Driving from Philadelphia Suburbs

[jasko5990]

After driving straight through from Doylestown, Pa, numerous times over the past 10 years I've pretty much established a route & departure time that works great for our family. However, after reading some of the other threads ("For Those Folks Driving" & "For 2000 Mile Round Trip Drivers"), I'm wondering if there might be a better route out there. The driving time, distance, and afternoon arrival in WDW don't bother us, but I'm always looking for suggestions on how to reduce our travel time. Please chime in with any suggestions.

We currently leave home around midnight. I sleep from about 3:00-1100 pm before we leave, while my wife & teenage kids stay awake throughout the day (if I wake up earlier then we leave earlier). We drive to the Pa Turnpike, exit at I-476 (the Blue Route) and continue to I-95. Once we get on I-95 my wife & kids go to sleep. They usually wake up when we're about halfway through North Carolina, where we stop for breakfast and gas around 7:00-8:00 am in order to avoid peak rush hour traffic (which pales in comparison to the Philly area traffic). We stay on I-95 and some beltways the entire trip until we get to I-4, then take that to WDW. With the exception of the occasional back up due to construction or accidents we usually don't hit any traffic until we're south of Orlando & close to WDW. The trip, including stops for food, gas, & bathroom breaks, takes about 15-16 hours, and we usually arrive at our resort between 3:00-4:00 pm.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

After driving straight through from Doylestown, Pa, numerous times over the past 10 years I've pretty much established a route & departure time that works great for our family. However, after reading some of the other threads ("For Those Folks Driving" & "For 2000 Mile Round Trip Drivers"), I'm wondering if there might be a better route out there. The driving time, distance, and afternoon arrival in WDW don't bother us, but I'm always looking for suggestions on how to reduce our travel time. Please chime in with any suggestions.

We currently leave home around midnight. I sleep from about 3:00-1100 pm before we leave, while my wife & teenage kids stay awake throughout the day (if I wake up earlier then we leave earlier). We drive to the Pa Turnpike, exit at I-476 (the Blue Route) and continue to I-95. Once we get on I-95 my wife & kids go to sleep. They usually wake up when we're about halfway through North Carolina, where we stop for breakfast and gas around 7:00-8:00 am in order to avoid peak rush hour traffic (which pales in comparison to the Philly area traffic). We stay on I-95 and some beltways the entire trip until we get to I-4, then take that to WDW. With the exception of the occasional back up due to construction or accidents we usually don't hit any traffic until we're south of Orlando & close to WDW. The trip, including stops for food, gas, & bathroom breaks, takes about 15-16 hours, and we usually arrive at our resort between 3:00-4:00 pm.

It appears you have a trip route that works for you. Congratulations.

 

[DisneyPoly]

We often drive from the Bucks County area, although we leave around 5:00 a.m. and drive to Hilton Head Island, where we visit and stay overnight with family. In the morning we are back on the road around 8:00 a.m. and travel the last 5 hours. We drove straight thru once last year and I must say it wasn't bad, but this route seems to work for us.

 

[sharadoc]

We sometimes go 202 to 95, just because it seems straighter and closer for us, although next trip we will definitely hit the Blue Route since we're leaving at 4 am. The only other thing we do differently from you is 417 instead of I-4 through Orlando. It's about $7.50 in tolls and has about 1/10th the amount of traffic that I-4 does.

There's lots of folks who use the mountain way via I-80 to Harrisburg and hit 95 either in Virginia or the Carolinas, but that seems to be about an hour longer than 95 only.

I think your schedule is perfect. If you can get a good night's sleep before you leave, then you're wide awake and alert for that overnight drive and that's the most important thing about driving through the night.

We're going to drive 4 am until 8-9 pm this time. Usually we stop overnight in Walterboro SC but we think we're ready for a straight-through drive this time.

 

[DISshopkeeper]

We often drive from the Bucks County area, although we leave around 5:00 a.m. and drive to Hilton Head Island, where we visit and stay overnight with family. In the morning we are back on the road around 8:00 a.m. and travel the last 5 hours. We drove straight thru once last year and I must say it wasn't bad, but this route seems to work for us.

Do you find the DC traffic to be bad leaving at that time? We are planning a 4am-5am departure.

 

[bookwormde]

That time of night the blue route is by far the best

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

We are planning to drive this Sept from Langhorne PA, Bucks County Pa...for the first time
I am a night shift nurse so I will most likely work the night before, come home and sleep from about 9-4, get up, get ready and leave around 8pm or so, gives the kids some times to relax, maybe watch a movie and get a good 3 hours in before our first stop to use bathroom and "get ready for bed" Or should I say GET CAFFEIN for me...I plan to drive thru the night since Im used to being awake during the night. Hope to make it to abou 7am or so, stop for breakfast...then get back on the road, hoping to get to Disney aroud 1pm or so!

 

[jasko5990]

The only other thing we do differently from you is 417 instead of I-4 through Orlando. It's about $7.50 in tolls and has about 1/10th the amount of traffic that I-4 does.

Thanks, that's definitely a route I'll look at. Assuming no traffic and taking tolls into consideration, about how much time does driving on 417 usually take?

 

[rock_doctor]

That is what we do but we leave around 2am or so just so we hit DC before the 5am rush start. We also take the beltways around Wilmington, Richmond and Jacksonville. We stop in Dillon SC & Exit 5/6 in Ga for diesel and then the same stations on the way home except we also stop in Mt Carmel, Va so we have enough for a while once we get home. We stop the first night in Ga around Savannah, which has a ton of cheap rooms and then we stop in Florence SC on the way home. About the same travel time as you have. It isn't really that bad of a drive and since the southern states are all high speed limits it goes pretty fast. Just be careful, SC and GA are running camera speed traps on I-95 (or at least they were last Christmas). Apparently, the company that makes the hardware does the work and gives a kick back to the state for each ticket.

 

[TamaraQT]

I live in Southern NJ, and I can't imagine planning on driving that long distance. Is driving really that much more economical? What about on the trip back home? Do you miss out on a day of vacation enjoyment due to having to "rest up" for the long drive back?

I could never imagine driving although I know some people do it all the time. I guess in the long run, driving vs flying is the same argument as staying onsite vs staying offsite. It's all personal preference.

 

[sharadoc]

Thanks, that's definitely a route I'll look at. Assuming no traffic and taking tolls into consideration, about how much time does driving on 417 usually take?

Hi. I think it's about an hour at least. I'll look at my notes at home, but I think it's right around 60 miles or so. The exit is, I believe, the Sanford airport road off of I-4.

Found my directions:

Taking I-4 to TOLL 417 in Sanford is a good option to bypass all of the craziness as it's Orlando's eastern beltway. You cannot exit onto SR535 though as stated by some others. You exit onto SR536 (Exit 6) and at the second light turn right onto SR535. That will take you under I-4

You exit onto I-4 as normal, then follow these directions:

1. Take exit 101B for FL -417 toward International Airports/ Sanford go 1.3 mi About 1 min total 12.3 mi
2. Merge onto Florida 417 Toll S; go 49.0 mi
3. Take exit 6 for International Dr/FL -536 toward FL-535/ I-4 E;
4. Slight left at World Center Dr go 0.6 mi About 2 mins
5. Take the 1st right onto S Apopka Vineland Rd go 2.1 mi About 4 mins
6. Turn left at Palm Pkwy; go 62 ft
7 Continue onto County Rd 535/State Rd 535/Winter Garden Vineland Rd
8. Turn left on Buena Vista Drive or go straight to Winn-Dixie instead. total 66.7 mi

 

[sharadoc]

I live in Southern NJ, and I can't imagine planning on driving that long distance. Is driving really that much more economical? What about on the trip back home? Do you miss out on a day of vacation enjoyment due to having to "rest up" for the long drive back?

I could never imagine driving although I know some people do it all the time. I guess in the long run, driving vs flying is the same argument as staying onsite vs staying offsite. It's all personal preference.

Yes, it's much more economical for us. Lots of folks talk about "losing" a day of vacation each way, but that extra day also means a room and tickets, so we wouldn't be taking a vacation for two extra days. That would be even more expensive.

We don't go crazy busy every day on vacation anyway, so we don't need to "rest up" for the drive home. We probably will stop overnight on the way home because we don't want to leave Disney too early in the day.

 

[Minniemouse07]

I live in Southern NJ, and I can't imagine planning on driving that long distance. Is driving really that much more economical? What about on the trip back home? Do you miss out on a day of vacation enjoyment due to having to "rest up" for the long drive back?

I could never imagine driving although I know some people do it all the time. I guess in the long run, driving vs flying is the same argument as staying onsite vs staying offsite. It's all personal preference.

I've always said the same thing and then was confronted w/ my land/sea dilemma!

We generally fly from Philly and use DME/WDW transportation for our vacations.

For our upcoming land/sea trip I looked into DCL transfers as well as renting something that could haul 2wks worth of luggage for 4 people and both came out way too $$$ for us, so I reluctantly agreed w/ dh that we should drive.

There was NO way that we would be able to drive straight through (I don't drive well in the middle of the night) so we were looking at leaving at breakfast on day 1 and getting there well after lunch (maybe dinnerish?) on day 2.

Just for kicks, I checked into the AutoTrain and it was less than $100 more than our driving budget (meals, gas, hotel) ...and that was when gas was close to $1/gallon less than it is now!

All four of us, along w/ our van (oversized vehicle) are riding the AT (in coach) for our August trip for less than $900. That includes dinner, snacks and breakfast!

The key w/ the AT is to book early. The cost of the same exact trip if booked today is close to double!

...and one of the best things... we get into Sanford, FL at 9:30am! YAY! An extra bonus day and we don't have to drive or put wear and tear (and miles!) on the van! Double YAY!

 

[loveysbydesign]

I've always said the same thing and then was confronted w/ my land/sea dilemma!

We generally fly from Philly and use DME/WDW transportation for our vacations.

For our upcoming land/sea trip I looked into DCL transfers as well as renting something that could haul 2wks worth of luggage for 4 people and both came out way too $$$ for us, so I reluctantly agreed w/ dh that we should drive.

There was NO way that we would be able to drive straight through (I don't drive well in the middle of the night) so we were looking at leaving at breakfast on day 1 and getting there well after lunch (maybe dinnerish?) on day 2.

Just for kicks, I checked into the AutoTrain and it was less than $100 more than our driving budget (meals, gas, hotel) ...and that was when gas was close to $1/gallon less than it is now!

All four of us, along w/ our van (oversized vehicle) are riding the AT (in coach) for our August trip for less than $900. That includes dinner, snacks and breakfast!

The key w/ the AT is to book early. The cost of the same exact trip if booked today is close to double!

...and one of the best things... we get into Sanford, FL at 9:30am! YAY! An extra bonus day and we don't have to drive or put wear and tear (and miles!) on the van! Double YAY!

Wow..I just checked it out and they are having a sale where kids are only $19 each for the autotrain....but it only goes til the end of august and we are going in October.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conte...mc_r=365&tiid=26931&audienceId=0&rtTracking=1

 

[Minniemouse07]

Wow..I just checked it out and they are having a sale where kids are only $19 each for the autotrain....but it only goes til the end of august and we are going in October.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conte...mc_r=365&tiid=26931&audienceId=0&rtTracking=1

We booked our trip in February and they didn't release this deal until late April/early May??.

Turns out that our early booking was SIGNIFICANTLY (like by >$500) cheaper than rebooking w/ the $19 children's fare.

Amtrak also gives a decent AAA discount, and that worked in our favor too!

 

[loveysbydesign]

We booked our trip in February and they didn't release this deal until late April/early May??.

Turns out that our early booking was SIGNIFICANTLY (like by >$500) cheaper than rebooking w/ the $19 children's fare.

Amtrak also gives a decent AAA discount, and that worked in our favor too!

So you are driving to VA and catching the autotrain there?

 

[Minniemouse07]

So you are driving to VA and catching the autotrain there?

Yes.. the AutoTrain only has two stops. Lorton, VA (just south of DC) and Sanford, FL

 

[TamaraQT]

Well after reading all of your posts on driving from my area, it got me thinking. I think I would look forward to the rest stops just to visit other states I may not normally visit, which is a good thing. Also, riding a train is another nice option. Personally, I still don't care for driving, but after reading these posts about driving it doesnt seem so bad anymore. It's all of what you make of it. I wish you all many Miles of Smiles!!!

 

[LiloH]

After driving straight through from Doylestown, Pa, numerous times over the past 10 years I've pretty much established a route & departure time that works great for our family. However, after reading some of the other threads ("For Those Folks Driving" & "For 2000 Mile Round Trip Drivers"), I'm wondering if there might be a better route out there. The driving time, distance, and afternoon arrival in WDW don't bother us, but I'm always looking for suggestions on how to reduce our travel time. Please chime in with any suggestions.

We currently leave home around midnight. I sleep from about 3:00-1100 pm before we leave, while my wife & teenage kids stay awake throughout the day (if I wake up earlier then we leave earlier). We drive to the Pa Turnpike, exit at I-476 (the Blue Route) and continue to I-95. Once we get on I-95 my wife & kids go to sleep. They usually wake up when we're about halfway through North Carolina, where we stop for breakfast and gas around 7:00-8:00 am in order to avoid peak rush hour traffic (which pales in comparison to the Philly area traffic). We stay on I-95 and some beltways the entire trip until we get to I-4, then take that to WDW. With the exception of the occasional back up due to construction or accidents we usually don't hit any traffic until we're south of Orlando & close to WDW. The trip, including stops for food, gas, & bathroom breaks, takes about 15-16 hours, and we usually arrive at our resort between 3:00-4:00 pm.

Thanks for this! We are down in Delaware county and are considering driving for a trip in December. Our kiddos are little (1 and 3) so we are trying to find a way to drive that will be low-impact for them. Airfare isn't too bad for our dates but having to lug all the stuff we need (double stroller, two car seats, etc) through the airport is just so much work.

We were considering leaving around noon one day so the kids could do their afternoon nap in the car, stopping to eat dinner, driving more, stopping at a hotel and then doing the rest in the morning.
Does anyone else actually stop on their trip? If so, where do you stop?

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Thanks for this! We are down in Delaware county and are considering driving for a trip in December. Our kiddos are little (1 and 3) so we are trying to find a way to drive that will be low-impact for them. Airfare isn't too bad for our dates but having to lug all the stuff we need (double stroller, two car seats, etc) through the airport is just so much work.

We were considering leaving around noon one day so the kids could do their afternoon nap in the car, stopping to eat dinner, driving more, stopping at a hotel and then doing the rest in the morning.
Does anyone else actually stop on their trip? If so, where do you stop?

We are driving from Delco in August and plan to stop in Walterboro, SC on the way down. We got a nice rate at a hotel there....