Driving from Massachusetts to WDW

[Hadjii]

Hi,
Three girlfriends driving to WDW from Mass in May. We've never driven to FLA so we got AAA to map out our trip for us. We were wondering if anyone could suggest a good place to stay on the first travel night? We'd like to get at least a little more than half way there on the first day. We're leaving on the 7th and our resort ressies are for the 9th. We figured that would give us a little down time so we didn't have to drive ourselves to the point of exhaustion. Does anyone who's done this have a suggestion for a safe, convenient pit stop for the night? - thanks!

 

[goofyernmost]

Most all of Mass. would be approximately 1500 miles from WDW. Pick a spot along I-95 (I assume that is your route) that is about 750 miles from home and stay there. Just guessing based on old trips but I would think someplace in central North Carolina. Have a nice trip.

 

[blacklily]

Is there a reason you are driving. Jetblue flies out of Boston on Monday the 9th one way for $59. Return trips are anywhere from $59 to $99 depending on date. So for possibly $130 per person you could fly there. I figure 3000 miles driving at 20mpg at $2.40 per gallon is $360. Throw in a nights stay, snacks and meals on the way down it might be cheaper to fly. The only thing is you would have to rent a car but you can get some great deals in Orlando on rentals (Mousesavers.com for info). Plus you would have 2 more days of free time. Just my $.02 worth.

 

[estnh]

We made the drive from So. NH a few years ago. We chose Lumberton, NC as a stopping point, and it must be a popular one, because most of the license plates in the hotel parking lots were from New England. You'll have a long day the first day--probably about 12 or 13 hours, depending on where you are in MA, but you'll cruise into Disney in 8-9 hours the next day.

Stayed at a Days Inn in Lumberton, which was a dump, but there are many others around. Lots of restaurant choices, too--had a good steak at the Outback.

If I was doing it again, this is a perfect stopping point.

 

[java]

Check out the transportation board. At the top there is a link called Those folks driving..In it there is a link to a dis listexit by exit of hotels along I-95. We have had luck at Hampton Inns/Fairfield Inns. We stop at Roanoke Rapids NC- which is right at the top of NC. Check that out.

 

[CamColt]

I was thinking the same thing. Oh my lord - I couldn't drive from Massachusetts to Disney. I live in Mass. myself, and every couple of years I drive down to New Jersey, and I'm ready to hang myself by the time we get there.

I once drove from Mass. to Virginia, which is about half the distance to Disney. NEVER again.

LOL! I used to feel that exact same way, until I did it. 24 hours straight through! It was actually fun and we have done it 2 more times since. The past few times we have flown and the kids get mad...they prefer to drive. Its like an adventure and as I tell DH and DSs, thats the closest they will get me to camping...one night in the car

 

[MinnieMe2]

We usually drive from Central MA to Orlando. We leave at approximately 11:00 p.m. and in that way fly thru DC before rush hour. After that, it's pretty clear sailing and we manage to just cross into South Carolina, where we spend the night. The second day on the road is a bit shorter.

This year, we figured it would be cheaper to fly down. We got flights on Song for $160 r/t and a rental car for $138/9 days. With gas going up the way it is, we'll definitely save money, but I will miss the drive........

 

[sanibelover]

Fayetteville has a lot of decent hotels right off I-95.

 

[soccercruiser87]

well...my family and I drive to WDW everytime we go..which is anywhere from 3-4 times a year and we live in Raymond, New Hampshire (southern NH)..and we drive straight through, but i would suggest a stop over in north carolina or even southern virginia. North carolina is a 2 1/2 hour state....South Carolina is a 2 1/2 to 3 hour state....Georgia is about 2 hours and Florida to WDW is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours too...so just make sure you dont leave the hotel too late in the morning or you'll get to disney around 9 to 10 at night. lol

 

[2d_star_to_the_right]

we drive all the time from Metrowest Massachusetts. If you want to make your first day a long driving day then the earlier you leave the better. Rough times (traveling at approximately the speed limit) for us have been:
Massachusetts- New York (90, 84,294, 287, NJ turnpike/95) is about 4-5 hours depending on the GW bridge.
Plan on about 2 hours on the NJ turnpike- although that can be much higher if the traffic is heavy on the northern part.
Tack on about 30 min to get to Delaware
About 2 hours through Maryland, 30 min around DC (again traffic dependent)
Virginia is around 2.5-3 hours, NC is 3 hours, SC is 2- 2.5 hrs, Georgia is 2 and Florida is 2.

We usually leave at 4:00 pm and drive to DC and then go all the way the next day. BUt if you leave in the morning- you should be able to break somewhere around then end of NC. IF you get an early start the next morning you can arrive in Fl. around early afternoon.

We love the drive.

 

[Disney Fool]

Of course, if you'd like to try an alternate route than I-95, (which is a headache at times) here's a route I like to use:
Take the Mass Pike to I-84 west to I-81 south to I-77 south to I-26 east
to I-95 south to I-4 south to orlando. You pick up 95 at the bottom of Georgia. It's a quieter route. Plan on doing the major drive the first day, and then it's 8 hours the next day to Orlando.

 

[DLKT]

If you're driving route95 North on your return trip just remember to pay attention in NJ.
There's a place where the route switches to I95 or something.
It was pouring rain so I blindly followed the 95N signs and ended up out in the boonies!
I had to turn around to get back onto the "real" 95N.
I'm told it's a common mistake but that might just be some family members being kind to me.
(Supposedly it's being fixed)

 

[Hadjii]

Thanks so much to all my fellow New Englanders (and the rest of you too lol). I know it sounds crazy to drive when airfares are so cheap but one of my friends is absolutely airplane phobic. No way, no how. We love her anyway and are taking the drive cuz we want her to go so badly. We're looking on it as an adventure. Hey how bad can it be? Three women drivers...from Massachusetts......ummm..... I'm starting to scare myself.

 

[MagicalMom]

We usually use this site when looking for hotels along 95.

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

 

[2Xited4Disney]

To the people who think they wouldn't want to drive the whole way, picture this

Massachusetts to Orlando
in a Jeep Wrangler
15 MPG
tops out at 75
By myself


That is of course if i get into the College Program

hahaa

 

[Hadjii]

That is of course if i get into the College Program


Good luck to you!!! How excting for you. Sending some pixie dust your way.........

 

[LoveMickey]

Hey Fall River Girls, I was born there.

Have driven south on 96 many times. It is approx 8 hrs. to Northern Virginia (brother lives there). So keep that in mind with your travels.

Try to avoid Traffice as much as you can. NYC (2.5 hrs.) and DC (8 hrs.)

I'm the same distance from NYC as you are. We're from the Berkshires.

We left here one day just after noon and ran into awful traffic just after the Delaware Memorial Bridge, just stopped. It was the end of the day for Philly commuters.

And if you have Mass Fast Pass, it is accepted on the NJ turnpike, and as far down as Northern Virginia. Saves a good half hour not having to stop and pay tolls.

Enjoy.

 

[areno79]

We're driving from Portsmouth, NH to Orlando DH and I drove before, no matter how the cheap the flights are, he just won't fly. We actually have a good time driving, and we like to see the sights along the way.
Last time we left around 4 am, and stopped at about 10pm in Florence, SC, right off of 95. Then the next day we left at about 8am, and got to our Hotel around 3:30

 

[rwodonnell]

We have done it, and the way it worked best for us was to leave after the kids got out of school on a Friday around 3:00PM. That beats the Boston afternoon traffic pretty much (we live 15 miles or so outside Boston). Then we stopped to eat on the other side of Hartford, and maybe we were lucky, but we didn't get a lot of traffic on the GW bridge as a result, as we were getting there around 8 or 9 (don't remember exactly.) Then we went straight through past DC and stayed at a new Comfort Suites in Stafford VA. This way, you miss the DC traffic and the Delaware traffic (that's really where we have been hammered in the past). We got into Stafford around 1AM. Get up the next day and it's was about 10AM to 1AM again to Orlando, for us. It's 1300 miles from Burlington. Stafford is about 500 miles into it.

If you decide to break up your stop 500(day1)/800(day2) or so, Stafford is a decent stop. Other towns we've hit are Dunn, NC (750/550), and Dillon, SC (825/475), which is the home of that wonderful attraction, South of the Border. (I must admit, I felt a little dirty after staying there.)

Our kids are good travelers, but we flew the last time - we're torn, cause the drive was fun, but you really get a lot more time there when you fly. I don't think we will drive again as long as airfare stays near its current level.

 

[Hadjii]

I've had a lot of people warn me about the DC traffic. We were planning on leaving around 1:00 am. We're about 4 hrs away from NYC. What time do you think we'd hit Washington from New York? We'd like to avoid both of these hot spots is possible? - Nancy

**waves** to me Fall River friends!