leaving at 3:00 in the afternoon for a 1000 mile journey. I can't get off of work (teacher), and we need 20 hours to get there. Check-in is the 23rd. I can't imagine driving straight through, but it seems to be the only option if we don't fly.

 

[Sherri]

WE sometimes drive and sometimes fly. This summer we are going to New Orleans then onto Disney. With the price of gas I wonder if it would be cheaper to fly or drive. Still checking into it.

 

[magicmama]

I feel your pain sssteele! I'm a teacher also. And working until 12/23 is really hard. And then make a long drive! Been there done that. Not my favorite way to travel but I do it when I don't have a lot of options.

 

[PinkTink63]

Driving is not an option for us! It is just too far! If airfare gets too expesive we might have to cut the some other things out of our vacation. We usually do WDW and then go other places. We'll see!

 

[zulaya]

Another Twin Citian chiming in here!

I was talking to DH about this, too. We have a Dec 9-16 trip planned, the 4 of us plus the in-laws. We don't have plane tickets yet. We still plan on flying...this time.

Like most people (not retired) DH doesn't have enough extra days off work to plan for the long haul from MN to FL, at least not now since the rest of the days are spoken for.

For us, there are no family members to visit. At another time of year, it might be fun to stop and sight see, historical stuff, etc., but not now.

Plus, it's hard to argue when you only have a 3hr flight vs. a multi-day or marathon drive one way.

The sucky part is is that I have been watching fares since they became available on NWA and Sun Country. For the times we prefer, the price has yet to drop below $300. That's painful when we are used to closer to $200.

It's going to be a wait and see type thing forthe future.

 

[shantay1008]

If we ever drove, I think we'd enjoy seeing some new parts of the country on the way down to Orlando. But, oy, the idea of having to drive back is what makes me a little hesitant.

Maybe Disney will drop food and ticket prices to offset the higher airline prices and lure people to the parks. Ha, ha. I made myself laugh with that one.
Shannon

 

[DVC Grandpa]

We, like others have never flown to Orlando, although with Midwest Airlines based here in Milwaukee, and the daily direct flights, it has been tempting especially when I see those low ticket prices in the local paper from time to time.
Being retired we are able to spend an extra day or so driving the 1300 miles each way and the car comes in handy when we want to take those jaunts away from WDW during our three to four week stay. We also acquired a GPS system which takes some of the anxiety out of the drive. As far as the cost, ($3.09.9 per gallon today) is and will be of a concern but we will go knowing that the opportunity won’t last forever.

 

[MinMouse]

I don't see the increased prices changing our vacation plans. We typically drive the 1,000 miles but are flying in June. Our DDs (8 & 11) actually enjoy the trip. We invested in a dual screen dvd player a few years ago. It cost less than one person's airfare and we've used it for countless trips. I would have to say though that if airfares are right I will go that route because it is a tiring trip . . . especially that long trip home!