When you’re planning your Disney World trip, you have to figure out a lot of things, including how long you’re staying where you’re staying, what tickets you need, what to pack, what to eat (our FAVORITE decision to make about a Disney World trip), and more.
Driving to Disney World
However, you’ll also need to figure out how you’re getting to Disney World. Although many visitors fly into Orlando International Airport, many others also drive. If you’re driving to Disney World, we’ve got some great news: Orlando is one of the TOP TEN cities in the U.S. to drive in, according to WalletHub.
WalletHub ranked Orlando at #6 in its list of Best & Worst Cities to Drive In. It’s only beat out by Jacksonville, FL; Greensboro, NC; Corpus Christi, TX; Boise, ID; and Raleigh, NC. WalletHub looked at cheap, smooth, and safe driving experiences to make this list, comparing 100 of the largest U.S. cities across 30 indicators of how driver-friendly they were. That includes looking at average gas prices, traffic congestion, and the likelihood of accidents.
©WalletHub
According to Chip Lupo, one of WalletHub’s analysts, “Car prices have gone up significantly over the past few years, and gas remains expensive going into the summer travel season. Living in one of the best cities to drive in can make owning and maintaining a car much cheaper. However, costs aren’t the only factors that matter; the best cities for drivers also minimize commute times and traffic congestion, have accident rates well below the national average and keep their roads in good condition.”
Driving around Disney World
Given the cost of airfare continuing to increase, driving could be a viable option for your next Disney World trip and could save you some money, in the end. Of course, you’ll need to figure out your budget and what works for you, but it could be something worth considering if you live close enough to drive or make a road trip to Disney World.
Driving to Hollywood Studios
If you DO decide to drive to Disney World, you can still use Disney World transportation to get around the resort, so you’ll want to keep that in mind, too. Disney World hotel guests get free overnight parking at the hotel they’re staying at, as well as free parking at the parks.
We’ll keep an eye out for more, so stay tuned to DFB for more.
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My wife is not a fan of flying, so whenever we travel to Disney (from mid-PA), we always drive. We plan it so we can be going past DC during the late-morning or early-afternoon hours, and then stop for one night a bit more than halfway down. That way we can arrive at our chosen Disney resort in the late-afternoon the very next day, and check-in before dinner. It’s only a 14-15 hour trip and we enjoy the various sights on the way down and back, stopping to stretch our legs or grab a bite whenever we wish. It might not sound easy, but it has been a great way to get there since 2018 for a couple of 70+ year olds. And having a vehicle while down in Mickeyville gives us freedom to go just about anywhere at anytime, without having to depend on the busses. (I doubt we could fly anyway with what all my wife packs.) 😎
We used to fly to WDW, when there were better first class/business class and nonstop options in our area. When the airline offering those options was bought by a competitor with a VERY different model, we started driving. We had already become addicted to having our own car, after renting one on a couple of shorter trips. The drastic reduction in the quality of the options available for us to fly practically made the choice for us. I’m surprised that Orlando and Jacksonville rank so highly (sorry to people who love it there, but I am lol) based on my experiences driving through them. But once we’re at WDW, we stay mostly on property or very close. We’ll be driving for our next trip, which will hopefully be this coming winter.
I’m going to disney for the summer driving thanks for the tips
We always drive to Disney from Milwaukee WI area. Sometimes it’s a 24hour drive..this time will be a 1-2-day trip because of a knee replacement. But no matter if you fly, take a bus, train, or drive …it’s the destination that counts!! Yay Disney!;