Driving: Leave Early or Leave Late?

[J3nn78]

We just did a 20+ hour drive in August with a 2.5 year old and 4 year old.

I would choose the leave late method. Leave at 4PM and drive 90% of the drive. It is early enough that the drivers should not get too tired and the kids should conk out once it starts getting dark. Pack something that you can eat for dinner in the car.

THen the ride is broken up into two segments which is good for driver and passengers.

 

[mrsg00fy]

I would suggest leaving early. This way, everyone has some sleep and no one is driving when very tired. This has worked out well for us. We would pack the car up the night before and then get up super early (3 am) and drive straight through from NJ.

 

[princessmom29]

Well, after reading all the resoponses here we have decided to cxhange our plans. we are going to leave when DH get off work tues. (about 4 pm) and stop in Tallahassee for the night. That way everyone is rested, and we won't have spent 8 hours in the car. We will be there earlier and will probably enjoy the afternoon in MK more.

 

[HLAuburn]

Well, after reading all the resoponses here we have decided to cxhange our plans. we are going to leave when DH get off work tues. (about 4 pm) and stop in Tallahassee for the night. That way everyone is rested, and we won't have spent 8 hours in the car. We will be there earlier and will probably enjoy the afternoon in MK more.

Oh no! Now I really can't decide what to do!

I think both ways have their advantages and disadvantages. I love the idea of having almost a whole extra day to do whatever -check out the resort etc - so I'm leaning towards staying the night somewhere, but DH isn't sold.

How far is Tallahassee from Mobile? I would think you guys could even make it further than that, but I guess it depends on how tired you are and how you feel about driving at night and all.

 

[princessmom29]

Oh no! Now I really can't decide what to do!

I think both ways have their advantages and disadvantages. I love the idea of having almost a whole extra day to do whatever -check out the resort etc - so I'm leaning towards staying the night somewhere, but DH isn't sold.

How far is Tallahassee from Mobile? I would think you guys could even make it further than that, but I guess it depends on how tired you are and how you feel about driving at night and all.

tallahassee is 4 hours, so half way. If DH gets off on time and we stop to eat, we will be like 9:00. After DH works all day He won't make it the whole way driving b/cwe get up at 5 and leave the house by 6. I don't like to drive at night b/c my contacts are so strong I have a bad glare problem. I we were going to do it all in one sitting we would have to leave early the next morning. I got a good deal on a room, and it means we will only be spending 4 hours at a time in the car. We will leave the hotel at about 7-8 and get there by noon. I got a holiday inn right out of town for $85, but there were some other places in town it the $40-$60 range. DH wanted to go with the holiday inn.

 

[pantherlj]

amen to that! the road construction on I-75 in southern GA is a nightmare and it's been going on for YEARS! i don't think it's ever going to be finished.

How do any other road construction sites have orange barrels? I would have thought every orange barrel in the United States was on that length of the highway. I have never seen so many orange barrels in my life!

We had a 10 hour drive and enjoyed leaving NC at 2, driving to the GA/FL border (Kingsland, great prices, no orange barrel detours) and then having a short drive the next day. Since we couldn't check into our condo until 3, at the last minute, we decided to take an unplanned side trip to Daytona Beach and had a great time driving on the beach!

 

[HLAuburn]

tallahassee is 4 hours, so half way. If DH gets off on time and we stop to eat, we will be like 9:00. After DH works all day He won't make it the whole way driving b/cwe get up at 5 and leave the house by 6. I don't like to drive at night b/c my contacts are so strong I have a bad glare problem. I we were going to do it all in one sitting we would have to leave early the next morning. I got a good deal on a room, and it means we will only be spending 4 hours at a time in the car. We will leave the hotel at about 7-8 and get there by noon. I got a holiday inn right out of town for $85, but there were some other places in town it the $40-$60 range. DH wanted to go with the holiday inn.

Sounds like a plan! I can completely relate to the contacts and the glare - I hate driving at night because of that. And $85 isn't bad, especially for a decent place in a nice area, etc.

I was thinking we could make it to Gainesville, but wouldn't you know the FL/FL State game is that weekend, and we'll never find a room, so it's either the city before or the city after. I was hoping we could make it to Ocala...we'll see.

Are you getting excited!? Only about one more month!!

 

[momof1princess]

How do any other road construction sites have orange barrels? I would have thought every orange barrel in the United States was on that length of the highway. I have never seen so many orange barrels in my life!

We had a 10 hour drive and enjoyed leaving NC at 2, driving to the GA/FL border (Kingsland, great prices, no orange barrel detours) and then having a short drive the next day. Since we couldn't check into our condo until 3, at the last minute, we decided to take an unplanned side trip to Daytona Beach and had a great time driving on the beach!

i know! and they're positioned so close to the center line, they almost squeeze you off the road! that is one other advantage of driving at night-no construction workers out at night and when the road goes down to one lane, there's no traffic jam.

 

[Mandychelle79]

We do a 16 hour drive. Our longest portion is getting through west virginia. We plan on leaving when dd gets home from school so about 4 and driving to Charlotte which is about half way there.

 

[princessmom29]

Sounds like a plan! I can completely relate to the contacts and the glare - I hate driving at night because of that. And $85 isn't bad, especially for a decent place in a nice area, etc.

I was thinking we could make it to Gainesville, but wouldn't you know the FL/FL State game is that weekend, and we'll never find a room, so it's either the city before or the city after. I was hoping we could make it to Ocala...we'll see.

Are you getting excited!? Only about one more month!!

totally!! We got our packet of stuff today. Kinda makes it a little more real!!

 

[HLAuburn]

totally!! We got our packet of stuff today. Kinda makes it a little more real!!

Ohhhh, what's in your packet!? I'm jealous! We got an envelope last week, and I was sooo excited, but when I opened it, it was just a receipt for paying off the trip. I can't wait to the "good stuff"!

Did you say you stayed at POR before? This will be our first time there, so I'm really looking forward to checking it all out. DD wants to do the "cane fishing" and I want to rent a surrey bike...dorky, I know.

 

[princessmom29]

Ohhhh, what's in your packet!? I'm jealous! We got an envelope last week, and I was sooo excited, but when I opened it, it was just a receipt for paying off the trip. I can't wait to the "good stuff"!

Did you say you stayed at POR before? This will be our first time there, so I'm really looking forward to checking it all out. DD wants to do the "cane fishing" and I want to rent a surrey bike...dorky, I know.

The packet is luggage tags, the cupons that come with the package and an itenerary for your trip.
We stayed a CSR last year, and are there again this year. The queen beds were the main reason the first trip, but it so quiet, and everyone was so nice thatwe are going back.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We have done it both ways and while DS was older that your kids on our first trip, we really prefer leaving early. Unless you are alredy there and ready to hit the parks early, that first day is going to shot anyway. You may not be able to check in till later in the pm and with such small little ones that might be tough,. Also exta money on a hotel room and at least one extra meal on the road, plus having to unload at least some stuff ( more with babies) at the first hotel.
I would put them to bed the night before, regular time, in comfortable clothes and try not to wake them. . Have car full of gas and try to drive till they wake up.

Next trip will be with DGS that turns 3 this week but he is GREAT in the car so this will stay our plan!! We leave about five and when DS was little the rule was no one could talk till it was day light. So he was board into sleeping. He would sleep till about 8 most of the time and I expect DGS will do the same!!
We then stop for a good breakfast, maybe cracker barrell and be ready to "play" in the car for several more hours!

 

[ajh88]

I'm another vote for leaving early. We used to drive from St. Louis, but we've moved and our new driving distance is 1300 miles (instead of about 1000), so we have an extra 1/2 day'ish to go this time. We'll probably leave after DD gets out of school and get that extra 300 miles out of the way, then do our "normal" drive the following day.

We used to leave around 4 am - and it felt so awesome to be in Tennessee a few hours later when it was really just first thing in the morning. And we usually tried to time it so we wouldn't hit Atlanta during any rushes (though it always seems to take us an hour to get through there anyway!).

Either way you go, have a great trip!

 

[PanFan01]

Our family of four (me, DH, DS 11 & DS 9) have made the 17 hour trek to Disney from Michigan 4 times now (the first time pulling a 30 foot travel trailer behind us!). We always leave at 4:00 am. The boys usually fall right back to sleep as soon as they get in the car and sleep till about 9:00 am. We drive all of the way to Ocala and stay the night there. It is nice to wake up in Ocala at about 7:00 am, hit the road by 8:00 am, arrive at our Disney hotel about 9:00 am (make sure you use the toll road off of the turnpike that brings you onto Disney property via the Western Way), check in and be in a park by 10:00 am. Our room is never ready, but that is OK. We leave our luggage in our car and wait for our phone call telling us what room we are in and that it is ready. When the call comes we head back to the resort to get settled in, grab a bite to eat and usually go for a swim. Makes for a nice beginning to a magical vacation.

 

[HLAuburn]

Our family of four (me, DH, DS 11 & DS 9) have made the 17 hour trek to Disney from Michigan 4 times now (the first time pulling a 30 foot travel trailer behind us!). We always leave at 4:00 am. The boys usually fall right back to sleep as soon as they get in the car and sleep till about 9:00 am. We drive all of the way to Ocala and stay the night there. It is nice to wake up in Ocala at about 7:00 am, hit the road by 8:00 am, arrive at our Disney hotel about 9:00 am (make sure you use the toll road off of the turnpike that brings you onto Disney property via the Western Way), check in and be in a park by 10:00 am. Our room is never ready, but that is OK. We leave our luggage in our car and wait for our phone call telling us what room we are in and that it is ready. When the call comes we head back to the resort to get settled in, grab a bite to eat and usually go for a swim. Makes for a nice beginning to a magical vacation.

Thanks for the reply! OK, I have a few questions for you....

1) Where do you stay in Ocala? We need a nice and safe but not too expensive hotel to stay at.

2) Is that the toll road that goes south off the Turnpike that takes you right into Kissimmee so you bypass Orlando traffic? I remember reading about that, but I wasn't sure of the exit/route number.

3) In your experience, when is the room usually ready? Are they good about calling you on your cell when its ready?

Thanks again!

 

[PanFan01]

Thanks for the reply! OK, I have a few questions for you....

1) Where do you stay in Ocala? We need a nice and safe but not too expensive hotel to stay at.

2) Is that the toll road that goes south off the Turnpike that takes you right into Kissimmee so you bypass Orlando traffic? I remember reading about that, but I wasn't sure of the exit/route number.

3) In your experience, when is the room usually ready? Are they good about calling you on your cell when its ready?

Thanks again!

We have always stayed at exit 350 off of I-75 south. We have been to the Courtyard Inn a few times and this last time we stayed at the brand new Holiday Inn & Suites. I believe both of these hotels should run you about $100 a night. We really liked the new Holiday Inn - the beds were awesome, kids eat free and they even gave us discount coupons for our adult meals. We will definately stay there again.

The toll road off of the turnpike is Toll Road 429 (exit 267B). We are amazed at the fact there is never anyone on this toll road. Once you are on the toll road you get off at exit 8 which is Hartzog Road/Western Way. Follow Western Way east and you will come out on Buena Vista Drive right next to the Coronado Springs Resort. One of our favorite things is watching for Cinderella's castle as we are traveling on this toll road. You are really that close to the Disney property.

I think the latest we have ever waited for our room was 3:30 pm when we stayed at the Contemporary back in 2007. This past trip we were staying at Pop with a free dining discount. I had heard that the resort was full and we were checking in on a Saturday. I thought for sure we would be waiting awhile to get into our room, but we received a call about 2:30 pm and we were in our room by 3:00 pm. We have never had a problem about them calling us to let us know our room was ready. If you are concerned, when you check in ask for the phone number for the front desk so you can contact them if needed.

Hope this is of help to you! Have a great trip!

 

[Becky2005]

I know exactly what you mean...too funny!

Thank you both for the replies. Did DH bribe you guys to post that? Seriously though, leaving early is his preference, but he's a morning person and I'm a night person! It's nothing for me to stay up til 1am, but driving might be a different story...I know it can make you sleepy.

I'll tell you what -- I'm a night owl & I STILL vote for leaving early! I so prefer to get up at some insane early hour & drive while it's getting lighter out than driving when it's really dark outside.

In addition, the way it would work is -- my kids would be all rested from sleeping in the car & then bouncing off the walls when we stopped while I would be trying to get some sleep.

 

[diamondpixienc]

I like to drive/ ride overnight. DH & I are Louisiana natives (Geaux Saints) who currently reside in Clt, NC and we have had very pleasent trips w/ our kids since they were little arm babies leaving around 10pm and arriving w/ minimal stops for gas & bath room breaks between 6&8am central time in LA. So, we are looking forward to our first 8hr trip to the world planning to leave at 12am and arrive at the resort in time for breakfast.

 

[DaisiLou]

We live near Raleigh, NC, so it's about a 9 hour trip straight thru to DW. Our plan is to leave when DH gets off work at about 3pm and drive straight thru.

I was originally going to just stop at a random hotel outside of Orlando, but I found a code for a "room only" discount, and decided to just add an extra night at DW.

So we'll arrive at DW around 1 am ish, and be able to check in and not have to worry about repacking the car the next morning, or waiting in a long line to check in....we can sleep a little late, and then head to the park.

In case you're interested, the code for the room only discount is FSC, and we were able to add another night at POP Century for $83...