For those folks driving!

[DJFan88]

No pre-planning, but we always had a great hotel at a great rate.

I agree, we have never preplanned our hotels to and from and have never had a problem. This way we can see how it goes.

 

[Lulululu]

I wanted to give a head's up about inclimate weather you may encounter on your drive.

Fog: There have been tragic deadly pile ups due to fog in Florida ( google it to see just how bad and how many cars) These happen when drivers encounter fog very suddenly, and find they can't see a foot in front of their car. Not a situation you want to be in when you're going 70 mph.

Rain: It's hard to describe how hard rain can fall to people who live in dry areas. It can be VERY scary to hit a sudden rainpour and not even know where you are.

The second situation happened to me while traveling with my then 16 yo daughter. I've been in rain this bad before, but not on so long a trip. I knew the thing to do was:

1) Slow down to a crawl and put on your emergency flashers, and dont take them off until the rain stops.

2) look for places to pull off to wait out the rain. Easier said than done on freeways, but Florida has WONDERFUL and frequent rest stops.

3) put any deadline, desires to get 'there' desires to get to ahotel, etc. out of your mind and just focus on the safest thing to do here and now. In Floriday, this can be a lot easier and more pleasnt than you'd think - as this experience will illustrate:

DD and I were headed to Daytona. Somewhere near St Augustine, we pulled off onto a rest stop. Our plan was to go to the restroom and hopefully be able to get a snack that could suffice for dinner, while we waited out the rain. We now call that place the Bed and Breakfast, because of the extraordinary selection of food in the snack machines. Pasta, soups, fresh popcorn, dippin' dots, milkshakes, Starbucks, you name it - everything but a chicken dinner was available. We ended up having a filling, and decent, if not 5 star meal, after which we slept in the car until the sun came up and the rain finally let up.

Moral to the story - nobody likes a weather problem on their vacation, but it's better than a tragedy, and Florida has spotless, safe, and well designed rest stops, so there's no excuse to keep driving if your visability is impaired ( or you're sleepy). Make a map of stops, and time your stops to take full advantage.

 

[Lulululu]

If you can make it to Savannah,there is a Best Western right off the highway. Can't remember which exact exit. It also has a Denny's there. From that point, I think you only have like 5 1/2 hours to go. It is just a basic drive your car up to your door type of place, but the rate was good and it came with a free breakfast from the Denny's right there. The Denny's was 24 hours, so when we arrived at 8:30 pm at night, we promptly turned it in to eat. We knew we would be leaving by 3 am to miss some traffic and get in bright and early at Dis!

I live in Atlanta, so I don't frequent the same route, but I have stayed at the Best Western in the Historic District and it was the nicest hotel or Bed & Breakfast I've ever stayed in. We couldn't get over it - and was a great price ( 98.00 a night, as I recall, with a decent breakfast). It was in a refubished historic building and now has the feel of a boutique hotel. The conceirge directed us to some terrific restaurants a short walk away.

If you want to indulge in a fun dinner spot in the area, I've been going to the Pirate's House for 50 years (I was taken for my 10th - and my 50th birthdays!). The menu is almost identical - same early Americana fare, same pirate mask take home children's menu, same desert with sparklers, same dumdums lollipops at the end of the meal - and in the lap of the skeleton in the dungeon that were there in 1963, and some of the waitresses have been there almost that long. But that's nothing. it's been a travelers rest for over 250 years. Is it corney? A little, but it's also authentic - you can see the original tavern as well as the early 1700's work shed for the US's first experimental gardens, which were located next door. On Saturday nights, they have what, according to the foodie grapevine, is the best deal on all you can eat crab legs on all the East Coast. Or, you coud drop by Cape May and use the dining paln if you're at Disney ;-)

 

[Lulululu]

If you can make it to Savannah,there is a Best Western right off the highway. Can't remember which exact exit. It also has a Denny's there. From that point, I think you only have like 5 1/2 hours to go. It is just a basic drive your car up to your door type of place, but the rate was good and it came with a free breakfast from the Denny's right there. The Denny's was 24 hours, so when we arrived at 8:30 pm at night, we promptly turned it in to eat. We knew we would be leaving by 3 am to miss some traffic and get in bright and early at Dis!

I live in Atlanta, so I don't frequent the same route, but I have stayed at the Best Western in the Historic District and it was the nicest hotel or Bed & Breakfast I've ever stayed in. We could n - and it was ot get over it - and was a great price ( 98.00 a night, as I recall, with a decent breakfast). It was in a refubished historic building and now has the feel of a boutique hotel.

If you want to indulge in a fun dinner spot in the area, I've been going to the Pirate's House for 50 years (I was taken for my 10th - and my 50th birthdays!). The menu is almost identical - same early Americana fare, same pirate mask take home children's menu, same desert with sparklers, same dumdums lollipops at the end of the meal - and in the lap of the skeleton in the dungeon that were there in 1963, and some of the waitresses have been there almost that long. But that's nothing. it's been a travelers rest for over 250 years. Is it corney? A little, but it's also authentic - you can see the original tavern as well as the early 1700's work shed for the US's first experimental gardens, which were located next door. On Saturday nights, they have what, according to the grapevine, is the best deal on all you can eat crab legs on all the East Coast. We plan to test this out at Cape May at Disney World soon, using the dining plan

 

[byejou]

So Mom and I will be driving down October 31st of 2014. Our route is from central Connecticut to Jessup, Maryland (picking up the Aunties) and then from Jessup down to WDW.

I had planned on taking 1-95 (I'm a highway lover) all the way down.

Anyone know of an inexpensive but decent hotel somewhere around Florence or Manning, SC? Or even a bit further south?

We are also leaving on October 31st from NJ. I am picking kids up from school at noon and hitting the road. Hoping to hit DC around 3-4pm and I know it will be crazy. My kids are a little upset about no trick or treating but I have surprise tickets for MNSSHP at MK on Friday.

As for staying overnight, we usually do a straight run to WDW but this time we are staying overnight in Savannah at the LA Quinta off I95. I got an online refundable rate for $56 so if we make it further I will find something else. I like the LaQuinta hotels for a night. They are clean, comfortable and offer a nice free breakfast.

The trip home we have LaQuinta in Richmond VA, Kings Dominion area. They are only $69 but I may decide to continue straight home like before.

Happy & Safe Travels.....

 

[jsdeforge]

Consider the La Quinta in Kingsland Georgia it's only about three hours to Disney World. It right on the Florida Georgia border

 

[MinMouse]

We too like La Quinta. We stay at one in Lake Mary, Fl. We are just outside disney but are up the next morning and on property within about 45 minutes.

 

[jsdeforge]

Driving from New Jersey I think Kingsland Georgia might even be pushing it. The good news is there's no immediate rush to make a reservation as were leaving on a Sunday and looks like most everywhere will have availability.

 

[byejou]

Consider the La Quinta in Kingsland Georgia it's only about three hours to Disney World. It right on the Florida Georgia border

Thanks, I looked at Kingsland LaQuinta, was only 20 minutes further and $20 more so for us we will take the Disney $$.

Looks like a 11-12 hr drive from NJ which if I I hope to have down to 10!!!, I was able one trip to make in from WDW to my bed in nj in only 12 hrs straight, given the fact we had absolutely no traffic or delays

 

[jsdeforge]

My maps app on my iPhone shows it taking just over 14 hrs from the jersey shore (LBI area) were are u coming from that your able to make it in that time? My plan is to leave Sunday at around 4am and arrive in Kingsland GA around 6pm. Any suggestions?

 

[jsdeforge]

Savanna ga is 1hr45min south of Kingsland ga or about 110 miles.

 

[byejou]

My maps app on my iPhone shows it taking just over 14 hrs from the jersey shore (LBI area) were are u coming from that your able to make it in that time? My plan is to leave Sunday at around 4am and arrive in Kingsland GA around 6pm. Any suggestions?

We live 20 minutes North of Philadelphia in Burlington Township. I don't know how we got home in that period of time but we did. Last trip we took our camper and it took 17 hrs to and from. This trip I plan for 14-16 hrs. It should be 11-12 hrs to get to Brunswick, Ga. We could go further to Kingsland but its more $ at that La Quinta so why bother for 20 min. We are leaving NJ at noon and hope to be at hotel by midnight.

 

[sticker231]

My maps app on my iPhone shows it taking just over 14 hrs from the jersey shore (LBI area) were are u coming from that your able to make it in that time? My plan is to leave Sunday at around 4am and arrive in Kingsland GA around 6pm. Any suggestions?

We are also from the LBI area. It usually takes us 14.5-15 hours.

 

[byejou]

OK is there anyway to absolutely by-pass DC all together heading south to WDW from NJ. Normally we just take 95 to beltway, I believe 695, but I do not want to go near DC this time. Any ideas?

 

[nono]

OK is there anyway to absolutely by-pass DC all together heading south to WDW from NJ. Normally we just take 95 to beltway, I believe 695, but I do not want to go near DC this time. Any ideas?

Cape May - Lewes Ferry to VA Beach and then over to Emporia...

 

[jsdeforge]

As long as your ok adding an hour and and half to you trip and a few extra dollars.

 

[sersee05]

We are possibly driving... Its been back and forth. Flights are so expensive!!!! We are heading down from South Jersey on the 21st. We did it a looooong time ago and it was miserable.

95 was shut down due to an accident. It added HOURS. We ended up stopping in Savannah. I don't remember where we stayed, but it looked nice..lol

It will be nice to have our car where I can pack some breakfast food, wine(I will need it!) , etc. It will be nice to be able to bring full bottles of shampoo..lol. It will be better on mine and my son's nerves. We are both nervous fliers!

My husband is insisting on driving straight through IT could be a nightmare We don't want to take the kids out of school any more than we have too...so Thursday will be a day of driving! ALL day of driving! Holy poop!


What is the route most south jerseyians take? The lovely 95? How long does it take straight through? I cannot remember? What time do you all leave? I know things slow down once we get into VA due to the popo pulling over out of staters. Impedes with my speeding.

We don't have it written in blood yet.( Im a little squeamish). The cost is going to be about $500 buckeroonies for gas. Yes , I have a big gas guzzling environment killing SUV. Fabulous choice on our part...but it also keeps the kids from pinching, hitting, kicking and harassing each other.

So we have seen flights out of Philly..running about $1500 for the five of us. Sooo we are figuring with gas....that would pay for a rental car and a ticket. Soooo debating debating...

Anyhoo..I have never gotten up in the middle of the night to drive. I have to pee before, but I can go right back to sleep. Is this what most of you guys do?

 

[patclairesmom]

We'll be driving on 22nd from eastern Monmouth county. We're planning on stopping in Savannah. You should go over to the 2000+ miles board, there are a lot of people on there from NJ who drive.

 

[ffugitive]

Sersee - It's really not that bad. We did it from Long Island last year (and are planning to do it again in May). I'll tell you what we did, which worked very well to minimize the pain on everyone. We left after dinner at 7pm and I drove until 2am. My wife slept from 11pm to 2am and then drove from 2am to 4am while I got the little shuteye that I needed. Then I powered from 4am to about 2pm when we arrived. Stopped for an hour for breakfast in the morning and a few stretches (and one vomit cleanup) but that was it. We even had a blast on our first night!

Definitely 95 all the way, and if you do the overnight like we did, you won't see a lick of traffic. Good luck to you!

 

[sersee05]

I am sure that I am blind...but where is the 2000+ board? I just don't seem to be seeing it..

I just actually got off the phone with my husband and we decided driving it is..flights just too much. Would rather save $1000 and have an extra day in Disney.


Ohhhhh boy. lol My husband hates long drives ...but still wants to drive straight through!

Now I have to figure out the best plan. I just don't know how we are going to do it.. We are always so exhausted that it will make driving through the night very difficult.