Driving from Dallas to WDW

[transitauthority]

This year, for our annual trek to the world, we are going to drive. The worstpart of the trip is always the flight and the service of the airline, so this year we decided we will drive. Has anyone done this drive from Dallas to WDW before? If so, where did you stay overnight...hotel suggestions? I think we may do somewhere by Florida state line? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[debrights]

we drive from weatherford to wdw. we try and make it to pensacola and spend the night. its takes 13-14 hours "usually". then its another 6-7 hours after that to finish the trip. our last trip we had 3 drivers and did the return trip in 18 hours, but thats rotating drivers and pushing cause we really wanted to get home and "rest" after our vacation

 

[dbarker]

We have driven from Waco. We stayed in Mobile -- it is about 1/2 way there.

 

[Aristocath]

We've driven from Fort Worth twice. Each time we've stopped in Tallahassee for the night. We left Fort Worth by 5 am and the first time we were in Pensacola too early to call it a night, despite having reservations. So we drove in to Tallahassee and that made for a much more pleasant, shorter drive the next morning. The next trip we just made our reservations in Tallahassee. And we were at the MK in time for lunch!

 

[malibuconlee]

I have done the Dallas to Tampa trip. We stayed overnight in Mobile as well.

 

[Macgyver91]

I am so glad that I found this thread!! We are driving for the first time in June and hubby is a little panicked about it. It comes down to the fact that I am tired of paying $1000 to fly...plus luggage charges! We were thinking of leaving around 5ish and driving until early evening. I don't really want to call ahead and get a room just incase we fall short or go farther then we think. How hard would it be to get a room just walking in, on the route we will take and that time of year? Also are there any places that we should or shouldn't stop on the way? I told DH that it can't be that bad...tons of families take that trek yearly.

 

[m&m's mom]

Bumping for more driving DFW'ers.
Airfare is just too much so for the first time in 15 years- we are probably driving. I am kind of dreading it to be honest. My DH is a Take-it-slow-and-easy kind of guy and I am a Get-'er-done kind of girl. Does not make for super compatible long trips and this time we will have my MiL too with us.
We are going on a 5 night DCL cruise and I am hoping that is enough time to relax for the trip back.

 

[junebug18]

Well im debating on driving cause the airfare right now is nuts, well for us anyway. My only problem is it is me with 4 kids ages 13, 12, 6, 4, how is the drive down, I was hoping to leave at lunch time on May 28 and get 1/2 way there where about is that? Oh Im 2 hours from Dallas but that is the way it shows me to go when I mapquest it, I have never driven the trek so of course im nervous!lol

 

[letthewookiewin]

I am so glad I found this thread!! We are planning a WDW trip for next year and driving, even with gas prices, just makes more sense on the budget. I had totally forgotten about the baggage fee until I read this thread. I didn't figure that into the figures I'm going to show my hubby on how much it will save us to drive. He thinks I need to be admitted into the funny farm in Wichita Falls for even suggesting it.
Yahoo maps shows it being just under 18 hours from our house to the WL. The main part that I am worried about (going by the yahoo map directions) is the section just after you exit 75 and get onto 429. I just wonder how much the tolls are. If it would be better to get a tag, or just make sure I keep quarters in the mini van.
We just traded in my '98 Explorer on a '07 Caravan, which at first I did not want anything to do with a mini van. In fact the first time my hubby and I went on the lot, he asked me if I saw anything I liked. I said, "Well I know one thing, I don't want that one (pointed at the mini van) b/c I don't want anything to do with a mini van." Now that I am thinking of driving, the DVD player in it will make the drive with our boys much easier.

 

[jedijohn]

The drive isn't really that bad. We are from Oklahoma City and passed right through Dallas on our trip 2 years ago. We left around 8PM and drove through the night and stopped in Tallahassee, FL in the late afternoon. From there we didn't take the most direct route to WDW because we wanted to spend the afternoon at the Atlantic Ocean. So left Tallahassee around 9 AM and drove through Jacksonville and down the coast; stopped at a beach for a few hours, and was at WDW by dinner time. We plan on doing a similar drive this year if we end up going. Your trip should be easier since your about 3 hours or so closer.