Driving From Maryland to Orlando....

[momcat5]

Has anyone made this trip? According to map quest it'll take me approx. 17 hours. I am trying to decide if we should stop one night and if so then where to stop is my next dilema. Any ideas?

[hobogary]

We come thru MD on our way down. the 17 hour figure sounds right but it could take you longer depending on how you drive. A lot of people prefer to drive longer the first day and have a short trip into WDW. Somewhere in lower SC or GA might be a good distance.

[crzy4dsny]

17 hours sounds a little high. You are looking at around 14 hours straight thru. I like to get as much of the driving done on the first day as possible when stopping over night. This way it doesn't feel like you have spent 2 days in the car.

Maybe look into stopping in southern Georgia or Jacksonville Florida. That would mean about 11 or 12 hours before stopping.

[becobscot]

Is flying out of the question? I know that Southwest out of BWI has some good fares. With kids, I am afraid of long drives! I think the rule of thumb is if your trip is more than 500 miles you should take two days and stop overnight! Have a good trip!

[FOTM_Ring_Bearer]

If you fly low with stops long enough to get gas and hit the rest rooms, you can make it 14 hours. It usually takes us 15 to 16 hours, depending on traffic and length of stops. We prefer to use the welcome centers instead of gas stations for restroom breaks. The welcome centers are usually really clean.

If you want to spend the night somewhere try Savannah or Jacksonville. Then your drive the next day isn't too bad.

[Uncleromulus]

WE used to drive straight thru, but when we got to WDW I was exhausted!!
NOwadays we drive until we reach Brunswick Ga. I'm plenty tired by then. Next day it's only 4 hours or so until WDW.

[momcat5]

Thanks everyone for all your help!

[ChrisNif]

Hey,

Just Thought I'd Give ya My 2 Cents

I live in south jersey and have to drive west to get to 95 then drop south on a similar route that you will probably follow. I find that if i leave at dinner time from here I can hit disney just in time to get a early room *read 9amish*. That puts my total drive 6pm-9am at about 15 hours from here. I would guess if you follow my school of driving as fast as traffic is moving, and stopping for food fuel and bathroom all at one time (i typically make 4 stops from jersey to disney). You could probably make it in 12 hours (Figuring it takes me 3 hours to get to DC from here.)

-Chris

[kandmwedding]

We've driven from Maryland before and it usually takes about 15 hours. We stopped in St. Augustine once and enjoyed it there. We actually took a side trip (since that was our short driving day) to the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum. I have to say, they have some really strange stuff in there!!

[klmall]

And it took about 16 hours or so. Since we were starting in the evening we drove to Frederickburg I think and stopped for the night then drove straight into Orlando for our 'night before' stay at a HoJo.

We were so glad to be stopping that first night since it was pouring rain and I-95 is just so full of trucks zooming by spraying your windshield.

First night down - Our standard Holiday Inn Express room was huge, super clean with fridge and microwave and under $100.

The return trip we detoured to Jekyll Island, GA for a night and loved the area. Then drove straight back. UGH!

When we calculated out the trip including rooms both ways, meals (cheapie breakfasts and lunches; nicer dinners) and the gas we figured it was just a few dollars lass than flying for the 2 of us this time - not worth driving unless we were traveling with more than 2 people.