Is it worth it to camp with gas so high?

Lillabelle00 · #1 06-25-2007, 10:26 PM

Just wondering: With gas prices so high..is it worth it to pull campers down there just for a week? We planned on doing that..but now we are not sure we would come out ahead. I realize we will be able to cook our food, etc., but I just don't know. Any thoughts?

snifflesmcg · #2 06-25-2007, 10:39 PM

That's a tough question since I don't know what the mpg you get on your car. What I would do is make a list of expenses. Write down everything from plane tickets/driving, campsite/hotel and the cost of food either way. If you end up staying on Disney property, you can add the dining plan which saves a bunch of money. Good luck with whatever you decide.

ibrowse17 · #3 06-25-2007, 10:44 PM

If you are going to Disney anyway, I would say yes. The money you save by staying at the campground over any other resort makes up the difference. You can almost stay for a week at the campground for the same price as one night at many of the deluxe resorts. That makes it worth to me

Lillabelle00 · #4 06-25-2007, 11:12 PM

Just to add more info..we would drive either way. It takes us about 12 hours to get there (without camper) so I imagine that with camper it would take us at least 14. MPG is not great at all. It would probably take us almost 3 tanks just to get there. I do love living in my own "home" and not having to worry about what I am leaving behind, etc. I will have to sit and do some figuring. Anyone who has camped there recently..what do you think?

Disneyfamilyoffive · #5 06-26-2007, 12:17 PM

We were just there and are going back again in August, September and December. We do love having our own home with us for the same reasons you mentioned. We only live about 2 1/2 hours away by car with camper about 3 hours. We have stayed in the cabins and hotels on property and love it either way. It really just depends on how much money you are willing to spend..Hope you have a wonderful trip and safe drive enjoy

CU Tiger · #6 06-26-2007, 07:37 PM

I am with you that gas is at a high price now. To see if it is worth it, you have to calculate how much MORE it will cost you at the current gas price as compared to a reasonable gas price. For example: For our 8 hour drive to DW, our suburban will burn around 60 gallons towing our camper. Assume a $2.85 a gallon compared to (put what you think a reasonable price is) $1.85. Thus, I paid $1.00 more a gallon and it cost me $60 more each way. To go to DW at the higher price, I paid $120 more. This is a lot of money, but I feel it is cheaper than getting a hotel room and it is worth it for what a great vacation I had with my family. Do your own math and see if it fits your budget.

mamaloya · #7 06-27-2007, 01:16 PM

I crunched the numbers for us. We will be about 850 miles away. There are 6 of us going. I figured airfare and a value resort. It came out more. I figured driving and value resort, still came out more. If there were only 2-3 of us, it would probably be cheaper to fly. We need a suite at a value resort also so that ups the cost.

I considered driving and bringing a tent instead of our camper, but it would not be worth the savings to me. I would much rather be in the camper than a tent. I don't cook much on vacation, so the food savings would be negligible.

Just crunch the numbers and see how it works for you.

mickey98 · #8 06-28-2007, 08:08 PM

Bottom line is we go to the Fort each year we take our motorhome which gets 10 mpg. With 5 of us it is a savings, we travel approx 1,000 miles each way, however compared to airfare ( that keeps going up as gas does ) and staying even at a value resort and the dining plan it is STILL cheaper for us to drive.. Check the numbers,, See for yourself..

Tyson The Lab · #9 06-30-2007, 10:19 PM

I'm guessing any family with 3 or more would be spending alot more when they fly instead of driving.

We have a family of six and are driving from the Toronto area. If it wasn't for Ft. Wilderness, we wouldn't be going at all. The only alternative I see to camping is to either reserve a suite or adjoining rooms. Right away that quadruples the price. Then take away the amount we will spend on gas and replace it with airplane tickets. Yikes, then we'd be spending our vacation at good old porch lake again. haha

LKCEmom · #10 07-01-2007, 06:14 PM

Absolutely YES, it is worth it.

Ft Wilderness in your own home, what could be better than that?! Even if you don't cook much you can still have breakfast without the wait or lines and bring lunch / snacks with you.

Whatever you decide to do have a great time.

FloridaTeacher · #11 07-02-2007, 10:36 AM

Yes!!!! Camping (for our family) isn't just about having a place to sleep, it's a lifestyle! We go to WDW about twice a year and we always take our motorhome. For us - the Fort Wilderness experience is just as important as the parks. For my husband and me, it may be more important.

Also, our pups vacation with us & the Fort is the only place that allows that.

Lillabelle00 · #12 07-02-2007, 01:55 PM

I figured that the camping experience would be much more than gas prices. That is the way I feel. You can't beat sleeping in your own bed and cooking your own food. When I compared our hotel room and travel expenses plus camp ground fee it came out about equal..but you just can't beat bringing home with you.. Thanks..

JRocker · #13 07-07-2007, 05:19 PM

Is it worth it to camp if ------insert negative aspect here------

um

yes

always

Camping is greater than hotel is SOOOOO many ways, and the experience at FW makes it so much better.

pixidust1976 · #14 07-20-2007, 01:18 PM

I feel like a fair weather camper compared to all you die hards!!!! hehehe

I did the math, and to haul a camper 2,066 mile round trip from PA to FL at 10 mile per gallon, gas would cost me $624.

The four of us can fly on Southwest for less, and get there in 2 hours instead of 18. This equates to less vacation time used from work, and more of my time spent actually in Disney.

I also can't imagine having to go back to our camper for every meal. I like to eat where we are so that we can stay in the park all day, as such the offset in meals to be able to cook in the camper doesn't appeal to me.

I love camping, but for us, camping in Disney would not save us as much money as it would cost us in the stress of a 36 hour round trip drive and frequent interuptions in our park excursions to run back to the camper for meals.

Just my personal opinion.

lardbucket · #15 07-20-2007, 03:44 PM

If like us...you have dogs...then camping at Disney is the only way to go...Ft. Wilderness is the best campground I have ever stayed at and because it is on Disney property all the perks of staying on property make it special. Just take time the first day to understand the bus system. Once you understand that it is sooo easy to get to where you want to go. I also like to know who was in my sheets the night before...Me, myself and I...I do not cook we purchase the dining plan...it is worth the extra cost...being able to eat at all the nicest places makes the trip alot more special..just make sure you make reservations ahead..now they let you book 180 days ahead. Happy Camping to all

TinkInTraining · #16 07-20-2007, 04:20 PM

Wow, we're traveling even further than most and we still think it makes more sense to camp.

We are a family of 5 which means either the deluxe resorts or family suites which are all at a minimum 4x the camp ground preferred rate.

A flight for 5 of us, plus rental car, is more than driving.

The convenience of eating breakfast and most dinners in the camper is also cost savings. Let’s not forget about the snacks that you can keep in the camper and bring into the part. Now, we commit to eating lunch in the parks or where ever we are but the dining plan is far to much food for us...we don't eat that much!

Add all these together with the environment and the luxury of being able to 1. bring our dog, 2. bring the kids bikes, and 3. have a quite serene place to go every night that isn't totally over run with people and we'll never stay in the resorts again!

It's a personal decision but I for one vote for the camper!

MS_mom_1965 · #17 07-27-2007, 12:38 PM

unfortunately, I can't get a spot...

Janmac · #18 08-06-2007, 05:13 PM

We love to camp at FW but it takes us 3 days to get there as we don't travel a lot of hours/miles in a day. After attempting a panic stop once while towing, we don't like to go much over 60 mph if that.

Once we got home from our last trip, which was in December and included leaving early to get ahead of an ice storm, we decided that if we're only spending a week, we'll not take the camper. If we are driving but not towing, we can generally get to WDW in 2 days.

It is really nice to sleep in beds we're accustomed to - makes the aches and pains from arthritis easier to deal with. And it's nice not dragging luggage around.

That hasn't got to do with the price of gas, it's more based on time getting there versus time there.

Actually, after our last trip, DH said he'd like to take the train down again (which we did in '94 and '98). NO driving at all!

Jan

kminton · #19 08-10-2007, 03:41 PM

We went to Disney during Memorial Day timeframe (i.e. gas was $3.21 on the average per gallon). It was roughly 650 miles for us - 3 tanks both ways (we get roughly 8 to 9 mpg when towing). So that's roughly $375 total - we couldn't get 2 tickets from HSV yet alone 3. Yes it took us 14 hours as compared to 1 1/2 hours to fly.

We were able to stay longer because we were camping and enjoyed our stay much better camping. We could sit outside the camper in the mornings and enjoy our coffee. We also did the Dining plan; I just enjoyed it much better sleeping in my own bed and using my own bath facilities.

We stopped on the way down -about 2 hours out of Ft. Wilderness - and pulled into a campground and slept; a little cheaper than getting a hotel room. We were there about 8 hours and could sleep in our own bed. Didn't hear the traffic from the interstate.

To us, we'd rather camp than stay in a hotel but that's just us. Friends of ours drove a family of 5 down there the same time we went. It took them 2 tanks of gas each way. So a difference of 1 tank (~$62.00).

In the end, it's what ever you prefer.
Kerri

Lillabelle00 · #20 08-11-2007, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janmac

We decided that if we're only spending a week, we'll not take the camper.
Jan

We have decided the same. This trip, we will not take the camper, but next year we plan on staying for 2 weeks so I think it will be more than worth it. I will miss my own bed (this year), but I am sure that I will be too tired to notice.