The only hang up about going is driving

steviej

steviej

Well-Known Member
My parents who are DVC members are staying at the Polynesian Bungalows from 9/8-9/18. They invited my wife and I to go with them. Flights are a little too much out of our way right now. So if we go, we will probably do the drive from North NJ. IDK, I've done the drive 2 times, and after the 2nd time, I said never again. But I think I'd rather drive then not go at all. Plus, it'd be 11 days, so it's not like it's not worth it.

Has anyone done the drive from the tri-state area? Can you provide a realistic cost please for just gas and tolls? We'd be going straight thru, no stopping for the night. And we'll either be in a VW Jetta or a Nissan Sentra
 
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Rinx

Rinx

Well-Known Member
I've done the same drive from the same area as you twice as well....sort of. Actually, both times I drove down to Virginia (3 hours, 50 minutes last time) and took the auto train. The train ride is about 17.5 hours so that plus the drive to Virginia and waiting at the station and driving from Sanford to Disney (40ish minutes), etc you would arrive quicker by just driving all the way through. It's just whichever is really your cup of tea. Me, I love trains and hate long drives. It will cost more too (you have to pay for yourselves AND the car separately) but it's roomy, relaxing, they have a movie room, lounge, dinner and breakfast. But I also stayed in FL for several months both times, not 11 days. From a financial standpoint driving is the way to go. If you just don't want to be bothered (and there's no hassle like in the airports) and just want to kick back then I recommend the auto train.
 
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Figgy1

Figgy1

Well-Known Member
We've done the straight through both ways for 2 trips with 2 drivers, 2 kids and no problem. That being said last trip we decided to only make it Brunswick Ga, get some sleep get up early and make it to Orlando by 9am. That worked out much better. No sleepy people for our first day. MapQuest from your house to there, it might work out better for you that way. With 11 days I say GO!
 
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Tom

Tom

Beta Return
Um....opportunity to stay in a Bungalow for 2 weeks = just suck it up and find a way to get there! We drove from Indiana up through my college years. We've been flying recently, but when we have to start paying for a plane ticket for our son (he's only 8 mos now), we will likely switch to driving, which is why we just got a Honda Odyssey yesterday.
 
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epcotisbest

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
I am fortunate that we are only about nine hours away and we get up early, get through Atlanta before the morning rush, have breakfast in Valdosta, then arrive at DTD in time for lunch.
For the Poly bungalows, I would definitely drive a long way if necessary. That seems like a dream trip and well worth the drive. Is there a way you can break it up for an overnight stop, maybe in Savannah or Brunswick, get a good nights sleep then only about five or six more hours till you arrive the next day?
Can't help you with tolls, but mileage and gas costs are easy to determine. Go to Bing Maps or a similar website, put in the starting and ending address to calculate miles, then figure out your car's average miles per gallon and use that with the average cost of gas to determine your gas cost.
Hope you do go. Please post some Poly bungalow pics for us to dream about if you get a chance.
 
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epcotisbest

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
CaptainAmerica said:
I hate to be "that guy," but if gas and tolls could be a deal breaker, it might not be the best time.
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I've gone on a tight budget before and still had a great time. We don't know OP's situation, but it seems like a good opportunity has been presented to them and they are just trying to see if it will work for them or not. Maybe plane tickets are just crazy costly for the dates of their trip. I would hope most people would not jeopardize their budget for a Disney trip, but, for me, if it was tight but doable, I would do it. If it was tight and not doable, I would fret about it but not go and plan for another day.
 
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CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
epcotisbest said:
I've gone on a tight budget before and still had a great time. We don't know OP's situation, but it seems like a good opportunity has been presented to them and they are just trying to see if it will work for them or not. Maybe plane tickets are just crazy costly for the dates of their trip. I would hope most people would not jeopardize their budget for a Disney trip, but, for me, if it was tight but doable, I would do it. If it was tight and not doable, I would fret about it but not go and plan for another day.
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I've definitely been there. I recall one trip in college when my then-fiancee and I shared french fries for a meal because we ran out of money halfway through the trip.
 
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WDWDreamer4

WDWDreamer4

Member
We drive from Southeast PA and have done so for the last 5 years, and again this year. We drive a minivan but our average gas costs about $375 to get there and back. This year will be about $300 due to gas prices being down a $1 over prior years. With the type of car you are talking about you could be looking at roughly $200 round trip in gas (1050 miles x 2 = 2100/30mpg = 70gal*$3 = $210) I over estimate the miles down and underestimate the mpg to be on the safe side.
If we didn't stop we have gotten there in 16 hours. Now we have kids so stopping is mandatory, potty, food, etc. We have spent the last few years driving to SC/GA and stopping for the night, about 10-12 hours. this year I would like to try straight through again. But with a 5, 4, and 1 year old I am not sure it will happen. But to stay at the Poly Bungalows I would do it. That is a great opportunity.
 
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epcotisbest

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
CaptainAmerica said:
I've definitely been there. I recall one trip in college when my then-fiancee and I shared french fries for a meal because we ran out of money halfway through the trip.
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Yep, been there. In the 1980s we ate penut butter and jelly sandwiches from the trunk of the car a few times because we could not afford both tickets and dining. Looking back, we were young, dumb and broke, newly married and very happy. Now, we are old, dumb and a bit less broke, but just as happy. But, truth is we have never had a better time than those early days of discovery.
 
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DarthVader

DarthVader

Sith Lord
To me time is money and spending 2+ days driving down and then another 2+ days heading home is not what I'd consider a good use of my time :)

Look at southwest, and spirit airlines, both can go down to Orlando very inexpensively.

For me, its the idea of wasting 2 days of my vacation driving to WDW, and on the flip side, the idea of driving for 2 days after a nice vacation is a soul crusher. Not really a way I want to finish off a vacation but that's just me YMMV <-- see what I did there :p
 
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