Eeyore wrote:Wow! Thanks for all the info guys! I am taking your advice seriously. I am taking off DLP. I am sad that is sounds so disappointing. I think you are all right in the fact that I've chosen too many places without enough time. The reason for adding Paris is because it is MUCH cheaper to fly from CLT to Paris and it's a direct flight. Then, we would rent a car and drive. It IS out of the way of the other countries though. So, my question is, what is the must do country?
Should we scratch France?
Out of these countries, which would you go to?
Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland? Ideally, we would fly into one city, rent a car, drive to other cities, then leave from a different airport. I feel like there is so many places to see!
Also, how much does the average meal cost? It's stressful trying to plan a overseas trip! Kuddos to you all who come to the US. I have no idea about hotels, customs, food, etc. I've read articles about getting weird looks or being laughed at by the people because we are so different over here with food, drink, etc. 
So, what do you think?
All the countries you're looking at visiting use the Euro. The Euro has fluctuated against the dollar dramatically in the past few years. At one point, it was almost 1 Euro = 1.5 USD, so if you bought something worth 10 Euro, it was really $15 USD. So it makes it hard to say what the average meal (or hotel, etc) will cost you. Also, if you're driving, don't forget that gas is EXPENSIVE in Europe, even compared to the US price at the highest. Gas is sold in liters and the cost of a liter is more than what we would pay for a gallon in the US (and I mean more in the numbers, not even accounting for the exchange rate). Make sure the countries that you end up visiting drive on the same side of the road we do (I think most of the ones you've named do) but it's a FREAKY experience to suddenly be able to make lefts on red b/c you don't cross traffic. I refused to drive in Australia b/c I couldn't wrap my head around in. My colleagues called me a wuss, so may this is only an issue for me!! 
Other things to keep in mind: European hotel rooms are not up to US standards. By that, I mean private baths are NOT the norm. When I visited London and Munich I had to make sure that the cheaper hotels had in room bathrooms (this is not a problem if you stay at a big chain hotel, like a Sofitel, etc, but if you're looking for a boutique hotel or something that will not cost you $500 night, you might want to really read the fine print). They're also smaller, and A/C is not always a given.
Personally, I'd drop Paris from your itinerary in favor of Germany, but for some reason Germany just appeals to me. I'm not a fan of museums so maybe that's why - I prefer the markets, food, and people of Germany. If you've never been to Europe, you really can't go wrong anywhere you end up, so don't worry about picking a bad itinerary. Just give yourself plenty of time. Better to see fewer places and really SEE them than to rush. I would say DEFINITELY do Italy and Rome if you can. I personally thought it was an awesome experience, the food was delish, and the history was A-MAZING. You won't find a starbucks there though.....
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Wait staff look at you really strangely if you ask for an ice cube to cool it down. 
Going this route would also allow for more $ to be spent on food, excursions, etc.