Driving advice from Connecicut to Disney!

[monica9]

I know this has been asked many a times but I want to get everyones view on this that can possibly help out. We want to get into Seaworld by noontime on Sunday Nov 25. We will be staying at reinessance and going to seaworld for two days and then Wilderness lodge for the remaining 7 days.
On to the important stuff. It will be me, dh, and our dd 4 1/2. Options are:


1. we leave friday (black friday so hopefully not many people working and on the highway but shopping instead ) around 10am drive until 1am stopping for 3 hours during day and get hotel room at 1am. Wake up drive from 8am until 8pm taking 3 hours of breaks throughout day. Wake up sunday 8am and drive for 2 hours until we arrive.
So getting 2 hotel rooms before arriving at seaworld

2. Leave Friday night around 7 (daughter already in pj's), grab food to eat on way, drive straight until 2am get hotel (with 10 minute bathroom break), wake up at 8am and drive until 12am with 2 hours of breaks, wake up 8am drive couple hours sunday until we arrive.

3. Leave Saturday morning at 3am. Drive until 10pm with 2 hours of breaks, wake up 5am and drive until we arrive Hopefully at noon no later or I'll be mad!


What do you all think? Any other options? This is assuming it will take 24 hours of driving from new haven ct area

thanks for the help!!

 

[monica9]

Anyone drive from the North East ?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

1. we leave friday (black friday so hopefully not many people working and on the highway but shopping instead )

Most people I know get to shopping malls using the highway/freeway!

 

[monica9]

Not near me. The highways are usually smooth but the post road that we have is bumper to bumper

 

[skelooch]

Sounds like you might be in the Milford area.
I haven't made the drive in many years, prefer to get there in 2-2 1/2 hours so always fly.
All of your plans seem ok, my preference would be #3.

 

[monica9]

Yes Milford area and #3 is my choice too. thanks for the help

 

[francie57]

Knew it was Milford area with the mention of Post Road - Middlebury-Naugatuck area here. I would also do the third option. You are braver than me - I opt for the 2 1/2 hr flight each way.

 

[Gorechick]

Shout out to New Haven! I grew up in West Haven .

 

[NHDisneyFan]

#3. I had a post a couple weeks back with a similar itinerary. May have a couple tips in it about booking the right hotel.

 

[monica9]

Thanks everyone! Going to check out the itinerary!!

 

[Salrx95]

Knew it was Milford area with the mention of Post Road - Middlebury-Naugatuck area here. .

though this was funny since the post road goes from NY thru the length of Ct.

I would go with #3 as well. It was what we did last year and what we will do this February.

We are in the Danbury area.

 

[Gorechick]

I went to WCSU in Danbury too! Love the mall. Man, I miss CT (but not the traffic.)

 

[pooch]

DH & I drove DD to an internship in Sarasota (2ish hrs further than WDW) from Enfield (1 hr further north in CT). This is what we did:

1. Left Sunday morning @ 9:30 - drove to Fredericksburg VA arrived about 7pm. Stopped for lunch & 2 potty breaks

2. Next day drove to Savannah, GA. Again about 10 hrs in the car w/break for lunch/potty (and to see South of the Border for DH )

3. Third day drove to Sarasota. Left about 10am - reached Orlando about 3PM.

Probably harder with a small child (though DD takes FREQUENT potty breaks). My suggestion is to leave at night so she'll sleep a good chunk of the trip!

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

I grew up in Stratford. Went to Western in Danbury and currently live in the Hartford area.

Have you checked out the Autotrain? You pick it up in Lorton VA meals are included. We have traveled 8 years to WDW. We have never considered driving. Well we did one year the return train was cancelled but that was for a few mere seconds. We opted to stay in WDW till the next train out.

I don't think I could fall asleep at 1am - I'd be too excited about WDW. I barely sleep bf we depart for the train.

Good Luck with your decision! have a magical trip!

 

[wifeofjack]

I would choose #3 as well. And I am from the Naugatuck area of CT.

 

[GranddadTom]

That Friday will not be a big problem for Washington's evening traffic because a lot of people are out of town visiting relatives. That being said, I still prefer #3 over #1. On normal workdays, you want to avoid NYC from 6 am to 10 am and Washington from 2:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

 

[pilferk]

Anyone drive from the North East ?

We drive from NW CT all the time.

It typically takes us about 18 hours of actual drive time...remember, the speed limit in many (but not all) of the southern states is 75mph on 95.

We do Rte 8 S to 84 West. 84 West to 684. 684 to the Saw Mill River Parkway. Saw Mill River Parkway to 287. 287 to the Garden state parkway. Garden State right to 95.

This ends us around NYC, which alleviates a lot of the traffic issues in the first part of the trip.

We typically leave between noon and 2 PM. This means we hit DC after rush hour (we leave on a week day). We drive about 9 hours til we hit Roanoake Rapids, NC..where we have a room booked. Lots of options in that area.

We leave around 7 AM, the next morning, and are usually in Orlando before dinner time.

We take breaks, but they're short and not close to the amount of time you're budgeting (we just don't need them...you very well may).

Were I you...I might just book an extra night in an Orlando area hotel for Saturday night, leave Friday at 10 AM..and even with your 3 hours of breaks, you should make Roanoke rapids (600-ish miles..just about the half way point) by around 10 PM. Then leave at 8 AM on Saturday...and again, even with your 3 hours of breaks, you should hit Orlando around 8 PM.

I've also done it in a straight shot...no stopping. That was not too much fun.

Number 3 would also work..but any major traffic/construction delays would mean you're cutting it close. You're likely looking at a 10 AM-ish arrival time in Orlando. That kinda "close call", when I had an appointment/ADR, would drive me nuts on day 2. Too much stress and anxiety.

One other thing: Our portable DVD player was a life saver for the ride with our kids. As much as I hate sitting them in front of a screen for 12 to 18 hours over 2 days...it's pretty much the last bit of TV they watch for 10+ days...so I figure it all balances out.

 

[dvcmom72]

I see someone already mentioned it, but have you considered the auto train? We live in the Boston area and will be taking the auto train (for the 4th time) out of Lorton VA in November...looks like we will be down there the same time as you.

Honestly, my son just turned 4 and I cannot imagine him being in the car all that time. I hope you have a portable DVD player...if not, get one!

Yes the auto train is expensive but I priced out airfare plus renting a car and it came out about the same. I hate to fly and we think this is such a fun way to get there. People think it's a "waste" of vacation time but for us it's just part of the vacation...we enjoy it! You go to sleep on the train and when you wake up in the morning, you're in Florida!

 

[monica9]

I actually live in orange. Just assumed no one would know where that was! I took a train down to Florida from new haven! 10 years ago with a softball team I coached and it was the worst experience for me. I can't sleep sitting up and there's no way in hell I would lay on the floor. So the auto train is out since it would be way more than a plane if we got the bedroom option. I really want our car there. I'd love to be able to stop at a grocery store, not have to pay for transportation from our reinissance hotel at sea world to wl. I also wouldn't mind taking the car to downtown Disney or ak since it takes forever with the bus. I also want to.be able to.just throw extra clothes or jackets in the car instead of packing another suitcase. Butthe ride is going to be so long! So far its between driving (85% chance) to looking at last minute flights (15% chance) we aren't concerned about drive down but the drive back since we are leaving either Monday late night after park closes or Tuesday early morning and need to get back by wed night

 

[pilferk]

I actually live in orange. Just assumed no one would know where that was! I took a train down to Florida from new haven! 10 years ago with a softball team I coached and it was the worst experience for me. I can't sleep sitting up and there's no way in hell I would lay on the floor. So the auto train is out since it would be way more than a plane if we got the bedroom option. I really want our car there. I'd love to be able to stop at a grocery store, not have to pay for transportation from our reinissance hotel at sea world to wl. I also wouldn't mind taking the car to downtown Disney or ak since it takes forever with the bus. I also want to.be able to.just throw extra clothes or jackets in the car instead of packing another suitcase. Butthe ride is going to be so long! So far its between driving (85% chance) to looking at last minute flights (15% chance) we aren't concerned about drive down but the drive back since we are leaving either Monday late night after park closes or Tuesday early morning and need to get back by wed night

I work in New Haven, actually. I blow down 34 at least 3 days a week between Derby and New Haven. I live up in New Hartford (north of Waterbury, close to Avon).

On the way down, it might be worth heading west, to pick up 684/287/the Sawmill...rather than picking up 95 in New Haven and heading south thru NYC. Given your departure time and date..it might not make much of a difference (early on Black Friday..I'm assuming traffic is going to be minimal), though. Probably depends more on which makes you more comfortable.

On the return trip, your biggest problem is going to be DC. It's going to be hard to "miss it" during rush hour..and the beltway is awful. You could try the Capital/Baltimore-Washington Parkway (which picks up on the southern part of the belt way and "ends around" the beltway to Baltimore. But even that's crazy during DC rush hour.

You REALLY want to hit DC after 9 AM or after 7 PM during the week. It's roughly 12 hours, driving time, from Orlando.

If you left on Monday, did 4 hours of drive time, then left around 8 AM on Tuesday..you'd hit DC around 4-6 (depending on break times)..which might drive you insane.

If you leave on Tuesday morning, and do 12 hours drive time (so 15 hours if you need 3 hours worth of breaks) you might be able to get JUST the other side of DC, into Maryland or Southern Jersey. But that's going to be HARD on the driver/drivers...and any construction delays would be problematic.

I think I'd take the Tuesday choice and just push through til I was past DC. Just realize it could be 11 PM or later before you pull into your stop for the night.