RV as a Vacation Investment For Disney and General Vacations

[thatonemickey]

The short questions are at the end of this post, thanks for reading! (Someone told me this subforum would be a better place to post.)

Hello everyone! I have always been reading the posts on DISboards and finally have a question that I don’t think has been asked before (or at least maybe one that I haven’t found on this site). I have always been grateful for all the advice, and fun comments people have written here (and on other sites) and there is a concern my family has along with an opportunity that is time sensitive, and for that purpose if you are like me and browse multiple different sites, you will probably see this posted on there. We need lots of help and need to act fast. Moving forward I hope to be a contributing member of this forum and thanks for your help!

Just a bit of background:
Our family of four (three different generations) have gone to Disney about 15 times. We have gone to Aulani two times. We are also DVC members for about the same number of years, and have used the points in every possible way imaginable (RCI FTW!) and honestly love getting the value of what we actually pay for on a vacation even if it is mind-numbingly expensive. Almost all of us work in fields that give us no heads up as to when we are off or we just don’t know until that week. So flights were always last minute, the earliest we ever booked for a Disney vacation was two months in advance.

We have always used flights to get to where we need to go. At first we thought that going on multiple flights would allow us the benefit of miles or discounts using our cards that are associated with airlines. To be honest, those cards are great for many other reasons, but not for accruing enough points to be able to even get one flight to one location.
However in recent years we began to drive to other airports to be able to get cheaper flights on short notice. Our max was 7 hour drives to the next airport to get really cheap flights on relatively short notice. That was 7 hours of anxiety about reaching to that airport in time and everything that no doubt many of you understand.

With COVID, we were unable to go anywhere at all for many months. Now this is where the question is:
We are not campers, we do not like to camping, however our family has dealt with very terrible vacations that have gone wrong, so being in a small RV will not affect us. We are not interested in the RV lifestyle. However, we are considering buying an RV to just drive to Disney World, for multiple shorter visits per year rather than one long one. We are also considering the RV to drive to airports much farther away from us to get cheaper flights to Hawaii. We also want to use the RV to possibly drive into Canada and visit areas that we were not able to do before. In general, the RV would potentially allow us to explore many areas and go to many different events much farther than our state than we ever could before.

There are hidden fees with the RV, not just the RV itself but also insurance, along with where to store it. To be honest these costs are also adding up as well (not sure if there are other costs, we’d be glad if others can bring them up). Even with the price of gas, the cost savings of not going on a flight multiple times a year and being able to go places we never could afford to go before may be worth it. I repeat, we just want a mobile hotel to stay while we drive to our destinations. Even if our family grows, what we are searching for will give us enough space for that moving forward. We found an RV we like but are hesitant to buy it now that we have found one, ha! (its used so we aren’t buying something that will instantly depreciate in value and we regret later on, plus it will allow us to break even with he investment sooner than never if we buy new).

So the Major Questions are as follows (apart from the minor ones above):

1. Can we drive to Disney World/Disneyland and park the RV for free (using the free parking DVC perk) while we use the resort and stay there for the entirety of our trip?
2. Is this even a good idea?
3. For Hawaii (and other Disney resorts outside of the US) can we park the RV in the airports while we go on our trip? We would be looking at a 25ft long 8ft tall RV.
4. RV we crazy?

Thanks!
T.O.M.

 

[DLorBust]

Ours is 25 ft, on a Sprinter chassis, so it's about 8ft wide. We can fit in one parking spot if we can overhang the back end off an island or curb. I don't believe Disney will allow you to park overnight in their lots. Not sure about airports, I'd assume no, but it might depend on the airport. Boondocking in parking lots can be uncomfortable; we wouldn't do it for more than a quick overnight in a pinch. I suspect, if you do the math on the depreciation of the RV, insurance, etc., you would find it more cost effective to stay in hotels for the instances you're describing. For our family, RVing isn't saving us any money from the usual forms of travel. We do it because we like the freedom and we are experienced tent campers, so it was an upgrade for actual camping where hotels aren't an option. I'm sorry if I'm raining on your parade! We do love RVing, but wouldn't choose it for your situation.

 

[Judique]

The short questions are at the end of this post, thanks for reading! (Someone told me this subforum would be a better place to post.)

Hello everyone! I have always been reading the posts on DISboards and finally have a question that I don’t think has been asked before (or at least maybe one that I haven’t found on this site). I have always been grateful for all the advice, and fun comments people have written here (and on other sites) and there is a concern my family has along with an opportunity that is time sensitive, and for that purpose if you are like me and browse multiple different sites, you will probably see this posted on there. We need lots of help and need to act fast. Moving forward I hope to be a contributing member of this forum and thanks for your help!

Just a bit of background:
Our family of four (three different generations) have gone to Disney about 15 times. We have gone to Aulani two times. We are also DVC members for about the same number of years, and have used the points in every possible way imaginable (RCI FTW!) and honestly love getting the value of what we actually pay for on a vacation even if it is mind-numbingly expensive. Almost all of us work in fields that give us no heads up as to when we are off or we just don’t know until that week. So flights were always last minute, the earliest we ever booked for a Disney vacation was two months in advance.

We have always used flights to get to where we need to go. At first we thought that going on multiple flights would allow us the benefit of miles or discounts using our cards that are associated with airlines. To be honest, those cards are great for many other reasons, but not for accruing enough points to be able to even get one flight to one location.
However in recent years we began to drive to other airports to be able to get cheaper flights on short notice. Our max was 7 hour drives to the next airport to get really cheap flights on relatively short notice. That was 7 hours of anxiety about reaching to that airport in time and everything that no doubt many of you understand.

With COVID, we were unable to go anywhere at all for many months. Now this is where the question is:
We are not campers, we do not like to camping, however our family has dealt with very terrible vacations that have gone wrong, so being in a small RV will not affect us. We are not interested in the RV lifestyle. However, we are considering buying an RV to just drive to Disney World, for multiple shorter visits per year rather than one long one. We are also considering the RV to drive to airports much farther away from us to get cheaper flights to Hawaii. We also want to use the RV to possibly drive into Canada and visit areas that we were not able to do before. In general, the RV would potentially allow us to explore many areas and go to many different events much farther than our state than we ever could before.

There are hidden fees with the RV, not just the RV itself but also insurance, along with where to store it. To be honest these costs are also adding up as well (not sure if there are other costs, we’d be glad if others can bring them up). Even with the price of gas, the cost savings of not going on a flight multiple times a year and being able to go places we never could afford to go before may be worth it. I repeat, we just want a mobile hotel to stay while we drive to our destinations. Even if our family grows, what we are searching for will give us enough space for that moving forward. We found an RV we like but are hesitant to buy it now that we have found one, ha! (its used so we aren’t buying something that will instantly depreciate in value and we regret later on, plus it will allow us to break even with he investment sooner than never if we buy new).

So the Major Questions are as follows (apart from the minor ones above):

1. Can we drive to Disney World/Disneyland and park the RV for free (using the free parking DVC perk) while we use the resort and stay there for the entirety of our trip?
2. Is this even a good idea?
3. For Hawaii (and other Disney resorts outside of the US) can we park the RV in the airports while we go on our trip? We would be looking at a 25ft long 8ft tall RV.
4. RV we crazy?

Thanks!
T.O.M.

1. The short answer is 'yes', some DVC resorts - AKV, BWV - the two I've seen this happen at. You would have to contact and ask in each situation.

2. That's subjective - not enough information shared.

3. When I was planning on driving an RV and needed offsite parking, I contacted airport parking at MCO and found a lot that would allow an RV to be parked for a reasonable price. You would have to do your homework on the airports that you would be using. There was a shuttle to take us to the airport so in the one case it would have worked out.

4. Crazy? Probably a little over the top. Especially since you say you are not interested in the camping lifestyle.

 

[bama_ed]

The short questions are at the end of this post, thanks for reading! (Someone told me this subforum would be a better place to post.)

Hello everyone! I have always been reading the posts on DISboards and finally have a question that I don’t think has been asked before (or at least maybe one that I haven’t found on this site). I have always been grateful for all the advice, and fun comments people have written here (and on other sites) and there is a concern my family has along with an opportunity that is time sensitive, and for that purpose if you are like me and browse multiple different sites, you will probably see this posted on there. We need lots of help and need to act fast. Moving forward I hope to be a contributing member of this forum and thanks for your help!

Just a bit of background:
Our family of four (three different generations) have gone to Disney about 15 times. We have gone to Aulani two times. We are also DVC members for about the same number of years, and have used the points in every possible way imaginable (RCI FTW!) and honestly love getting the value of what we actually pay for on a vacation even if it is mind-numbingly expensive. Almost all of us work in fields that give us no heads up as to when we are off or we just don’t know until that week. So flights were always last minute, the earliest we ever booked for a Disney vacation was two months in advance.

We have always used flights to get to where we need to go. At first we thought that going on multiple flights would allow us the benefit of miles or discounts using our cards that are associated with airlines. To be honest, those cards are great for many other reasons, but not for accruing enough points to be able to even get one flight to one location.
However in recent years we began to drive to other airports to be able to get cheaper flights on short notice. Our max was 7 hour drives to the next airport to get really cheap flights on relatively short notice. That was 7 hours of anxiety about reaching to that airport in time and everything that no doubt many of you understand.

With COVID, we were unable to go anywhere at all for many months. Now this is where the question is:
We are not campers, we do not like to camping, however our family has dealt with very terrible vacations that have gone wrong, so being in a small RV will not affect us. We are not interested in the RV lifestyle. However, we are considering buying an RV to just drive to Disney World, for multiple shorter visits per year rather than one long one. We are also considering the RV to drive to airports much farther away from us to get cheaper flights to Hawaii. We also want to use the RV to possibly drive into Canada and visit areas that we were not able to do before. In general, the RV would potentially allow us to explore many areas and go to many different events much farther than our state than we ever could before.

There are hidden fees with the RV, not just the RV itself but also insurance, along with where to store it. To be honest these costs are also adding up as well (not sure if there are other costs, we’d be glad if others can bring them up). Even with the price of gas, the cost savings of not going on a flight multiple times a year and being able to go places we never could afford to go before may be worth it. I repeat, we just want a mobile hotel to stay while we drive to our destinations. Even if our family grows, what we are searching for will give us enough space for that moving forward. We found an RV we like but are hesitant to buy it now that we have found one, ha! (its used so we aren’t buying something that will instantly depreciate in value and we regret later on, plus it will allow us to break even with he investment sooner than never if we buy new).

So the Major Questions are as follows (apart from the minor ones above):

1. Can we drive to Disney World/Disneyland and park the RV for free (using the free parking DVC perk) while we use the resort and stay there for the entirety of our trip?
2. Is this even a good idea?
3. For Hawaii (and other Disney resorts outside of the US) can we park the RV in the airports while we go on our trip? We would be looking at a 25ft long 8ft tall RV.
4. RV we crazy?

Thanks!
T.O.M.

thatonemickey,

1. Yes you can drive an RV to WDW and park it in the resort parking lot. The Security Guard when you arrive may (or may not) direct you to park in a certain place depending on how crowded it is. The main thing is, of course, not to be living out of the RV or using it while it's parked in the DVC lot. You can use it for your daily driver to the parks if you don't want to use Disney transport. You need to look or ask for the term "Oversized Parking".

2. Sure if you want to trade off lower gas mileage (versus a car) for the comfort and convenience of travelling with your fridge, bathroom, etc.

3. Airports (and cruise terminals) generally have parking areas for oversized vehicles. It may cost a few dollars more per day but again it might be worth it to you for the style of travel. Again, not for overnighting in the parking lot.

4. It sounds like a small Class C RV would fit your needs. Driveable, not as big, and sounds like it offers some of what you're looking for. Class A RV's are more bus-like, longer, and probably over-kill for your needs.

You'll be travelling in style and if that's what you're looking for, that plan fits the bill. You just have to decide if you will use it enough to WDW or distant airports to justify the costs associated with having one.

Good luck!

Bama Ed

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

If you are not going to use it to actually stay in the places you are describing but only to drive to airports (which makes zero sense to me given the boondocking issue) and to Disney, I do not see the point of such a major purchase. RV sales are through the roof due to covid so you will pay top dollar for a unit, even used.

You can rent RVs all over the place. Maybe try that for a Disney trip to see if you all can stand driving one first. Renting is costly but you can avoid a very costly mistake this way.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

You got some good responses to your specific questions above. So, I won't add to them. Honestly, I had a much longer response explaining the thoughts behind what I am about to say, but I deleted that diatribe out of respect for allowing you to make the decision that is best for you. So, I will simply say that, while I am reticent to ever tell someone that something is right or wrong for them, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't even begin to consider that which you are suggesting. From perspectives of cost, convenience, and comfort, I would not take on an RV for the usage you describe. I understand the allure, but I think you are considering an extraordinary hassle and cost for a relatively minimal gain.

 

[Sjm9911]

Ill go with 4 on your list, yea your crazy! Lol. Some ideas are better left just as ideas. You dont want an rv lifestyle, want to travel to and from spots to fly ( for me that means you are also in a hurry) . Rvs are slow moving things. You also like to leave last minute, with covid that is a problem, sometimes you will not find a place to set in for the night. You might be better off with a nice van, so more room when driving and space for stuff. Easy to park, and fuel up. Rvs are big and restrict somestuff you may want to do. Like going through a drive through at McDonald's. With a car , easy, woth an rv, park it far away, make sure your not blocked in, thats even if the parking lot is big enough for you to fit! To sum up, you dont like camping, will not take it camping, will not use it as a camper, but want to buy a camper.

Stick to a nice van. Campers while good for some are not for everyone. Every idea is good to bounce around, but sometimes the best idea is the one that never reaches fruition. Have fun!

Sorry to be so blunt, but dont want you to be unhappy and qaste money, this is the disboard, only haply thoughts and people!

 

[ScooterPie]

I suggest you rent an RV and try it before putting out a larger amount of money. You will find that either you love it or it’s not for you.

 

[Sjm9911]

I would never rent an rv just to drive to an airport or disney park to store it. I would not do that. To me it makes no sense at all? Am i missing something? A rv is not a great choice if your only using it as a car. I can drive from nj to disney in one day with a good suv or car. Hook up my TT and its now a muti day trip.

 

[loves to dive]

Everyone has pretty much covered everything but as a RV owner I would say it wouldn't be worth it. Now we own a 35ft fifth wheel, which is not what you have in mind, however some of the issues are still there. If you are wanting it to just sleep in at night on a long trip I'm assuming your are going to be boondocking: i.e. sleeping in a parking lot somewhere with no hookups so you are basically depending on your on board batteries for power and whatever water you can carry in your tank. Depending on the type and size, you may not have AC in the summer. Free overnight parking is getting harder to find with so many full timers now on the road and so many people abusing the places that used to allow it. There is a good chance if you are sleeping in a parking lot you are not going to get good sleep, trucks use them, other campers use them, teenagers doing you don't want to know what use them. Just about everywhere I've ever used an airport tends to have a hotel somewhere near by that allows parking for fee and a shuttle to the airport so it might be better to drive your car, stay in cheaper hotels overnight along the way and park at a hotel and shuttle to the airport. Or park in long term parking at the airport.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

We are not interested in the RV lifestyle.

Then you don't want an RV.

I want the RV lifestyle to some extent but I also want it to be a cost benefit so we can afford to travel more. I have run the numbers about 35 different ways and it is rarely cheaper than driving a car and getting a hotel room. Then add in the slower speeds, the parking difficulties, maintenance/storage headaches, etc... it's something you really have to want to deal with the downsides.

I also echo the comment above about renting one. So many RVs get purchased, used a lot the first year, used a few times the second year, and then sit until they get sold 5 years later.

 

[WingateBucs]

Most major airports have remote lots that can handle larger vehicles.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We bought a small Class C when our son was ten. Our favorite trip was cross country to the big National Parks. We owned DVC at the time and one trip was from NH to OKW. At the time (late 1990's) we were allowed to park at our villa. I do not believe that is allowed at this point, so you would need to park it and use Disney transportation...I don't know if you will get charged for parking, we weren't but that was 22 years ago.

Where to start on why NOT to buy an RV:

Cleaning inside and out. Just like a house. I'd do the inside and he'd do the outside (on a ladder - climbing on the roof). Small space = lots of cleaning, especially floors.

Engine and body maintenance. Just like a car but way more expensive.

Storage. Tarping it. Keeping it from freezing. Keeping critters out.

Insurance. Gas MPG 10 or so.

Certain roads and tunnels do not allow RV's. Tolls.

Flushing the tanks, filling the tanks, checking the tanks, sanitizing the tanks, etc.

Depreciation. Ouch, when you drive the new one off the lot. Good since we bought "used" with 4K miles (it was essentially brand new). We got our money back less $500 when we sold two years later. I negotiated for half off original price and sold it privately. We drove it about 14K miles and kept it in pristine condition.

If you don't mind all the work and maintenance and endless bills go for it! It was a great way to travel (most of the time), pulling in a rest area to take a nap, take a quick shower and have lunch and coffee was amazing.

We still talk about doing it again, but have been buying up more DVC contracts instead. We have SWA airport an hour away and fly on points. We'll drive in retirement, but stay 4-5 weeks, so that makes sense.

If we had one now, we'd stay a few nights at the Fort - it's fun! I'm guessing the grandparents go along and perhaps they (or you) would enjoy a stay there, especially if you have to pay to park it anyway. You'll have hook ups and can rent a golf cart. The others can stay at a DVC villa. It's certainly easy enough to get around, especially if the DVC is a MK resort. We actually talked about doing this but never did.

Honestly IMO, you have a 50-50 chance of loving or hating it. Good luck and let us know what you decide (we're nosy)!

 

[gatour]

I was the someone who suggested the OP to post over her. I knew you guys would give unbiased opinions about RVing etc

I don't camp, but like to read this board, since you are such a friendly bunch.

 

[No_strings]

I’ll play devils advocate here. Agree with the above that probably not worth using the RV as a bus. However, if your family is interested in expanding your travel destinations then you may be surprised that the RV lifestyle might be for you. Not sure if your desire for Hawaii trips or DVC prevents that but lots of RV owners simply love the freedom Of getting in an RV spontaneously and going places, even short trips. Would agree that you may want to rent an RV and try it first. There are a few places in Orlando that rent RVs and even place it in FW for you. Secondly, although RVs are expensive (time, stress and money) and do depreciate quickly, you don’t necessarily need to think of it as a long term commitment. You can buy a new or used Class C, use it for 2-3 years and sell it later on. If you factor the cost of depreciation, storage, maintenance and repairs AND use it enough, it may be similar to the cost of a few vacations. There are also cost savings to consider such as eating in the RV versus restaurants from time to time, etc. plus the comfort of your own space versus hotels. Good luck with your choice.

 

[PaHunter]

Well as others have said, you need some free time, and money. It is like adding another room to the house, it needs to be cleaned, dusted, etc....then there are the things you need just to start, dishes, silverware, towels, linens, sewer lines, water hoses, engine maintenance. It is a lifestyle, and there are better commuting options than an RV.

 

[ElizabethG]

A 25ft RV just for transportation? No, I wouldn’t do that. We have a 16x7.5 ft TT that we use at our destination. Maybe a small camper van or eve just a roof top tent to get you to your destination. Nothing with plumbing.

 

[Teamubr]

I commented once on this, but thought I would add my dad's experience.

My dad (90 y/o, just re-married 3 years ago and still very active) has been camping with us a few times in my 5th wheel. My 5th wheel is not small. 410 sq. ft. and 42 ft long, with 2 bedrooms. He and his new wife thought a smaller "RV" would be great for them to drive further from home and not need a hotel room for a short weekend or overnight. They bought a used Class B (camper van), thinking it would be perfect. Same foot print as a full size van, easy to drive and completely self contained. They knew the challenges of an RV (waste management, hookups, lower fuel mileage, etc.) My dad's wife had an RV (Class C) years ago.

They only kept the Class B for 1 year. They did take a few shorter trips, but parking a tall vehicle was an issue. Neither one like they way it drove/rode and the overall hassle of having an RV was more than they wanted. They realized just paying for a hotel room for a night outweighed the cost and hassle of having a small "travel" RV. They also started traveling farther than a 1-2 day drive in a van was realistic and quickly learned that flying is really great to get somewhere quick.

Their expectations and want may be different from yours, but it is one experience.

j

 

[mickeyfan0805]

I commented once on this, but thought I would add my dad's experience.

My dad (90 y/o, just re-married 3 years ago and still very active) has been camping with us a few times in my 5th wheel. My 5th wheel is not small. 410 sq. ft. and 42 ft long, with 2 bedrooms. He and his new wife thought a smaller "RV" would be great for them to drive further from home and not need a hotel room for a short weekend or overnight. They bought a used Class B (camper van), thinking it would be perfect. Same foot print as a full size van, easy to drive and completely self contained. They knew the challenges of an RV (waste management, hookups, lower fuel mileage, etc.) My dad's wife had an RV (Class C) years ago.

They only kept the Class B for 1 year. They did take a few shorter trips, but parking a tall vehicle was an issue. Neither one like they way it drove/rode and the overall hassle of having an RV was more than they wanted. They realized just paying for a hotel room for a night outweighed the cost and hassle of having a small "travel" RV. They also started traveling farther than a 1-2 day drive in a van was realistic and quickly learned that flying is really great to get somewhere quick.

Their expectations and want may be different from yours, but it is one experience.

j

A good example of how individual circumstance really defines this question for people! I LOVE using our trailer, but with two in high school and another in middle school, I know we are coming to a stretch where it may become much less practical for us. As the kids enter their college years, we will be looking at a 10-15 year stretch where we will be working full time, but it will be just DW and I travelling. The practicality and cost of an RV, during those years, simply may not work. Only time will tell, but I'm very aware that our first 15 years of RV'ing may be followed by 10-15 years in which we don't, before we can then return to the life in retirement.

 

[Marshel]

One final consideration, even with a smaller Class C motorhome, you would need to change your driving habits; it's simply not safe to drive 75-80, most prudent rv drivers top out at 65, some go as fast as 70, but either way, you're not going to be able to sit in the left lane blowing by every piece of slower traffic. There are times you will have to sit in the right lane driving behind the slower vehicle until you get a chance to pass safely, you need additional space to pass safely. Whatever google maps tells you, add 1 to 2 hours additional time. It's also more tiring; while some do 10-12 hour driving days, many have a 5 or 6 hour per day limit due to the fatigue.