Anyone from the WashingtonDC Northern VA Area

[shadonjenon]

Our October trip is fast approaching and I am nailing down all the last minute details. My husband and I have received conflicting reports about how long it takes to drive to WDW. Mapquest says about 14hrs. But our experiences with mapquest have not always been good. My huband coworker says 20hrs. Now thats a problem because we were planning to do it all in one day and that wont happen if its 20hrs. We have friends who say 12hrs. Thats my hope because that is managable if we leave at midnight.

So long story short does anyone know about how long it takes to drive from the DC/Northern VA area to WDW? My kids are good travelers and we will only be stopping for short bathroom brakes and I will be packing food for the trip so no need to stop to eat.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thnks

 

[bdcp]

We drove it in 1989 and it took us 14 hours from Columbia, MD. 20 hours would be from NJ. We're in No VA now and I'd say 12-13 would be more accurate from Woodbridge since you're south of DC right off I-95. If you're packing meals and only doing short stops you'll probably save at least 1/2 hour. We now take the Auto Train or fly so that's why our last drive there was 1989.

 

[minniebeth]

We lived in Stafford, VA several years ago. We drove to WDW several times, but never directly. We drove to Hilton Head, SC to visit family and then to WDW. It took 8 hrs. from Stafford to HH and then another 6 hours from there. I'm thinking definately no more than 14 hrs. for you, but probably less. Hope this helps. We miss VA!

 

[TDC Nala]

Usually it takes me 13 hours pretty much on the nose.

July 1, it took me 18 hours, but that was a holiday weekend.

 

[CPer'sMom]

Stafford to WDW ~~ 12 hours. My daughter and I made the trip ... left at midnight and arrived at AKL just before noon. Our only stops were for gas and breakfast at McDonalds.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

No way it's 20 hours from NOVA. Maybe if you do 55 mph the whole way, but you'll get run off the road by traffic if you do that.

We've driven from Richmond to WDW in about 12-13 hours. It can be done in a day.

 

[shadonjenon]

Thanks everybody. You made me feel a lot better. Oct cant get here fast enough

 

[Skatermom23]

I don't live too far from you and we made the trip in 12 hours!

 

[pouncingpluto]

I echo the 12 hours... ours was broken up, because my parents live on the way, but it might even have been slightly less from Alexandria to WDW last Oct.

 

[mtemm]

we drove from wdw to gaithersburg, md, almost 9 years ago and it took us just under 12 hours (left WL at noon, got to my sister's house in gaithersburg just before midnight). We were 2 adults with virtually no stopping, just reststops for gas and bathroom. we had originally planned to stop in NC but couldn't find any vacant hotels in the area we stopped so decided to just push on thru.