The majority of our trips were before kids and we quickly learned that what worked before kids doesn't necessarily work after kids (especially young kids)! Before kids we swore we would NEVER drive to Florida! Well guess what?? We have. Twice in fact and we'll be driving again in September. Here are some major considerations to make before deciding whether to drive or fly. (Please know that I am not telling you what the right decision for you and your family is. I'm telling you what I have learned and take into consideration when deciding what works best for my family and some of the lessons that I've learned along the way.)
In my opinion the biggest thing to consider when choosing your mode of transportation is COST!
We've flown MANY times to Disney. We've gotten some amazing deals on flights. I believe we scored some $29 flights from Spirit and we've definitely scored plenty of $59-$79 flights through Southwest. I recall stalking the airlines for when our travel date prices would be released to get the very best prices on flights especially since we sometimes traveled several times a year. Multiply that by 2 adults, who can carry their own bags to the airline counter to be checked and who can walk themselves through the security line and remove their own shoes and jackets, etc and the price is not so bad.
Fast forward to our most recent flight (1st flight with twin 20 month olds) in May 2010... We had to buy not only tickets on Spirit that were not $29 (luckily the kids were still young enough not to require their own tickets), then there was a fee to pick our seats together on the plane, a fee to check bags (and now there is even a fee for carry-ons that don't fit under the seat!). Tonight I decided to price out just what kind of deal I could quickly find. Using the $9 fare club, I was actually able to get a pretty good deal that would only be $690 for 2 adult and 2 child tickets (which required me spending $59 for the annual membership that saved me $240 on the tickets for my travel dates) + $80 ($20*4 bags) + $40 (approximately to pick our seats together) + $25 to have 1 larger carry-on = $835 not included airport parking if you choose to do that.
Here is where I tell you that the first time we drove, we spent $150 for gas to drive 4 people to Disney World. Now I will tell you that is probably not realistic for most people since we drove my Toyota Prius Hybrid that gets 45-50 MPG. We drove straight through on the way down so no additional hotel room and did stop on the way back, but stayed at my aunt & uncle's house so again no hotel room cost. I can also tell you that driving a more realistic small SUV (RAV4) that it cost about $250, which is still a HUGE savings in my opinion.
The next factor (which can also factor into the COST) is whether or not you will need a car while in Disney. For many of our pre-children and our first post-children trips we did not have a car for our stay. We were staying on Disney property and used their free transportation around the "world". This is a great option if you fly to majorly cut down on the cost of renting a car. You can get a magical express bus from the airport to your hotel. They even send you these fabulous luggage tags to put on before you depart and then Disney claims your luggage for you! Once at your hotel you have different transportation options depending on where you stay, but some combination of buses, boats and monorails. We have LOVED these options for many years/trips. However it was more of a struggle on our trip when the twins were 20 months as we stayed at Saratoga Springs which only has bus service to the parks. This particular resort has 5 bus stops and since our room was at the first bus stop, we got dropped off first when getting back to the resort but we had to wait through 4 more stops (about 20 minutes) to get out of the resort and head to the parks. This really wasn't a big deal when we didn't have small children, but when you have little kids that only have X amount of non-cranky hours.... taking 45 minutes to an hour to wait for and take the bus to a park is a big deal. Also, you need to fold your stroller and carry it up the bus steps to take it on the bus. Doing this and juggling multiple small chidren can prove a bit difficult. Especially if you decide to split up and conquer the task on your own. If you stay on property and have a vehicle (rented or your own) you receive a FREE parking pass to use at all of the parks ($14 a day savings). If you rent a car, you also need to decide whether you will fly with your own carseats or rent them with your car. I can really lend no advice here as I have never done either. If you stay off property, you would probably need to rent a car unless wherever you stay provides transportation.
The last major factor that I would include in your considerations is how much stuff do you need to take with you? When it was just the two of us, we could easily get away with 1 or 2 suitcases and a carry-on for our trip. Now with the kids there is more stuff to bring, which equals more suitcases which equals more money on most of the airlines. By driving, we have been able to bring a whole case of diapers when needed without squeezing them in a suitcase. We also have been bringing a case or so of water and snacks because you can bring a small cooler into the park and also to have in our room. It's also not a big deal to throw some extra toys in the car for the kids to have to play with in our room. We are also able to bring our own stroller without worrying whether or not the airline will break it (as I know several people that this has happened to). The kids are now a little big for the pack n plays that our hotel will provide for us and with our own vehicle we are able to bring their toddler sized air mattress beds so that they are comfortable. There are several companies in the Disney area that you can order groceries, etc from or if you rent a car you can go to a store and make similar purchases to what we choose to bring with us.
I'm sure once the kids get older or on adult only trips to Disney we will reevaluate driving vs. flying, but for now we are pretty set on driving. If it was our once in a lifetime trip I might also plan differently and be willing to spend the extra money. However, since w go about once a year or every other year.... the savings really adds up from trip to trip. Summer also has had some pretty severe issues with her ears and we've been advised that flying is probably not a good idea for her at this time. Happy planning....
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| This is Summer passed out from screaming bloody murder for half our flight... it was so bad that I almost cried too. |
Next Disney topic will be staying on propery or off :)
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