Budget Things While Driving South to Orlando

[happily single]

I've decided to take the plunge and drive to Orlando for April vacation I'lll be driving alone with 3 kids (dd12, ds11 and ds5). I plan on stopping in Raliegh, NC for the night, but would appreciate ideas for stops every 3-4 hours, such as fast food, play areas, rest stops. Thanks!

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

You need this book! We've driven from NJ many times and this book is an incredibly valuable tool - it's got detailed info on exactly what is at each and every exit so you can plan stops easily (incl. play areas, parks, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATM machines, etc.). So so so worth it!

http://www.amazon.com/Drive-I-95-Ex...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270669558&sr=8-1

It's also got trivia on some local points of interest, mileage charts, local radio listings, etc.

 

[cheshireqt]

For the 5 year old you could plan a stop at a McDonalds with a playland. To find them use McDonald’s website and click on Restaurant locator, then on McDonald’s trip planner, put in your beginning and ending zip codes.

 

[kchughes]

All of the stand alone Chick-fil-a restaurants have indoor play areas for the 5 year old. we drive from the Charlotte, NC area and always stop near Brunswick, GA for dinner. Sometimes we get subs and go to a park. We have made this drive annually for the last 3 years and it is a great way for us to stretch and my now 7 y.o. DS to burn some energy. I also have printed out all of the redbox locations along I-95. We rent a movie locally and then can return it along the way and get something else for him to watch. Consider putting a ball or frisbee in the car for the older ones to throw around to burn some pent up energy. We also set "rules" about snacking, whining (for all of us) music choices, etc. that way we don't end up playing I-spy or hangman for 8 straight hours, although we do some of that. Enjoy the time with your kids. You can really learn a lot about them when you are in a confined area for 2 days!

 

[MSSANDRA]

If you want to spend some time in Raliegh, the NC museum of science is really nice and free. There is also a good history museum as well. The Crab Tree Mall is a great place to visit.

The drive from there to WDW is not bad at all and there are a lot of nice rest stops as someone said to have a fast food picnic. Lots of fast food places have play areas. The georgia and flordia welcome centers are nice too.

 

[Shmily1]

Georgia

There's a bowling alley, Strike Zone at the exit 38 in Brunswick. The mall is also at that exit and lots of restaurants.

The exits up around Garden City have lots of new stuff and I believe it's exit 102 that has the Mighty 8th museum. You'll know you're there when you look to your left and see the big airplanes sitting outside it!

Also, exit 94 is the exit in Savannah that takes you to lots of restaurants, the malls, and a flea market if it's Saturday or Sunday when you're going by.

The exit 49 at Darien has an outlet mall, but not a lot of stores there any more along with some restaurants.

Exit 29 goes to the beach!

Florida

Pecan Park exit has a big flea market.

There's a big shopping/dining area at the exit opposite the airport exit (so if the airport is exit 364a, this area would be 364b). Great stuff there!!

St Augustine has lots of outlet shopping. You can't miss it!! It's right by the interstate. The old part of St Augustine is awesome too!

International Speedway Blvd in Daytona has lots to do!! There's a speedway and Daytona USA if you have race fans (with a simulator). There's go kart tracks, lots of restaurants, a mall, some other shopping centers, and the beach!

 

[3boymthr]

For your DS' if they are at all into military stuff - US Army Ordnance Museum at The Aberdeen Proving Grounds in MD. I've not been, but my oldest went as a 12 yo and was over the moon at the tanks. As I've not been I'm not sure exactly how long it would take to get there off I-95, but I've seen the signs on the highway.

 

[shalom]

I've decided to take the plunge and drive to Orlando for April vacation I'lll be driving alone with 3 kids (dd12, ds11 and ds5). I plan on stopping in Raliegh, NC for the night, but would appreciate ideas for stops every 3-4 hours, such as fast food, play areas, rest stops. Thanks!

Do you have a membership with the local zoo, a nearby Children's museum, anything like that? When our kids were that age we'd stop at a children's museum with a reciprocal membership, eat our lunch in the museum cafeteria or nearby, then let the kids work off some steam at a new museum for free. A lot of them were the perfect size for an hour or so. We've done a lot of zoos that way, as well, but less while on the road because zoos take longer for us.

Now we're members of a little museum in Lansing, MI that gets us into The Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry for free. The Chicago museums still get money from us, though, because we generally pay for a temporary exhibit, and the kids always buy stuff from the shops. We live about two hours away from Chicago, which is a little too far to get good use of a membership to either Chicago museum (plus they are not reciprocal with each other), and memberships to those museum are much more expensive than the one we belong to, so even though we only get to Lansing once a year, that membership saves us a lot of money.

You can also get memberships with historical societies, arboretums, nature centers, etc. with reciprocal privileges. Something to consider if you like any of those.

 

[Crystal0608]

I've only been to Disney once, we drove down from NC. Through parts of SC and GA there isn't much IMO in terms of fast food/bathroom stops if you are taking I-95. From High Point, NC it was almost 7 hours to near the GA/FL line.

Kingland, GA is where we stayed for the night and that area and had a really clean Microtel. Of course I wouldn't want to drive through Jacksonville in morning traffic again, scary busy!

We My kids LOVED St. Augustine, it is so beautiful! There is a restaurant on the beach side called Mango Mango that was cheap and sooo good. The historical side is cash only, loved the castle/fort. The kids had fun exploring it for a few hours and tons of pretty photo ops.

Edited to add this previous post that might be helpful: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2041505

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I don't know why you would be going to Raleigh.

From RI driving I would bypass NYC by taking the Tappan Zee Bridge and then South on the Garden State Parkway to the NJ Turnpike. Then follow I-95 South to I-4.

And going South on I-95 make sure you stop at South of the Border. It sets the world standard for tacky!

 

[5forDiz]

I don't know why you would be going to Raleigh.

From RI driving I would bypass NYC by taking the Tappan Zee Bridge and then South on the Garden State Parkway to the NJ Turnpike. Then follow I-95 South to I-4.

And going South on I-95 make sure you stop at South of the Border. It sets the world standard for tacky!

Yes, I was wondering same thing. Maybe OP is planning on Raleigh to visit with family or friends otherwise I totally agree on what you've suggested here for driving route and jmho Raleigh is venturing too far from I95; Rocky Mount, NC would better overnight stop if looking for something in NC although not a whole lot the kids may find interesting ( there's a mall in area ) but next morning with an early start & by checking with bases ahead of time, they may be able to do some touring at Fort Bragg/Pope AFB (near Fayetteville, NC).

 

[happily single]

I went into AAA and asked about a roadrip to Orlando, stopping along the way. The nice man suggested we stay overnight in Raliegh. Are you guys telling me that Raliegh isn't on Route 95?

Please, tell me about about this Tappan EZ road you all talk about. It sounds interesting!!!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Raleigh is about 40 miles off I-95.

From RI I would take I-95 until just inside the NYS line and pick up I-287 West. This merges with I-87, the NYS Thruway which crosses the Hudson as the Tappan Zee Bridge. Thruway Exit 14-A is the Garden State Parkway.

This will completely bypass all New York City traffic.

 

[solotraveler]

I went into AAA and asked about a roadrip to Orlando, stopping along the way. The nice man suggested we stay overnight in Raliegh. Are you guys telling me that Raliegh isn't on Route 95?

Raleigh is definitely out of your way. Someone further upthread mentioned Rocky Mount, which I would recommend as well if you want to overnight in NC. Plenty of mid-range hotels and places to eat. There is a nice Hampton Inn that I would recommend.

Since it's about 12 hours (without stops) from Providence to the Raleigh/Rocky Mount areas I would HIGHLY recommend figuring out when you need to leave to avoid traffic. Between Hartford, New York, Baltimore and 95 from south of DC to Richmond, that trip can be a really slow go if you time it wrong.... especially if you are travelling alone with the kids.

 

[happily single]

Thanks for the input. I definitely don't want to travel 40 miles out of my way to spend the night!

I've decided to leave Saturday about 5:00 a.m. I'm not expecting to run into traffic on a Saturday morning, does that sound correct?

Can you point me in the right direction of a map program that will put me on the Tappen Zee Road? I've tried AAA, Mapquest and something else and they all keep me on I-95 the entire trip

Thanks

 

[sorul82?]

I went into AAA and asked about a roadrip to Orlando, stopping along the way. The nice man suggested we stay overnight in Raliegh. Are you guys telling me that Raliegh isn't on Route 95?

No, it is 30 miles from 95 just to the edge and would take 45 mins to an hour to get to the places suggested such as the mall or museum.

 

[sorul82?]

I wouldn't suggest going to Ft Bragg or Pope either. That also would take 45 minutes or so to get there and there isn't anything to see.

 

[Pembo]

Stop at the Welcome Centers for each state and pick up a Roomsavers guide...great coupons for new, cheap hotels. We stayed at an awesome Comfort Suites in St Augustine with an indoor pool for $59/nt.

Pack yourself some bubbles and balloons to help those kids burn off some steam at the rest stops. Pipe cleaners are another great, cheap thing for the kids to play with in the car and then they can be thrown away.

I charge each kid $.25 for everytime they ask "are we there yet". So far I've made no money. DH hasn't figured out that he should charge me for saying it.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

When you are using MapQuest you can go to the route and expand it to better detail.

Put your cursor on the blue line, hold a left click on the mouse, and drag the line to the TZ Bridge. That will set up the re-route.

Note two other changes you may need to do. One is it may take you off the Garden State Parkway going to the Jersey Turnpike; again you can do a click and drag. The other, as a former resident of the DC area, is I would recommend using the East side of the Capital Beltway rather than the West side as it will route you.

 

[PA DISNEYLOVER]

I travel from Philadelphia to Disney and often use this website. http://www.i95exitguide.com/stopovers/index.php

Hope this helps.