Driving to WDW Vacation Planning Tips & Tricks Discuss Driving to WDW in the Vacation Planning forums; I have done both. I prefer to drive. It is more fun for me and the family. Some of the reasons I prefer to drive we can stop and relax ...

[SFFD_Disney_Dad]

I have done both. I prefer to drive. It is more fun for me and the family. Some of the reasons I prefer to drive we can stop and relax and enjoy the time together, not limited to 1 piece of luggage per person or having to pay extra money for additional baggage, can bring back souveneers and presents. Have own vehicle don't have to transfer car seats around and try carrying them on airplane. Can stop at South of the border and look at the "gift Shops", Can buy my big bags of pecans in Georgia. Each person has their reasons for what they do but maybe you should try it for the wife she may not like it and will fly the next time or you may enjoy it and want to drive it again. remember you need to plan accordingly for the drive time we always take two weeks. Spend 8 to 9 days at Disney and then do some things off disney and leaves us 4 + days for travel time.

[Dizisit]

Have never driven and, at this point, anyway, have never really had the urge to.
Could drive straight through, I guess, but that just sounds ridiculous to me.
Otherwise 2 days each way, from Austin.
I can think of other WAYYYYYY more worthwhile things to use paid vacation days for... Like more days at WDW!!!

[Tmntrans]

I drive for a living. 11 hrs straight in a rig is nothing. 14 hrs in a car is nothing BUT 14 hrs driving back??? NO WAY!! I did it once in the last three years and won't happen again. Save a little here and there and watch the flights like a hawk. Oh yeah depending if they service your airport...Southwest and DING could be your best option.

[dmecca]

My question is how far is to far to drive? I live about 10 hours away... I figure if i fly...it will take at least 6 hours total (travel to airport, waiting, flight, travel to park)... so to me driving is the best $ cost to pain ratio option

[edwardsfire]

you could drive a tank and it wouldnt cost any where near 700.00 in fuel.
From Ohio, in our Odyssey..even with gas at 3.00 a gallon it is less than 220 total at 24mpg's(ish).
with a hotel stay on the way and back a 40-50 per night at a motel 6 or something.....you're looking at 400 ish.
If we fly, we would have to play close to 50+ in parking fees at the airport and a rental car costing around 100ish.
I have NEVER ever ever found it cheaper to fly..not even close.
if it were just 2 of us...we'd fly. But with 2 kids..we'll be driving.

[Disney05]

Originally Posted by dmecca

My question is how far is to far to drive? I live about 10 hours away... I figure if i fly...it will take at least 6 hours total (travel to airport, waiting, flight, travel to park)... so to me driving is the best $ cost to pain ratio option

That's a good question. I'd be more apt to drive if I were say...6-8hrs away. I'm 18-20hrs now. Total convenience for me is to fly. I work at the airport I fly from, Long Island MacArthur, so I park at work and someone drops me off at the terminal. Going through security is a breeze, unlike MCO. And the flight is 2hrs. Good feedback everyone. It may just come down to I don't have the patience to drive. I want to be someplace as soon as possible.

[Dizisit]

Originally Posted by edwardsfire

you could drive a tank and it wouldnt cost any where near 700.00 in fuel.
From Ohio, in our Odyssey..even with gas at 3.00 a gallon it is less than 220 total at 24mpg's(ish).
with a hotel stay on the way and back a 40-50 per night at a motel 6 or something.....you're looking at 400 ish.
If we fly, we would have to play close to 50+ in parking fees at the airport and a rental car costing around 100ish.
I have NEVER ever ever found it cheaper to fly..not even close.
if it were just 2 of us...we'd fly. But with 2 kids..we'll be driving.

I just saw your post so I haven't done all the math yet , but I'm bettin' if you straight-up compare drivin' to flyin', drivin' wins almost every time.
But, consider this...
We always have family drop us off and pick us up from the airport. If not family, surely most folks can find some friends to help with that.
No car rental. I don't care what anyone says, the onsite transportation isn't that bad. We actually enjoy it!
Throw in wear and tear on your car, gas, lodging, drinks, snacks and food, needlessly wasted PAID vacation days, etc, etc, etc, and I'll take the relatively safe, cramped flyin' aluminum tube for only about 3 short hours, any day, over the way less safe, cramped, rollin' steel deal for MANY hours!
If you don't care about the adventure of the travel to get there and want to save on OVERALL costs, then I say... FLY!!!!!

Oh, and btw...
We have 3 kiddos (actually teenagers now! ) that have always loved to fly!

[Dizisit]

Oooooppss!
And...
Flyin' Southwest Airlines has always helped, too...!

[edwardsfire]

Originally Posted by Dizisit

Oooooppss!
And...
Flyin' Southwest Airlines has always helped, too...!

We goto Vegas ever other year...We only use Southwest. It, by a mile...is the best airline.

[FormerFigmentCP]

I still think overall cost is cheaper to drive. I start looking at sales a few weeks before and pick up snacks and drinks for the car and for the hotel. My husband and I are teachers so we don't waste any vacation days driving since we usually go in the summer. We also own DVC and go 1-2 times a year so we aren't worried about getting there at a certain time. I guess it just comes down to what you prefer.
We look forward to the car ride, even if it's long. It's also easier since we have a 5 month old baby. We drove down in Dec when she was 2 1/2 months and with her car seat,stroller, pack and play, play mat, bottles, formula, diapers, etc,plus all our luggage(I'm a bad overpacker). It was nice to know everything was in our car and we could do everything at our own pace. We planned on leaving at 5am but it was the day after Christmas, so we were behind on packing and the baby had a bad morning. Thank goodness we didn't have a flight to catch, since we left 4 hours later!
It's all a matter of preference and depends a lot on your own situation.I understand if you've been saving for years, you want to get every seconds worth For us it's just easier and more economical though.

[GIOny]

I live in ny also (north of the Bronx) and I love to drive down (we never fly). We look at it as an adventure and always try to find some adventuresome type places for road food and of course we have our favorites. We also stop for the night and would never drive all the way through, it's not worth it, you just arrive exhausted anyway. But my tip for that is we always stay in either a Comfort Inn (or one of their affiliated hotels) or Holiday Inn Express (or one of their affiliated hotels) and we join their rewards program so whenever you pay for a room you get points, when you get enough points you stay for free. Last 2 times we went down we didn't pay for any overnight stays going down or coming home. It's a great deal and you get a free continental breakfast in the morning. Also if you have time go to the library and see if they have a road food book or an I95 book (I picked up one of those at JR's in NC a couple years ago). You can make the trip fun if you want to. Enjoy!!

[edwardsfire]

Originally Posted by FormerFigmentCP

I still think overall cost is cheaper to drive. I start looking at sales a few weeks before and pick up snacks and drinks for the car and for the hotel. My husband and I are teachers so we don't waste any vacation days driving since we usually go in the summer. We also own DVC and go 1-2 times a year so we aren't worried about getting there at a certain time. I guess it just comes down to what you prefer.
We look forward to the car ride, even if it's long. It's also easier since we have a 5 month old baby. We drove down in Dec when she was 2 1/2 months and with her car seat,stroller, pack and play, play mat, bottles, formula, diapers, etc,plus all our luggage(I'm a bad overpacker). It was nice to know everything was in our car and we could do everything at our own pace. We planned on leaving at 5am but it was the day after Christmas, so we were behind on packing and the baby had a bad morning. Thank goodness we didn't have a flight to catch, since we left 4 hours later!
It's all a matter of preference and depends a lot on your own situation.I understand if you've been saving for years, you want to get every seconds worth For us it's just easier and more economical though.

Agreed,
And thats another reason we drive....it for us, is so easy to have everything in the Honda and not have to worry about it.
We'll drive to the outlet mall one day (close to WDW) for some shopping, or maybe Daytona Beach ,its nice to have your own vehicle there.. and we just simply have never found it cheaper to fly.
Even with the rates of 85.00 plus tax with southwest (as they are now from CMH...) in the end, we save money driving.
And, we enjoy it. Its nice to drive down....makes it the great family vacation!

[Disney05]

Curious, for those who drive, how long is your typical vacation, not including the drive to and from?

[FormerFigmentCP]

If we go during the school year, we usually are in WDW for 6 1/2 days. When we go in the summer we stay 10 1/2-14 1/2 days. I say 1/2 since we usually have a nice meal on the last day and then spend time at Downtown Disney before we leave.

[edwardsfire]

Originally Posted by Disney05

Curious, for those who drive, how long is your typical vacation, not including the drive to and from?

When always stay on property for 6 or 7 nights.
Our WDW vacation, 99% of the time is a 7 day stay.
Vegas, on the other hand....is always better to fly. Of course, its a 3-4 day drive from Ohio.
It is only 12 hours or so from Ohio to Orlando.