Driving>MA to SSR/wdw

[O&PsDad]

We are driving down to WDW for the first time next month. We are looking for the best place to stop along the way. Where do you stop while trudging along Rt. 95????

We are planning to leave around 3 am in an attempt to get some driving while kids sleep....Its an attempt! Stoping to let them burn off some energy and potty breaks should get us into SC around 7pm.

What do you think? I am hoping to leave just 5-6 hours the following day (sunday).

Thanks

 

[llrain]

we've driven 3 times from western MA but without kids.
Each time we leave at about midnight, if you leave at 3 then you may hit some NY traffic as it takes about 3 hrs to get to NYC.
We leave/left at midnight so that we are away from NY during rush hour
this is weekday of course..if weekend you are prob ok.
WE usually went striaght through to Geogia. After Leaving at midnight the previous day we would hit savannah around 10pm-11pm for rest, There is
an exit in savannah where there are like 10 hotels and food eateries
literally right off the highway.
So we would check in to a super 8 around 11, set the alarm for 5am or 6am
literally leave within a few of the alarm and get to DIsney around 10am.
We make it all the way to savannah to sleep because its only a matter of 4-5 hours of dreaded driving from there when you wake up.

Rather than staying in say North carolina or South Carolina...when you wake up and leave you still have like 10 hours to go....I'm happier knowing that there are only a few hours left..

 

[oakmanner]

We drive from Lawrence all the time. Better to leave earlier to get south of NYC before 6-7am. In fact, your goal should be to get south of Baltimore/Washington as early as possible.

Once you accomplish this the drive becomes easier in that the drive has much less traffic the rest of the way.

With three kids though I think it will be difficult to make it all the way to Georgia the first day. Good luck, let us know how you make out when you get back

 

[dgaston]

Remember to check the sticky at the top of the page on the Transportation Board -- there's great exit specific advice there. There are also threads similar to your question.

We are different from many. We strongly prefer the 84-81 route. There are many places to cut back over to 95 after the DC area. It is longer, prettier, and well worth it in my opinion. On our last drive we used 64, but have also done 77 -26 to 95 further south.

I would not recommend this route in snow, however.

 

[DeeCee735]

http://www.interstatebuddy.com/forum/

forum for travel from maine to florida along 95.

We've done the drive from NY alot. I'm a major pre-planner, so I usually book something in/around Jacksonville, as we make it down there in one day (leave LI about 4 am, get there around 8 pm). Then we leave the following morning around 8 am and check into our DVC resort before noon).

I usually use the interactive AAA map and grab a holiday inn or days inn, etc from the site, call and book it.

Have a safe drive and a great trip!

 

[O&PsDad]

Thanks for the info. We are planning around 3 extra hours because of the 2 kids. Also, we aren't going to the park on sunday, just the pools.

 

[kellyf2626]

We drove once and left around 8pm, drove through the night and into the next day all the way to South Carolina. Our original plan was to make it to Savannah...but major rain storms slowed us down and forced us to stop in South Carolina. The drive was BRUTAL the next day to Orlando. For some reason that second leg seemed endless...especially the actual state of South Carolina. Holy crap it was the longest, flatest stretch of highway I have ever been on!!! I think making it to GA would have been much better....so if you could leave earlier and get down to GA....I think you will be that much happier the next day. One crazy day rather than 2 crazy driving days!

 

[allshookup]

Remember to check the sticky at the top of the page on the Transportation Board -- there's great exit specific advice there. There are also threads similar to your question.

We are different from many. We strongly prefer the 84-81 route. There are many places to cut back over to 95 after the DC area. It is longer, prettier, and well worth it in my opinion. On our last drive we used 64, but have also done 77 -26 to 95 further south.

I would not recommend this route in snow, however.

ITA! It seems longer, but due to lack of traffic, it ends up being a much faster & less stressful drive! The only problem we had with this route was a lot of fog when we left early in the am after stopping overnight.

As far as stopping goes, we always look for a Hampton Inn. They tend to have decent rates, they are clean & modern & offer a continental breakfast.

 

[JMLBrats]

We drive from S. Maine. We've done the stop at family in NJ & then we stayed in Florence SC & drove straight to WDW from there. Really depends on your comfort level & who's with you. We have 3 young kids so it's hard to go straight through.
We've also done the Auto train a few times-sometimes only 1 way & drive the other to save money. I like the train, but it is pricey & it's hard to justify the cost especially with gas prices down.

 

[JMLBrats]

We drove once and left around 8pm, drove through the night and into the next day all the way to South Carolina. Our original plan was to make it to Savannah...but major rain storms slowed us down and forced us to stop in South Carolina. The drive was BRUTAL the next day to Orlando. For some reason that second leg seemed endless...especially the actual state of South Carolina. Holy crap it was the longest, flatest stretch of highway I have ever been on!!! I think making it to GA would have been much better....so if you could leave earlier and get down to GA....I think you will be that much happier the next day. One crazy day rather than 2 crazy driving days!

I agree, that last stretch through GA & N. Florida are brutal even in good weather. You just feel like "I can't believe we're not there yet"!

 

[kellyf2626]

You just feel like "I can't believe we're not there yet"!

Exactly!!!!

 

[katmittens]

We drive from Northeastern Pa at least twice a year, sometimes we leave early 3 am other times we leave at 1 pm depending on work schedules and weather and how soon we can leave. If you make it to Savannah Ga. exit 94 has alot of hotels directly off the ramp and restaurants also. We have stayed at the Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn and Country Inn and Suites at this exit and all of them were very good. We have never had a good experience in any of the hotels along I-95 in SC, so we usually make it to Savannah, or Kingsland Ga, which is at the southern end of the state. Good luck have a great trip.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Another vote for Savannah!

 

[JasonDVC]

Just to offer a different opinion...

If your going with 3 kids, instead of stopping in Savannah, GA, why not stop at Hilton Head? Use a few points and check out another Disney Resort while on the way down.

 

[thepops]

One thing we've done in the past is make a "long" and "short" reservation. One that we're confidant we can make and one that is pushing it a little. If the kids were good and the traffic worked with us, then we'd call the "short" reservation and cancel and go for the long one. Most of the places you can cancel by 4PM without being charged, so that kept our option open (without having to scrounge around once everyone was tired).