It’s time for part 5 of my Walt Disney World on a Tight Budget series! This week, we will look at the pros and cons of driving vs flying to Walt Disney World. There are lots of things to consider when planning how to get to Walt Disney World without breaking the bank, so let’s dive right in! (Oh, wait! If you’re looking for parts 1, 2, 3, or 4 go here and scroll down)
- How far away are you from Walt Disney World? Is it feasible to consider driving, or will you need to spend more money on overnight accommodations and food along the way that plane tickets would cost? If your family can’t be in a car more than a few hours without stopping to eat or finding a place to spend the night, it may not be cost-effective for you to drive. Then, there’s the wear and tear on your vehicle to consider. You need to have a recent oil change and tune up before traveling hundreds of miles, make sure the tires are in good condition, and so forth. That adds to the cost of taking a long road trip.
- How many days can you take off from school or work in addition to the days allotted for the actual Disney vacation? Will you incorporate the drive itself into part of the vacation? My family likes to take long trips by car, because we try to use the things along the route to “add” to our vacation. For example, you could stop at historical sites, spend a little relaxing time on the beach, or take a wander through a quaint small town along the way. My kids swear I can turn any trip into an educational adventure, and I guess they’re right, but for us, it is all about the journey, not just the destination. As a homeschooling family, we don’t have to worry about taking days off from school, but that is a definite consideration for anyone traveling during the school year. Additionally, you need to think about how much extra time you will need to be off work…if you have 6 nights at Disney reserved, but it will take 2 days to get there and 2 more to get home, that one week vacation now stretches into nearly two weeks. This may keep you from being able to take another trip anytime soon, if you will use up all of your vacation time with this single trip.
- Will you need a vehicle at all once you get to Walt Disney World? If you are staying on property, and not planning to do anything outside of the Walt Disney World Resort complex, then you most likely will not need a car at all. I’ve heard from many people who say that once they unloaded the car at their Disney hotel, they never went back to it until they checked out at the end of the vacation. If this would be you, it may not be logical to drive if you are coming from a great distance. The Disney Magical Express is a terrific thing – it’s a FREE shuttle (and you know I love the word “free”!) that provides transportation between all Disney-owned hotels and the Orlando International Airport. *Please note, they do NOT travel to Sanford Airport, which is the area’s secondary airport. If you are staying off-property, you will need to consider transportation between the airport, hotel, and Walt Disney World theme parks. Rental cars companies do offer deals, but that still adds to the overall vacation expenses.
- Let’s talk about packing and luggage-related issues. Airlines these days, for the most part, charge an arm and a leg for luggage. If everyone will need two suitcases, and there are 5 of you traveling, that can add up pretty fast. On the other hand, if you have a tiny car, you may not be comfortable traveling long distances with luggage and people packed in like sardines!
- How will you get to and from the airport if you fly? Will you need to pay hefty airport parking fees, or can someone drop you off and pick you up to save that money? Again, parking at the airport is a definite consideration of things that financially add to the cost of a Disney vacation, one that many people don’t think of. We’re Disney Vacation Club members and we generally drive to Disney (from Maryland) however the few times we’re flown in we were offered FREE transport from the airport to Walt Disney World (for those staying ON Disney property)
- Be on the lookout for airline deals. I know of a family who travels from Maryland to Florida every two years or so, and they plan their vacation to Disney for when the resort offers free dining or other greatly-reduced offers. Then, they put aside travel money with the thought that they will have that cash for driving and one night’s accommodations along the way, and take off work for an extra day on both ends of the trip for driving time. Meanwhile, if one of the major airlines offers a super deal, they use that transportation money to book airfare to Florida instead, and use the day on either side of the Disney vacation for last-minute packing and a day to relax after the trip.
As with all the aspects of any large-scale trip, planning out the transportation part of your Disney vacation can be stressful and overwhelming. I hope my post has helped answer some of your questions and given you food for thought about the pros and cons of flying vs driving to Walt Disney World. While you are here, be sure to check out the other installments of my Disney World on a Tight Budget series, and look for lots more Disney-related ideas on my pinterest feed. Happy travels!
These are great things to think about. I know we’ll fly although it would be real nice to rent an RV but that just takes too long and we only have so many days. I like the fact that parking is free on property because I’m sure we will rent a car so we can go to the grocery store and then I think at the end of the trip we’ll go to St. Augustine. If it all works out we’ll fly in to Daytona Beach (where I’ll ultimately need to end up after Disney for a biz retreat) and rent a car there.
See so many things I need to figure out.