Driving from Greensboro, NC

[disfan07]

How long does it take to drive form Greensboro?

My brother and his fiance are going to be driving to WDW from Greensboro in december. My mom, my dad and I live in California so we will be flying and meeting them at the hotel.
We used to live in Northern Virginia so we have driven from there before but never from NC.

Can anyone who has done that drive before tell me how long it usually takes and how easy of a drive it is

 

[PammyK]

When I moved from Greensboro to Orlando, I split up the trip because I really hate driving long distances. I want to say it took me about 10 hours of driving, including necessary breaks. This also included driving through thunderstorms with blinding rain and tornado warning, so if you don't hit any of that ugliness and don't need to stop, it could probably be done in a bit less time.

 

[creativeamanda]

When I moved from Greensboro to Orlando, I split up the trip because I really hate driving long distances. I want to say it took me about 10 hours of driving, including necessary breaks. This also included driving through thunderstorms with blinding rain and tornado warning, so if you don't hit any of that ugliness and don't need to stop, it could probably be done in a bit less time.

I'd say it would take between 8 and 9 hours, but closer to 9, since you will have to probably take 85 to 77 and then 77 to 26 in South Carolina before you even get onto 95.

 

[disfan07]

Thanks. He was just trying to get an idea for what time they want to leave in the morning. They will not be going to the parks that day (we will be, we are getting in the day before) so they don't care if they don't get there until later.

If they leave between 9 and 10AM (They are both college students....they dont get up early..lol) with stopping for lunch (fast food) and gas could they expect to be there by 8PM?

 

[creativeamanda]

Thanks. He was just trying to get an idea for what time they want to leave in the morning. They will not be going to the parks that day (we will be, we are getting in the day before) so they don't care if they don't get there until later.

If they leave between 9 and 10AM (They are both college students....they dont get up early..lol) with stopping for lunch (fast food) and gas could they expect to be there by 8PM?

That will put you in Columbia about lunchtime. Can I recommend a fast food there--Rush's? It's a small, family chain only in the Midlands of SC. Hold out for gas until you get to the SC/GA border (or top off your tank there)--that's where it is the least expensive.

Have a safe trip.Once you hit the GA border, you have about 4-4.5 hours left.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

It takes us 10 hours but we take a lot of breaks and have a sit down meal.

 

[DVCLiz]

Don't go 85 to 77 to 26 - it's longer that way.

Take 220 South to Rockingham, then the newish 74 bypass around all those little towns you used to have to drive through, then pick up 95 about 40 miles north of Florence. You'll get to drive past South of the Border!! Hola Pedro!

Then it's 95 all the way down - I always take the 295 bypass around Jacksonville, and then I4 West just around Daytona Beach.

I've done it in 9 hours and 15 minutes driving late at night with minimal stops and going 85mph, but my usual drive is about 10 and a half hours with two or three stops for gas and bathroom/snack breaks.

If they leave by 10am they should easily be there around 8pm, give or take 15 minutes.

 

[DVCLiz]

PS Where do they go to college?

 

[MICKEY88]

Don't go 85 to 77 to 26 - it's longer that way.

Take 220 South to Rockingham, then the newish 74 bypass around all those little towns you used to have to drive through, then pick up 95 about 40 miles north of Florence. You'll get to drive past South of the Border!! Hola Pedro!

Then it's 95 all the way down - I always take the 295 bypass around Jacksonville, and then I4 West just around Daytona Beach.

I've done it in 9 hours and 15 minutes driving late at night with minimal stops and going 85mph, but my usual drive is about 10 and a half hours with two or three stops for gas and bathroom/snack breaks.

If they leave by 10am they should easily be there around 8pm, give or take 15 minutes.

85MPH !!! what do you drive...LOL

 

[DVCLiz]

85MPH !!! what do you drive...LOL

I was in a minivan!!!!! It was a great trip - almost no traffic and VERY late (1 -3am) at night.

That was also the trip with three teen girls and a preteen as well - on the way down we saw, within 5 miles of each other on 95 in Florida, after midnight:

1. A man and his little son peeing off the side of an overpass

2. A cop arresting someone - the perp was already kneeling and in cuffs as we drove by

3. A limo in the lane next to us with a DVD player showing a porn movie to whoever the passengers were

It was quite a ride!!

 

[bored]

Don't go 85 to 77 to 26 - it's longer that way.

Take 220 South to Rockingham, then the newish 74 bypass around all those little towns you used to have to drive through, then pick up 95 about 40 miles north of Florence. You'll get to drive past South of the Border!! Hola Pedro!

Then it's 95 all the way down - I always take the 295 bypass around Jacksonville, and then I4 West just around Daytona Beach.

I've done it in 9 hours and 15 minutes driving late at night with minimal stops and going 85mph, but my usual drive is about 10 and a half hours with two or three stops for gas and bathroom/snack breaks.

If they leave by 10am they should easily be there around 8pm, give or take 15 minutes.

When you hit Jacksonville take 9A which loops around the east side of Jacksonville vs taking 295 around the west side. Much nicer road and less traffic.

 

[DVCLiz]

When you hit Jacksonville take 9A which loops around the east side of Jacksonville vs taking 295 around the west side. Much nicer road and less traffic.

Oh, thanks! I didn't know about that road - where do you pick it up? I'm so used to watching for the 295 sign I automatically ignore everything else on the road...

 

[bored]

Oh, thanks! I didn't know about that road - where do you pick it up? I'm so used to watching for the 295 sign I automatically ignore everything else on the road...

I think it's the first exit after the airport. It may actually be the same exit as 295 you just go the opposite way. I think it will eventually be renamed 295 but is 9A while they are finishing it up.

 

[DVCLiz]

I think it's the first exit after the airport. It may actually be the same exit as 295 you just go the opposite way. I think it will eventually be renamed 295 but is 9A while they are finishing it up.

Thanks!

 

[DarthKTrava]

Probably about 10.5 hours. Depending on how fast they go. It's no quicker taking the interstates than it is doing the "back roads" of US 220, US 1 and US 52 to get to I-95.

Of course, this is contingent on how many stops they take for breaks, gas, food, bathrooms, etc....

 

[DarthKTrava]

Don't go 85 to 77 to 26 - it's longer that way.

Take 220 South to Rockingham, then the newish 74 bypass around all those little towns you used to have to drive through, then pick up 95 about 40 miles north of Florence. You'll get to drive past South of the Border!! Hola Pedro!

Then it's 95 all the way down - I always take the 295 bypass around Jacksonville, and then I4 West just around Daytona Beach.

I've done it in 9 hours and 15 minutes driving late at night with minimal stops and going 85mph, but my usual drive is about 10 and a half hours with two or three stops for gas and bathroom/snack breaks.

If they leave by 10am they should easily be there around 8pm, give or take 15 minutes.

Does this knock out having to go thru Cheraw? I haven't done that route in YEARS. 2 yrs ago went the interstate route, the prior 2 years went from Atlanta down there.

 

[DarthKTrava]

I think it's the first exit after the airport. It may actually be the same exit as 295 you just go the opposite way. I think it will eventually be renamed 295 but is 9A while they are finishing it up.

Last time, didn't take that. And someone idiotic had a NICE BIG HAIRPIN TURN ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE OF FRICKIN' DOWNTOWN. Bet that causes lots of wrecks....

 

[DVCLiz]

Probably about 10.5 hours. Depending on how fast they go. It's no quicker taking the interstates than it is doing the "back roads" of US 220, US 1 and US 52 to get to I-95.

Of course, this is contingent on how many stops they take for breaks, gas, food, bathrooms, etc....

Does this knock out having to go thru Cheraw? I haven't done that route in YEARS. 2 yrs ago went the interstate route, the prior 2 years went from Atlanta down there.

Yes, you no longer go through the little towns like Cheraw, Darlington and Society Hill, and you no longer take 1 to 9 to 52. A little while after you get to Rockingham there is an I73 sign and it is a bypass of all that you used to have to do to wind your way through. I think it saves about 30 or 45 minutes.

Coming back from WDW on I95 take Exit 13B to 73, then watch for the 220 signs - they are small and easy to miss (ask me how I know!) Once you are back on 220 it's a straight shot back into town. And the 220 roads have been improved - two lanes in both directions all the way now, if I remember correctly.

 

[NCRedding]

Just drove to and from the beach via 220. It is four laned and divided for almost the entire trip. The exit coming home is Exit 311 which read Highway 1, and leads to 220.

I much prefer the 74 to 38 route to I-95. Much faster, and you don't have to slow to a crawl in Society Hill to avoid a ticket.