Driving vs Flying to Disney World

Melissa17

We have flown to WDW many times, just not with a 2 year old  

I am thinking of driving- anyone done this (especially with a toddler)? 

MelindaMG

I drove from Orlando to Minneapolis when I moved here.  I would personally never choose to drive when I could fly.  But road trips are not my thing.  It's a long, fairly uneventful drive.  Basically non-stop corn fields for the entire drive.

Melissa17

Did I mention it would be in January? 

aimkins

I think I'd definitely fly. Although, I have no experience flying with a toddler.

If you drive you can't really stop at a rest stop and let her run around and stretch her legs like you could in Summer/Fall.

You'll get there a lot quicker too, and with any luck, she'd sleep for a portion of the flight.

How long is the flight? 2-3hrs?

hecklet

Fly. It's a LONG drive. It'd be much easier to deal with a child for 3 hrs on a plane than 20+hrs in the car.

Lauree1183

I've done the drive.  I was 20 and road tripping with my best friend.  It was awesome, we stopped along the way at all sorts of interesting places- Nashville, St. Louis, Flea markets, etc.   That being said, I would not do it with a 2 year old if I had the option to fly.  Seems like 3 hours on a plane would be much better than 20 hours in a car. 

 

NorCalMrs.

I don't have a toddler, but I would fly!  It's only a few hours compared to two days.  We drove up from Orlando to Mpls last year and it was such a long drive.  When we move up next week, we are driving because of our pets and I'm not looking forward to it at all.  It's two loooong days in the car and like pp said, it's uneventful, with very little interesting sites along the way.  GL!

MrsKizdoodle

There's no doubt about it - I would fly.  I don't like long car trips and cannot imagine spending 2 days in the car vs. a couple hours in a plane.

ilovebijou

Definitely fly! There's no way I would drive.

sunkiss177

Are you afraid of screaming children on airplanes?  It is odd to me that you say you flew many times, just not with a two year old.

 I have done it as a road trip with friends.  It was fun, but I can imagine it wouldn?t be fun with a two year old.  Plus on the way down you would be excited, but what a pain driving back when you are just thinking about going back to real life.  I know I spent more money on the road then I would have paying to fly ? there was food and hotels and all the cool stuff to see and do.

 

ElizabethD

We drive to TX (18 hours) and have with all ages of our young kids.  The difference, ultimately, is that it's for family (ie relaxing when we get there because it's a house and two extra adults helping out, not hotel stay in Orlando.)

We just costed out driving to Savannah for Thanksgiving and it ain't cheap!  Gas, food, hotel en route both ways, and we would stay just two days in Savannah in a crazy cheap hotel and the total was $800!  Not cheap for what appears to be a "simple road trip."  That doesn't include wear and tear on the car.  OR YOUR SANITY with a two year old ;-)

I imagine you're going to Disney for yourselves since a two year old doesn't care and is too young to ever remember.  Maybe you can find childcare for the two year old and make it a mini marriage vacation? (I did Disney at age 4 and was mad how young I was, couldn't do a lot of rides, and even knew then I'd barely remember the trip.)

Kimee13

I'm not a road tripper, we fly EVERYWHERE.  We were forced to roadtrip to Texas and Missouri every summer growing up and it was miserable; I would've much preferred to fly if given the option.

As for taking a 2-year old to WDW.  If it's a trip you're going to take again when they're older I say go for it - kids of ALL ages get something out of it.  However, if it's going to be their one and only WDW experience I would wait until they are older.  We're fortunate that my parents are snowbirds and live in FL half the year, our kid will probably tire of WDW by the time they're five :-) 

Melissa17

Thanks guys.  I think flying is the way to go.  I have a feeling I was a little frustrated about packing- we just got back from a 4 day camping trip and I the suv was PACKED.  Just cannot imagine packing for a week in a suitcase. 

 Oh, we have no issue taking a 2 year old to WDW.  She is going to have a blast!  This will not be her one and only trip to the most Magical Place on Earth

MichellePete

My cousin drove down there a couple of years ago with a 10 year old, and 8 year old and a 4 year old.  He took the day off of work and the kids and his wife did their normal stuff that day.  They ate dinner at home and put the kids in their PJ's and put them in the car.  His wife drove for the first few hours and the kids slowly fell asleep.  Then he took over drinking and his wife slept.  They had snacks in the car for the kids and when they woke up in the morning they had those snacks and stopped for a late breakfast and to let the kids run around outside for 30 minutes.  Then they got back into the car and the kids had games and DVD players and stuff to keep them occupied.  They started getting antsy twoards the end, but by that time my cousin and his wife were getting them all excited about Disney.  They checked into the hotel, had a late dinner and all went to bed.  They did the same thing on the way home.

samcbrick

Okay, lets put this into perspective!!!! 3 hours of trying to occupie the little one, or close to 3 days, in a car..... gross! Fly.... All the way!!!

HannaB

We got married near Tampa, so my husband's cousin & husband drove down with their then 2 yo.

I think the drive was fine for them, but they were in Fla. for 2 weeks and went to Orlando, Tampa and then our wedding destination. In that scenario, driving made sense. (It was also May.)

That time of year, I would fly, simply because you don't know what the weather is going to do to your drive.

Last year my inlaws drove down to Arizona in Dec. to pick up some furniture and got stuck in New Mexico for a couple of days and then Kansas or somewhere for 5 days, because of a snow storm. There is no telling how long it might take you to get back to MN from Fla. that time of year.