Once you have decided on when your trip to Walt Disney World will be and how long you will be there, your next step will be how you are getting there. There are several ways to travel to Orlando, beginning with driving, which can be the least expensive way to go. If you are thinking about driving to Disney, here are a few things to consider.
Are you more than a good day’s drive from Walt Disney World? I consider a good day’s drive to be less than 9 hours. But I also consider the time of day I will be able to leave. Driving 9 hours after working for even a half a day, may not a good idea, as you could be exhausted by the time you arrive. If you can leave early morning and still make it by dinner time, then you will still get some decent sleep before hitting the parks the next day!
If you are more than a day’s drive, do you have the additional time to travel? If you are more than 9 hours away or leaving after you have worked part of a day, consider staying about 2-3 hours from Walt Disney World. This will allow you to get up at a decent time the next day, get to your hotel and still get to the parks early to mid-morning. (When budgeting though, remember that this extra night’s hotel will add to your travel costs).
How many days can I be gone? Add on all days needed for travel – these count also! If you have limited amount of vacation days available for your trip, deducting 2-4 days for travel may leave you with only a couple of days in the parks. I have been known to take 2 days to get to Walt Disney World, but only 1 day to get back home, since I could leave early on my last day and not waste another night’s hotel bill.
Is everyone traveling “good travelers: or will additional stops be needed? I have done this a couple of ways. When traveling with small children and multiple drivers, consider leaving in the evening and driving through the night when the kids can sleep. Switching drivers every few hours would help with drowsiness but the kids will hopefully sleep the entire time. (If your children are light sleepers though, your mileage here may vary.) When traveling during the day, plan on multi-purpose stops, meaning bathroom, drink/food and gas all in one stop rather than 3 stops. I do recommend some practice trips for those with small children to see how they handle being in a car seat or booster for longer periods of time!
Do you have a vehicle that is dependable enough for a long drive? I know this seems obvious, but the last thing you want is to be stranded alongside the road waiting on help! And be sure to run through a safety check on your vehicle before you leave: oil changed, tires in good shape, air conditioner charged and working properly, etc.
Is your vehicle that comfortable for everyone for a long drive? There is nothing worse than cramming everyone into a vehicle and not having room to even move your arms. Keep in mind, if the kiddos are along, you will want them to have room to do some activities to help pass the time.
While at Walt Disney World, will you need equipment that might be difficult to bring on a plane? Is a coffee pot a must or will getting coffee from the food court work? Does anyone in your party require special food that must stay refrigerated? What about a cpap machine or oxygen? Will you want your own pack-n-play for the baby or will a bed, or a pack-n-play from Disney work just fine?
If you drive, do you need to take additional snacks, food and drink to keep your cost down for meals while at Walt Disney World? This in itself can be a catch 22. I love taking snacks for in the park and maybe some simple breakfast things for the little ones, like pop tarts or breakfast bars, but I am not one to pack food for all my meals. After-all you are going to Walt Disney World, so enjoy some of the food options you will encounter! With that being said, you could take a cooler with sandwich stuff, snacks that will require being cold and maybe milk for breakfast.
So what is your choice for transportation to Walt Disney World?
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Debbie and her husband live in Collegedale, TN where her youngest son is going to college. She is a huge Disney fan who dreams of someday retiring and working as a tour guide at Walt Disney World. She has enjoyed many trips to WDW with children, grandchildren and sometimes adults only. It is her ultimate goal to make sure everyone who visits WDW has the same magical time that she enjoys every time she visits.
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My family always drives and we love it! With stops we are about 15 hours away. We go straight through, and have done both leaving early in the morning, and going through the night. It’s so much fun! I look forward to the road trip for months. My daughter has been doing it since she was 3 and it has never been a problem. We have milestones we look out for and games to play that make the trip an adventure. I’m already gearing up for our trip in September!
Thank you Taryn for your comments! I think the secret with driving with kids comes down to starting them early and getting them used to the long periods in a car seat! So glad you all enjoy driving and having milestones to look for and games to play along the way really is a great adventure for everyone!
Enjoy your trip in September! That is a great month to be in Walt Disney World!