Driving from NJ...Again?

[DizDaD7]

Originally Posted by buzzmom12

For those of you who stop where is a good place to stop we are coming from south jersey. I would like to get most of the drive out of the way the first day. Tx

I know my sister usually stops somewhere in and around Santee, S.C. its still probably around 6 more hours or so from that point though I think....I figure if I'm going to pay for a hotel, it might as well be in Disney & I just keep going on adrenaline...LoL Coming home...Nooot so much.

[Familytradition]

Coming from Canada, we've done the drive 8 times and taken many different routes.

DVD Player is a must - if you have an xbox or play station they can also hook up to the newer screens. We have 2 boys and they never said a word. Other than I'm hungry and I have to pee !!

Best route to take is around the Virginia mountains. Go through Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and stop in Georgia. The mountains of Virgina are beautiful - they are also host to some of the worst weather we have ever seen. We actually had rain, fog and snow in the same 3 hour span...and that was in the Spring as well.

I can't drive through the night. We tried that...by 3am I started asking myself what the #$%^# was I thinking !

We stop in Marietta Georgia and that leaves you about 7 hours to WDW.

[AnnaS]

We drive down every few years or so. This year however - we might be driving down four times - yes - four times. My dh hates to drive down but we had to take my dd down early January since she was checking in for the CP. The drive down this time of year compared to our summer's driving down was the best.

We were scheduled to drive down in May again to pick her up but she has decided to extend til 8/2. So we are driving down anyway in May to see her and help her move again. Weather and traffic should still be better than summer months.

However - if the extension goes through - we were cruising DCL end of July - so looks like we will drive again, pick her up for the cruise, stay an additional week after cruise and drive us and all her stuff home.

We leave home at 3 am (DH would love to leave at 2 am). We did stop in GA - I believe it was Savannah. We drove straight through coming home.

(The drive was so great in January that dh agreed to drive down for our planned Oct. F & W trip - but we shall see if he is willing to drive a fourth time).

Good luck and let us know how it all went.

[chipdale74]

We are driving down for the first time this summer Originally we were driving through the night. Now my DH decided he will stop. Anyone can give a good place to stop when we leave southern nj around 10/11am?

[DizDaD7]

Originally Posted by chipdale74

We are driving down for the first time this summer Originally we were driving through the night. Now my DH decided he will stop. Anyone can give a good place to stop when we leave southern nj around 10/11am?

Wow that's sorta an odd time to leave, but if you must so be it.

My guess is, you are close to the the Delaware border. Less than an hour?

If so your total trip w/out stops should be roughly around 16 hrs, give or take. To get most out of that day & get a big chunk done, I would say somewhere around the S.C./ GA border...That would get you to a motel/ hotel at roughly7 or 8 pm. with only a 6 hour or so drive left for the next morning.

I'm the complete opposite,I figure if I'm going to be spending $$ on a room midway, then it might as well be in a Disney resort.

[nono]

Originally Posted by chipdale74

We are driving down for the first time this summer Originally we were driving through the night. Now my DH decided he will stop. Anyone can give a good place to stop when we leave southern nj around 10/11am?

If you leave Cherry Hill at 11 a.m., you would get to the Savannah airport area right around 11 p.m. (without traffic delays) figuring a 15 min. break every 3 hours. Since it is your first time driving, that might be pretty ambitious, unless you are planning to sleep in 'till close to 11 a.m. Santee, SC would be approximately 2 hours less drive on day 1, for your consideration.

Have a fun trip!!!

[chipdale74]

Yes I agree the time is weird to leave. This would be my DH doing this. I would rather leave earlier so we get further south quicker. We aren't planning on going to the parks until Monday so now he wants to do sea world Sunday which I don't think is doable at all

[nono]

Originally Posted by chipdale74

Yes I agree the time is weird to leave. This would be my DH doing this. I would rather leave earlier so we get further south quicker. We aren't planning on going to the parks until Monday so now he wants to do sea world Sunday which I don't think is doable at all

Here's my 2 cents. Have everything packed up in the car the night before except for your cooler. When you wake up at 5 a.m. from the excitement of knowing you are going, elbow your DH and say, "Get in the car. We're going now."

And, grab the cooler and be gone!!!! You will magnanimously take the first leg of the trip, of course.

[chipdale74]

That sounds like a great plan but we need to drop our dog off to the kennel in the am. I am going to have to look into how early we can drop her off. I plan on having everything packed the night before so we just go.

[ruadisneyfan2]

Originally Posted by chipdale74

That sounds like a great plan but we need to drop our dog off to the kennel in the am. I am going to have to look into how early we can drop her off. I plan on having everything packed the night before so we just go.

Why not drop her off the night before?

[chipdale74]

On a strict budget this trip. That would be an added expense. Hopefully we can leave earlier then planned

[SMWfamily]

I gave in and decided to spend the night in Charlotte at the Inlaws, then all drive to Disney, Caravan style, the next morning. We'll leave NJ about 6 am, get to Charlotte 10 hours later, rest, kids can swim, sleep, and leave for Orlando early the following morning. Not what I wanted to do, but there are benefits to taking it slow, I guess.....

I have never driven South to Orlando from NC. The idea of being on a synchronized schedule with another car makes me nervous....

[arthuruscg]

Well you don't have to stay nose to tail and cellphones are very useful for scheduling pit stops and refueling.

If everyone can do it, make the first stop south of Savannah for food and fuel, about 275miles. Brunchish time (less food and less liquid intake), perhaps a Cracker Barrel. Depending on how the crew is going the next stop could be Orlando area for food and fuel.