Is there an advantage to stay onsite anymore?

[Stratman50th]

It's literally a major factor along with the weather why I decided not to move there. Otherwise it has everything I want.

Actually, we live between Orlando and Tampa. I avoid Orlando and stay off of Thunder Road as much as possible. If you were looking at the Orlando area, I get it!

 

[gharter]

Lol you’re calling me lame? I live in iowa and often fly to Chicago. It’s just simpler and easier.

but yes I would absolutely not drive from atlanta to Orlando.

i simply can’t afford to lose an entire day of vacation on both sides to driving

Completely agree. A 60 minute flight vs a 5 hour drive (if you avoid rush hour traffic).
I don't want to lose 2 days of vacation time traveling.

 

[mamaofsix]

Completely agree. A 60 minute flight vs a 5 hour drive (if you avoid rush hour traffic).
I don't want to lose 2 days of vacation time traveling.

This entire discussion of flying vs. driving started because people did not want to have to pay $500 to rent a car for the week or pay for constant ubers . . . not because it's faster to drive. Obviously no one will argue which method is faster.

It all depends on what you can afford and how much time you have.

 

[gharter]

This entire discussion of flying vs. driving started because people did not want to have to pay $500 to rent a car for the week or pay for constant ubers . . . not because it's faster to drive. Obviously no one will argue which method is faster.

It all depends on what you can afford and how much time you have.

For us, the extra cost of the flight is worth it to not lose 2 days in the parks.
Currently we have rented cars while there. If prices stay up where they currently are, it will be cheaper to take an Uber when needed and a shuttle from the airport. That still is much cheaper than current rental prices (never thought I'd see that).

 

[Lilsia]

As you can likely tell from my name, I have 6 kids. All but 1 are over the age of 10, so park tickets alone for our next planned trip will be over 4K. Now add on accommodations for a large family, some meals eating out (you can imagine the restaurant tab with 8 people...) and you can see why it costs 10K. Hence, we can only afford to go every 3 years or so. If we were to stay onsite at Disney in by renting a DVC villa with a kitchen, it would be 20K.

Flights from Canada are much more pricey than for you.

I have an entire YouTube channel devoted to living on less, so you could definitely say I am likely one of the most frugal people you will ever meet, lol.

That is a lot of people to pay for and I can see why you do what you do. For us, we just don't have that many people so can afford to go more often. It is what it is and every family is different.

 

[sandlsmom]

I had never really considered staying offsite until I read this post. Now, I have cancelled my 2 rooms at Movies and got us a 3 bedroom AirBnb.

Even with a rental car, we will save about $1200.

 

[Rusty2rules]

Lol you’re calling me lame? I live in iowa and often fly to Chicago. It’s just simpler and easier.

but yes I would absolutely not drive from atlanta to Orlando.

i simply can’t afford to lose an entire day of vacation on both sides to driving

I also have four kids 7 and under so a six hour drive is not fun. Kids are much better for us on a three hour flight than a drive. And the airport is less stressful than driving in an unfamiliar city

7-8 hour drive from Atlanta to Orlando. Eat what you want, stop when you want.

Versus...

2 hours in the airport. 3 hour flight. 45 to 90 minutes to deplane, get luggage, get transportation, etc. Trapped on airplane and in an airport for 7-8 hours.

Tell me again how you can't afford to lose an entire day of vacation on both sides of driving.

 

[Lilsia]

7-8 hour drive from Atlanta to Orlando. Eat what you want, stop when you want.

Versus...

2 hours in the airport. 3 hour flight. 45 to 90 minutes to deplane, get luggage, get transportation, etc. Trapped on airplane and in an airport for 7-8 hours.

Tell me again how you can't afford to lose an entire day of vacation on both sides of driving.

I can't do road trips anymore. I need to be able to use the restroom urgently and frequently. Stuck in the car in the middle of the highway with no bathroom in sight is a nightmare for me. Stinks for those of us who can't sit in the car for long periods of time anymore.

 

[afan]

7-8 hour drive from Atlanta to Orlando. Eat what you want, stop when you want.

Versus...

2 hours in the airport. 3 hour flight. 45 to 90 minutes to deplane, get luggage, get transportation, etc. Trapped on airplane and in an airport for 7-8 hours.

Tell me again how you can't afford to lose an entire day of vacation on both sides of driving.

Atl to Mco is an hour and 30 min flight. And when Disney was still picking up luggage if you didn't stop for anything you could be in line for dme in under 30 min. So no it is actually quite a bit quicker.

 

[btk2333]

7-8 hour drive from Atlanta to Orlando. Eat what you want, stop when you want.

Versus...

2 hours in the airport. 3 hour flight. 45 to 90 minutes to deplane, get luggage, get transportation, etc. Trapped on airplane and in an airport for 7-8 hours.

Tell me again how you can't afford to lose an entire day of vacation on both sides of driving.

have you ever driven for 8 hours with four kids less than 7?

your experience flying is obviously way different than mine.
1) I would never spend 2 hours pre flight in the airport for a domestic flight- we pay for precheck/ Global entry once every five years to avoid this
2) ATL-MCO is much shorter than 3 hours (90 minutes at a quick google)
3) 45 minutes to get luggage is fair - not 90
4) if I had DME still then this 45 minutes wouldn’t matter
5) MCO car rental is a piece of cake and the car is right there at the airport-
6) I would prefer not to rent a car if possible- so usually we would rent one way and return at the dolphin now that DME is gone. When our kids are older we will just Uber to the resort
7) I don’t have the incredible stress and exhaustion of just having driven 8 hours when I get to Disney- I’m relaxed and refreshed after flying and reading a book or sleeping on the plane

I’m not saying your way is wrong - it’s just not how I would want to travel

 

[Cheburashka]

pools closing early, etc at the resorts...

The pools close at 10pm, which isn't particularly early. You can't swim in the middle of the night, that's true, but that's been the case at WDW for several years- it's nothing new.

 

[Cheburashka]

7-8 hour drive from Atlanta to Orlando. Eat what you want, stop when you want.

Versus...

2 hours in the airport. 3 hour flight. 45 to 90 minutes to deplane, get luggage, get transportation, etc.

Really? 90 minutes to deplane, get your luggage & get out of there? Do you fly very often?

An Atlanta to Orlando flight is nowhere near 3 hours. You also don't need to arrive 2 hours in advance for a domestic flight, especially if you have TSA Pre-Check.

The flying experience doesn't have to be anything like what you described.

 

[bryanb]

I have really enjoyed my trips both onsite and offsite. I think at one point, Disney realized that even with their enormous numbers of rooms, they had no trouble filling them near capacity at top-of-market prices. In my mind, there is no ”wrong” answer and I don’t really even mourn the idea of choosing a nearby hotel.

At some point in the future, I’d love to book a stay on the monorail line with a dining plan, as an infrequent splurge. But its by no means mandatory for a great WDW vacation.

 

[nkereina]

This entire discussion of flying vs. driving started because people did not want to have to pay $500 to rent a car for the week or pay for constant ubers . . . not because it's faster to drive. Obviously no one will argue which method is faster.

It all depends on what you can afford and how much time you have.

The conversation diverted to that when a PP said that it was "lame" to fly when you live within 7-8 hours driving distance. But to your point, I could argue that paying for multiple Ubers is likely still cheaper than the cost of gas, wear and tear, rest stops, and potential additional hotel rooms that one may need to book depending on the length and timing of the drive. Even if the difference in cost is negligible or slightly more by using Ubers, I would much rather pay for the Ubers for peace of mind so I don't have to worry about traffic, directions, parking hassles, I can get dropped off near the gate, and I can have as many drinks as I want.

7-8 hour drive from Atlanta to Orlando. Eat what you want, stop when you want.

Versus...

2 hours in the airport. 3 hour flight. 45 to 90 minutes to deplane, get luggage, get transportation, etc. Trapped on airplane and in an airport for 7-8 hours.

Tell me again how you can't afford to lose an entire day of vacation on both sides of driving.

This is how I'd estimate the time differences you're suggesting.

Driving Atlanta to Orlando:
7am - leave the house
11am - bathroom/lunch break/gas
11:45am - back on the road
2:30pm - bathroom break
2:45pm - back on the road
4pm - Arrive at Disney resort after driving through rush hour traffic

This scenario leaves you with an evening at whatever park or Disney Springs, but there's a good chance a person may be tired from the drive and will want to call it an early night.

Flying Atlanta to Orlando:
7am - leave the house
7:30am - arrive at airport (obviously a huge variable depending where you live)
9:15am - flight from ATL to MCO
10:45am - arrive at MCO
12:30pm - arrive at resort (average DME time is 90 minutes, but even renting a car, I'd estimate the same)

This scenario gives someone an entire afternoon and evening at whatever park they want, and chances are they are less worn out since they are simply sitting on a 60-90 minute flight rather than focused on driving for 7+ hours.

Obviously, there are lots of variables with both scenarios - you never know when you'll encounter traffic jams, construction delays, delayed flights, long DME lines. All of these things are out of a person's control. But I would still assert that flying even when you're within 8 hours driving is the faster option. Budget and the amount of time you have for vacation will influence decisions, but it doesn't change the timing.

 

[mamaofsix]

The conversation diverted to that when a PP said that it was "lame" to fly when you live within 7-8 hours driving distance. But to your point, I could argue that paying for multiple Ubers is likely still cheaper than the cost of gas, wear and tear, rest stops, and potential additional hotel rooms that one may need to book depending on the length and timing of the drive. Even if the difference in cost is negligible or slightly more by using Ubers, I would much rather pay for the Ubers for peace of mind so I don't have to worry about traffic, directions, parking hassles, I can get dropped off near the gate, and I can have as many drinks as I want.


This is how I'd estimate the time differences you're suggesting.

Driving Atlanta to Orlando:
7am - leave the house
11am - bathroom/lunch break/gas
11:45am - back on the road
2:30pm - bathroom break
2:45pm - back on the road
4pm - Arrive at Disney resort after driving through rush hour traffic

This scenario leaves you with an evening at whatever park or Disney Springs, but there's a good chance a person may be tired from the drive and will want to call it an early night.

Flying Atlanta to Orlando:
7am - leave the house
7:30am - arrive at airport (obviously a huge variable depending where you live)
9:15am - flight from ATL to MCO
10:45am - arrive at MCO
12:30pm - arrive at resort (average DME time is 90 minutes, but even renting a car, I'd estimate the same)

This scenario gives someone an entire afternoon and evening at whatever park they want, and chances are they are less worn out since they are simply sitting on a 60-90 minute flight rather than focused on driving for 7+ hours.

Obviously, there are lots of variables with both scenarios - you never know when you'll encounter traffic jams, construction delays, delayed flights, long DME lines. All of these things are out of a person's control. But I would still assert that flying even when you're within 8 hours driving is the faster option. Budget and the amount of time you have for vacation will influence decisions, but it doesn't change the timing.

To your point (sounds like you're a small party vs. the OP and myself who are large parties), this is what I have priced out for our next trip in 2022:

Scenario #1 - Drive ourselves and stay offsite

Gas / wear and tear for round trip Ontario - Orlando: $800
Hotel Stays, multiple rooms, both ways: $600
Parking at Disney: $150
Offsite Villa with kitchen to cook for large party (saves money on meals): $2500
Total: $4,050

Scenario #2 - Fly down and stay onsite

-Flights Round trip Toronto or Detroit - Orlando: $3200 for party of 8 with cheap seat sales
-Onsite Villa to fit us all with kitchen to cook for large party (rented discount DVC)
OR multiple hotel rooms onsite (Disney value) and eat out for all of our meals: $8,000
-Uber XL to / from airport and the odd time on property: $300
Total: $11,500

More than just negligible or slightly more. For us it's a seven thousand dollar difference.

I must say I find it strange that those offering a budget alternative to others in the same situation as the OP (large families) are being argued with / mocked for those suggestions. We aren't all in the same boat financially, socially, etc. A little more kindness and understanding towards those in a different situation would be great.

 

[Eastern]

Before free ME we always used to stay offsite. It was soooo cheap compared to Disney. When they made ME free I started buying into the convenience factor. Now that I will have to get a ride or rent a car, I will consider going offsite again. It's nice being able to walk to a park but I'm guessing I could be saving thousands each trip even with the car rental and parking fees.

 

[nkereina]

To your point (sounds like you're a small party vs. the OP and myself who are large parties), this is what I have priced out for our next trip in 2022:

Scenario #1 - Drive ourselves and stay offsite

Gas / wear and tear for round trip Ontario - Orlando: $800
Hotel Stays, multiple rooms, both ways: $600
Parking at Disney: $150
Offsite Villa with kitchen to cook for large party (saves money on meals): $2500
Total: $4,050

Scenario #2 - Fly down and stay onsite

-Flights Round trip Toronto or Detroit - Orlando: $3200 for party of 8 with cheap seat sales
-Onsite Villa to fit us all with kitchen to cook for large party (rented discount DVC)
OR multiple hotel rooms onsite (Disney value) and eat out for all of our meals: $8,000
-Uber XL to / from airport and the odd time on property: $300
Total: $11,500

More than just negligible or slightly more. For us it's a seven thousand dollar difference.

As I said in my post, there are a lot of variables. The size of your party is one of those variables, so I can certainly see where it makes sense to drive from a cost perspective. But, to my point, it doesn't necessarily save you time. For us, a party of 2 and sometimes a party of 4, the difference would be negligible so we'd choose the option that gives us more time.

A person has to weigh whether time is important or cost is important. I agree that's a big difference in your cost due to the size of your group, which may be larger than average. But for someone where the difference is less, they may be willing to pay a little more to give them more time.

I must say I find it strange that those offering a budget alternative to others in the same situation as the OP (large families) are being argued with / mocked for those suggestions. We aren't all in the same boat financially, socially, etc. A little more kindness and understanding towards those in a different situation would be great.

I'm not sure who/what this is directed at as I haven't noticed any mockery. There is a spirited debate, as is typical here. I am definitely of the opinion that I'd rather stay on-site and I'd rather fly, but I'm not ignorant to the fact that this does not work for everyone and I respect that. But, I am within my right based on the thread topic to point out what I believe are pros and cons of both based on specific scenarios. Opinions are not a personal attack against someone else's decisions - they're just opinions. Take it or leave it. I'm certainly not trying to convince anyone to do what I do.

 

[Lilsia]

To your point (sounds like you're a small party vs. the OP and myself who are large parties), this is what I have priced out for our next trip in 2022:

Scenario #1 - Drive ourselves and stay offsite

Gas / wear and tear for round trip Ontario - Orlando: $800
Hotel Stays, multiple rooms, both ways: $600
Parking at Disney: $150
Offsite Villa with kitchen to cook for large party (saves money on meals): $2500
Total: $4,050

Scenario #2 - Fly down and stay onsite

-Flights Round trip Toronto or Detroit - Orlando: $3200 for party of 8 with cheap seat sales
-Onsite Villa to fit us all with kitchen to cook for large party (rented discount DVC)
OR multiple hotel rooms onsite (Disney value) and eat out for all of our meals: $8,000
-Uber XL to / from airport and the odd time on property: $300
Total: $11,500

More than just negligible or slightly more. For us it's a seven thousand dollar difference.

I must say I find it strange that those offering a budget alternative to others in the same situation as the OP (large families) are being argued with / mocked for those suggestions. We aren't all in the same boat financially, socially, etc. A little more kindness and understanding towards those in a different situation would be great.

This shows the difference in people's situation, as you said. For someone like you, it is a better "deal" to drive, but you are not the average family. You are double the average family size so your situation is out of the "norm". I don't think it's fair to compare extremes like yours to the "average" family group. You will always be double of what the majority is in this situation. I wouldn't take what is said here personally, since people are speaking to the average family.

 

[BostonEd]

Lol you’re calling me lame? I live in iowa and often fly to Chicago. It’s just simpler and easier.

LOL I guess so! Thanks for seeing the intended humor in that.

BTW, I'm not saying flying instead of a 8 - 12 drive is wrong. There are pros and cons. But I do agree with the other posters pointing out a 90 or more minute flight is not just a 90 minute flight. There's a lot more around that flight that has to be done. And, these days, with expensive rental cars (if you want a car), and perhaps not wanting to deal with an airport with unknown air ventilation systems, maybe the pros and cons have shifted a bit.

 

[Rusty2rules]

I never suggested Atlanta to Orlando was a 30 minute flight. The poster mentioned Chicago to Orlando. That's what I was referring to. But I can see where the confusion would come in. My apologies.

Someone mentioned ATL-Orlando was a 30 minute flight. Try 90 minutes. Google it.

And let's not forget about finding and paying for parking at these airports. Unless you Uber or something, which is a whole different can of worrying (Will they show up on time? Will they get me there on time? Will their car fit me, my family, and our luggage?)

I stand by my original statement. Chicago or Atlanta, I hate both airports. I dislike airports in general, but Chicago and Atlanta have special, dark places in my heart. I lived 90 minutes from O'Hare for 30+ years and my family lives in ATL. I currently live in OKC. I drove 19 hours over flying last time we went to WDW. Like I mentioned, stop when I want. Eat what and when I want. Compared to flying? I'll choose driving every time. Plus, I enjoy seeing the countryside, which I understand isn't for everybody. We're flying this year only because my adult son insisted. I told him if we're flying, he's paying for an upgrade to first class. And I'm still dreading it.