Who drives to WDW

[kstgelais4]

The main reason we fly:

5 KIDS!
7 people x $250 (that is a decent airfare)= $1750
driving from MA to FL is 24 hours, approximately $333 for gas. Even with wear and tear, oil changes, food and stops, it is still a lot cheaper.

The other reasons are also:
-we have always stayed off site, so we needed a car, A minivan rental is pretty steep in itself. This year we are staying on site, and my DH wants to fly, but I think I still want to drive.
-I like seeing the states and teaching my kids about our country.
-The kids can scream and I don't get flustered or embarrassed
-We can take loads of stuff

 

[druidcat]

We're driving from NC...we flew last time. We'll visit relatives in Macon, Ga on the way down. I really like having a car, it makes life easier. Plus flying a family of four with all the equipment for the baby is a PITA!

 

[eliza61]

We've driven down 3 times from New Jersey. We only did the straight through one time, boy was that rough. Now we stop at the Georgia/Florida state line, get a good nights sleep and start fresh in the morning.

 

[Mrs.viv07]

we'll be driving in 10 days from NYC
i can't wait!

 

[Tinkerbell63]

We've driven down to Florida from deep South Texas 4 times. We'll leave at about 5:00 a.m. and drive approximatly 14 hours then stop to rest and sleep, then we'll drive 7 more hours until we get to Disney. We usually get there early enough to visit a park or enjoy our resort and prepare for the following day. Our children are older and can tolerate the drive (DDs-20, 16, & 9). We actually enjoy the drive. My dd16 refuses to fly.

 

[momof3girls6712]

We drive everytime, but since we live outside of Ocala FL it really is a no brainer. It takes us about a hour and a half. Sorry if this thread was meant for longer drives.

 

[smylie1]

We drive from Hickory, NC. It's only about 10 hours though. My husband gets off work around noon on Saturday's, so I pack and get everything ready while he's at work, then we leave out around 1pm. He drives through the "hard" parts of the trip and I drive the long straight-aways so he can sleep. We stay at Days Inn or Holiday Inn Express once we get to Orlando, then check in to our resort the next morning. That way we've not lost any Disney time.

We go to Daytona Beach in the summer. It's maybe an hour shorter, but still a long drive. I don't know how some of you do it! 10 hours seems like an eternity to me. I can't imaging how it must feel driving from farther away.

 

[Dawn68PA]

We live in south-central PA and drive. DH is afraid to fly. We drive straight through down and back. DH sleeps all day the day we leave and then drives all night while I sleep. In the morning I drive until we hit the WDW area. I'm better at finding road signs Since we drive at night going down, the kids (now 16 & 18) sleep so it's no problem. We drive during the day coming home, but it's not bad. DH & I take turns driving and the family talks pretty much the whole way home.

 

[Rora]

Hey there! I drive to WDW very frequently but I live in West Palm Beach, Fl which is only about 2 1/2 hours away from WDW. Oh the perks of being a Florida resident!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We drive from East Central Alabama, it takes about 5.5 to 6 hours with probably 4 or 5 bathroom stops. I won't even consider flying, my fear is really bad, but we would have to drive 1 hour to Atlanta to the airport so it really isn't cost effective for us, especially with as many trips as we have been making. It costs about $100 for gas to and from WDW, and 3 adults can't fly cheaper than that. I sleep most of the way, cause I am not a fan of riding either, but I am gettin gused to it. I am a person that gets very sleepy in the car, especially behind the wheel, so I don't drive long distances.

Suzanne

 

[HelenePA]

unless tix prices come down we'll be driving this year. Right now for 5 of us its well over 1k. I always said you couldn't pay me enough to drive with 3 kids.. I was wrong!!! Last year we paid about 500 (49$ each way per person) for tix for all of us.. I can justify that! over 119 a person each way.. uh no, can't see me paying it!

 

[Rose23]

We use to drive yearly from Columbus, Ohio, but now just drive to Washington, DC from Columbus and take the Amtrak Autotrain Train. You catch it in Lorton, Virginia, load your car, truck or motorcycle, and enjoy
the overnight train ride into Sanford, Florida (just a few miles north of Orlando). It is wonderful and relaxing. We did enjoy driving for all of the years that we did so and sometimes will still drive down and take the Autotrain back to Washington, DC and then drive home to Columbus. When we drove we normally split the trip and drove to Columbia, SC for an overnight stay and then into Lake Buena Vista. Total of 16 hours.

 

[dawz1026]

We drive from north central Illinois. @ 18-20 hours depending on how things go. We have drove 3 times to Disney. Kids age's ranged from 2-9. We have 3 children. We have only stopped once on the way down when my youngest was 2. That worked out good because we were ready to go staight to the parks when we got there. I am afraid to fly. However, I am also too cheap to fly. No matter how you look at it, when you can drive straight through it is much cheaper to drive. Even with the inflated gas prices.

we think and fear alike

 

[bord1niowa]

We drive from Iowa. With 7 of us in one vehicle, a full size van, it's much more comfortable for all of us. The kids have TV, computer, games, we have a cooler, DVD's you name it. Besides the drive down is half the fun too. Seeing places you have maybe not been too and might never take the effort to go see if not for being on the way to WDW. Flying would be cost prohibitive for all of us. We also pull a trailer and that wouldn't make it on as carry-on. lol. We save by camping and we love the peace and quiet of Fort Wilderness. Not to mention the significant savings. More than pays for the gas. Can't wait for June!

 

[bennythepug]

we have done both. driving from New Hampshire, with 3 kids and a pop up was nerve wracking espesially when a tire blew out on the high way. Last summer we flew = we had $40 dings one way and flew for $550 all 5 of us. Couldn't pass that up.
I like to drive and be able to bring as much stuff as I want !!

 

[brightvalleyjrts]

This is our first time going to WDW with the kids and we decided to fly. I just figured I would rather deal with an 1 1/2 hour flight, than a 10+ hour drive. My kids are almost 5 and 2. Hopefully we made the right decision.

 

[Pirates4me]

We have driven to WDW four times. Three from Vermont and once from MAssachusetts. Our trip last April was what I hope is our last driving trip to WDW. The trip down is always fine. We drive straigh through and usally made it in 24 hours , +/-. The trip back is the problem. By the time we head back home, we are tired and just want to get home. We usually take two days coming home.

We have flown before with our then two year old (she's ten now) and now we are planning to fly again with our 15 month old son. I'm really not worried about him being loud. Babies and toddlers can be loud but the way I look at it, I payed the same amount for his seat as any other person on the flight. the key is to keep them occupied. We had a backpack loaded with things for my daughter to do on the 2.5 hour flight. Honestly, I've been on flights when the adults were the obnoxious one.

There's my 2 cents

 

[DizneyNutz]

This is our first time going to WDW with the kids and we decided to fly. I just figured I would rather deal with an 1 1/2 hour flight, than a 10+ hour drive. My kids are almost 5 and 2. Hopefully we made the right decision.

In my opinion! you must be farther out towards the ends of NC, because we are central and it takes me about 8.5 hours of SERIOUS driving if you know what I mean (petal to the metal) . Anyhow DW will tell you that it is much more relaxed flying and when you get there you are not exhausted, like you are from riding in a vehicle the whole trip. My Dw who was (and still is) apprehensive about flying gladly books our flights now. You actually get extra time at Disney doing this!

 

[Mischa]

We've done both and we prefer driving. Yes it might be a long trip, but DH & I enjoy each other's company, we listen to music, take turns driving, and we usually stop once on the way down and on the way home.

It's about a 13-hour drive (one way) for us. But we love the idea of having a car at our disposal so if we want to go to Sea World we can or explore outside of Disney.

 

[Pirates4me]

we think and fear alike

I can't believe you can't get a cheap flight from NYC to Orlando.

I cost us 8-10 tanks full of gas, I can't remember which. We ended up having to stop in Georgia for the night so that was another $125. We brought food and water but still had to stop for eats. I think that the trip down and back cost us almost $900.

The cost for our flights this year are $250 + taxes per person round trip. That's $1000, and we didn't burn three days od our vacation getting there.