Your opinion on driving (room NY)

[mdelano4]

Also from NJ and I could have written same thing as StirlingSilver83, as far as drive to WDW goes. Since there are 5 of us, always was more economical to drive. Used to go straight through, but just too much for me now. This trip I ran the numbers and it will actually cost a little less to fly. I was surprised.

I'm not a big fan of flying, but I have to sometimes, so I will just be a grown up and do it.

 

[lwc]

We are also in the Saratoga Springs area and we have done the drive a few times.

Our experience is that it takes closer to 22 hours with bathroom breaks and traffic. (We don't stop to eat meals, just drive thru fare or food we have packed.)

We prefer to leave at around 4am and drive
Into the wee hours, rather than be exhausted the WHOLE time from driving through the night at the front end of the trip.

We pack the car completely two days before we leave so that we can relax and be well rested for the drive.

Then we all go to bed early and sleep in whatever comfy clothes we will wear for the trip.

My husband is the morning person in the family, so he warms up the car and makes coffee. Then he wakes us up and we stumble into the car, doing our best to not really wake up. He drives the first shift.

Then we switch every 3 hours. Even if we feel like we can keep going. And we try to nap while the other one is driving.

It isn't a fun drive. But it is doable. And not terrible. And the $$ saved on airfare makes a BIG difference.

Another way we have done it is to drive straight until Jacksonville (midnight-ish arrival,) spend the night in a cheap hotel, and then drive the last few hours in the morning making it in time for a lazy lunch and an afternoon at the pool.

Though, I will say, I was able to find tickets from NYC to Orlando for $89 round trip this weekend. At THAT price, I'd seriously consider driving to the city and flying from there.

 

[The Grays]

We used to live in Jersey. We did drive down. We worked all day and then left after the rush hours and drove thru the night taking turns driving. The pros are you can take more than what fits in a suite case, can take more than 4 oz of liquids, you have your car to drive around and not rely on rental cars or transportation. Can go to the grocery store, don't have to wake up at 4 am to catch and early flight.

Cons it is a long drive and seemed longer driving home, I would make it a two day drive home.