Driving From Michigan

[mcm2elm1]

Hi
Just wondered if any of you from Michigan have drove to WDW?
If yes how long did it take?
Matt

 

[lovelyk68]

We will be driving down from Novi next week so I am also interested in how long it has taken others. I would also appreciate any info about where people have stopped for food, gas, hotel, etc? Thanks for any info!

Kim

 

[midge dionne]

We will be driving to WDW for the 3rd time in June from Monroe MI. We have taken both I75 and I77. We will be taking I75 this year. There is a great book called "Along the Interstate 75" by Dave Hunter. In the past we drove at night stopping in Chatanooga for the day then driving the rest of the way to WDW. Round-trip gas at $1.75 a gallon should be around $172.00. This year we are starting Friday and stopping in Knoxville for the night, Saturday drive to Valdosta GA for the night, then driving to the Gulf side to find a beach for a few hours then driving the rest of the way to Kissimmee to the Days Suites for 9 nights. I work for the schools so we have plenty of time to relax and take in the views that we haven't been able to experience before.

 

[Spartan]

We've done the trip a few time from the northern suburbs. I personally like to leave around 9:00 pm on a weeknight. We have a 3yo, so we put in a DVD, he watches for a while, then falls asleep. I drive through the night, and the last 2 times we have stopped in Chattanooga. There's a pretty nice mall there right off of 75 - the name escapes me at the moment, but it's "[something] Place". Leaving at night, we have gotten there around 7-8 am. We eat a nice breakfast at the Craker Barrell, then head over to the mall for a couple of hours (They have a good Disney Store in there). My wife drives for a while after that, and then we try to make it into N. Florida before stopping. Last time we made it to Gainesville. It makes for a long day, but by stopping at 6 or so, it gives me enough time to recooperate by the next day, and only leaves a short 2 hour drive to WDW. There's lots of Wal-Mart's along the way, so we usally make a couple of stops there, as well, just to stretch our legs. Seems any town along the way with a population of 20,000 or more has one.

We do most of our planning along the way as far as where we'll eat, get gas, stop for the night, etc. Just watch the road signs, everything you need is on the billboards.

We're doing the same plan this year in Sept/Oct, except heading to Clearwater Beach for a few days before WDW. I really don't mind the trip, especially with the DVD player. Our son has made 3 trips - 2 by driving and 1 by air, and overall we thought the drive was less hectic, especially if we're not pressed for time. My wife hates to fly, and it really took away some of the fun by her being so nervous leading up to the trip.

 

[firecracker]

in North Central Indiana. We've driven 3 times and as our kids get older and the speed limit gets higher, it takes us less and less time.

Last year we left @ noon on a Thurs and drove to Murfreesboro TN (about an hour south of Nashville) in 7 1/2 hours. The next day we drove another 7 1/2 to Orlando.

The year before we left at 5 am and drove to Perry, GA for the night. Next day was about a 5 hr. drive to Orlando.

This year (June 3!! can't wait) we're leaving at 4am and driving through to Valdosta GA. Should be about 14 hrs. and then 3 hrs. the 2nd day.

Video/DVD player helps, but we've done with it as well with few problems.

HTH.

Carmen

 

[wdisneelvr]

When I used to live in Traverse City and we drove to WDW, it took us two 12 hr days of driving and staying one night in a hotel. We usually made it as far as Chattanooga TN the first night.

Happy trails!

 

[Boo Mc]

We drove in Feb. from Novi. We stay in Valdosta - might make sense to make a ressie somewhere there as it seems like a popular spot and we almost ended up without a room. Get up the next morning and make a stop at the Welcome Center in Ocala to get the kids a Disney fix and to get gas and eat. We're at WDW by noon if we leave by 6:30-7:00 am. On the way back we left WDW at 6:30 and drove straight through. Got home at 11:30 and we had stopped for 2 meals and a couple of bathroom breaks. We got lucky though and had clar weather and no trafffic and DH does drive a bit fast (but goes with the traffic nothing crazy). Hope that helps.

 

[mcm2elm1]

Thank you for all your replies
Matt