A family trip to Disneyland can create memories that last a lifetime—but getting there, finding a place to stay, feeding everyone, and getting around Southern California can add thousands of dollars to the price of the vacation.
For New Mexico families, there are two very different ways to make the trip: fly to California, stay in a hotel, and rent a car—or hook up the RV and make the road trip part of the vacation.
So, which one makes more sense?
We ran the numbers for a hypothetical family of four traveling from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
To keep the comparison realistic, we aren’t hunting for bargain-basement airfare or pretending RV travel is free. We’re using reasonable vacation budgets for both trips.
We’re also giving each option one of its biggest advantages. The flying family gets a five-day, four-night vacation, taking advantage of faster travel. The RV family gets a seven-day, six-night adventure, with overnight stops along the way and the road trip becoming part of the vacation.
Disneyland admission is not included in our comparison because both families would purchase the same park tickets.
Option 1: Fly to Disneyland
Flying has one enormous advantage: time.
A flight from Albuquerque gets the family to Southern California quickly, making flying a great option when vacation days are limited.
With an RV, getting there takes longer—but that’s also part of the appeal of a road trip. Instead of simply getting from Point A to Point B, the family gets overnight stops, meals together, new places to see, and a chance to make memories before they ever reach Disneyland.
For now, let’s see what the faster option costs.
Airfare + Checked Luggage — $1,400
We’re budgeting $350 per person for round-trip airfare, including checked luggage.
For a family of four: $350 × 4 = $1,400
Airline prices change constantly, so we’re intentionally not using the cheapest promotional fare we can find. We’re trying to create a realistic family vacation budget.
Rental Car — $400
Once the family arrives in Southern California, they’ll need transportation.
We’re budgeting $400 for a five-day family-sized rental vehicle, including typical airport taxes and fees.
Airport Parking — $25
The family also needs somewhere to leave their vehicle while they’re gone.
At $5 per day for five days: $25
Hotel — $800
We’re assuming four nights at a reasonably priced hotel near Disneyland rather than one of Disney’s premium resort hotels.
At approximately $200 per night: 4 nights × $200 = $800
Food — $1,000
Without a full kitchen, most meals will be purchased at restaurants, the hotel, or inside the parks.
We’re budgeting approximately $200 per day for the family for breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and snacks.
5 days × $200 = $1,000
Rental-Car Fuel — $50
We’ll also allow $50 for gasoline during the trip.
Fly + Hotel Total: $3,675
Airfare + Checked Luggage: $1,400
Rental Car: $400
Albuquerque Airport Parking: $25
Hotel — 4 Nights: $800
Food — 5 Days: $1,000
Rental-Car Fuel: $50
Total: $3,675
Option 2: Take the RV to Disneyland
Now let’s hook up the RV.
This time, the vacation doesn’t start when the family reaches Anaheim.
It starts when they pull out of the driveway.
Instead of airports, security lines, and baggage claim, the family loads up their own RV and hits the road.
We’re giving the RV family seven days and six nights, with an overnight stop each direction. That breaks up the drive and turns the journey itself into part of the family vacation.
- Day 1: Leave Albuquerque, explore along the way, and stop overnight
- Day 2: Continue the road trip and arrive in Anaheim
- Days 3–5: Disneyland and Southern California
- Day 6: Begin the trip home with another overnight stop
- Day 7: Enjoy the final stretch of the road trip and arrive home
Those extra two days aren’t necessarily lost travel days. They’re two more days of vacation.
Now let’s look at what the RV trip costs.
Fuel — $550
The round trip from Albuquerque to Anaheim is approximately 1,560 miles.
We’re assuming the tow vehicle averages 12 MPG while towing, meaning the truck will use approximately 130 gallons of fuel.
Using a reasonable blended fuel-price estimate along the route, we are budgeting $550 for fuel.
Campgrounds — $570
Our six-night trip includes four nights near Disneyland at approximately $450 and two overnight campground stops at approximately $120.
Total campground budget: $570
Food — $700
Here’s where having your kitchen along for the ride starts making a difference.
We’re certainly not suggesting a family goes to Disneyland without buying a churro, snack, or special meal. But every meal doesn’t have to come from a restaurant.
Breakfast can be made in the RV. Drinks and snacks can already be in the refrigerator. Dinner can be waiting back at the campground after a long day at Disneyland.
We’re budgeting a combination of groceries, meals prepared in the RV, and some food purchased at Disneyland.
At approximately $100 per day for the family: 7 days × $100 = $700
Remember, that’s feeding the RV family for seven days, while our flying family’s $1,000 food budget covers only five.
Propane — $25
We’ll also allow $25 for propane used for cooking, hot water, and other RV appliances.
RV Road Trip Total: $1,845
Fuel: $550
Campgrounds — 6 Nights: $570
Food — 7 Days: $700
Propane: $25
Total: $1,845
The Final Score
Now let’s put the two vacations side by side.
Fly + Hotel
Vacation Length: 5 days / 4 nights
Transportation: $1,875
Lodging: $800
Food: $1,000
Total: $3,675
RV Road Trip
Vacation Length: 7 days / 6 nights
Transportation: $550
Lodging: $570
Food: $700
Propane: $25
Total: $1,845
RV Savings: Approximately $1,830
That’s a significant difference.
But there’s another number worth noticing: 7 days versus 5 days.
In our example, the RV family gets a seven-day family adventure and still spends approximately $1,830 less than the family flying and staying in a hotel.
Flying: The Pros and Cons
Why Fly?
It’s fast. This is flying’s biggest advantage. When vacation days are limited, getting to Southern California quickly means more of those days can be spent at the destination.
Fewer days away from work and home. Our flying family can complete the vacation in five days instead of seven.
Less driving. No long towing days, fuel stops, or hours behind the wheel.
No towing. There’s no dealing with wind, grades, trailer maneuvering, or towing through Southern California traffic.
No campground setup. Check into the hotel, drop off the bags, and you’re ready to go.
The Tradeoffs of Flying
It costs more. In our example, approximately $1,830 more.
Airports aren’t always fun. Security lines, baggage check, boarding, crowded terminals, delays, and baggage claim are part of flying.
The airline controls the schedule. A delayed or canceled flight can change the vacation quickly.
Everything has to fit into luggage. Packing for a family of four becomes a balancing act between bringing what you need and bringing what the airline allows.
You still need transportation. After landing, there’s a rental car to pick up, pay for, and eventually return.
Eating out adds up. Without your own kitchen, restaurant meals can quickly become a major part of the vacation budget.
Four people share a hotel room. After a long day at Disneyland, a single hotel room can start feeling pretty small.
RV Travel: The Pros and Cons
Why Take the RV?
The vacation starts in your driveway. With an RV, getting there can be part of the vacation. Stop somewhere interesting. Have lunch somewhere you have never been. Let the kids see something new. Spend the night somewhere along Route 66. Disneyland may be the destination, but it does not have to be the only memory from the trip.
Sleep in your own bed. At the end of the day, you climb into your own bed. You know the mattress. You know the sheets. And you know exactly who slept there last night.
Use your own bathroom. Your toilet. Your shower. Your towels. Your bathroom. For anyone who has ever questioned the cleanliness of a hotel bathroom—or traveled with kids—that is worth something.
You know how clean everything is. Your bedding, bathroom, kitchen, and living space are yours. You are not checking into someone else’s room. You are bringing your own space with you.
Your kitchen travels with you. Wake up and make breakfast. Grab a cold drink from your refrigerator. Make sandwiches before heading out. Come back from Disneyland and cook dinner. Having a kitchen is not just convenient—it can dramatically reduce the amount a family spends eating out.
Bring what you want. Clothes, groceries, games, blankets, chairs, and all the little things a family wants on vacation do not have to fit into airline luggage. If it fits safely in the RV, it can probably come along.
Skip airport security and baggage claim. Load up at home and leave when you are ready. No luggage carousel required.
Change the plan. See something interesting along the highway? Stop. Find a place you would like to explore? Explore it. Want to spend a little more time somewhere? That is one of the great things about traveling with your home behind you.
And then there is the money.
Fly + Hotel: $3,675
RV Road Trip: $1,845
Estimated Savings: $1,830
And the RV family gets a seven-day adventure instead of a five-day vacation.
The Tradeoffs of Taking the RV
It takes more time. If you only have five days available, flying may make more sense.
Someone has to drive. Towing requires attention, particularly in traffic, wind, and mountainous terrain.
There is setup and teardown. Hookups, leveling, stabilizers, and packing up are all part of campground life.
Fuel is not cheap. We are budgeting approximately $550 for the round trip.
Campgrounds require planning. Popular destinations can fill up, so reservations matter.
Mechanical problems are possible. Tires, tow vehicles, and RV systems require maintenance, and problems can happen on the road.
Weather matters. Wind, heat, storms, and road conditions can affect a towing day.
So, Which One Wins?
That depends on your family.
If you’ve only got a handful of vacation days and your priority is getting to Disneyland as quickly as possible, flying has a clear advantage.
You’re paying more, but you’re buying something valuable: time.
But if you already own an RV and can add a couple of days to the trip, the calculation looks very different.
Seven days of vacation.
Six nights away.
Their own bed.
Their own bathroom.
Their own kitchen.
And an estimated $1,830 still in their pocket.
Most importantly, Disneyland is not the only adventure.
The family gets the road trip, the stops along the way, campground nights together, and all those little moments that happen between home and the destination.
You’re not just traveling to your vacation.
Your vacation starts when you leave the driveway.
What About the Cost of Owning the RV?
There’s one important caveat.
This comparison assumes the family already owns an RV and tow vehicle.
We haven’t included an RV payment, insurance, registration, maintenance, or depreciation in the cost of this individual Disneyland trip.
Those costs are real, and anyone considering RV ownership should factor them into their household budget.
But an RV isn’t purchased for one Disneyland vacation.
It’s there for the next weekend camping trip. The national park trip this summer. The family reunion. The hunting trip. The kids’ sporting events. The spontaneous three-day weekend when everyone needs to get out of town. And, yes, maybe another trip to Disneyland.
That’s why the real value of an RV can’t necessarily be measured by assigning its entire monthly payment to one vacation.
The better question is:
How often will your family use it—and how many memories will you make along the way?
All costs in this comparison are estimates for illustrative purposes. Actual airfare, fuel prices, hotel rates, campground rates, food costs, and other expenses vary based on travel dates, family size, route, RV, tow vehicle, and personal travel preferences. Disneyland admission is excluded because it is a common expense for both travel options.
