Driving from CT to Orlando... An Tips?

[Sherrypooh]

I have decided to drive to orlando this trip. I have always flown, but thought this could be an "adventure" for my kids and I. I know how to get there i.e. get on 95S and drive.. I am set from CT to say South of the Boarder NC/SC. I know that I will need to stop somewhere in SC/GA. I have tried mapquest etc and when I do the driving directions NC/SC/GA are all just grouped together. Any help would be appreciated for those who have done this trip. Also trying to judge time frame for trip.

Thanks in advance....

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

Last March me, dw and 3 yr old dd drove from Boston to WDW; stopping for Gas, Bathroom breaks and switching drivers every 3-4 hours it was easier than I expected it to be going non stop. listed below are the miles and times we stopped along the way.

Boston to Walt Disney World 1:30 pm
Boston to New Jersey 212 6:00 pm
N J to Aberdeen MD 395 9:07 pm
MD to Rocky Mt NC 661 1:36 am
NC to Florence SC 870 4:40 am
SC to S Newport GA 1,080 7:58 am
GA to WDW 1,331 12:00 pm

Started, Friday, 3/26 1:30 pm
Finished, Saturday, 3/27 12pm
A 23 hr trip with 5 stops
76 gallons $131 17.51 mpg

Walt Disney World to Boston 11:00 am
WDW to St Augustine FL 116 12:44 pm
FL to Savanah GA 294 3:55 pm
GA to Florence SC 468 6:22 pm
SC to Battleboro NC 649 9:30 pm
NC to Aberdeen MD 944 2:17 am
MD to Bloomfield NJ 1125 5:30 am
NJ to Quincy MA 1362 9:30 am

Started, Friday, 4/02 11 am
Finished, Sat, 4/03 9:30 am
A 22 1/2 hr trip with 6 stops
81 gallons $126 17.58 mpg

 

[sanibelover]

I live in Waterford - small world...

We drove non-stop without kids, and it was easy, but I would consider stopping if I had kids. Disney is tiring enough without starting out exhasted from the trip down.

We left on a Friday night at about 8pm and didn't hit any traffic all the way down. Once you get past DC, it should be smooth sailing. You never know what you will hit on 95 in CT, NY, NJ. We have been in many ugly traffic situations there. Once when we drove, we only made it Norfolk, VA because of all of the traffic tie ups.

Patience is the best advice I can give you. If you are still looking to fly, it might be worth looking into Delta Song out of BDL - we got $116.70 round trip non-stop flights. We did have to rent a car, but the extra vactation time was well worth it! Have fun!!

 

[WillCAD]

I have driven many times from Baltimore. From here it's 900 miles and takes about 14-16 hours depending on traffic and stops.

My best advice to you is to avoid the rush hours in DC at any cost! Time your trip so that you pass through DC after 7pm or before 6am. If you get caught in teh DC rush hour, morning or evening, you will sit in traffic for 2-3 hours.

 

[papagooch]

The other advice is to avoid South of the Border. A little further south you can get a nicer room with better dining choices in the area of Florence SC. Also when going through Richmond VA stay on 95 and don't use the by-pass if you are there after 7PM. We drive every January from the DC suburbs and if we leave at 4AM we're in WDW by supper time.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I'll just add to what Willcad said and suggest getting to DC WELL after 7:00PM and or WELL before 6:00 AM. We drive down to WDW early on Friday mornings and you would not believe the traffic even at 5:30 AM!! MY friend who lives in Springfield VA claims the DC afternoon rush is from 3 until 8:00 PM!! He may exaggerate a little, but not by much..most weekdays in the Springfield area (not far from the I-95 mixing bowl) are pure gridlock--and that's in good weather with no accidents.

 

[Princess Erin]

When are you leaving, we are leaving on 12-17-04 and can't wait. Our dilema is that we now have 7 people and 2 cars. I am checking into renting a van from BDL from 12-16-04 until 1-3-05. It is a bit costly but I am trying to get the price down.

We typically leave before midnight to avoid Washington and then get to Savannah, where we stay overnight,about 4:00 .m. if we are lucky. Up and out the door by 8 and into AKL by 1:00.

 

[cranbiz]

I'm driving from MA this trip (Can you say in less than 5 days). We are driving straight thru with 3 drivers. We will stop for gas and bathroom. We will also stop for breakfast someplace in the NC/SC area. Last trip we stopped at SOB for breakfast (it was OK and not expensive)

I expect to arrive in Deltona by 4p (leaving Carver at 6P)

 

[papagooch]

Here's a good website with alot of info on driving I-95. It has gas stations, rest stops, restaurants, and lodging listed by exit. It also includes a drive time calculator. Lots of helpful tools but I have found you can get a better deal on the hotels by dealing with them directly as opposed to booking on this site.
Couldn't post this as a link so you'll have to cut and paste.

http://www.usastar.com/i95/homepage.htm

 

[magsmom]

We have done the trip down I-95 a number of times, last time in August 2003.
We are thinking again of doing the trip next year. We live in WMass with an 8 year old and can go perhaps 16 hours in 1 day (we do the trip in 2 days). All of the suggestions above are good ones.

You did not say when you are taking your trip. I would avoid 1-95 south right after Christmas AT ALL COSTS. Many snowbirds take the trip down and 1-95 is literally bumper to bumper.

As to South of the Border, you can also find much better accomodations in Lumberton NC as well, which is just north of South of the Border. Note that this is on the 16 hour end of your trip and NC is LONG and BORING).

Enjoy! Driving down is truly a great joy. It is coming back that is the bummer.

 

[dbogen]

We drove last year. from ffld county. I printed info from the I95 web site it wasn't completly accurate as far as gas stations and food but I liked the mileage. Going down
we left CT at 5:10 and crossed to NY at 5:39 (30.5 Miles)
NY to NJ 25 min 25.5 miles
NJ to Del 2 hours 45 min (food and potty break 45 min) 131.7 miles
Del to Maryland 20 min 19 miles
Maryland to VIrginia 1 hr 25 min 101.6miles
Virginia to NC 3 hours 20 min ( 50 min reststop)177 miles
NC to SC 2 hr 45 min 181 miles
SC to Georgia 3 hours 200.2 miles We stopped and slept here
Georgia to Florida 1.5 hours 111.2 miles
Florida to WDW 3 hours 45 min (30 min reststop) 187 miles

I hope this helps. We didn't have ressies for the night but we stopped at the state reststops and picked up the discount hotel magazines. Tried to figure where we would stop and what we wanted ( kids needed an indoor pool after being in the car all day), I called on the cell and made the ressie a few hours before arriving. If its a busy time I don't know if that would work. I also found the comfort/sleep inns to be great.

Deanna

 

[DaveH]

MY friend who lives in Springfield VA claims the DC afternoon rush is from 3 until 8:00 PM!! He may exaggerate a little, but not by much..most weekdays in the Springfield area (not far from the I-95 mixing bowl) are pure gridlock--and that's in good weather with no accidents.

Not really an exaggeratioin. There is a major mall just south of the mixing bowl. It is not unusual to be tied up during the day all weekend long. The times he list for getting through are a pretty good idea. Also check and see if the Redskins are playing when you come through. They tie up the beltway really bad. Have a safe and great trip.

 

[dgaston]

I know most people take the I 95 route but we have found it's easier to drive 84-81-77-26-95 to FL. It's a little longer, but you avoid the NJ Baltimore DC mess (we've been stuck in traffic in DC at 3 am !!!). Dh and I trade off, and find it takes us 22 to 24 hours (longer than some). We like to stop for a leisurely breakfast (Shoney's, Cracker Barrel). Our best trips have us leaving CT around 5-6pm and arriving WDW 4-5pm.