Anybody drive to FL from NYS?

[AlwaysEeyore]

We just got back today. We decided to leave from Long Island earlier than we had originally planned because of Hurricane Frances (we wanted to get there before she did) We left Eastern LI at 8:30am, stopped in Walterboro, SC for the night at about 10:30. We were worried if we got too tired we wouldn't be able to find a hotel room due the the Florida evacuations. One of the hotels we stopped at was already booked and when we got up the next morning what was an empty parking lot was full of Florida cars. Coming home we weren't in a rush so we stopped in Rocky Mount, NC (Exit 145).

 

[montblanc]

I drive from Maryland and it is about 13 to 13.5 hours each time. New York City is a 3 hour drive for me. We leave usually around 7:30 a.m. and arrive in WDW around 8:30-9:00 p.m. I only have one kid, would imagine with 5 that you make far more frequent stops, eating takes longer, etc.

 

[Amirah95]

In response to Disneyolic:

I think that if you have young children then you should stop and take a rest a motel on the way down. Our DD is old enough and can keep up with us when we need her to be so this isn't a problem with us. We take 10 days off of work if we're staying in Orlando for 7 nights to allow for drive time.

 

[ChrislovesMinnie]

We have driven it 5 times and had flown once. I break it up with about a 6 to 7 hour "rest stop" at one of the better motels right off the highway. This way, we plan and get there approx 12 to 1 PM and usually the room is ready.
If you have very small children, I would plan a rest stop.
Good luck and have fun!

PS, I would never fly. Delays and transportation to and from the airport is not worth it.

 

[alwaysmom]

We drive with 3 kids from Southern Tier, NY. Oops only 2 DS's (6 & 8) in April 2005 , older one (DS 18) will be in college.
We leave around 4 am and stop for the night around 8 or 9 pm in Brunswick, GA (right by the Fla border) there is a nice assortment of hotels. Then head to Flagler Beach for a morning swim in the ocean or walk and look for shells. We head on over to WDW early afternoon. We are planning to do the same thing this trip.

We stop whenever we want to stretch or need. We haven't ever made reservations for along the way but haven't had any problems finding rooms (we always go in April). Although I wouldn't advise the Days Inn in Brunswick (Dirty). I have the Hampton Inn in mind, but we'll see when we get there ($$$)

Oh yeah....The TV and game boys will be with us along with our cooler filled with drinks and munchies.

PS: DH does ALL the driving which I don't mind at all, I stay up and pack everything, wake everyone up and off we go. I fall asleep outside Erie, PA for an hour or two and usually end up cat napping along the way Our 1st day at WDW we don't go into the parks we relax at the hotel and we'll have a PS for dinner.

 

[Banshee]

Has anyone stayed at the Econolodge in Florence SC.?? We have reservations there for our trip down! Any info would be helpful thanks!!

 

[AnnetteF]

We have done the drive many times (about 12 or 13) and have stopped in many different places depending on what time we got started. We are in Connecticut so if we leave at 6 A.M. we usually make it to either lower SC or GA. In SC, Walterboro is a good place to stop with many hotels. If you go into GA, just over the border are the Savannah exits and there are many hotels there as well. If we don't make it that far, Florence SC is also a great place to stop and so is Lumberton NC and even Rocky Mount NC if we're slow for some reason. You can feel very comfortable. We have stopped at many different exits over the years and everyone has been friendly and we never felt uneasy. You will find that all of the exits off 95 in the South look pretty much the same - same hotels, same fast food and chain restaurants - all catering to people doing the same thing you are - driving to or from Florida.

 

[kapica3]

We had reservations at the Jameson Inn in Pooler, Ga.

Friends of ours got the recommendations from friends of theirs and they were very pleased.

We cancelled our reservation when we found out we made good time and could continue on to Florida without making the stop.
So we continued on to Disney and were able to call ahead and got a 1 night at one of the All Stars, and moved to our "real" resort the next day. The advantage was that we could start out the next day with a "regular park day" - early entry and all - until our room was ready.

Wouldn't hesitate to stay at the Jameson Inn in Pooler though as I have had 2 great recommendations.

 

[shafke]

How many of you who drove staight through on the way down were in such a rush to get home?

When I used to go with the parental units we would leave at night to get through DC before AM rush hour and then stop for breakfast. We would then drive through to the NC/SC border. Then next day would get us to the FL border. The next day (4 hours or so) at DW.

The one time we attempted to drive straight through there was an ice storm... that was fun.