With flights for the BCS Fiesta Bowl football game against Baylor costing about $700 round trip, many UCF students have given up on watching the end of UCF’s dream season.
GET BOWL TICKETS AT $90 EACH AT LAST CHECK FROM OUR PARTNER, PRIMESPORT
But because the Fiesta Bowl happens over winter break, students have plenty of time — even if they don’t have plenty of money. So KnightNews.com did some research and found the cheapest option possible for students to make the trip to the bowl game. You’ll need to grab three of your closest friends to travel with to Arizona for this unforgettable game. Here’s how to make it work if you have a group of four people total wanting to make the trip.
1. Rent a car
Most students who can’t afford the plane tickets may not have a car they trust to make the 2,135 mile, 30-hour trip. Budget.com has Hyundai Accent style cars available to rent from the La Quinta near UCF for $78.16 a day after tax. You could leave at 6 p.m. on Dec. 30, and drive straight through in shifts, making sure someone is getting enough sleep while another drives. If all goes well, you’d make it to Phoenix by around 10 p.m. MST on Dec. 31 — just in time to ring in the New Year. According to MapQuest.com, gas would cost you about $425.68 total round trip.
2. Book a cheap hotel on Dec. 31
You’ll want to sleep before the big game on January 1. Your group of four could split a cheap room for less than $100 total.
3. Buy a game ticket online
If you’re on a budget crunch, KnightNews.com’s partner, PrimeSport.com, has you covered. As of last check, they had Fiesta Bowl tickets available for $90 a person in the lower level endzone.
4. Hit the game — then head home
Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. MST on January 1. After you watch UCF’s biggest game in school history, you should be able to hit the road back to Orlando by 1 a.m. on January 2. Again, sleep in shifts while someone drives. You’ll be in less of a rush on the way back, so enjoy some tourist traps along the way, as long as you get the car back to Budget by 6 p.m. on January 3, so you’re not charged an extra day.
So how much would it cost total?
Rental Car: $312.64 | Split 4 ways: $78.16
Gas: $425.68 | Split 4 ways: $106.42
Hotel: $100 | Split 4 ways: $25
Total Travel Costs: $838.32 | Split 4 ways: $209.58
Plus Game Ticket: $90
Total per person cost with ticket: $299.58
It’s a game of a lifetime for UCF, so why not have a road trip of your lifetime, too?
