Driving From NY

[diskids2]

Ok so we've made the big decision to drive. We have always flown before, but I have heard so many stories from people that the drive is not that bad. Our kids are 12 and 8. We have a minivan that has the TV/VCR and there are two drivers, with a total of 4 people in a 7 seater. I am being advised that the drive is about 20 hours.

We plan to leave Westchester County at 3 am and drive for about 14 hours with small stops in between. Any advice on where I might end up the first night or where to try to end up for lodging, etc. I want to have the bulk of the driving done the first day. Hoping to leave about 7 am the second day and arrive late afternoon/early evening. Our family is very used to 8 hour trips.

The route we have is pretty much straight 95 S, using 495 around DC, and hooking up with I- 4 in Florida. Any comments?

Thanks!

 

[ToyStory Fan]

diskids2,

hey we're practically neighbors. We did the drive from White Plains twice.

Once straight thru, the next time with 1 stop overnight.

On the straight thru run, you need to leave at 8:30-9:30 PM, because you can't (ususally) check-in too much before 4:00PM. Our trip took us 18 1/2 hours. I slept ALL day the day we left and woke up at 7:00 PM and started my "morning-routine" including breakfast (not dinner). My DW slept while I drove (the 1st leg)and DS was out cold before we made it 1 block from the house We stopped for breakfast at around 6 AM and switched drivers, I slept and DW was wide awake at that point, DS had the portable DVD in the car so he was lovin' life.

On the stopover drive we had 2 cars add 6 month old DD to the mix (my parents followed along), and we stopped after about 13 hours in Hilton Head (WDW Resort). We did the stop more because I was worried about my parents "going the distance". HHI is about 10 miles from the SC/Georgia border, and leaves you with about a 6 hour drive to WDW the next morning. On that trip we left at 4:30 AM, got to HHI in time for dinner.

With a stopover one of the key things is to pack just the overnight bag, so that you don't have to unload the whole car.

Personally, I like the straight thru drive because you don't kill 2 days each way. You'll be more tired after the stopover trip than the straigth thru. Also, you get to WDW in time for dinner and then a relaxing early night (maybe hit the hottub) and then You'll be good to go the next morning. When we arrived after the stopover trip our room wasn't ready (tough with a bigger crowd), and we weren't really dying to get into the parks, so it did feel like 2 wasted days.

This time out airfare wsa too cheap to not try and fly...we are doing JetBLue in August (really wanted Oct again but couldn't due to work and AP expiration dates)

Anyway, hope that helps, good luck with the drive and be careful.

 

[WDW4KIDS]

I.ve driven 3 times from L.I. and the worse part is betwwen N.Y. and D.C. I would aim for either Savanah or Brunswick Ga. as your stop over.This leaves you a small 5 hour drive the next day.Plan on making hotel reservations if your arrival is late. There's nothing worse than looking for a room with 2 tired kids.Allow for delays and mst important make the journey part of your vacation.

 

[HvnzCaress]

I'm not too far from you either...I'm in Albany County. We're also making the drive for the first time August.

We're looking to leave home around maybe 10 p.m. drive through the night so our kids 14 and 10 sleep most of the way. My husband will probably be stuck doing most of the driving cause I really am not comfortable behind the wheel in unfamiliar places. I already have a hotel booked in Savannah, GA for the first night. I hope to make it to Savannah at a late afternoon hour so that we can have a nice dinner relax in the pool etc and kinda get the vacation started there. Then as others have said it should be about a 5 hour drive to disney the next day.

I hope your trip goes well please be sure to let us know how it works out when you get back.

 

[movingtoorlando]

HvnzCaress, what is the name of that hotel, I'm moving to flordia and will be stoping in that area as well but don't know any hotels in the area. any other hotels people know about that will allow a uhual trailer let me know. thanks