Boston to Disney or Bust

[disneybound24]

I am traveling from just south of Boston to Disney in a few weeks and had a few questions. What is the best route - 95 or other? How much in tolls? Where is the best place to stop. We are hoping to go 12-14 hours the first day. Any info would be greatly appreciated. We have never driven before. We will be traveling with two children ages 6 and 9 and my mother-in-law. Thanks

 

[Snowysmom]

We traveled from Northwest Mass to WDW in 2003. We left at 4:00 am and got to Rocky Point, NC by late afternoon/early evening. We hit traffic in Northern Virginia. We followed the AAA Triptik. The second day we left NC around 6:30 am and got to Florida with no problem. We stopped about every 2 hours for little rest breaks. I don't remember how much the tolls were total but we had the transponder that let us use the Fast Lane and it is accepted all the way down the east coast. That was such a time saver. It is not accepted in Florida though. We had a good time, the kids had a DVD player, books, and video games (they were 17 and 13.) Have fun.

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

We have never driven, but thought about it. The truth of the matter is I am scared to death of being in a car for around 24 hours with a 9 and 5 yo. Update us when you return. I am interesting in hearing how the trip was.

 

[dustysky]

ill meet you at disney and stow away in your trunk for the ride home, id do anything to be in MA right now

 

[QT Pooh]

I am traveling from just south of Boston to Disney in a few weeks and had a few questions. What is the best route - 95 or other? How much in tolls? Where is the best place to stop. We are hoping to go 12-14 hours the first day. Any info would be greatly appreciated. We have never driven before. We will be traveling with two children ages 6 and 9 and my mother-in-law. Thanks

We've made the trip several times from both southern and central NH. As for best route, it's all subjective. 95 is certainly the most direct route, but it is also the busiest - you'll go through many major cities which you'll have to avoid rush hour times. Being from the Boston area, it will also be the most convenient for you (although the Mass Pike to Rte. 84 to 91 to 95 is quicker than taking 95/395 through CT.) I believe there's an I95 website that will tell you the current tolls, construction areas, and what services are available at each exit once you hit the Carolinas. There are only two times I've driven down that I did not travel 95 all the way from CT.

We've left at many different times. When the kids were smaller, we would leave at about 7 pm right after dinner and drive straight through. The kids will sleep through the night but I wouldn't recommend this except for those who've made the trip before. It's a long drive! I prefer to get up early in the morning usually between 1 and 2 - that way we'll be through NYC and almost through the NJ Turnpike before rush hour sets in. Then we stop somewhere to have breakfast and hopefully miss the traffic going to Baltimore and Washington. We usually got to Fayetteville, NC on the first night and stayed over. The next day, you'll still have a fairly long drive though - another 8 1/2 hrs or so (and it's boring too).

There will be a lot of things for the kids to see on the way down - the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, the Ft. McHenry tunnel (the Star Spangled Banner was written at the Fort), the Washington Monument, the South of the Border signs. I usually give the kids jobs like navigating and figuring out gas mileage, giving me toll money, keeper of the cooler, etc. or we played travel bingo or the alphabet game. Most of these trips I was the sole driver with my two kids so keeping them occupied was a must.

Have fun!

 

[baileybelle]

Here's the way we go from Southern Maine : In Mass we pick up 84-81-66-17-95-295(around Richmond, VA)-95-295(around Jacksonville, FL)-4. Takes us about 23 hours.

We leave around mid-night and go about 16 hours to South Carolina and 7 hours the next day to WDW. On the way back we do about 13 the 1st day and 10 the 2nd day.

Wish I could talk my kids into flying, but after a hair raising flight back from WDW in 2002 they say No Way!!

 

[cranbiz]

I'm what I guess one could call a pro in the MA to Orlando driving trips.

I have made 5 trips this year, the last 2 within the last 3 weeks.

I95 IS the most direct. It is not always trouble free.

The last 2 trips I have done this route.

195 to 95 in Providence, 95 to the NJ Turnpike. NJ Turnpike to 895 thru the Baltimore harbor tunnel, Baltimore/Washington Parkway (MD295 which becomes I295) to 95/495 at the Wilson Bridge, 95 to 295 outside of Richmond then back to 95 until I4 in Daytona.

From Carver to Deltona has been between 19.5 to 21 hours, add another hour to Disney.

The tolls are $4.65 NJ Turnpike, $3.00 Delaware Bridge, $3.00 Deleware Turnpike, $2.00 Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. On the return you have the Kennedy Turnpike in Maryland for $5.00 , $2.00 Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, $4.65 NJ Turnpike, $6.00 GW Bridge, $1.25 NY Thruway.

I normally leave for Florida around 4pm, the last trip I left at 1pm. Leaving around 4pm let's you avoid traffic in all of the congestion spots, NYC, Washington DC, etc.

Halfway point for me is Roanoke Rapids, NC. which is about 10 hours.

I don't stop for the night but do not go at all costs. I will stop to eat, bathroom and gas. If i'm too tired to continue, a qiuck nap in a rest area will usually give me the pickup that I need to continue.

My travel patterns are not for everyone. If you are only good for 12 hours, then get a room in Lumberton NC or Santee SC, etc.

The troublespots that I hit last trip were in Deleware and Maryland with night construction on the way down and outside of Wilson NC on the way back again with construction.