The difference between driving and flying is actually only $554, but because it will take so long to get to/from there we’ll have two less nights at Beach Club. That’s where the big savings ($1160) comes in!
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That sounds about right. For us, driving is typically a “fixed cost” of about $600 (including gas, food, and lodging) no matter how many of us there are. (Although, that can vary a bit with gas prices, and whether we have to get a suite or just a regular hotel room.)
When JUST my wife and I went in December 2020, we flew (first time we flew since our honeymoon 25 years earlier), and it was just about break even to fly rather than drive. In December 2022, however, even with just the two of us we are back to driving because it is, once again, cheaper…especially considering we would have to rent a car for 2 days for part of our trip.
Downside to driving, of course, is as you mentioned…losing out on a number of “actual” vacation days.
Anyhow, hope it all works out for you!
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On all past trips we’ve flown and rented a car. Car rental used to be like $100/week and parking at the resort was free. Now it’s like $600 for the week rental and $25/night parking at the resort!
So if we fly, we’re going to be using Uber to get from MCO to resort and limo service to get to MCO from resort. It still will be cheaper than renting a car plus paying the stupid parking resort parking fees!
Did you check the rental car fees for your January trip? Just curious because I got a much better deal for our January dates than I was expecting (we actually weren’t going to rent a car because the cost has been so high recently). Of course the resort parking fees are still a thing.
The least expensive rental I could find (for next weekend)) was $170+ for 5 days. But I would also have to add gas and $60 for 4 nights of parking at Pop.
Quicksilver is $150 (plus tip each way) for round trip airport transportation.
I couldn’t rationalize the extra money for a rental.
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I checked maybe a month ago and the prices still sucked. So I booked private ground transport instead for some airport transport. And will use Uber for other transport when needed.
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That makes sense but that’s not a terrible rental rate (these days)
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… agreed
I also worked hard to rationalize not using Mears and upgrading to Quicksilver, so the extra $$ on too of Quicksilver is more difficult excuse!
Also, three of my five days are at MK so I wouldn’t use the car then.
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True–driving to MK is a pain. We were just thinking about lessening exposure to people on the bus by having a car. But travel right now is kind of risky no matter what.
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Yup, as was I, but those three MK days would have me on the monorail or ferry instead of the bus. So not much different.
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Not much.
To add some data to your consideration, we are a little less than a month behind South Africa with omicron (their cases started rising around 11/22 whereas ours started around 12/15). They peaked on 12/15, so I would expect the U.S. to peak by mid January.
Confounding factors: Cases came down pretty quickly in SA but then plateaued midway down. Also, we still have Delta mixing around in some areas. And of course there is variation in vaccination / infection rates and types. So things could look different here. But my hunch is that end of January will be just in time to miss the madness that is unfolding now but also miss the flood of crowds that will likely return when omicron passes.
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Struggling with the same decision. Adults (husband, me, son, d-i-l) are all vaxxed and boosted. Grandchildren are vaxxed. If it’s just me, I’d go. But son is really worried about the crazy-high Florida numbers. We got a car, to avoid all group transportation. And would certainly cancel all indoor dining, plus everybody has good masks and is comfortable wearing them. I hope that’s enough that son will feel like we can go, but honestly? I think he’s gonna pull the plug on us.
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I’ll be on a Jet Blue the same afternoon. I’m going. Everyone is vaxxed and boosted(if possible). We are taking precautions but living our life.
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Sounds like a solid plan 
And indeed, I would avoid WDW transportation, particularly buses. A packed bus was the most uncomfortable part of our trip in dec, I started to get claustrophobic. The other time was in the queue for Escape from Gringots at UOR - by far worse tham anything at WDW due to unmasked people and zero distancing in tight spaces. WDW mostly felt alright and the worst crowds were avoidable.
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If Covid anxiety will diminish pleasure or if someone in your group or at home has a high risk condition— stay home… Yet, has there been evidence of spreading on SW or in the Parks—no. Did people get Covid at WDW before widespread availability of vaccines last year- - not when I was there,
You’ve taken all reasonable precautions and are obviously someone who is careful – go have fun!
Not much I can add that others have not already touched on, other than to say we actually just did cancel a trip planned for the first week in February. Had reservations at the CS Tower, but decided to pull the plug a couple of weeks ago. Like you it is a 16 hour car ride for us, which is no big deal as we’ve made it many times going to WDW . For us it was Covid anxiety, pure and simple. We were there last April when Disney still had their full slate of Covid precautions in place, but felt uncomfortable even though we were also fully vaccinated. So much so that we walked away from an ADR at Disney Springs when we say the crowd in the restaurant, and also left AK park after a few hours due to the large crowd that day. It was the behavior of other guests who did not respect physical distancing that got to us. I posted all about that discomfort at the time, although I’m sure those posts are deeply buried by now. Given that memory, the wife and I chickened out for this February when we realized once again that we’d be around more people in single day at WDW than we’ve probably been around since we got home last April. Hate to be a “debbie downer” … but since you asked. If you do go, I think the N95 masks are a smart idea. That and your other common sense precautions will help a bunch.
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Thanks for the insight. We have decided to forge ahead at this point. I’ve decided that since it seems as though COVID will be here forever, we may as well go when we have so recently gotten vaxed/boosted instead of waiting until the efficacy wears down.
We’re now 7 days from takeoff. We’re gonna fly (as long as our flight stays on the board). We’re gonna mask and sanitize as much as possible. And just hope for the best. To be honest, at this point, if I/we catch COVID while we’re there, I just hope that it isn’t until the last day. I’m fine being sick at home, but not while I’m paying thousands of dollars to be in Disney World. We’re also counting on our shots/boosters to do their job and keep symptoms mild if we do get infected.
Thanks to you, and everyone, for sharing your thoughts with me!
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Excellent list. Nicely comprehensive and really techs my own thinking for a trip I took at the same time.
We came back with positives and I had not full considered the schooling impact. Luckily or school was cancelled for a week for Snow-vid so that impact ended up being acceptable. If DD had been out for 2 weeks, my math might have changed.
We had a really amazing trip.
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I hope you have a great trip and stay healthy!
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