driving to wdw/crossing at fort erie

[cottontail]

Hello: We are driving to wdw, crossing at fort erie and want to do it in two days, with one night in a motel.

I can remember the last time 6 years ago we left at 4 a.m. and stopped in columbia south carolina, it is about l4 hours, but it was tiring. Where do others stop, do they go further than columbia or less?

Trying to get some ideas,

Deb.

[Micheme]

Hi Deb

We are driving for the first time for May 2002 and will be leaving from Niagara over the Peace Bridge also.

We mapped out the route on Microsoft Trips and are stopping at Columbia South Carolina as well. It makes for a long drive the first day, but hey you are excited and don't mind i would think. This leaves a shorter trip to Florida.

Anyone - Any hints on where to stay in Columbia, SC. Also any traffic tips you can give me.

[DisneyLisa]

Depending on how many stops you make, once you leave Columbia, you should have about a 6 hour drive to WDW. We're doing the same thing you are but planning to drive an extra 30 mins. & stopping in Orangeburg (Hampton Inn)...we prefer to get through the bigger cities so we can avoid the rush hour traffic in the morning when we leave. This way, we'll get up & on the road & onto the I95...no big cities to go through at rush hour before hitting the I95.

We usually choose Hampton Inns because they are nice, clean & have the great breakfast in the am to get us started (rather than getting up, driving for a bit & then stopping). The interstates are not like the 401...with gas/restaurant "pull-offs" all along...you have to exit...it's not far off the highways, but not always as convenient as the 401 (but the choices of places to eat is much better!!).

We've driven several times & you're right, it's better to drive more the first day...you 're more excited & less tired. We'll get up a little later the second day (maybe 8 am instead of the 6am we do the first day) & after stopping for a few groceries (we bring our plug-in cooler to use as a fridge in our resort, which works great!) we plan to hit WDW shortly sfter the 3pm check-in.

I'm certainly not an expert but have done it several times & keep logs/journals each time, so let me know if you have any other question...I'd be happy to try & answer them for you. I also have the CAA triptiks if you need hotel/motel info for a particular city. Every question is important when it comes to making your Disney Vacation perfect. :)

Lisa

[cottontail]

Hi Micheme and disneylisa;

I have an amerisuites booked with a weekend super saver for a sat. 59.00 that is with two doubles, and a sleeper sofa and a cont breakfast in columbia, hampton inns are great and country inns and suites, fairfields if you go on the web you can put in your dates and check rates, and sometimes give them a call and there is a good rate not advertised.

Disneylisa is orangeburg far off the hwy or just a few blocks, i could not tell looking at the map that aaa gave me. I might change my stopping time to orangeburg as well.

Would that be about a 14 and half hour drive? Hubby likes to leave around 4 or 5 the first day and do the bulk of the driving the first day, and a little the second day, it is easier on him he says. Good luck everyone on their trips,

Deb.

[DisneyLisa]

The CAA TourBook gives these directions for the Hampton Inn in Orangeburg:

I-26, exit 145A, 0.5 mi s on Hwy 601...sounds pretty close to the Interstate to me...probably before you get into Orangeburg We've gone farther off before & it doesn't take long.

We'll be leaving Kitchener at about 6am (DD & I will be going there from Ottawa the day before to pick up my friend who is coming with us) & plan to hit Orangeburg at about 9pm. My logs show it was 15 hours from Kitchener to Orangeburg (a couple of stops on the way). Are you travelling with children? It might be a bit long if you are...depending on your kids...we did a 24 hour straight trip once with a 7, 5 & 3 year old and they were great (but raring to go at the other end & we were wiped!).

Just checked the hotels in the CAA book & the only ones listed for Orangeburg are: Comfort Suites, Hampton Inn, Jameson Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn & Guesthouse Inn. CAA rate for Hampton was $69 (these are last year's books...haven't picked this year's up yet).

[DisneyLisa]

And by the way Cottontail...we'll probably end up leaving at 4am as well...we're already so excited that I can just see us getting up & leaving that early. If we're so excited that we can't sleep (which I know we will be) we might as well be on the road (14 yr. old DD can sleep in the car).

[DisneyLisa]

Just checked the Hampton Inn online & the rate is still $69 (at least for July).

[Micheme]

Is the traffic in Columbia in the morning that bad. We will be staying a Sunday night, probably around the university. Are we going to have a hard time leaving around 8:00 am or so.

[DisneyLisa]

I really can't say Micheme...but I know what traffic is like in our city each morning, so we just always plan to avoid it if we can...I would imagine that 8am in any large city would be horrible...I think if it was me...I'd head out at 6am & hopefully beat the traffic...or stay closer to the Highway...maybe someone else can tell you more.

[cottontail]

Hi: I can't remember, although for us it was a sunday morning we left from columbia, we left about 6, why don't you stay at the south end, near the highway.



Deb.

[Sandiebean]

We are leaving in April, and going the same way.. however.. we leave at around 6pm at NIGHT!!! Then, we will try to drive overnight.. and until around 2pm the next day. We'll stop, and rest.. swim.. relax.. and leave the next morning around 5am. We should arrive at the resort before 10am.. and can just laze around and shop etc. the first day.


Sandie

[cottontail]

Hi Sandiebean:

That is an interesting way to do it, now one thing I am wondering, how is it driving thru the mountains around beckley, wv. in the dark.
I can remember going years ago during the day and looking down, and it was a way down as we drove thru the beckley, bluefield.

We have the option of leaving at 3.p.m. and I wondered how far we could get, and thought we would have to stop when it got dark, cause of being so high in the mountains. Even if we drove til around ll.00. I will have to think about this.

Deb.

[Sandiebean]

Deb...

We've never done it. Our next door neighbours have. She's American.. and they are always in the States, visiting kids, and just visiting. They've done the trip a fair bit.. and say it's very doable. In fact.. they say it's easier, since the roads are fairly bare.. they feel safer than when it's congested.

They'll drive to Savannah.. (or an hour or two before, if they're tired).. and head on the next day. (they say it's about 5 hours from there).

Anyone else done this?

Sandie

[Micheme]

Sandibean

On the way back we are stopping in Savannah for a few hours (i loved midnight in the garden of good and evil..) because i really really want to see it.
We are then travelling to Orangeburg or Columbia overnight, then onthru to home the next day depending.


Any suggestions on where to stay in Columbia or Orangeburg (not too far from the highway)? What are the towns like?
Any cool restaurants? Any Starbucks?

Thanks Micheme

[Bonnie40]

We just finished travelling I95 through Beckley down to WDW and back for the first time. We have always gone down I75 but my Dad suggested this route. It was wonderful! We did drive home straight through and drove through the mountains in the night. A bit of fog, but the roads are great and we made really good time. I would recommend it!

Bonnie

[cottontail]

Thanks Bonnie:

I have been waiting to make my hotel reservations til I heard from someone that has actually done this, but I feel a little more confident about driving at night after hearing from you. We are leaving at 3 p.m and will stop around ll or l2 near beckley.


Deb.

[DisneyLisa]

cottontail:

We were unable to get a motel last year in Beckley (a Sat. night - didn't make reservations) & ended up driving until 2am (where the first available motel was - in Statesville, NC - called everywhere on my cell to find something & that was the only one we could find) and the driving was fine. The roads are great & there was very little traffic. You couldn't see the "drops" but you were aware they were there...it was actually a bit easier to handle than seeing it in daylight. You'll be fine.

[cottontail]

Hi: I was just looking in the caa west virg. tour book at the elevations, I was thinking of staying in summersville and the elevation is 1,926 feet up. yikes,

I can't remember do they have guard rails on the side of the highways.

I am not sure maybe we should stop in fairmont before the big rise in elevation, fairmont is 884 feet.

Deb.

[Sandiebean]

Yikes! You guys are scaring me here!!!!. We're driving thru the night, as I mentioned.. but.. if we find it too rough.. we'll stop. I don't imagine we'll need to stop though. We'll just take our time. There are 3 drivers... dh, me, and mil... so it should be ok. Driving thru the night makes sense for us.. since my son (9) can sleep in the car.. and kill 8 hours that way. :D

Sandie

[cottontail]

Disneylisa:

You must have had one heck of a cell phone bill, being out of country.

Deb.

[DisneyLisa]

Cottontail:

My bill was not that bad (surpisingly) but sure glad I had a cell phone...can't imagine what we would have done without one. We would have wated a lot of time stopping & cheacking each hotel. Also glad we had the CAA Tour Books with us.

Sandiebean:

You would probably be able to find somewhere to stay...we were travelling in July - prime holiday season. You should also be OK with 3 drivers...I do all the driving on our trips (well I didn't when DH came, then we had 2 drivers & drove all night & as you said - kids can sleep...ours were 7, 5 & 3 when we did it)....didn't have as many hours with them awake saying "are we there yet?" :)

105 days & counting