Driving from Delaware?

[gracie1]

Hi Everyone!!! It looks as though for our next trip to wdw that we will be driving. We have never driven and I will be the primary driver. It is uncertain as to whether we will stop for the night, or drive straight through. I see many drivers from NJ but was wondering if anyone has driven from Delaware?
Do you drive straight through? What is a half way point (Florence SC?)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! By the way, there will be three of us, me my mom and my 6 yo nephew

 

[dblr]

We are from Newark the last time we took the car we drove right thru, we had 3 drivers but only 2 did the driving, we left around 5 pm and with gas and bathroom stops and 1 stp for breakfast we were there around 10 checked in @ our resort.
If we tow the camper down we stop at least once if not twice as I am the only who tows the camper. PM me if I can be of any help.

 

[gracie1]

Thanks! Every time I try to figure out how long it takes I get different amounts. One thing on mapquest gave a route that takes around 14 hours, then there's one that's almost 16 hours, 18 hours, etc. So I was confused about how long it would take!! So it took you around 17 hours driving straight through with very few breaks.

What is the halfway point? I am thinking I am better off to break it up and stay a night, since I will be the only driver. But I hesitate to make reservations in case it goes better than expected! lol

 

[dblr]

I never really checked to see what half way is, with the camper we stay around South of the Border or Dillon SC that always seemed the best made it about a 8 hour ride remember pulling a camper adds a little time. I would push it more then half way so you would have a shorter ride the day you arrive and will not be to tired to be able to enjoy something there the 1st day.

 

[happily single]

We drove from RI in April, leaving RI about 3 a.m. After many stops for lunch, gas, rest rooms, etc we made it to Fayetville, NC about 3:00 p.m. I had made reservations at a Red ROof Inn, but due to their pool not being open we cancelled and had no problem getting a room at a Super Motel 6 (or 8). I would think you wouldn't have any trouble getting a same day reservation due to the abundance of hotels all along Route 95.

Also, If you leave from NJ I would think that somwhere in South Carolina would be half-way. THere is a great book (available at Borders and your local library) called something like "Drive 95" which details all rest areas, fast food, hotels, etc along Route 95.

 

[kellydizfan]

We drove from Middletown DE back in 2009. Drove up to Route 95 due to all the work on the local roads. We drove to Savannah - 12 hours it took us as we stopped for a little while in NC for Lunch and a couple of potty breaks before that. Then we got up and drove the rest of the way the next day. It seemed like a long trip between Savannah and Orlando - more so than DE to GA. SC to me seems like the longest state to drive thru. It really isn't a bad drive but it always seems to down-pour when we drive thru SC - happed both ways when we went and also another time when we drove to GA. It poured pretty much all the way thru SC - from the time we hit South of the Border on so that slowed us down a bit as I couldn't see and there were a few accidents along that stretch and of course it was early evening.

 

[sharadoc]

Hi. We usually drive down 202 to 95, through Wilmington then stay on 95 until I-4 in Florida. We have found that we can go much farther than halfway on our first day, since we're rested and excited. We stop in Walterboro, SC which is about 5 hours away from Disney World. For us, there's no reason to stop around 5-7 pm, then drive another 8 hours the next day. We'd rather be tired and ready to sleep on the road, then have a leisurely day two. So our first day is around 12 hours. Depending on where you come from in Delaware, your drive should be around the same, give or take an hour.

 

[gracie1]

Thanks everyone!! We decided we will drive as far as possible the first day and then just get a hotel and not make reservations. I plan on trying to drive as far as possible, atleast 12 hours like you all suggested so the 2nd day I don't have as much to drive! Who knows, maybe I will go all the way!!

 

[Missytara]

I have friends that started in Dover and it took them about 17-1/2 hours straight through.

They used the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel, in lieu of the Bay Bridge to avoid
all of the DC traffic.

 

[bookwormde]

We drive straight through down 95. if takes 14-16 hours with a few stops. We leave at 10pm to midnight which makes a big difference.

bookwormde

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

We like to leave Newark (hop skip and a jump from 95) around 3/3:30 in the morning. Dh can fall asleep early so he goes to bed around 8:30 and drives the first leg. I take over once we get to Virginia, then we trade off every few hours.

It takes anywhere from 16-18 hours, including stops. We don't stop until we get to an exit in Virginia with a gas station/Starbucks/Subway. After that we stop every two or so hours for 5-10 minutes, with a longer stop (30-45 min) at a rest area for our picnic lunch. Last August we hit some bad weather which delayed our arrival until 9:30---that was hard since the previous June we had arrived at 7pm!

Oh, and we drive down on the weekends so we aren't dealing with the DC traffic in the morning. I think we'd have to be on the road by 3am from Newark on a weekday.

When the kids were little, we split the drive up over two days with driving more on the first day.

 

[sharadoc]

We drive straight through down 95. if takes 14-16 hours with a few stops. We leave at 10pm to midnight which makes a big difference.

bookwormde

Your timing sounds so easy You arrive at lunchtime!