Driving from NJ to Disney World

[rstiv]

Hi all so the wife and I are going to be taking a trip down for Food and Wine Festival next month. Both of us still don't really feel comfortable flying with Covid so we are planning to drive down from north NJ its about 16 hours from door to door. Now I haven't done this drive in years since I was little going down with the family but I don't mind road trips at all (my wife on the other hand isn't thrilled). We plan on leaving around 3-4AM to try and beat DC traffic and make it to Savannah by around dinner time and stay there for the night do dinner and walk around a bit since we both have never been there. Then drive the rest of the way in the morning just to break up the trip a bit. On the trip home we plan to drive straight through which could be rough but again I've done it years ago and it didn't seem terrible. I am just looking for any advice from people who may have done a similar drive and how the trip is my wife thinks I am crazy for wanting to drive down. Also to get an idea of if stopping in Savannah is a good spot or if people have any other recommendations.

Thanks!

 

[Ginger R]

We are in South Jersey but we have driven down the last few years. We've actually done almost exactly as what you are planning. Only difference is we left around midnight. It just get us to where we are stopping for the night by late afternoon. We usually stop for breakfast and then with fuel stops and stretch breaks we usually get to wherever were stopping before dinner time. A few times we've stopped in Savannah as you are planning and a couple times we decided to make it even a little further and stopped in Kingsland Ga right before the Florida border. On our way home the last couple trips we've pushed through and didn't stop for the night. IMO, it just depends how tired you are whether you need to stop for the night or just rest breaks. Honestly, we've never found the driving to be terribly bad. Heading home is worse but who wants to leave Disney so of course that's some of the reason it seems worse. Hope this helps! Enjoy your trip
ETA: Kingsland Ga has a hub of hotels just like Savannah does with restaurants around the area just in case you want to get a little further in your drive.

 

[paults]

This could be how we go next Oct 2021. Hope Flying is better by then but if not we drive.

 

[Ginger R]

Yes, our next trip is July and we are planning on driving as well. We will be there for 2 weeks so having our vehicle will be a plus. That's one of the reasons that we do like to drive.

 

[AnnaS]

We do it all the time. About 16 hours for us too. We make a ton of restroom/gas/meal stops. Most of the time driving down we stop overnight. The last few years we have averaged two trips per year. We drive one and fly for the other.

Quiet a few times these last few years, we could not get a room on our first stop/try. DH never wants to book one ahead of time. It all depends on the week and what time you plan on stopping. Perhaps now with COVID, no issues with getting a room. We never had that problem years ago.

We have left all sorts of times too to avoid DC. DH like best 3 am.

Coming home, we seem to always hit traffic at DC. We usually go midweek to midweek. 80% of the time we drive straight through coming home even though it drives me nuts. We have plenty of time and no rush to get home. I can stop over at my sister's in VA and now my DD in DE........let's see if DH would consider it for our Feb/March trip. We are flying next week.

Good luck!

 

[Disneyfan754321]

If you read up into the yellow.. for those folks driving. There are a lot of great tips

 

[gatour]

When you get north of Jacksonville, look for the I-295 Eastern Beltway exit. Take the Eastern Beltway to 9-B. This will take you back to I-95. Some vehicle navigation systems will have 9-B in their systems but don't have it going all the way to I-95. The last leg was completed in a year or two ago.

For example my 2018 Audi does have the 9-B stub in the system but has it ending before reaching I-95. Google maps are up to date in regards to 9-B

 

[Arielfan98]

Hi all so the wife and I are going to be taking a trip down for Food and Wine Festival next month. Both of us still don't really feel comfortable flying with Covid so we are planning to drive down from north NJ its about 16 hours from door to door. Now I haven't done this drive in years since I was little going down with the family but I don't mind road trips at all (my wife on the other hand isn't thrilled). We plan on leaving around 3-4AM to try and beat DC traffic and make it to Savannah by around dinner time and stay there for the night do dinner and walk around a bit since we both have never been there. Then drive the rest of the way in the morning just to break up the trip a bit. On the trip home we plan to drive straight through which could be rough but again I've done it years ago and it didn't seem terrible. I am just looking for any advice from people who may have done a similar drive and how the trip is my wife thinks I am crazy for wanting to drive down. Also to get an idea of if stopping in Savannah is a good spot or if people have any other recommendations.

Thanks!

No driving tips, but I recently traveled via airplane. I flew from Charleston, SC to Newark, NJ and I felt very safe. I recommend stopping in Charleston, though. Gorgeous place.

 

[Moliphino]

We just drove down and back from MA. Left home at about 9am on a Saturday and made it to Florence, SC around 11 where we stopped for the night. Got to WDW around 4pm the next day. No awful traffic (a little in the DC area), but some torrential rain in FL slowed us a little bit. There didn't seem to be much to see in the Florence area, but we were just looking to sleep and move on so it fit our needs.

On the way home we poked around Disney Springs on departure day until noonish and made it to Smithfield, NC around 11:30pm where we stopped for the night. No traffic issues the next day until NY/CT, so you don't have to worry about that (84E in CT is always awful, as it the alternative Merritt Parkway).

 

[chrissy92972]

Does this save time?

When you get north of Jacksonville, look for the I-295 Eastern Beltway exit. Take the Eastern Beltway to 9-B. This will take you back to I-95. Some vehicle navigation systems will have 9-B in their systems but don't have it going all the way to I-95. The last leg was completed in a year or two ago.

For example my 2018 Audi does have the 9-B stub in the system but has it ending before reaching I-95. Google maps are up to date in regards to 9-B

 

[RanDIZ]

Been driving from Philly for the past few years. 95S the whole way. I’ve done it numerous times in winter. Straight through no overnight stays. Only stopped twice. Can be done in 14-16hrs. Usually stop first in Kenly, NC truck stop. Really nice service area. We stop again in GA. Not bad at all. Leave Philly at 9p. Arrive Orlando before noon

 

[lubob]

We usually leave our house in NJ at 4 am. We get to Brunswick Georgia around 6 or 6:30 pm. We have dinner get a good night's sleep then back on the road between 7:30 am to 8 am. We usually arrive around Disney springs about 10:30 am or so Have breakfast in Orlando and we start our vacation. We have kept this literary a bunch of times now. This seems to work great for us. The kids are also happy with this drive.

 

[gatour]

Does this save time?

Yes.

Plus you avoid the I-10/I-95 interchange, Fuller Warren Bridge and the ramps just east of the bridge.

One thing to keep in mind. The ramp from I-295 to 9B exist to the left, so after you get past J Turner Butler you should be in either the middle lane or the left most lane (both will get you to 9B without a further lane switch).

The ramp from 9-B to I-95 is also a left exit, however traffic is lighter on 9B so just follow the signage, you will have enough warning to know when to get in the correct lane.