Is there anyone who has said they would NOT drive to WDW again?

[melk]

Just wondering, we have always flown to WDW but am considering driving (no trip planned yet) next time. Anyone driven with their kids and said "Never again!" Such a long ride just kind of scares me and would like to hear other's input. Thanks!

 

[papagooch]

I drive every year. I'm about at your halfway point though.
I leave Va. at about 4am and we are checked into a hotel
before dinner time. I also drive my wife and kids to Cape Cod
every year to visit her Dad. Give me the drive to WDW anytime.
Getting through NYC and Conn is a nightmare of traffic. If you
plan your breaks and if your kids are good at travelling you probably
have a solid 24 hour drive ahead of you. Stop overnight somewhere
that has a pool and a playground for the kids to get some energy out.
Don't forget to bring games and stuff to keep everyone occupied.
Theres also a site called the I-95 Exit information Online I'll try to
include a link but it may not work.This site will give you lots of useful
info. Good luck!

I-95 Exit Info Station

 

[Esmerelda]

We live in Ohio and I would never drive that far from here again. The last time we did it was 4 years ago. We were so tired and grumpy by the time we arrived, it took us until the second day or so just to feel normal again. To me that puts a big dent in the vacation and then to think about having to do it again to get back home...

If there is a plane that will get me there....I'm on it!

Car rides to Orlando...never again for this old broad

 

[Barb D]

We've driven four times (about 17 hours) and flown once. We'll drive from now on. Flying was quicker, but driving was less hassle and a LOT less money. Even at $100 RT, it added up to $500 extra dollars for the 5 of us. Plus, we rented a van which cost another $200+. OK, by the time we take out gas and a motel room we don't save the whole $700 by driving, but a good bit of it. And with flying I ended up just as exhausted (or even more so) after lugging luggage all over the airport, getting up at 4AM to get the airport early enough, etc.

My older kids (10yo and 8yo) are good travelers. We listen to books on tape all the time (not just when we're traveling) and it really helps pass the time in the car. My little one has not been on a really long rode trip since she was 5mo, but I'm hoping she'll be just as good.

BTW, we're currently listening to Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, which I've just heard is being made into a mini-series by Disney/ABC. It will be on TV next September.

 

[stevec999]

We always drive when going to FL. It is about 16 hours from Columbus, Ohio. We leave after work on friday and cover 5-6 hours. We get up on Saturday morning and drive the last 10 hours.

We always just relax and hang out by the pool on Saturday and are ready to go on Sunday. I have done this so many times it is just natural and part of the trip.

We will be taking our next trip in 3 days and will arive at the Dolphin on Saturday for a week at WDW.

Steve

 

[SNOWBOARDER]

Nope....wouldn't do it for a million bucks! O.K....maybe for a milllion......

 

[hellokitty]

Since I can find $112 tickets when I am patient I will NEVER drive, it would take 20 hrs.
and I would waste two full days (actually 4 days) driving.....my time is worth more
than that so it is worth paying for airline tickets. ...the four of us go for $448 total
It is worth every penny!!!!!!!! I myself could not stand being in the car for that long
and still enjoy disney....

I look at it this way: Figures based on RT from Dallas, Texas

I would spend $200 in gas (drive is 2200 miles rt)
I would spend $200 for two nights in hotel (one there/one back)
I would spend $200 for 2 breakfast, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, and possibly more if we snack alot (this is $20 a meal)

It is costing me $448 to fly and $157 to rent a car for the week. (National rent a car w/ disney club discount)

Total driving about $600 give or take a few dollars
and $605 exact for flying and car rental...

THAT SAYS IT ALL!!!!

 

[leelee1971]

We drove twice - 18.5 hours - when my son was 20 months, and then again when he was 3 1/2. We don't like to fly, so that's out of the question. We haven't had any problems. We stop for potty breaks and for food breaks. I make sure I have enough toys/snacks to occupy him.

We've never had a problem!!!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

We've only driven once. I think it took 15 or 16 hours. The drive itself was pretty pleasant, however we were tired the first couple of days we were there and the first couple of days we were home.

I'd drive again, but I prefer flying.

 

[sha_lyn]

We are only 7 hrs away so it isn't a big deal. DH's family is 14 hrs away and we drive it every yr (only flew once for a wedding that was in the middle of the school yr. We didn't want to take the extra time ). A few tips..... We first tried to drive at night and let the kids sleep. Big mistake for our family but some would do it no other way. We find 8 hrs on the road is enough for us. We always break the trip up into 2 days. We have a mini van and carry our electric cooler and 9in TV/VCR with us. We did tthe VCR/ Video games for the first time this yr. We only had one of those very small TV's before. I think next yr we might be able to do it in one day since the kids will be older.

 

[Planogirl]

I drove it once with just me and DS, and I said never again to that! If DH goes and shares the driving (and we keep each other company), I would do it again though. It's just too much for one driver IMO.

 

[cboudre1]

We drove when my DS was 4 and I said NEVER AGAIN. After September 11, I thought about whether I could drive. It has been 10 years and I decided that I can't drive. We are going to fly Southwest. 10 years wasn't enough time to forget the horror of a 24 hour drive.

 

[Desnik]

Yeah, I've said I will never drive to WDW again!! And, umm, every year I find myself in my car, driving, and driving!!!LOL It's just hubby, myself and our almost 4yr old daughter. We leave at about 8am, drive till Manning,SC (we get there about 9pm, including potty breaks and gas, and food stops) We stay at the Holiday Inn Express for $59 incl. cont. bkft. We leave at 8am the next morning and arrive at WDW at 3pm. Dh will not fly and to tell you the truth, this time I don't want to fly either, so this Nov. we will be driving again. It really isn't that bad. We have a tv/vcr thing for our daughter and lots of toys, activities for her. She's really good in the car, we've been taking her on long drives since she was an infant. The ride back is the killer!! You don't have that anticipation of your trip to look foward to. So what I like to do(yeah you can call me crazy) is I always plan our trip so when we come home we have a day or two till a holiday like Thanksgiving, or my B-day, which this year is on Thanksgiving(11/22). We leave on the 10th and will arrive home on the 19th.

 

[ncbyrne]

We live in northern NJ. I always had a fear of flying, so we used to make the LOOONG drive to FL via Rt 95. A few years ago, we had an opportunity to go to WDW for a 5 day trip. We never drove straight thru, we always stopped for the night in NC. My DD convinced me to try flying (went to the Dr. for Xanax!). We flew. We took off at 7 a.m. and were in Orlando at 9:50 a.m.! What a difference! Less than 3 hours travel time as opposed to 2 days..... I'd never EVER waste all that valuable vacation time in the car again!

 

[Snow Shoe]

Been there, done that, and NEVER AGAIN! We did it back in 86' when the boys were 5 & 8 and they weren't bad by any means, but it was tough on them. It took about 28 hrs with a night stop over in Alabama. I decided upon coming back home that the next time we would fly. Well, we didn't make it back till 98' and we flew then. The boys were much older obviously and the trip was much more enjoyable for all. Since then, we have always flown and will continue to do so.

 

[skeezixspud]

... I suddenly win the lottery and we could both afford to quit our jobs. We have very limited leave time, so driving is just impossible from the Midwest; we are not about to waste 4 precious days staring at the dotted line down the Interstate. In fact, we not only fly down, we take a late flight, so as to eke another day of fun time out of the allotted days.

Remember, when calculating the price difference, include the lost pay or leave time from the extra days you add on for the drive. At my hourly rate, and especially at DH's, that would account for nearly double the price of the trip.

 

[Dr. Happy]

To be very honest, I really hate to waste so much of my vacation time driving when I can catch a flight that will get me to where I am going in a matter of hours.

The ride is too long, it seems to take forever, I have never experienced a "leisurely" ride anywhere involving such a distance, the kids get antsy, my wife falls asleep and snores... All this adds up to a less-than-pretty sight.

So I figure that spending the little extra money on flights is very cost effective and well worth it in the long run.

 

[Redmic]

DH and I have done the drive 3 times (before we had kids). It is awful! The only way I would do it again would be if I were going for a month! A few hours on a plane and arriving relaxed vs. 24 hours in a car and arriving stressed and exhausted... it's an easy decision for me!

 

[C.Ann]

I am hoping to return to DW in December of '02 or January of '03 and at this point plan on driving even though I am 1,325 miles away from Orlando and will be traveling with my adult daughter (who sleeps all the way and provides absolutely NO company to me) and my 3 year old granddaughter..

Now - having said that, let me clarify that we will not be on a strict time frame and therefore will be able to take our time and not have to drive 10 to 12 hours a day.. When traveling with small children I would say you probably shouldn't drive if you can't space it out over a 3-day period for the distance that I have mentioned above.. The adults tend to get very cranky and it isn't really terribly comfortable for a child to be belted into a car seat for 12 hours at a stretch..

If the trip could be made in lets say 12 hours or so - with a fairly lengthy break after six hours -I would definitely say to drive.. With all of the hassles at the airports now you could be pretty darn close to DW before the plane ever arrives there.. 'Course this is strictly my opinion.. Do whatever you feel is best for you..

 

[georgiapeach60]

We have never done it but DH has already said he never will. It's flying or not going for us.