Need good SCHEDULE from driving from NJ to florida - The DIS Discussion Forums

WaDiWo · 08-02-2012, 03:42 PM

Hi all!

I've read through a lot of suggestions and tips from driving from NJ to Florida to get to walt disney world.

What I'm looking for specifically is a nice schedule based on your experience. Namely, what time do you leave in order to avoid rush hours in various cities along the way?
Where do you stop for an overnight stay? Is it safe, are there local sights, etc.

I know it might sound too regimented, but we like to be prepared.

Thanks!

amcnj · 08-03-2012, 09:57 AM

Hi. Not sure what part of NJ you are from, but I am near Atlantic City, about an hour and 10 minutes from the Delaware Memorial Bridge, after which I pick up 95 south. You can judge your trip by how long it would take you to reach this same spot from your home. I have been leaving early morning, 2:30 am. I am unable to drive through the night, but can get up a few hours earlier like this without getting drowsy/falling asleep behind the wheel! So this works best for me. By leaving this time, I am passing DC at 5:30 am, and am in NC 8-8:30 am. Then in the Orlando area by 6:30-8:30 PM depending on stops, traffic, weather, etc. As you can see, I don't stop on the way down anymore with this schedule so can't help you with overnight stops.

Let me know if you would like any other info. There is a also a long-standing 200 mile plus driving thread on this board which you can read.

Good Luck!

mrsap · 08-03-2012, 10:10 AM

We have left different times of day, but my favorite is early morning - anywhere between 6 - 8 am. That way you have plenty of time to stop for gas, eat, stretch your legs and still get there by night. If you're not in a rush to get there in one day, I would recommend driving as far as you can (when we had to leave 2pm two years ago we drove to Hilton Head, SC) stay over night, and then drive the last 4 hours in the morning. That was with one child - have two now so I'm not sure how he ride will be this time but we plan on tryin to go straight through. Good luck to you!

GranddadTom · 08-06-2012, 12:08 PM

Just one tip about Washington, DC traffic. If you're going south, the morning is best. That's because the real traffic problems are in Northern Virginia, not Maryland. In the morning, try to arrive at the Beltway, where Rt. 95 joins it, either before 6:00 am or after 9:00 am and always, always go to the East on the Beltway at that time of day. In the morning the heavy traffic on Rt. 95 in Northern Virginia is into the city and you will be going out of the city so you should have smooth sailing.

mickey317 · 09-09-2012, 05:14 PM

Thanks for posting this question - I was about to ask the same thing

Did you already take your trip? We did not want to drive straight thru - so we were looking for safe, clean place to stay overnight. Any information is greatly appreciated.

Nohal · 09-09-2012, 05:26 PM

It has been many years since we have driven as the older we got we found we had to stop more to stretch our legs. We would leave somewhere in the 12am - 1am time. It was tough but by going to bed earlier and earlier as the time gets close and going to bed around 6 the night you leave it is doable. I don't know if you are going with kids or not but as the kids got older we let them stay up until it was time to leave. Sometimes they made it sometimes not but it made for a mostly peaceful ride as they would sleep most of the day. We coordinated stops for gas with meal times and ate at McDonalds or whatever was quick. We would land in Jacksonville around 4pm and would either spend the night there or continue on to St Augustine and spend the night there. Went to sleep early and woke earlly around 5 - 6. It is about a 2hr drive to Disney. That way we only spent 1 day on the road and were fresh for our first full day at Disney. Coming home was another story. DH insisted that we drive straight through (left between 4am/5am) because he didn't want to spend the night in Virginia or closer. Felt we were close enough to get home without staying over. I don't know how he did it because he drove almost all but 2hrs of the trip coming and going. We ended up getting home around midnight. I don't know where you are in NJ but we live in So. Jersey near Cherry Hill.

08-02-2012, 03:42 PM	#1
WaDiWo WDWFan! Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 637	Need good SCHEDULE from driving from NJ to florida Hi all! I've read through a lot of suggestions and tips from driving from NJ to Florida to get to walt disney world. What I'm looking for specifically is a nice schedule based on your experience. Namely, what time do you leave in order to avoid rush hours in various cities along the way? Where do you stop for an overnight stay? Is it safe, are there local sights, etc. I know it might sound too regimented, but we like to be prepared. Thanks! __________________ Cheers! WaDiWo My blog: Come follow my journey towards my goal: Couch to Goofy Marathon Challenge! My Castaway Cay 5k trip report HERE My NYC 2 night cruise getaway trip report Part I, Part II, Part III

08-03-2012, 10:10 AM	#3
mrsap Disney '86, '04, '05, '06, '10, '12 & Stb '13 Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 330	We have left different times of day, but my favorite is early morning - anywhere between 6 - 8 am. That way you have plenty of time to stop for gas, eat, stretch your legs and still get there by night. If you're not in a rush to get there in one day, I would recommend driving as far as you can (when we had to leave 2pm two years ago we drove to Hilton Head, SC) stay over night, and then drive the last 4 hours in the morning. That was with one child - have two now so I'm not sure how he ride will be this time but we plan on tryin to go straight through. Good luck to you! __________________

09-09-2012, 05:14 PM	#5
mickey317 Earning My Ears Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 51	Thanks for posting this question - I was about to ask the same thing Did you already take your trip? We did not want to drive straight thru - so we were looking for safe, clean place to stay overnight. Any information is greatly appreciated. __________________

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08-03-2012, 09:57 AM	#2
amcnj DIS Veteran Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: NJ Posts: 622	Hi. Not sure what part of NJ you are from, but I am near Atlantic City, about an hour and 10 minutes from the Delaware Memorial Bridge, after which I pick up 95 south. You can judge your trip by how long it would take you to reach this same spot from your home. I have been leaving early morning, 2:30 am. I am unable to drive through the night, but can get up a few hours earlier like this without getting drowsy/falling asleep behind the wheel! So this works best for me. By leaving this time, I am passing DC at 5:30 am, and am in NC 8-8:30 am. Then in the Orlando area by 6:30-8:30 PM depending on stops, traffic, weather, etc. As you can see, I don't stop on the way down anymore with this schedule so can't help you with overnight stops. Let me know if you would like any other info. There is a also a long-standing 200 mile plus driving thread on this board which you can read. Good Luck!

08-06-2012, 12:08 PM	#4
GranddadTom Mouseketeer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 433	Just one tip about Washington, DC traffic. If you're going south, the morning is best. That's because the real traffic problems are in Northern Virginia, not Maryland. In the morning, try to arrive at the Beltway, where Rt. 95 joins it, either before 6:00 am or after 9:00 am and always, always go to the East on the Beltway at that time of day. In the morning the heavy traffic on Rt. 95 in Northern Virginia is into the city and you will be going out of the city so you should have smooth sailing.

09-09-2012, 05:26 PM	#6
Nohal DIS Veteran Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 920	It has been many years since we have driven as the older we got we found we had to stop more to stretch our legs. We would leave somewhere in the 12am - 1am time. It was tough but by going to bed earlier and earlier as the time gets close and going to bed around 6 the night you leave it is doable. I don't know if you are going with kids or not but as the kids got older we let them stay up until it was time to leave. Sometimes they made it sometimes not but it made for a mostly peaceful ride as they would sleep most of the day. We coordinated stops for gas with meal times and ate at McDonalds or whatever was quick. We would land in Jacksonville around 4pm and would either spend the night there or continue on to St Augustine and spend the night there. Went to sleep early and woke earlly around 5 - 6. It is about a 2hr drive to Disney. That way we only spent 1 day on the road and were fresh for our first full day at Disney. Coming home was another story. DH insisted that we drive straight through (left between 4am/5am) because he didn't want to spend the night in Virginia or closer. Felt we were close enough to get home without staying over. I don't know how he did it because he drove almost all but 2hrs of the trip coming and going. We ended up getting home around midnight. I don't know where you are in NJ but we live in So. Jersey near Cherry Hill.