Driving from MI

[Jasperann]

Anyone drive down to WDW from around Detroit, MI? If you have about how long did it take you? We are going to be driving in March. Google Maps says that it is around 18 hours, but I'm sure it is going to be much longer than that... especially with little kids. So I'm just trying to get an estimate. We will be switching out drivers, so we will be driving straight threw, with a little stop for an hour or two at a play place for the kids.

Comments? Ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Disneyforus]

No advice, but we are also driving down from MI for the first time. We are driving from the Kalamazoo area, and are also figuring 18 hours...we have had several friends drive down and that's about what it takes straight thru..minimal stops. We are going to drive 6-8 hours first day, and then about 8 hours the second day and end up in Lake City Florida which is 3 hours from Disney...get up in the morning and be to Disney by noon.....we are too chicken to drive straight thru and our kids don't sleep in the car very well/or at all. We might drive longer on the way home and only stop one night..we'll see.

 

[yakkin' yeti]

We drove from Kalamazoo a couple of years ago with our then-five-year-old, and it was very manageable. It does take every bit of 18 hours driving, but it really wasn't that bad. (And I drove most of the way back, because my husband had a grad school final he needed to study for.)

I wouldn't think you would need to stop for two nights. We drove until about 11:30 p.m. the first night, and got there the second day around lunchtime.

Have a great time!

 

[Jasperann]

Thanks for the comments. My DH is working Midnights the night before we leave so we are leaving when he gets home and I'm going to drive until he wakes up (he is a very heavy sleeper in the car, so that won't be a problem). When he wakes up we are going to try to find a play place Micky D's or Burger King and stop off for an hour or so and let the kids eat and play. Then we will be back on the road and I'm sure the kids will fall to sleep (because they sleep in the car with 10 minute car rides...lol) Then he will drive the rest of the way. He was a Trucker for a couple years so he is very good at driving at night (which is when a lot of truckers chose to drive). We want to stop at the beach for the sunrise, but I'm not sure if we will be that close by then... Then we will be heading to FW to check-in and get our tickets for the parks.

 

[Dizfan4life]

The good thing you got going for you is that you are probably a hop, skip, and a jump from I-75! We live near Grand Rapids, we took 94 over to 75 and drove straight down, and decided to make the drive and our drive was roughly 22 hours with frequent stops. Leaving at night is perfect for the kids - the more they sleep the better !

 

[Jasperann]

The good thing you got going for you is that you are probably a hop, skip, and a jump from I-75! We live near Grand Rapids, we took 94 over to 75 and drove straight down, and decided to make the drive and our drive was roughly 22 hours with frequent stops. Leaving at night is perfect for the kids - the more they sleep the better !

Yeah 75 is about a half mile from my house, so that is a plus. Grand Rapids is about a 3 hour drive from here, so it looks like it would be 19-20 hours for us? That sounds great. I know it is a long time away, but I'm so excited...

 

[My_3_Mi_Princesses]

HI Jasperann,
We are driving from South Lyon next year as well. There is a great thread in the Transportation forum called "For 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers only! ". There is tons of advice and where to stop etc. on there.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

If you do take I-75 you should look into purchasing the Along Interstate-75 book by Dave Hunter, which lists every exits hotels, restaurants and gas stations from Michigan to the Florida state line.
http://www.i75online.com/

 

[Jasperann]

HI Jasperann,
We are driving from South Lyon next year as well. There is a great thread in the Transportation forum called "For 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers only! ". There is tons of advice and where to stop etc. on there.

Thank you I'll check it out. I didn't even think to look over there.

If you do take I-75 you should look into purchasing the Along Interstate-75 book by Dave Hunter, which lists every exits hotels, restaurants and gas stations from Michigan to the Florida state line.
http://www.i75online.com/

I'll have to look into that. I've went to the different truck stop websites and have got the information of where they all are, what exits and things like that. We use to drive to FL at least twice a year when I was a kid, but of course me being a kid I only remember it being a long drive home...lol

 

[Charlefours]

Hello!

I am glad to see we are not the only family driving to WDW from Michigan!! I know we are traveling down to southern Indiana first because we are picking up my dad. From there, it will take us about 10 hours to get to southern Georgia. From there, we will have a three hour drive to POR.

Have you mapped it out? I did quickly because I was curious with you being more western/central Michigan which way it would take you. Google Maps takes you through Indiana, which I have driven those interstates and its not bad. Plus, the speed limit is 70 in Indiana but not in Ohio. Just something to think about. If you go through Indiana you do not need to go all the way to 75 in Michigan--you would go down I65 and I24 before merging onto I75.

Good luck with your drive!!

 

[Micca]

Y'all be careful and have a great trip.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I'll have to look into that. I've went to the different truck stop websites and have got the information of where they all are, what exits and things like that. We use to drive to FL at least twice a year when I was a kid, but of course me being a kid I only remember it being a long drive home...lol

I forgot to mention he also sells another book with the same idea, however it's just for the Florida Interstates. So not sure how much use you might get out of that.

 

[stacy347]

Anyone drive down to WDW from around Detroit, MI? If you have about how long did it take you? We are going to be driving in March. Google Maps says that it is around 18 hours, but I'm sure it is going to be much longer than that... especially with little kids. So I'm just trying to get an estimate. We will be switching out drivers, so we will be driving straight threw, with a little stop for an hour or two at a play place for the kids.

Comments? Ideas?

Thanks.

Hello from a fellow downriver resident!

We have done the trip twice now from here and it generally has taken 18 hours each way. We do 12 hours the first day and spend the night in GA but that is great that you guys can drive straight through.

We mostly do fast food on the road (I don't want to spend valuable daylight waiting to be served my dinner ) and we try to get off in a well-populated area for eating and filling up on gas. We have been lucky so far and haven't run into any trouble on the road.
We take 75 as well. We're heading back down in May and I just can't wait!

Hope you guys have a great trip!!

 

[newharmony]

We drive down twice a year from South Central MI (Branch County). We take 69 down to Indy, then 65 to Nashville. Then 24 over to Chattanooga. We stay in Chattanooga, then get on 75 there. We do the reverse on the way back. It makes the trip manageable and we get a good night's sleep for the drive.

 

[The1EvilQueen]

We drive from the Toledo area at least once a year and ususally make it in 17/18 hours depending on stops. Once we did it in 16 but my foot was a little heavy through KY & TN! When we did it this past March we didn't leave until 10pm and the kids slept all night making the stops less frequent, only for gas. I really don't like night driving but there was very little traffic, fewer stops, and we made great time. It's always easier to drive straight through on the way there. On the way home, you don't want to get back and it feels like an eternity! Be safe and have a great vacation.

 

[ndgqccmiller]

We drive down twice a year from South Central MI (Branch County). We take 69 down to Indy, then 65 to Nashville. Then 24 over to Chattanooga. We stay in Chattanooga, then get on 75 there. We do the reverse on the way back. It makes the trip manageable and we get a good night's sleep for the drive.

We live in Chattanooga. It is a great safe midsize city to stop in. It is between 10 1/2 - 11 1/2 hrs to get to Orlando. Depending on how fast you drive. If you do drive thru and head down 75 remember what time you will hit Atlanta. You spend a long time in traffic if you hit it at a bad time. We leave for Disney around 4 am get into and thru Atlanta before the morning rush. It can be crazy!

The1EvilQueen I was born in Toldeo. Grew up in Sylvania most of my family still lives there. Small world!

 

[Jasperann]

Hello from a fellow downriver resident!

We have done the trip twice now from here and it generally has taken 18 hours each way. We do 12 hours the first day and spend the night in GA but that is great that you guys can drive straight through.

We mostly do fast food on the road (I don't want to spend valuable daylight waiting to be served my dinner ) and we try to get off in a well-populated area for eating and filling up on gas. We have been lucky so far and haven't run into any trouble on the road.
We take 75 as well. We're heading back down in May and I just can't wait!

Hope you guys have a great trip!!

Thanks! It is great to hear from someone that is basically in my own back yard...lol We want to get down there in the morning, and go to a park for a little bit My DH is trying to convince me that leaving at 2pm is a good Idea, but I'm pretty sure we would hit some of the busier city's in OH for rush hour that way. I'd like to leave earlier, so that if the kids need to stop I can stop and not worry about it at all... and I can take my time while DH is sleeping... He doesn't see that happening, he seems to think we will most likely be there when he wakes up.

 

[stacy347]

I think you are right ~ leaving at 2 p.m. would probably put you in Cincinnatti traffic during rush hour. That was the only Ohio city where we were almost at a standstill while driving through. It didn't take a super long time but it was a bit frustrating doing the whole stop and go thing when all we wanted to do was go see Mickey.
That being said, we only had that happen in Cincinnatti the one time ~ the other times we sailed right through.

The toughest thing about the drive is keeping the kids entertained. On our first trip down, my MIL went with us and she brought a Cracker Barrel map (shows all the Cracker Barrels in the USA)...you wouldn't believe how much those kids got into being on the lookout for that place, LOL. We also took a lot of puzzle books, magazines, music and movies.

 

[Jasperann]

I think you are right ~ leaving at 2 p.m. would probably put you in Cincinnatti traffic during rush hour. That was the only Ohio city where we were almost at a standstill while driving through. It didn't take a super long time but it was a bit frustrating doing the whole stop and go thing when all we wanted to do was go see Mickey.
That being said, we only had that happen in Cincinnatti the one time ~ the other times we sailed right through.

The toughest thing about the drive is keeping the kids entertained. On our first trip down, my MIL went with us and she brought a Cracker Barrel map (shows all the Cracker Barrels in the USA)...you wouldn't believe how much those kids got into being on the lookout for that place, LOL. We also took a lot of puzzle books, magazines, music and movies.

That is a good Idea about the Cracker Barrel maps. I want to get them maps of there own so that every time they ask if we are almost there I can have them look at there map.. We are going to rent some Disney movies that they haven't seen yet for the ride down to.. There aren't many, so they will probably have some favorites in there too. I'm so excited and we still have so much longer.

 

[MommaSnowwhite]

We drove down in November of 2008 from the Ann Arbor area. It wasn't a bad drive, but it did take us at least 19 hours because of the stops (my youngest DD has a snack pack sized bladder). We did find that the gas station bathrooms in Georgia we the least clean I have ever had the reason to use. Even my DDs made comments - bring sanitizer! Enjoy your trip!