For those folks driving!

[Daisy62]

Ok joining the driving thread! We were flying down next week but with all the craziness we decided to drive. We love driving down anyway and my
Oldest daughter has never experienced it. Only thing is instead of taking two days to do it we are starting at 10pm and driving all night! There will be two drivers, myself and my daughter. Taking my mom and youngest daughter too. Any tips for driving straight through? We plan on switching and sleeping but wow still sounds crazy. It's 944 miles from my front door to WDW so not exactly a short trip. Least on way back we will be spending the night in Santee as that is our halfway point. Any tips would be much appreciated!

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

We will be driving from NE Alabama to WDW on 2/27....591 miles....good 10hrs of driving! Can't wait!!

 

[ForeverDisney6793]

I have driven straight thru many times. Normally leaving at midnight. I just stay on the highway and use the rest stops at the welcome centers. I have gotten off I-95 for gas but the stations are always right off the exits and I have never felt unsafe. I am the only one who does the driving. Night driving can be tough since there are not a lot of folks on the road. I would just suggest making sure someone is always awake to keep the driver occupied and have your favorite tunes or audio book on hand. I leave for another drive next week as well. It was supposed to be straight thru but we are contemplating leaving at 12:30 pm on Wednesday since my daughter is getting done work at noon. If we do that, we will be getting a hotel in Savannah and completing our drive first thing on Thursday -- either way I am heading back to my favorite place. Safe travels!

 

[Woodview]

You would be better off Staying a night in a motel after 500 miles .
For your safety , your families safety & for All other Road users.

Even just closing your eyes , for 3 hours or so , in a gas station parking lot

would do you a refreshing break.

Better to arrive later than planned rather than never.

 

[AustinNYC]

Hey everyone! My DW and I are driving down for Spring Break. My DW has gone back to college for a second degree, so we have to grin and bear it when it comes to time off with the rest of the world. Someday we will go to WDW when all the kiddos are in school and attendance is low. For us, the air fare and rental car rates for March 26-April 2 were just too pricey... so, we decided to stretch the legs on my newly acquired Accord and drive down. I'm already following the 2,000+ mile thread! Just wanted to check-in here and say hello! Traveling from Long Island, NY (north shore Nassau County) to our Wyndham property in Orlando. I'm super excited about exploring I-95 down the Eastern Seaboard.

 

[doccoc2002]

So, we are thinking of driving to WDW in April. I have to try and convince DH, any suggestions? We are leaving from NH and there will be 4 Adults( my parents, DH, and I) and 3 kids(12, 10,&6).We will rent a Minivan and I priced out gas. Driving would save us over $2000.
I think my mom and I will do the driving because the boys won't want to drive. Haha
Can anyone help with the best routes and to save our sanity.

 

[AmyDek]

Can anyone tell me if you can leave a car overnight in certain locations in WDW? We are planning on renting a car but wondering if we changed our minds about where we end up or taking an alternate method of transportation back and going back for the car the next day.

 

[DSLRuser]

We will drive again this March from STL. 1008 miles garage to Disney Gate. Takes us 16ish hours.

44>64>57>24>75>Florida Toll Way

We leave the house around 5:00pm. The wife drives to just west of Nashville. Around 10:00pm or so we stop for food and gas. The kids 14 and 8 get comfy, and I drive through the night till we hit Ocala FL around 7am. We have breakfast. The wife drives the remaining 3 hours or so and we check in sometime between 11 and 12.

Coming home we do the opposite. We stay at the pool untill 2:00 or so, then start the drive home. We usually get home around 6am, and sleep for a few hours.

Over the years I have done all 16 hours 4 or 5 times by myself. Either someone was sick, or last time, each stop for gas, everyone was sleeping, so i just kept the drivers seat.

 

[cranbiz]

So, we are thinking of driving to WDW in April. I have to try and convince DH, any suggestions? We are leaving from NH and there will be 4 Adults( my parents, DH, and I) and 3 kids(12, 10,&6).We will rent a Minivan and I priced out gas. Driving would save us over $2000.
I think my mom and I will do the driving because the boys won't want to drive. Haha
Can anyone help with the best routes and to save our sanity.

From NH, you are probably best to do the 95 route.

I normally did 95 to 287-Tappan Zee to Garden State Parkway, NJ Turnpike /95 to 495 in MD, then 295 around Richmond and then 95 to I4. Depending on time of arrival in Jax, you may consider 295 around Jax. The time you leave NH will greatly affect your drive. You don't want to hit NY/MD/VA or Jax at rush hours if you can.

With 2 drivers you should be able to run straight through if desired but if you wish to break the trip up into 2 days, somewhere in NC is about half way. From MA, it was the Roanoke Rapids area, from most of NH, you may be looking at the southern VA.

 

[doccoc2002]

From NH, you are probably best to do the 95 route.

I normally did 95 to 287-Tappan Zee to Garden State Parkway, NJ Turnpike /95 to 495 in MD, then 295 around Richmond and then 95 to I4. Depending on time of arrival in Jax, you may consider 295 around Jax. The time you leave NH will greatly affect your drive. You don't want to hit NY/MD/VA or Jax at rush hours if you can.

With 2 drivers you should be able to run straight through if desired but if you wish to break the trip up into 2 days, somewhere in NC is about half way. From MA, it was the Roanoke Rapids area, from most of NH, you may be looking at the southern VA.

Thanks!
What time do you leave at?
We were thinking of leaving Thursday night and stopping in Atlanta(my brother lives there). We are hoping to get there mid-morning/early-afternoon Saturday. I've also just thought of leaving Friday and driving straight through. My mom and I will be doing the driving, they guys won't drive, but I'm sure we will have some back seat drivers.

 

[cranbiz]

Thanks!
What time do you leave at?
We were thinking of leaving Thursday night and stopping in Atlanta(my brother lives there). We are hoping to get there mid-morning/early-afternoon Saturday. I've also just thought of leaving Friday and driving straight through. My mom and I will be doing the driving, they guys won't drive, but I'm sure we will have some back seat drivers.

I usually tried to leave the Plymouth MA area between 4pm and 6pm. This would normally get me into Deltona, FL (At that time, my other home. An hour north of WDW) sometime after 2pm. Looks like Atlanta is about 6.5 hours from the mouse. Atlanta traffic shouldn't be too bad on a Saturday morning. I'm guessing that you would take around 17 hours or so to get to Atlanta.

 

[tarak]

We ended up driving home this past Sunday because our flight to BWI was cancelled because of the snow storm they had (and which is still in the process of being cleaned up). We had non-stop flights on JetBlue that were dirt cheap (just over $1000 for six round-trip tickets). The flight down was delayed over three hours because fog closed the airport from which our plane was coming. Not the airline's fault at all. But we ended up with over ten hours of travel time for a 2.5 hour flight. We rented a van to drive home. Took 95 to 26 (95 in the DC area is still a mess, from what I understand), to 77. Stopped for the night in Charlotte, NC. I have a Marriott rewards visa with more than enough points, so the room didn't cost anything. Drove 77 to 81 and home. It was a piece of cake. I told my husband the next time we go, he's free to fly and meet us there, but I'm driving. I can pack what I want without worrying about TSA and getting there two hours before the flight time only to find out we're delayed several hours. Plus - you can't get cheese grits on the plane.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We will drive again this March from STL. 1008 miles garage to Disney Gate. Takes us 16ish hours.

44>64>57>24>75>Florida Toll Way

We leave the house around 5:00pm. The wife drives to just west of Nashville. Around 10:00pm or so we stop for food and gas. The kids 14 and 8 get comfy, and I drive through the night till we hit Ocala FL around 7am. We have breakfast. The wife drives the remaining 3 hours or so and we check in sometime between 11 and 12.

Coming home we do the opposite. We stay at the pool untill 2:00 or so, then start the drive home. We usually get home around 6am, and sleep for a few hours.

Over the years I have done all 16 hours 4 or 5 times by myself. Either someone was sick, or last time, each stop for gas, everyone was sleeping, so i just kept the drivers seat.

You do much better than us - we're an hour West of STL & it's definitely a "stop midway overnight" kind of trip for us. Even longer the last trip - there was a "police event" on the tollway (motorist took a shot at a trooper) and they closed the highway. We got trapped for nearly 8 hours between exits

 

[DSLRuser]

i just like driving over night. The kids sleep and there is no traffic to worry about.

I am in IT. So I am used to working and being attentive late nights / early mornings. Plus, it is $1,000 for a family of 4 to fly, the drive this year may cost $250.

 

[EeyoreME]

We are looking at driving from Central Tx-WDW for the first time. We have driving long distances before (Maine... to texas...) a few times ... Online it says... almost 17 hours with 1160 miles... We are planning on leaving around 5 pm (i like driving at night).... It'll be myself, hubby, and my in laws and my 2 year old. Hubby will start driving til about midnight and then i'll take over... we plan on drivng straight thru. are we crazy? lol There will be 2 other drivers if needed as well

 

[java]

I'm baaaaack. Driving down again end of April(auto train pricing was outrageous so while I was hopeful not happening) My only trepidation is that I will have to leave after work(3:30) I'm hoping to make it to NC. Depends how my day goes at work(kindergarten special ed) I will be alone on the trip down. I'm thinking 7 and a half hours is all I can muster after a day of work.

 

[CherylA]

I know there are a lot of those last minute deals you can find on the fliers at the rest stops for each state. Does anyone have them? We are stopping in Santee, SC on the way down and Fredericksburg, VA on the way home. I would love to already have the deal sheets so I can have them to call the hotels the night before.

 

[Maroonag1]

We are looking at driving from Central Tx-WDW for the first time. We have driving long distances before (Maine... to texas...) a few times ... Online it says... almost 17 hours with 1160 miles... We are planning on leaving around 5 pm (i like driving at night).... It'll be myself, hubby, and my in laws and my 2 year old. Hubby will start driving til about midnight and then i'll take over... we plan on drivng straight thru. are we crazy? lol There will be 2 other drivers if needed as well

We did it our last trip from TX, left the Austin area about 7pm so we missed all the traffic going thru Houston. My wife drove the first 4 hours then I took over the next 16 or so. I prefer night driving cause the kiddoes can sleep and it doesnt seem as long for them. Trip was supposed to take 18hrs with a fast food dinner stop and sit down for breakfast after we hit Florida but there was a tropical storm that hit the coast earlier than e expected and it pushed us to almost a 23 hr drive.
As long as you have 2 drivers that can trade off you should be good to go without needing an overnight stop. How does the 2yo travel? That will be the biggest factor.

 

[EeyoreME]

We did it our last trip from TX, left the Austin area about 7pm so we missed all the traffic going thru Houston. My wife drove the first 4 hours then I took over the next 16 or so. I prefer night driving cause the kiddoes can sleep and it doesnt seem as long for them. Trip was supposed to take 18hrs with a fast food dinner stop and sit down for breakfast after we hit Florida but there was a tropical storm that hit the coast earlier than e expected and it pushed us to almost a 23 hr drive.
As long as you have 2 drivers that can trade off you should be good to go without needing an overnight stop. How does the 2yo travel? That will be the biggest factor.

She does great... we drove from Maine to texas with her when she was 7 months old.... did GREAT... longest we've gone with her was to houston which is 3.5 hours... Just found out in June we are going to Indiana for a wedding 17 hour drive so we're going to drive and stop halfway for the night. She loves the car drives.. doesn't get sick or anything. We will have my in laws with us on the way to florida so we actually have 3 people who can drive at night but 2 really comfortable with night driving (myself and hubby). Indiana will be a test drive for long distnace with daughter since shes gotten a little older. : )

 

[BeerMe]

We've only driven a few times - twice in fact - since the early 90s. We usually fly and then rent a car while there. We do have a Sunpass however, but I've heard that EzPass will work in Florida soon. Does anyone know if that's tru? We are driving down again in the fall.