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Drive or fly to DW? Need advice!
- Thread starter Dumbomom
- Start date
Depends on where you are coming from. When we lived in Atlanta the Delta service was late about 90% of the time so it was faster to drive. Now we sometimes fly Southwest and so far the flights are on time. However driving you can guarantee the time - 20 hours. Seems you are only counting time in the air - what about wait time at the airport and again wait time for Magical Express? You need to calculate from home to Disney and I imagine it is a lot longer than 3 hours. Once you are at Disney the Disney transport is probably faster but at least no worries about overweight luggage going back or fragile souvenirs. We were at Disney on 9/11 and very thankful we had the car when planes stopped flying. June should be OK but in hurricane season there can be a lot of disruption to air travel - we were going to fly but then Hurricane Matthew caused us to drive - flights stopped out of an abundance of caution which turned out to be unnecessary.
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durangojim
Well-Known Member
We’re from Michigan and have been to WDW nearly 50 times in the last 25 years. Prior to last year we only drove once and that was when we went to Hilton head first. Last year in July we decided to drive due to the pandemic and we found that since our kids are teens now, it was great. We didn’t have to rely on disney transportation. Also it was nice being able to go at our own pace. We enjoyed it enough that we drove down agai. This March and will be driving to WDW again in June. It takes us between 18-21 hours to get there/home but it is worth it. If it was only for a shorty trip 3-5 days, we’d still fly.
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graphite1326
Well-Known Member
I just checked flight prices, WOW are they up also.This is a couple of weeks old, so hopefully the problem has been resolved ;
Car rental prices are sky high, experts warn the trend is here to stay
Car rental companies sold off large portions of their fleet when travel stopped at the start of the pandemic. Now travelers are back, and demand is outweighing supply.www.abcactionnews.com
Just something to keep in minds if you plan on flying and renting a car. But people who drove during the past week may have had difficulty getting any gas.
Sometimes it just feels like the world is out to get us.
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MickeyLuv'r
Well-Known Member
In my opinion, there is no one-size fits all answer to this question. There are a number of variables to consider. I'd tend to say flying is likely better than a 20 hour drive, but not always.
1. How close is your airport? Are we talking direct flights, one-stop or two-stops to MCO? Is TPA an option?
2. How old is your car? how reliable? How many miles on it? How comfortable is it for long road trips?
3. What age are all the passengers? Adults, Seniors, Small children?
4. What are the options along the way? Food? Interesting places to stop for a half-day?
5. Anyone in your family have dietary challenges, like food allergies? Mobility challenges? any other health issues that would make a long road trip a challenge? Any issues that would make flying a challenge?
6. Cost of flying? Cost of wear on your car? Tolls? Current price of gasoline? Or are we talking about an electric car?
7. How long is your vacation?
8. Can you afford the extra time it takes to drive? Hotels along the way?
One option you might wish to consider is renting a car from your local home area. A twenty hour road trip= putting many miles on a car. Car rental prices are very high right now, but often the cost of renting a car for a road trip is lower than the cost of putting so many miles on a car. Maybe not right now, but in the past that has been the case. Miles isn't just gas $, but also wear and tear. The going IRS car travel reimbursement rate is $.56 per mile.
As a rough estimate....upper MI to WDW= 20 hours =1370 miles. So that translates to $1535 wear/tear/gas. You can likely fly for less than $1535.
If you rent a car, you'd pay rental plus about $3 per gallon of gas (today). Depends on the car's MPG: maybe $220ish or maybe $400+ round trip for gas, and going prices along the way, and the gasoline grade. Texas current aver =$2.76/gal. IL = $3.25/gal.
Renting a car from your home area likely costs less than $1135 ($1535 - gas$400 = $1135). but it also depends on how many hotel nights you'd need to add.....
1. How close is your airport? Are we talking direct flights, one-stop or two-stops to MCO? Is TPA an option?
2. How old is your car? how reliable? How many miles on it? How comfortable is it for long road trips?
3. What age are all the passengers? Adults, Seniors, Small children?
4. What are the options along the way? Food? Interesting places to stop for a half-day?
5. Anyone in your family have dietary challenges, like food allergies? Mobility challenges? any other health issues that would make a long road trip a challenge? Any issues that would make flying a challenge?
6. Cost of flying? Cost of wear on your car? Tolls? Current price of gasoline? Or are we talking about an electric car?
7. How long is your vacation?
8. Can you afford the extra time it takes to drive? Hotels along the way?
One option you might wish to consider is renting a car from your local home area. A twenty hour road trip= putting many miles on a car. Car rental prices are very high right now, but often the cost of renting a car for a road trip is lower than the cost of putting so many miles on a car. Maybe not right now, but in the past that has been the case. Miles isn't just gas $, but also wear and tear. The going IRS car travel reimbursement rate is $.56 per mile.
As a rough estimate....upper MI to WDW= 20 hours =1370 miles. So that translates to $1535 wear/tear/gas. You can likely fly for less than $1535.
If you rent a car, you'd pay rental plus about $3 per gallon of gas (today). Depends on the car's MPG: maybe $220ish or maybe $400+ round trip for gas, and going prices along the way, and the gasoline grade. Texas current aver =$2.76/gal. IL = $3.25/gal.
Renting a car from your home area likely costs less than $1135 ($1535 - gas$400 = $1135). but it also depends on how many hotel nights you'd need to add.....
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correcaminos
Well-Known Member
It hasn't. To the point that we are ditching our insane rental price for town car and ride share options.This is a couple of weeks old, so hopefully the problem has been resolved ;
Car rental prices are sky high, experts warn the trend is here to stay
Car rental companies sold off large portions of their fleet when travel stopped at the start of the pandemic. Now travelers are back, and demand is outweighing supply.
Just something to keep in minds if you plan on flying and renting a car. But people who drove during the past week may have had difficulty getting any gas.
Sometimes it just feels like the world is out to get us.
Drive 20 hours vs fly 3? No contest fly! Having done both more than once we now only fly.
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LittleMerman
Well-Known Member
Fly!! 20 hours is a loooong time! I'm 12 hours away (without stopping) and I've driven before and it was fine but flying is so much easier. You can always use their transportation, get Ubers, or rent a car.
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danyoung56
Well-Known Member
I live in Dallas, and the decision to fly or drive is usually one of time available. If I have a full week off (and the two surrounding weekends) I'll usually drive. For me driving is part of the fun. But even if I fly I always rent a car. I just don't like having to wait for busses. Whether they are speedy or not, the idea of having to wait for one more thing when I could just jump in my car and be there makes this decision a no-brainer for me. Sure, it's a bit more expensive now, with the hotels charging for parking. But it's still a convenience that works for me regardless of the price.
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Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
One of the biggest factors determining flying or driving is an economical question. You have a family flying it can be a huge expense and then renting a car "currently" is even more. Before I would pay thousands to fly there, driving is a good option. I can drive there and back from Raleigh for around $75.00 in gas and once I get there I have my vehicle for no additional charge. It is a long drive, especially for someone in their 70's but, it is so worth it to me. On top of saving a lot of money I still enjoy a road trip, and that satisfies my desires. I'm lucky I can make it there in 10 hours, but even if it were double that I would simply stay one night on the road usually adding $50 to $75 to the cost. I don't count meals because I am going to have to eat those days anyway. I always drove but after my divorce, when I was only paying for myself to get there that made flying a more valid expense. I still only flew when time was limited but otherwise it was a road trip from Vermont. Since I moved to NC in 2011 it has been a no brainer of driving there. Before long, with the ending of the Magical Prison Bus, the rental rates will go down drastically because everyone will be striving to get the most business. It will happen quickly.
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danyoung56
Well-Known Member
Other than the daily charge for parking at a Disney resort, if you are indeed staying on property.
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CaptainAmerica
Premium Member
Dear Lord, why?
Do people not calculate the value of their vacation time when they make this type of decision?
You're talking about two extra vacation days on the front end and the back end of your trip. One vacation day for someone making $85,000 per year is about $325.
You're not saving any money by skipping the flight.
Do people not calculate the value of their vacation time when they make this type of decision?
You're talking about two extra vacation days on the front end and the back end of your trip. One vacation day for someone making $85,000 per year is about $325.
You're not saving any money by skipping the flight.
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danyoung56
Well-Known Member
Speaking for me, I absolutely do. The 2 day drive down and the 2 day drive back home are great facets of my vacation. Now, if I had to be cooped up in the car with a rowdy family, it might not be as fun. But as a single guy, just gimme some Dr. Pepper and my tunes and I'm King of the Road!
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Pedro says " you've never seen sausage place ". NC/SC infamous south of the border rest stop ... .. In SC around exit 21 there are signs on a tree off of I-95 southbound advertising illegal moonshine, and the high flying Confederate flags in NC, SC and GA off the interstate.
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Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Yes, and that used to be a perk for paying the big bucks, but I can find all kinds of offsite places with no parking fees and pay the same amount to park independently as I have since 1983. It is included in my budgeting and the amount I save by having my own vehicle and staying offsite, pays the expense 10 times over.
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cdeev8690
Well-Known Member
exactly. I do not make 85k a year (divide by two and some left over and you'll find me).
I live in Jersey and we love driving to Florida, which is part of my vacation spending some uninterrupted time with my fiancé - dancing and singing and binge eating and him pointing out South of the Border every single time. Yes, it's a trip but we have friends that live along the route that we love to visit sometimes. Mostly though, it's just us and the road and it's actually really nice. There's been some hiccups, but flying isn't without it's own problems and inconveniences.
The car gives us flexibility, especially now that we prefer to stay off property where we don't have daily parking fees. This flexibility saves us loads of time, makes our decision making less painful, which is as good as saving me money. There's my calculated value. May not work for everybody, but it works for me.
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Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
"Here today, gone tamale"... that's the only other one I can remember.
Yup, for a northern kid riding with his family through the south on the I-95 corridor, this seemed more like entering a foreign country than a trip to Canada.
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Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
If it’s cheap to fly...you fly.
unless your planning on leaving the bubble specifically...don’t bother with cars
unless your planning on leaving the bubble specifically...don’t bother with cars
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