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Skunker
08-22-2005, 12:25 PM
For folks who aren't local to So Cal, how many of you drive vs fly? We have done both and they both have their advantages and disadvantages of course. The biggest advantage for driving other than cost, is having a car and going at your own pace. (and not having to fly for those of us who don't care much for flying!) Of course it's much quicker and less tiring to fly. I'd be interested to see who has driven the furthest - I drive 1000 miles one way. I am 90% sure we'll be driving this fall instead of flying.

Hakuna Makarla
08-22-2005, 12:29 PM
I fly, to far to drive for me ( I get lost in town now LOL! ) Cost is high but the thrill of flying is always there. we love to fly and will be there flying again in april. this time we will rent a car :)

hlbtimes2
08-22-2005, 12:38 PM
We always fly. We live near Seattle. Driving would add a couple days on to our trip, plus the cost of a hotel room for the way down and one for the way home. Plus meals for 4 of us for the trip, and of course gas. It only cost us $800 to fly. I dont think with what gas prices are, it would have saved us much, if anything to drive. And then there is the issue of time. I work for a small company. I cant take much time off. As it is I'll be missing 2 days for our upcoming trip. If we drove it would be at least another 2 days.

gerry
08-22-2005, 12:45 PM
We take the Amtrak train from the Central Valley in Ca. It's pretty much a direct shot and a very comfortable ride. It's not expensive and we arrive fresh. There is no other way I would rather go.

Whittibo
08-22-2005, 12:45 PM
we are just about 450 miles away, door to door. Our first year going, we were driving and my sister in law (who always has to have the very best of everything) decided she didn't WANT to drive (they planned to go 2 months prior to our trip). She convinced her husband (who was adamantly against it) and they flew. Well, from what I can recall, it was 5 years ago, but they had to leave at like 4am to get to the airport, then the flight time, and then from airport to hotel, it took about 7 hours door to door, but they had no car.

My dad told me I was stupid for driving (we have 3 kids, our youngest at the time of our first trip was only 2.5 years.. oh my, the stuff you have to pack for a little one!) anyway, it takes us about 7.5 hours to drive, but then we have a car. It's priceless to have transportation.

My sister in law had to walk to the grocery store, it was about 2 miles, and she couldn't walk back with the groceries, so she got a cab. That was her last time she flew. LOL

I am so blessed that we live withen driving distance. I don't think we would have gone every year if we had to fly.

Mommy2NicknMax
08-22-2005, 12:49 PM
The last 3 years we drove. According to my husband, that won't be happening again! LOL! Our van broke down in the middle of nowhere (Kettleman City, CA)! We were stranded and the temp was well over 100 with no shade! My youngest son, Max who's 3, was turning red and looking really bad! We drove our van (even though we shouldn't have) another few miles to find a gas station (and thankfully a hotel!). Got the van fixed the next day (it broke down on a Sunday) and we lost one day at Disneyland. Thankfully this year my parents flew out from MD to join us. They drove from Anaheim to Kettleman City and stayed with us and helped me out with the boys while my husband got the van fixed.

Okay, way more than you wanted to know but that is why we will no longer drive. To risky to get stuck some place with the kids.

The flight b/t Seattle and John Wayne is only 2 hours and 20 min (approx.) vs. driving for two days. Flying it is!

Twilight
08-22-2005, 12:54 PM
Depends on the mood but mostly I like to drive. Of the umpteen times I've been to DL in my life I've flown just once and that was on my last trip two years ago. It really depends on the company if I feel like a road trip. I'm heading to DL in early October with some friends and we kicked around the option to drive but eventually opted to fly. (I don't know if I could handle the long drive with one of them). My sister and BIL will be going as well but they're driving. From the sound of it we'll be arriving at the hotel around the same time, they're just leaving a day early and we'll get an extra day in the park. Like I said, it depends on the mood. :)

Mary Faith
08-22-2005, 12:56 PM
I also Fly from WA state. But I work for a Airline so it makes it easy. We've had AP's in the past and plan on doing it again this next year after our WDW trip. Plus my Dad lives 45 minutes away from DL so sometimes I just stay there and borrow the car :')

erica84
08-22-2005, 01:00 PM
We usually drive from up here in Northern California. It usually takes us about 7 - hours to get to Anaheim, depending on the traffic. I really don't mind the drive - it only makes the anticipation more exciting!

twist1980
08-22-2005, 01:06 PM
I'm from the Seattle area and we usually fly. I have done the drive one time (and probably only one time) and it took 19 hours. We stopped a few times at rest stops/fast food places, but never for very long. The disadvantage is that is two more days I can spend at DLR! Plus you are so beat from being in the car for that long and I hate being in the car any more than I have to (I spend an hour each way to work in traffic).

Usually airfare can be found from Sea-Tac to Orange County or LAX for under $200, and I've gotten it for around $100 a couple of times (although with the gas prices, I don't think it will happen this year).

Flying is the way to go!

vicbella2
08-22-2005, 01:10 PM
We usually fly to disneyland. We live near Seattle and usually get good rates on United (under $650 for a family of four). We're flying down again in September. Having 2 kids under 8, we always get a rental car. The last 2 trips, my daughter got a fever. It was convenient to drive to the store and pick up a thermometer and some medicine for her.

vangrizz
08-22-2005, 01:34 PM
We've always flown (It's 1497 miles from my house to DL), but I think we may try renting an RV and actually going during the summer next year. My advance apologies to anyone who gets stuck driving behind me.

ghoofie
08-22-2005, 01:34 PM
We always drive from Northern Cal.
We bring a DVD player and watch
a movie, and share the driving.
We have left in the early morning and
get to the park by mid afternoon. Not
too tired. Since we've been sitting for
6-7 hours (and the anticipation of
getting there), it feels good to walk
around. Once, we pulled into the Candy Cane
lot, checked in, didn't even bring our
stuff to the room and headed for the park.

When you have at least two people driving
it's not bad at all.

hlbtimes2
08-22-2005, 01:50 PM
We've always flown (It's 1497 miles from my house to DL), but I think we may try renting an RV and actually going during the summer next year. My advance apologies to anyone who gets stuck driving behind me.

Have you checked the price to rent? If not, you are in for a shock! Its cheaper to fly and get a hotel. If you want to do it for the fun of driving an rv, and site seeing, then do it. Otherwise, its not a very good option.

For a one week rental you are looking at $800-1000. Plus milage, for your distance add about $500 for the roundtrip. Then dont forget about gas, which it will use a LOT of. Then the rental /campground spot, at about $40-60 a night.

Hi-Ho
08-22-2005, 01:55 PM
We live near Seattle and the last few years have always driven down. I enjoy the drive through southern Oregon and nothern California!

DangerMouse
08-22-2005, 02:06 PM
Drive from Phoenix. Record time is 5.5 hours. Usually about 6 hours though. I've flown before, but by the time you've gone thru the whole airport rigamarole, it's only saving me about an hour.

Whittibo
08-22-2005, 02:10 PM
We were stranded and the temp was well over 100 with no shade! My youngest son, Max who's 3, was turning red and looking really bad! We drove our van (even though we shouldn't have) another few miles to find a gas station (and thankfully a hotel!). Got the van fixed the next day (it broke down on a Sunday) and we lost one day at Disneyland.

That was my biggest fear the first year we drove. I had a Mazda minivan, it was really nice, but I didn't 'trust it'. I had to have a plan of attack, my idea was to call a tow truck, get it towed to the nearest town, rent a car, leave the van, and pick it up on the return trip.

Thankfully that never happened, we drove that van 3 years in a row down there. Finally on October 31, 2002, just after our 3rd trip down, I bought a brand new Honda Odyssey. It's SO nice having dependable reliable transportation that is COMFORTABLE and big enough for our growing family. I never worry about breaking down again! But we live in the country, so it's a blessing to have reliable transportation anyway!

ima_mickeyfan
08-22-2005, 02:13 PM
with 4 kids all under the age of 9, all I can say is we:FLY, FLY, FLY, FLY!!!!!

DangerMouse
08-22-2005, 02:15 PM
with 4 kids all under the age of 9, all I can say is we:FLY, FLY, FLY, FLY!!!!!

Wow, six airline tickets, that has to be EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE! :p

Mommy2NicknMax
08-22-2005, 03:36 PM
That was my biggest fear the first year we drove. I had a Mazda minivan, it was really nice, but I didn't 'trust it'. I had to have a plan of attack, my idea was to call a tow truck, get it towed to the nearest town, rent a car, leave the van, and pick it up on the return trip.

Thankfully that never happened, we drove that van 3 years in a row down there. Finally on October 31, 2002, just after our 3rd trip down, I bought a brand new Honda Odyssey. It's SO nice having dependable reliable transportation that is COMFORTABLE and big enough for our growing family. I never worry about breaking down again! But we live in the country, so it's a blessing to have reliable transportation anyway!
I wouldn't say my minivan isn't reliable. In fact in the 4 years we've had it, this is it's first breakdown. It was a part that wears out over time (alternator, sp?). Van only has 63,000 miles on it. Sometimes you just never know when something may happen. It just does.

ima_mickeyfan
08-22-2005, 03:51 PM
Wow, six airline tickets, that has to be EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE! :p
Its alot cheaper than me loosing my mind!! lol,
actually we have been able to fly all 6 of us for about $1200.00 what costs us more is the hotel room.. :|

My2kidsrule
08-22-2005, 03:51 PM
We drive. even at $3 a gallon, it's cheaper for 4 people from Sacramento. 6.5 hours and we're there. And what would life be like without a view of Pea Soup Anderson's, anyway?

Susan L
08-22-2005, 03:58 PM
Living in No. California we usually drive, its about a 11 hour drive straight through. I have some extra cash for our next visit so we will be flying and then renting a car when we get there. I'm looking forward to not driving all that way and no stinky Harris Ranch this time either :p

ima_mickeyfan
08-22-2005, 03:58 PM
We drive. even at $3 a gallon, it's cheaper for 4 people from Sacramento. 6.5 hours and we're there. And what would life be like without a view of Pea Soup Anderson's, anyway?
what in the world is Pea soup anderson?
:confused:

Skunker
08-22-2005, 04:00 PM
I should add that I live by one of the most expensive US airports - DIA. 70% or our gates are owned by United and we have some of the highest airfare in the US. It would cost me at least $1000.00 for 3 round trip tickets, and I would consider that a good deal. I have a brand new car and it will probably cost me $200-250 for gas. The only thing I do dread is being worn out from the driving.