Anyone driven to Florida from Canada?

[canadianmommyof2]

We are in Saskatchewan and are planning on taking a road trip to WDW in August. It's just under 4000 km each way and should take a total of about 36-37 hours. We plan on driving as far as we can the first day, we are thinking around 20 hours with both DH and I driving. Then going the remainder the next day. Does that sound doable? My mom and I drove to DL in 2008 and it took two days of driving but we didn't drive as far as we could have on the first day...it was 2800 km and about 26 hours to drive there. So has anyone been able to make it that far in two days? We would leave home at 3am and drive until about 11pm, we would stay over night somewhere and then drive the next morning leaving at 6am and hopefully get into Orlando at around 10pm. There is the dreaded two hour time change that we would be dealing with so our actually arrival into Orlando could be around midnight...just so we can get 7 hours of sleep when we stop. We will also sleep in the car when the other is driving so being overly tired shouldn't be a problem, we are just trying to keep the actual days spent in the car to a minimum as we will be travelling with our 4 & 6 year old children. They are very used to long trips so I'm not worried really about that but would still like to keep it as short as possible instead of dragging it into several shorter days of driving. It just is sooooo much cheaper to drive than fly for us. Anyone have any advice that has driven?

 

[bonjoe07]

I have never driven to Florida, we are from Winnipeg! One Year we drove to Las Vegas from Regina and the ride going there was good, however after being in Las Vegas for 5 days, driving back was a pain in the neck. I was so tired from Vegas. When we go to Florida, we drive to Minneapolis and fly from there! The flights are soo much cheaper. When we come back from Florida, even driving the 7 hours, that is so exhausting!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My family and I always drive down each summer from Toronto and after we cross into the United States at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit, we take Interstate 75 all the way down. So for us it's very easy because we have been going this same route for a long time, however I am not sure what it's like driving down from the other Canadian Provinces.

 

[endy]

Wow that's a long drive.
And I've driven Calgary to San Diego about 10 times, 27 hours each way.
Make a vacation out of the drive. Find something fun for the kids that will take a hour or two, even if it's a McDonalds play place. It will break the boredom up.
Even so it's something I'd love to do if I had 3 weeks in a row off.

 

[irisesareblue]

I'm from Brandon MB and we usually fly from Minneapolis as well - lots cheaper! I have driven once - we drove down through the Minnesota/Wisconsin route and came back through Kansas city and the Dakotas - looking back, I don't think I would do the Dakotas route again - too boring and not enough stops along the Interstate. The hotel prices were higher too - I guess not enough competition to keep the prices low (not a lot of hotels -if you're the only game in town, you can pretty well charge what you want).

We are planning two trips this summer - one we are flying and the other we are driving...I love driving and appreciate having my own car (and GPS!) once there. Plus with driving you can take whatever size suitcases you want....

Go to CAA and ask for a triptik - best thing since sliced bread, even with the GPS.

 

[Disney_Mama]

Go to CAA and ask for a triptik - best thing since sliced bread, even with the GPS.

I agree.... get a triptik. If your not a CAA member find a friend who is and does not travel much.
I have driven many many times to Florida when I lived in Ontario. The best thing is that your kids are used to long times in the car. Makes for much happier parents when the kids are happy. Good luck and safe travels.

 

[sampsas]

We live close to Brockville, ON and last year we drove down but stopped 2 nights(kids were 6months,2, and 4) Was nice having the car as we stayed off site and we were able to go to Cocoa beach and other places... We are going down may 4th returning the 13th!!! This time we are flying down. Booked online through Orbitz flying out of Rochester,NY (5 hour drive) 9 nights, hotel disney tickets, and rental minivan..... under $3000!!! So you may think driving is cheaper, but add up time, gas, milage on car, ffod down and back... Drive across the border and fly from there!!! To fly from Ottawa to Orlando non stop would have been $2500!!!! Rochester,ny to orlando $700!!!!

 

[canadianmommyof2]

Thanks for all of the advice...it is a long trip but we really would like to give it a shot. We always fly when we go to Florida but DH thought it would be a nice change to drive and since the kids are good travellers on road trips we don't think it will be too bad. We just don't want to drag it out, maybe on the way home we will take it a bit slower. I will get DH to call CAA about triptik.

We also like not having to worry about spending money on the car rental, but still would have the freedom to go other places than just Disney. We may check out Universal, do some shopping and stuff. We also like that we wouldn't have to worry about how many checked bags we are bringing back...we are going to do some back to school shopping while there as well.

As for the cost...right now for us to fly it would cost $3000.00 for our family of 4 to travel using Air Canada and flights with Westjet are all next day arrivals so we would have to get a hotel then as well. Delta was a bit cheaper but then you have to pay for your bags so it would be just under $3000.00. When we drove to California we over budgeted for gas because gas is so much cheaper when you get to the US. For our meals we usually pack a lot of snack type foods to eat lighter while driving. We are not really burning any calories and we don't feel as yucky if we don't eat a lot. We pack sandwiches, veggies, granola bars, drinking box, etc and only stop for gas and potty breaks. The mileage is the only big downfall for us...that is a lot of km but it isn't too bad and we get some good quality family time. LOL

 

[irisesareblue]

I always like to think I have my husband as "captive audience" and we tend to discuss all sorts of things - even things we've been avoiding!

 

[ariel68]

We live in MB right near the MB/ SK border along the Trans Canada. We are planning on driving down in March 2011 also. We are planning to drive to Madison, WI on day one, Nashville on day two and Orlando day three. Coming home we will follow basically the same route, with a detour to Memphis of course. We'll head out right after disembarking, and drive a good portion of the way Memphis first day, so we can arrive there fairly early in the day on day two, Minneapolis on day three, and home (about a ten hour drive). We initially looked at flying out of Miineapolis as well, but figured since we can travel (there and back) for less than the price of our car rental in Orlando for 10 days, even with the added hotel stays we will still be saving huge $ without the flights for the four of us...unless of course a miracle happens and we can score an amazing deal on flights.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

No, but my friends just did it from NWO and said it wasn't too bad. The drive home was worse, as the excitement wasn't there as it is on the way down! LOL

We've considered it, especially considering if we fly from here, it's a 17 hr day with the stop overs. Or, we drive 7 hours, stay over night and take a direct flight. Sometimes I think driving would be fine, then you can book the dates you want to go, rather than waiting and waiting and waiting for seat sales to come out.

Our next visit after this will be driving, as we want to go with 6 of us during march break time. Flights are way too expensive from here during that time.
My kids are used to driving, we do lots of road trips. I think it would be an exciting adventure. Especially driving from Canda during winter, and seeing all the changes down to Florida. Dh and I find that's some of our best quality time together - sitting chatting in the front, while kids are busy w/ books, games, videos, etc. in back.

 

[bonjoe07]

You can get cheap airtran flights for about $79 per person when there is a sale on, which is often. You can also book a rental for cheap with "Name your own Price" W

 

[peigirl]

We drove 3 times since 2003 from PEI. It is 3100 km. Our last trip was from Dec 11/08 to Jan 11/09.

Total gas going down was appx $265, coming back $280.

We usually leave in the evening and drive to Houlton, Me, the next night stay in New Jersey and arrive in Florida the next evening. We stop for breakfast, lunch and supper everyday. I go almost straight to bed when we hit the hotel for the night but the kids stay up watching tv so that they sleep in the van the next day.

On the way back, in 2009, we made it to Harrisonburg, VA the first night and home the second night. The second day was a real, real long day.

BTW, I am the only driver as DH is terrified to drive in the States. lol

Our kids were 16, 13 and 3 on our last trip. We take an electric cooler and have DVD players. I would not go without the DVD players.

On our last trip, we bought so much in Florida that we had to buy a rooftop carrier to bring everything back. We had also left one of our van seats home to free up more space.

We have a GPS which I love but I also take my trusty atlas along with us just incase the GPS breaks.

We all agree that we would drive again in a heartbeat and never think of flying.

We split our month stay between onsite and offsite and eat many meals offsite. It is nice to have our own van.

Paula

 

[Csaks]

You guys and gals are my hero's. 4000 klm's one way! Your all nuts .
I will never ever complain about my 2000 klm's each way again. I'd be embarrassed.

Have a safe trip. Ours is coming up in Oct.

 

[irisesareblue]

We live in MB right near the MB/ SK border along the Trans Canada. We are planning on driving down in March 2011 also. We are planning to drive to Madison, WI on day one, Nashville on day two and Orlando day three. Coming home we will follow basically the same route, with a detour to Memphis of course. We'll head out right after disembarking, and drive a good portion of the way Memphis first day, so we can arrive there fairly early in the day on day two, Minneapolis on day three, and home (about a ten hour drive). We initially looked at flying out of Miineapolis as well, but figured since we can travel (there and back) for less than the price of our car rental in Orlando for 10 days, even with the added hotel stays we will still be saving huge $ without the flights for the four of us...unless of course a miracle happens and we can score an amazing deal on flights.

Ariel - we're almost neighbours! You can also fly Allegiant Air out of Fargo ND - sometimes as low as $69.00 per person.

 

[ariel68]

Ariel - we're almost neighbours! You can also fly Allegiant Air out of Fargo ND - sometimes as low as $69.00 per person.

We are indeed neighbors, well 47 miles apart, but neighbors none the less..lol. We will keep watching flights for sure. If we can get a 69.00 flight from Fargo, then no way would we drive, but since we are traveling around spring break time, the flights are likely to be pretty steep. I just hate the fact that we have to wait until the end of April to even begin researching flights for the time we are going since the earliest we can book is 331 days before departure. We just figured we'd PLAN to drive then if we get awesome flights it will be a bonus, but we didnt want to risk ruining our plans by being forced to pay an outrageous amt of cash on airfare...esp since our dates arent flexible. Cruise is booked, as is our vacation rental in Orlando before we sail, so now to endure the excrutiatingly long wait...about 348 days...til we leave.

 

[Think I'm Tink]

I love roadtrips and we've driven from Winnipeg to Florida twice. But my bum can't handle any longer than 12 hours in our van. I don't even have to look at a clock, at 12 hours my body starts complaining and I'm telling DH it's time for us to pack it in and get a hotel room. Our first stop is Kansas City which is pretty close to 12 hours, our 2nd stop is Memphis and the next day... Florida!

Good luck! I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[greenclan67]

We have flown the last 3 years to Orlando non stop from Buffalo. We have gotten great prices, and never paid over $85 per flight. There is 4 of us, my DH and I, and a 10 yr old, and 8 yr old. They are great travellers, they are used to it. We live in Northern Ontario, and it is about a 6.5 hour drive to Toronto for us. About 7.5 to Buffalo.
We are thinking of driving in March 2011 this time. When we fly out of Buffalo, we usually fly on the Monday. We leave here Sat and stay in Barrie, Ontario at friends, then drive to Buffalo sunday, shop a little and fly out Monday. So we have our Sat, Sun, and Mon we spend at the airport waiting for our flight, getting on the flight flying there, and then the car rental, and so on. We figure we have already put our 3 days in.. So if we leave here on Friday after work, we can drive a 6 hour day, then Sat about 8-10 hours, Sunday about the same, we should actually make it to Orlando, eithier Sunday evening, or early Monday morning, we would get there for us the same time that we flew, and the kids get to see some countryside!!!!!
Hoping it works out!
Good luck!

 

[irisesareblue]

I love roadtrips and we've driven from Winnipeg to Florida twice. But my bum can't handle any longer than 12 hours in our van. I don't even have to look at a clock, at 12 hours my body starts complaining and I'm telling DH it's time for us to pack it in and get a hotel room. Our first stop is Kansas City which is pretty close to 12 hours, our 2nd stop is Memphis and the next day... Florida!

Good luck! I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Donna, I had this problem in our Toyota Echo - I bought a seat cushion from Canadian Tire for about $22.00 - it's basically a wedge with a U-section cut out of it for your tailbone. A friend of mine told me lots of truckers use this type of cushion to save their bums.... I know it saves mine on the long trips!

 

[Think I'm Tink]

Donna, I had this problem in our Toyota Echo - I bought a seat cushion from Canadian Tire for about $22.00 - it's basically a wedge with a U-section cut out of it for your tailbone. A friend of mine told me lots of truckers use this type of cushion to save their bums.... I know it saves mine on the long trips!

Thanks, that's a good tip! I'll have to check out CT before our next road trip.