So you're going to Walt Disney World...should you fly or drive?

Visiting the "happiest place on earth" is something that just about everyone in the world would like to do at one point in their life or even on more than just one occasion. It's become a staple in the lives of many families and they take annual or sometimes even multiple trips each year to enjoy themselves and relax in all the splendor which is Disney.

A lot of planning goes into taking a vacation down to Orlando, Florida in order to visit Walt Disney World. One of the first things you need to do is determine just when you should go go because that will say a lot about how much you enjoy your trip. Choose the wrong time of year and you could be outside in 100 degree weather waiting to ride Splash Mountain. Two hours later you've ridden the one attraction and it's already time for lunch. Choose the right time of year and you can hit up all of Frontierland and Adventureland before stopping off at Pecos Bill's for lunch and hoping to fit in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland before the three o'clock parade.

And yes, the three o'clock parade does run at three o'clock for those that may ask.

One of the next things you must decide upon after your "time of year" planning is whether you should fly or drive down to Orlando. Of course this only is something those in North America need to worry about as the rest of the world needs to hop a plane, but it's still an important decision. Whether you fly or drive hinges on a number of factors including money, where you're staying, and if you decide on leaving Disney property. Mind you, that's just to name a few. So let's check out what may end up making your mind as to whether to hop on a plane or load up the car and make for a road trip.

~ Distance

This one could all boil down to a matter of preference. Some people and families don't really mind getting in the car and heading cross country or through a few states together. It could be an overly big bonding experience and bring families closer together. But for any of those of us that have been in the car with someone else for longer than three hours; well, it can push relationships to their limits. Determine if you can handle being in the car for long periods of time with whomever you're traveling with or even if you're going by yourself. You don't be a raving lunatic or divorced by the time you show up to meet Mickey Mouse.

When coming from a great distance too, you've got to plan your vacation time accordingly. If you're coming from somewhere that takes 15-16 hours to get to Orlando and you're hoping to spend at least five days at Disney but only have six days of vacation time...well, yeah then you better fly. Living in New Orleans, LA for most of my life, the drive takes between 9-11 hours. It doesn't take us a whole day so we have the ability to have at least only one extra day in for traveling time. Think smart here and don't end up having to cut your vacation short because you didn't calculate in driving time.

~ Money

Now here is where you'll need to grab the member of your family that is good at math because some calculations need to be made. Check out prices for flights early on because it mostly holds true that the earlier you book your flight, the less you'll pay. That holds true for the most part but knowing early on whether you're going to fly or not also gives you more time to watch for good flight deals/specials. Sometimes airlines will run deals that cut ticket prices almost in half making it next to impossible not to get on a plane and worry about the rest later.

Plane tickets can also cost you an arm and a leg as well. The littlest things can raise the price up considerably. You have too many bags. Your flight leaves on a Saturday instead of a Monday. An aisle seat will cost you $10 more. By purchasing your ticket at 1:10 PM instead of at 1:12 PM, you must pay an early day processing fee of $50. Trust me, there are all sorts of additional fees to go along with the random discounts and deals so do your research before buying.

If you're not entirely sure about flying, then you need to look at how much it will cost you to drive. What's the price of gas right now? What are the predictions for the cost of gas when the time for your trip arrives? Is your car in good enough working order to make the long trip or will it need some tuning up? All of these things need to be taken into account because people always believe they can't afford to fly because it's too expensive. Add in the cost of meals, snacks, tolls, and other random expensive and the price of driving could end up far outweighing flying.

~ Where are you staying?

Planning on staying at a Walt Disney World resort on property? Well then you may just want to go right ahead and fly if you can swing the price because your whole vacation just got made a bit easier. Staying on property allows you access of all Disney transportation meaning there is no need at all for a car to get anywhere. Sure having a car will allow you a bit more freedom and cut out a little bit of wait time when it comes to the buses, but you don't have to worry about parking and such.

Oh but what about your luggage and getting from the airport? Won't a cab or shuttle be expensive? I'm glad you asked because I have the answer and it is Disney's Magical Express shuttle for anyone staying at a Disney resort. Not only will you get a ride from the airport to your resort (and back at the end of your trip), but Disney will also handle all your luggage and get it secured in your room too. Not bad eh?

Yet there are advantages to driving and always having a car available for you to hop in. It does take away the bu or boat wait time I already mentioned earlier, but there are others. Say you come out of Epcot one night and it begins pouring rain and you're soaking wet...yeah, waiting 20 minutes for that bus is really going to suck. Having your own car means you can be back at your resort, showered, and ready for bed by the time others are just taking a seat on the bus.

One more thing and this is really important. If you're planning on going off Disney property whatsoever then you may want to think about having your car with you. If you're going to Universal or Sea World or even just to explore more of Orlando, you're going to need your car or spend a probable fortune on cab fares. This all goes into your vacation planning though and if you are going to Orlando or Disney World. Trust me, there's a difference.
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Those are most likely the three biggest deciding factors when it comes down to determining whether you fly or drive to Walt Disney World for vacation. As you can see though, there are many subtle levels in each of those three requiring a lot of thought to be put into each. Sadly, it's hard for me to even give you an actual opinion about which method of transportation you should decide on because both have their advantages and disadvantages. I;ve hopped aboard a plan many times to make my way to hang out in Magic Kingdom and Fort Wilderness Campground. Yet I've also loaded up the car numerous times to enjoy the wonders of Epcot and stay at Disney's Yacht Club resort.

So find out where you're staying, look to see how much money you have at your disposal, and determine whether you can handle being in an enclosed space with your traveling companions for a long period of time. Once those things are settled then I'll see you at Disney World. You can look for my red car...or me getting off a a bus...or parking at Animal Kingdom...or getting off a monorail.

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