Driving from Toronto to Disney World????

[hockeymomNS]

I am looking forward to driving down some day soon. I would love to be able to have the time to tour a bit going and coming home.

 

[minnie mum]

I am looking forward to driving down some day soon. I would love to be able to have the time to tour a bit going and coming home.

This is what we love about driving- the opportunity to see a little bit more than WDW. I used to hate long distance driving, but gave in one year (DH LOVES to drive) just to get my early Disney trip. Well, I've changed my tune since then, and really look forward to our driving trips to Florida now.

We don't deviate from the interstates on the way down- although we do it in 3 days instead of 2 (my old backside can't take more than 8 hrs in the car at a stretch). The only detour we make is the stop at the outlet malls in St. Augustine (really good Disney outlet there with some wonderful discounts).

But on the way home, all bets are off. We make it a real road trip, almost a second vacation. We tend to stay on I 95 and make stops along the way for a day or 2. Maybe Savannah one year. Or Myrtle Beach. Or Williamsburg. Last year it was a few days in Washington (I love all the different Smithsonian Museums). On our next trip we want to see some of the Civil War Battle sites. It is so much fun to do this if you can spare an extra few days. Makes leaving WDW a lot less painful, too!

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

... It is so much fun to do this if you can spare an extra few days. Makes leaving WDW a lot less painful, too!

We've driven twice, now, and while we've enjoyed the experience, our mindset is different. Going down, we want to get there, but not so much we can't enjoy the trip. But leaving? If we can't be at Disney, we want to be home. Now. That's why we took I-75 back (after taking 77-79 down) last time...Google Maps, Bing Maps and the DIS all said the former route was shorter, but we got home faster on I-75 (thanks in part to Dave Hunter letting us know where all the speed traps are).

 

[nokidz]

The only detour we make is the stop at the outlet malls in St. Augustine (really good Disney outlet there with some wonderful discounts)

thats our favorite Disney outlet to hit. We hit it coming and going.

 

[susanv]

We love to drive down, it's a good chance to go to Golden Corral! We usually take the I75 as DH doesn't like driving in the mountains. Trying something new for this March Break - leaving our house at 5 pm (soon as all home from school). A friend from kids school does it that way, baha's all the way down. The kids eat supper, get into their jammies and sleep for almost half the trip. Will see if it works, sounds good anyhow.
Have a super time!

 

[nokidz]

We love to drive down, it's a good chance to go to Golden Corral! We usually take the I75 as DH doesn't like driving in the mountains. Trying something new for this March Break - leaving our house at 5 pm (soon as all home from school). A friend from kids school does it that way, baha's all the way down. The kids eat supper, get into their jammies and sleep for almost half the trip. Will see if it works, sounds good anyhow.
Have a super time!

Good luck, have a safe trip!! We leave in 10 days. We will leave about 8pm. That way the baby, his first trip anywhere (7 months old), will sleep until we cross the border, hopefully a little longer.

 

[Princess_Anastasia]

Hi Everyone

I've been following this thread for a few days and all the info is helpful especially since we are planning on doing the drive down (for the first time!) in September! I don't want to hijack the thread but I wanted to ask if anyone has stayed at any hotels on the way to Disney. We want to stay at a reputable place that we can book ahead of time. We're planning on driving 13 hours the first day (my husband and I taking turns) and we're planning on taking the I-95. Can anyone help with any suggestions?

Thanks

Stacey

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

Hi Everyone

I've been following this thread for a few days and all the info is helpful especially since we are planning on doing the drive down (for the first time!) in September! I don't want to hijack the thread but I wanted to ask if anyone has stayed at any hotels on the way to Disney. We want to stay at a reputable place that we can book ahead of time. We're planning on driving 13 hours the first day (my husband and I taking turns) and we're planning on taking the I-95. Can anyone help with any suggestions?

Thanks

Stacey

I'd Google Jameson Inn and Drury Inn and see if either of them are on your route. Both are economy-level but exceptional. Drury in particular comes with so many free perks. The usual free breakfast (which is excellent), but also free light supper, free alcohol, free all you can drink pop, 15 or 30 minutes of free calls to Canada...

 

[pigletto]

Watching this thread closely. We are highly considering driving for our cruise trip next December. But in our little car, I am especially worried about the weather and I don't know if it's worth it. We don't mind the drive, but don't want to end up stuck somewhere. The alternative is ridiculous holiday prices on flights though

 

[nokidz]

Watching this thread closely. We are highly considering driving for our cruise trip next December. But in our little car, I am especially worried about the weather and I don't know if it's worth it. We don't mind the drive, but don't want to end up stuck somewhere. The alternative is ridiculous holiday prices on flights though

First off, your going to have a blast on your first Disney Cruise!!! This is the first year in a long time we havent cruised. Really sad we had to move it to November.
Depending where you live in Ontario, if your worried, I75 would be your best route. There is no guarrentees on weather, but that is the most well travelled and more populated then the route we take through the mountains.
No matter what, make sure you have good snow tires, make sure you give yourself lots of time to make it to the port. Watch the weather channels for a few days before you plan on leaving and leave accordingly.
Our first trip was back in 2000 and we had two adults, three kids, a dog, luggage and Xmas presents in a Sunfire. We left about 2 hours earlier then planned due to pending ice storm, we went through Detroit to I75 and headed south. The snow was terrible, but I motored on.

 

[MolonLabe]

We are 2 hours north of Toronto. We drive down every winter. With kids to St.Augustine, our first shopping stop, takes us 23 hours, nobody can co-ordinate bathroom stops. .

I really like St. Augustine. I went to highschool close to there in Ponte Vedre. I haven't been back in over decade though.

I currently live in Indiana and I go down via I65 to 24 for a few miles and then pick up I75 for the rest of the drive. It's at least half the cost of flying, worth it IMO, especially since all the delays of air travel since 9-11. This way we also have a full day in the parks from day one till the last day/night. We stay off property the night before and night after.

I agree. No matter where you go whether States or within Canada you always have to be careful. I would have been terrified to see someone with a gun.

Keep in mind that on the drive down you'll pass through several "Open Carry" States. Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. While most people in these states carry concealed (as they are required in Florida), some people choose to carry openly.

Just because you see someone wearing a gun, doesn't mean it is a cause for concern.

That said, a guy walking by with one in his hand rushing into a bathroom, while not illegal in IN, KY, TN or GA, would give cause for concern. You just don't see that every day. In Florida it would have been illegal if it was exposed like that.

 

[pigletto]

First off, your going to have a blast on your first Disney Cruise!!! This is the first year in a long time we havent cruised. Really sad we had to move it to November.
Depending where you live in Ontario, if your worried, I75 would be your best route. There is no guarrentees on weather, but that is the most well travelled and more populated then the route we take through the mountains.
No matter what, make sure you have good snow tires, make sure you give yourself lots of time to make it to the port. Watch the weather channels for a few days before you plan on leaving and leave accordingly.
Our first trip was back in 2000 and we had two adults, three kids, a dog, luggage and Xmas presents in a Sunfire. We left about 2 hours earlier then planned due to pending ice storm, we went through Detroit to I75 and headed south. The snow was terrible, but I motored on.

Thank you for the tips!
My husband is like you, a confident winter driver and would prefer to drive over flying most of the time. I am willing to give it a shot because we do well on other long car trips and the difference between driving and flying at Christmas will be at least 1000 for the four of us if not more! So I'll let him do the driving and I will obsessively watch the weather reports

 

[potzie2]

I was looking at the Premium Outlets in St. Augustine and I can't find a Disney Store located in the mall directory. Is it some place else in the area?

______________________________

UPDATED:

Never mind I see that it's not at the Premium Outlet mall it's at the St Augustine Outlets which is the old Prime Outlets.

 

[nokidz]

I was looking at the Premium Outlets in St. Augustine and I can't find a Disney Store located in the mall directory. Is it some place else in the area?

______________________________

UPDATED:

Never mind I see that it's not at the Premium Outlet mall it's at the St Augustine Outlets which is the old Prime Outlets.

accross the interstate, same exit as Premium Outlets.

 

[August2010]

We just came back 2 weeks ago from driving to WDW on I75. We love to drive and get the roadtrip experience. I also like to shop so we stop at various outlet malls and Targets along the way. We drove in 3-7 hour days. We stopped outside of Cinnicinati the first night and near Atlanta the second. The weather was fine and we had no issues with road conditions.

 

[August2010]

Hi Everyone

I've been following this thread for a few days and all the info is helpful especially since we are planning on doing the drive down (for the first time!) in September! I don't want to hijack the thread but I wanted to ask if anyone has stayed at any hotels on the way to Disney. We want to stay at a reputable place that we can book ahead of time. We're planning on driving 13 hours the first day (my husband and I taking turns) and we're planning on taking the I-95. Can anyone help with any suggestions?

Thanks

Stacey

Holiday Inn in Beckley, WV is nice. We have stayed there numerous times. There are many good resturants close by too.

 

[susanv]

Good luck, have a safe trip!! We leave in 10 days. We will leave about 8pm. That way the baby, his first trip anywhere (7 months old), will sleep until we cross the border, hopefully a little longer.

Good luck to you too!!!! Your son is going to have a blast! Took DS for his first trip when he was 7 months as well. He didn't find the characters scary at all (probably because his older sister wasn't scared of them)and he crawled for the first time at Cape May Cafe character breakfast for Minnie (yes he was a little slower than his older sister). Suggestion, bring along some big ziploc baggies. BIG stinky on the way home and it wasn't at a real rest stop, ziplocs came in handy. Hope he sleeps well for you.

 

[4boyz]

Just like Nokidz -We go 400-407-QEW and cross at Fort Erie then 90-79-19-77-95-4 for us its a 22 hour drive.

We do not drive straight through. We usually take two or three days depending on our schedule.

1st Stop Premium Outlets Grove City, PA- No tax on shoes and clothes
2nd Stop Tanger Outlets Washington, PA- No tax on shoes and clothes

Stay the night at the brand new Hampton Inn in Huntersville, NC just north of Charlotte and the next day in Disney World.

March can be an interesting drive through the mountains. You go through two tunnels. Hwy 19 you must drive the speed limit-loaded with speed traps.

I much prefer this route over I-75 because of the shopping, time savings and beautiful scenery.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

Just like Nokidz -We go 400-407-QEW and cross at Fort Erie then 90-79-19-77-95-4 for us its a 22 hour drive.
(snip)
I much prefer this route over I-75 because of the shopping, time savings and beautiful scenery.

Have a wonderful trip!

I still want to know, a year and a half later, what we did wrong.

We left Waterloo at 3 am and pulled into Charlotte Northlake at 6 pm. Fifteen hours. Then it was still another ten to WDW going that route, which everybody and his dog told us was so much faster than I-75.

Border time was less than a minute, I kid you not. We made a couple of stops totalling maybe a little over an hour. And the Ontario leg of our drive we went the de facto speed limit, i.e. about 80 mph.

We came back on I-75 and beat our outbound trip time by an hour and a half. And going down seemed even longer than it was because we didn't have Dave Hunter to keep us company.

I'll grant you the scenery is gorgeous...but we'll never go that way again.