Drive to WDW

[Geri]

Hi!

I've flown to WDW many times, but htis will be the first time I will be driving. I will be stopping on the way down for one night; hopefully in NC.

Does anyone have any tips?

Thanks!
Geri

[laceemouse]

We have flown down once but usually drive. We are a family of six and flying always costs more for us, plus I don't really love flying. It is great having our own vehicle there too. We have the DVD/Video player in our suburban which entertains the kiddos. The main advice I can give you is plan where you will stop and book a room. Once on a trip back home we decided not to stop where we had booked a room because we felt it was too early (DH was "making good time") and when we got tired we could not find a room to stay in. We stopped again and again and EVERY hotel room in Kentucky was full!!! We ended up driving halfway through the night and having to take a small, smoking (YUK) room in southern Illinois. We generally stop in Chatanooga, DH gets Marriot points from his work travel which pay for us to get 2 rooms there each way for free!!! Going down, everyone is happy and excited, coming home everyone sleeps a lot so it works out fine.

[vicnmickey]

? For you. We are from Northern IL about 2 hours west of Chicago. We are driving this year for the first time and we are planning on stopping in Chatanooga. Were do you usually stay, that is nice and doesn't cost a fortune. Thanx.

[laceemouse]

Vic...HI!!! We are from the south but have been living in Naperville about 4 years. Anyway, we always stay at Marriots, which I am pretty sure are not the cheapest but Hubby gets "points" from them due to occasional business travel. One thing about Marriot though, they are always pretty nice and clean. Good luck finding a good place to stop and have fun planning your trip!!!!

[mudnuri]

RESERVE YOUR ROOM IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats the best trip I can give you.

Other than that, instead of retyping everything here, check out the transportation board.

Brandy

[memymomonica]

Which highway are you taking through North Carolina?

[alloyd1170]

Laceemouse-sorry off subject but couldnt resist...........I grew up in Naperville and now live in the south (SC)! Small World! Will be making my annual trek up there in May to visit friends (have to let it warm up a bit)!

alison::MickeyMo

[Desnik]

Use this sit to find a hotel on your route. Also this site has info about each exit. I am assuming you are taking I95?
http://www.usastar.com/i95/homepage.htm

Do you have children or is it just adults?

We have driven down about 6-7 times now. We go off season and have booked a hotel for the way down. Usually in SC. Once we didn't book and were sorry we didn't. We like to get alot of the driving done on the first day. The second day we just want to get there!! Last time we did it different and left our house at 4am. We were at WDW at 10pm. That's with a then 5yo and 8mo! It was great and we plan on doing that again in Nov. DH and I take turns driving. We have a tv/dvd for the kiddies. They slept most of the time.

Also there is info on this site for driving I95:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/transportation/Driving_to_florida.htm

[Spinning]

We drive from PA the one thing I have found to save some money on hotels down if you plan to stay over night. Stop at the first welcome center of the state you plan to stop over at. Have them make the ressie. It will be much cheaper than if you just pull into a hotel.
We have the tv/video for the car....wonderful!
If you have small kids check this web sit out it give some good advice http://momsminivan.com/
I take pipe cleaner for the kids to play with! They love it and make all kinds of things

[bengalfreak]

One thing I would really suggest getting is a super road wiz. Its a little calulator type gadget that when you enter your location, lists all gas stations, hotels, rest areas, restaurants and hospitals near you. We drive down from Dayton, OH every year (a 16 hr trip) and I have never made a hotel reservation before we left. I realize this could be a problem if we got really tired and the city we happened to be in had a convention or something. But I've never had a problem. I just use the road whiz and my cell phone to find a room. They are available at Wal-mart and cost about $20, I think.

[Geri]

Thank you for all the great info!

I'll be driving down with my 13 yr old DD (she'll be turning 14 while we're there) - just the 2 of us so far.

Geri

[BrianMonk]

I'm from central Illinois and we're stopping just north of Atlanta.

I used biddingfortravel.com to check the Hotels out on what is available through priceline.

I got this hotel via priceline:

http://www.hyatt.com/usa/atlanta/hotels/hotel_atlrs.html

just off I-75 for $38.50 (that price includes pricelines added fees)

[scrapaholic]

Good to see a neighbor here...live next to ya in the big metropolois of Irmo, SC!!! What a surprise to see your location. We're going down in May and again in Sept for dd's 7th birthday. Love that rodent!!! Just wanted to say hi and glad to have a neighbor here, Anna

[don8life]

We drove down 6 times in as many years. We never reserve a room. This was never a problem until this last trip. We ended up driving halfway through Georgia until we could find a room at 2 am and we only got that room cause my mom was 250 miles ahead of us and when I told her we were having trouble finding a room she grabbed the last room at her hotel. I am driving again in June but I don't think I will book a room because If you feel like driving further you could really put some distance behind you. I'm not sure but I think some places charge you if you were to book and not show up.
I usually print a few coupons from this website to take with me. Fairfield inn's is always nice, clean and safe.
http://www.roomsaver.com

Irene
Disney trip 11/03
http://www.erinelizabeth.freeservers.com/photo.html

[magicalprincess3]

We are from Chicago and this is year we are flying but for the past 5 years we have been driving. You should a electric cooler that you can plug into the ciggerette plug in your car and then when you are in your room you can keep water bottles and stuff cold. Anoter thing is bring lots of stuff to bring in the car for the kids. I hoped i helped.

:sunny: