Driving Halfway and Hotel Help

[Marsheliz]

Hey guys

We live in South Carolina and are driving up at the end of the month. We have about a 7-8 hour drive but have a 2.5 year old. We are wanting to leave in the evening about 6 and drive until about 10 or 11 and then get up and go the rest of the way the next morning. Does anyone travel this same way and can let me know a good stopping place (town or hotel) that would be right off an interstate and that isnt too expensive but is nice enough just to stay overnight?? Please advise. Thanks.

 

[eyor44]

Not sure which way you are going down, but at the I-10/I-75 interchange is Lake City, FL. We always stop there as there are several hotels and restuarants. Disney is about 3 hours from there. The Days Inn is an older hotel, but very clean and they serve a light breakfast. We are partial to the Hampton Inn, but might be more than you want to spend. I would suggest checking out Lake City if you are going that way.

 

[Marsheliz]

We will be going 26 to I-95.

 

[plutolovr]

We live in Rock Hill and usually stop on I-95 in he Savannah area. It's about halfway. Last time we stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites I-95 South. It was very nice and there were other hotels in that area as well and lots of restaurants.

 

[Marsheliz]

Okay thanks.. Savannah is about 4 hours from us so that probably would be perfect. Thanks.. How much is it normally per night?

 

[JennyDarling]

I bet you are pretty close to me! I'm in Greenville.

Our plan for our October trip was pretty similiar to yours. We found a Country Inn and Suites right off 95S in Fort Pentworth (just north of Savannah) for $60 a night.

We ended up canceling and driving the whole way though. Our DD is older than yours though. With a 2.5yo I think you doing the right thing for sure!

 

[lollisfamily6]

We are from Clinton, so very close to Greenville. We went in 2009 and we were going to stop but decided against it. At the time we had 16m old twins, a 4 year old and 8 year old. We left at like 2 in the morning. The kids traveled in their pjs and we stopped for breakfast and ate and then continued on. We arrived at disney at around 10ish that morning and our room was ready. My hubby took a good nap before driving and I napped on the way, so when we got there, the kids and I went swimming at the resort and he took a nap and we were ready to go by that afternoon. We plan to do the same thing this year.

 

[amym2]

We always like to stay at hotels in the Marriott family- Fairfield Inn, Towneplace Suites, etc- and I know there are a couple near Savannah. They'll probably run you at least $75 though.

 

[amym2]

Oh and forgot to add that we discovered the hard way that that kind of plan did not work for our kids. If they fell asleep in the car at night, when we carried them into the room they would always wake up and DD would NOT go back to sleep. You know your own child and know if that could be an issue. We could do a 7-8hr trip in one day easily and found that that was best for us.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We have done the Hampton Inn in Savannah as well.
I do not remember the rate but we called as we were pulling in the parking lot and get a call ahead rate. There is a cracker barrel near by that we ate at too.

 

[Marsheliz]

Thank you so much for the responses... WOW, what a small world.. Greenville and Clinton?? I am in Prosperity which is right after you get past Newberry!!! That is crazy.

I will def check out these hotels.. I did sort of want to leave at 2 AM or something but just scared my son will not go back to sleep if I try and wake him. I would rather just drive until about 10 and then stop and even if he stays awake till 12- He can sleep till 8 8:30 and we would be in Disney by lunchtime!!

 

[cjstarr]

Marsheliz I can't see stoping, if you leave late enought and get some rest(sleep) that afternoon it not that bad of a drive.
Here is how our trip turned out last June:

We live in Iva Sc (just outside of Anderson SC). From here I drive towards Augusta bypassing it and on to Stateville Ga. on Hwy 25. From there I pickup I-16 and take a shortcut off of I-16 to I-95. This comes out below Savanna Ga.
We went last June and left around 11:30pm. I drove all the way there with no problem arriving around 8:15am at the gate to our resort.
Our 2 boys (DS 7 & DS 16) sleep until we arrived at Stateville Ga. were I refuled and by the time we were on I-95 again they were back asleep. Nither one woke up until we arrived at the Guard Post at the resort.
Our DS 16 woke up ahich woke up our DS 7 which then shouted "I TOLD YOU WE WERE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD" needless to say they had no idea at all when we left the house as we had kept it a supprise. The story we had been giving them was we were going to visit Aunt Butty my aunt who lives in Fl. I guess the biggest supprise was DM & I trying to figure out how our DS 7 knew where he was at.

 

[DisneyCrazyMomma]

We have always driven from Iowa... I don't know about the way you are going, but we have found it is cheaper to stay outside of Florida... even the Georgia side of the line is a bit cheaper. Once you get into Florida, rates seem to go up. I also agree with a previous poster, the Fairfield Inn's are NICE. We have had great luck with them. They are clean, reasonably priced, and we now look for them when we are stopping.

 

[Marsheliz]

Wow- Iva.. I know exactly where that is.. Its near Starr, isnt it?? I used to serve court papers and the upstate was my stomping grounds.. Sounds like what yall did worked out good.. If my son wasnt so young and slept in the car good, I would do that too..

Thanks for the suggestion that its more expensive to stay in Florida.. I am going to look in Savannah and the Ft. Penworth ( i think thats what someone said or maybe even Brunswick GA..

Two more weeks!!

 

[bellebud]

I know I'm not answering what you specifically asked, but just wanted to throw my 2 cents in...

I wouldn't even consider stopping. We've driven from NY several times... first time ds was 21 months old, and dd was 3.5yo. We did stop for one overnight, but our trip was 18 - 21 hours.

If I were you, I'd leave at whatever early morning hour works best for your family, drive 3 hours (and stop once is your child needs to get out and stretch). Then stop for a long lunch - either at McDonalds playland or a state reststop w/ running around room. Let him play for an hour. He'll be tired, put him back in the car, and you'll be at disney before dinnertime.

I wouldn't spend the money on the hotel, and I also wouldn't chance him being uncomfortable in one hotel, then getting to disney and being in another hotel. Just get yourselves to disney. There are so many things to occupy him in the car these days - 7 hours, especially if broken up a little, is nothing! I'd really think about this.

 

[Marsheliz]

Im not totally sure what I want to do yet.. I have to work that Thursday that day that we are leaving. I will be leaving work at 4:30. I bought us a ticket for that Friday just because if we left Thursday night/ we will be in DIsney by lunchtime and basically get an extra half a day or evening. That is one of the reasons I was wanting to go Thursday night. Thanks for the suggestion though.. MY son just doesnt do good at all in the car and travels best at night.