Driving from/through NC to Disney

[shasess]

We will be leaving NC at ~ 6:00 pm and would like to drive about 5 hours before stopping to stay over night. I'm guessing that we will be somewhere in SC or GA. We plan on leaving the hotel first thing in the am to finish the trip. Can anyone recommend a good inexpensive place to stay. Did you book ahead of time or play it by ear.

 

[Robert P]

We will be leaving NC at ~ 6:00 pm and would like to drive about 5 hours before stopping to stay over night. I'm guessing that we will be somewhere in SC or GA. We plan on leaving the hotel first thing in the am to finish the trip. Can anyone recommend a good inexpensive place to stay. Did you book ahead of time or play it by ear.

If I knew roughly where you were starting from, I might be of some help.
We usually stop at the Savannah Airport exit 104, which is @ 10 miles into GA from SC on I-95. From there, you have @ 290 miles to WDW. The exit has several hotels to choose from, and a decent selection of food and gasoline options.

From Statesville, NC, to that exit 104, is just under 300 miles (going 77S to 26W to 95S). Usually, with no stops, we make that in @ 4 hours, assuming we do not get slowed in Columbia, SC traffic.

 

[shasess]

If I knew roughly where you were starting from, I might be of some help.
We usually stop at the Savannah Airport exit 104, which is @ 10 miles into GA from SC on I-95. From there, you have @ 290 miles to WDW. The exit has several hotels to choose from, and a decent selection of food and gasoline options.

From Statesville, NC, to that exit 104, is just under 300 miles (going 77S to 26W to 95S). Usually, with no stops, we make that in @ 4 hours, assuming we do not get slowed in Columbia, SC traffic.

Thank you so much for the info! We live in Raleigh.

 

[RedPanda]

Thank you so much for the info! We live in Raleigh.

We live in Cary and drive to Florida often (we have family there), and the PP's suggestion is where we always stay when splitting the trip. It's usually about 6 hours door-to-door for us, but that includes a stop or two.

 

[Eeyores#1Fan]

I agree with all the PPs. While we always take the train (from Raleigh), I have several friends that drive often from the Durham/Hillsborough area down to Orlando. They usually stop in Savannah.

 

[shasess]

Thank you guys so much for the info! Such a great help!!!

 

[Dreamingin2010]

Do you ever drive straight down without staying over? We are in Garner with plans to go in the fall.

 

[shasess]

Do you ever drive straight down without staying over? We are in Garner with plans to go in the fall.

Yes, we have driven to Disney several different times and we always drive straight down. It usually takes us about 10 hours with a few stops. It's actually not a bad drive. I usually start off driving until we get to "South of the Border", SC and then DH takes over. The only reason that we are staying over mid way this time is because we usually leave NC at 4:00 am or 5:00 am on a Saturday but this time I thought that we would have more time at Disney if we leave on Friday evening when we get off from work. My DH doesn't mind driving straight down on Friday evening but I can't stand over night driving (even with DH doing all the "over night" driving).

 

[boBQuincy]

Btw, if you are driving from the Western side of the triangle it is often easier to take US1 then 501 to South of the Border. It is usually much nicer than dealing with I-40 and I-95 through NC.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

We live in Clayton ( 30 mins from Raleigh). We always leave around 1 am or 2 am and arrive around 10 or 11 am. The kids sleep thru the night in the car and my husband and I drive about 4 hours each. We have been lucky enough t o get to check in pretty close after arriving the 4 times we have done this in the past 2 years.

 

[disneylovin24]

I would not drive through if your leaving on a Friday night. Yes, you would get more time in disney but you would be exhausted on Saturday and you wouldn't be up for doing anything.

Savannah GA is about 6 hours to disney so if you stopped there it might split the trip up

 

[Robert P]

Savannah GA is about 6 hours to disney so if you stopped there it might split the trip up

The top of GA along I-95 is roughly 300 miles to the WDW exits. It usually takes us 4 hours and change to WDW, if we don't hit rush hours in in Jacksonville or Orlando.

 

[Virtucomp]

First I have to say I am jealous of you people talking about a 10 hour drive to WDW.

We drove down from New England and had to stop twice since we were pulling a camper. Long ride down and long ride back.

We have friends that drive down straight through. Thats about 23 hours. They usually swap between 2 drivers but now their DS is old enough to drive so they can swap 3.

I'd love a straight 10 hour drive. I think we would get AP if we were that close!

 

[shasess]

I would not drive through if your leaving on a Friday night. Yes, you would get more time in disney but you would be exhausted on Saturday and you wouldn't be up for doing anything.

Yeah, I agree!


Thanks everyone for the info!

 

[WendyinNC]

First I have to say I am jealous of you people talking about a 10 hour drive to WDW.

We drove down from New England and had to stop twice since we were pulling a camper. Long ride down and long ride back.

We have friends that drive down straight through. Thats about 23 hours. They usually swap between 2 drivers but now their DS is old enough to drive so they can swap 3.

I'd love a straight 10 hour drive. I think we would get AP if we were that close!

Wow 23 hrs! I can't even imagine driving 10 hrs. We always fly.

 

[disneylovin24]

The top of GA along I-95 is roughly 300 miles to the WDW exits. It usually takes us 4 hours and change to WDW, if we don't hit rush hours in in Jacksonville or Orlando.

Really We never hit traffic, maybe the time is different because we take 417 to make sure we don't hit the Orlando traffic.

 

[karibritt01]

If it were me, I would push on to Jacksonville before stopping for the night while the traffic is down. You should get there between 12:30 and 1 am. You could then get up, eat breakfast, and have a 2 1/2 hr drive for Sat morning. To me, the further you get without traffic, the better.