Driving: Rocky Mount or Fayetteville

[Ted and Holly]

We are driving down to the Orlando area at the end of August. We are leaving from the seacoast New Hampshire area and plan on stopping once on the way.

We will be in two cars, each carrying cats. We have checked out the maps and talked to a few people. We decided that we want to stop in either Rocky Mount, NC or Fayetteville, NC.

According to MapQuest, Rocky Mount would be about 12+ hours from here, with another 10+ to go. Fayetteville would be 13+ hours, with 9+ hours to do the second day.

Are these times accurate? Which of the two would be a better bet to stop at? We will have the cats, so we'd need a pet-friendly hotel. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Ted

P.S. - I edited the title to help get some replies.

 

[Ted and Holly]

No one drives to Florida and stops on North Carolina?

 

[disneyorbust]

We drove from MA last August and stopped at Rocky Mount on the way down. We would have liked to gone further, but ran into so much traffic from DC to Richmond that it put us back a couple of hours and we were pooped. Try to go a little further if you can. We left Rocky Mount about 5:30AM and got to WDW around 5 PM that day. We stopped a couple of times and we were towing a pop-up. Hope that helps. In fact, we are leaving in 2 hours to do it again!

 

[Ted and Holly]

Hmm, seems you are leaving in a hour from now.

Good for you!

Did you go on 95 the whole way? What time did you leave home?

We are thinking of leaving here (Seacoast, NH) at 2am, to try to avoid all traffic. We want to be able to stop in Rocky Mount or Fayetteville and get some sleep. We want to make it to the Orlando area before 5pm the next day.

Possible?

Ted

 

[joeokw]

we drive from the northern new york burbs. driving leisurely it is about 10 hours for us this is when DW was pregnent. So I say it wouldd be about 12- 13 hours for you.

 

[Ted and Holly]

Joe, so it seems that MapQuest is fairly accurate? That is good.

Where did you stop?

Does anyone know of any pet-friendly hotels along the way? We will have the cats.

 

[frndshpcptn]

I've never driven down to WDW, but my ex went to college in Rocky Mount so I've spent a good deal of time there. There is a great little (and inexpensive) Italian place to grab food, plus a really good bbq place as well. If you end up choosing RM let me know and I'll get you the names of those places.

 

[msdis]

Have you driven this route before? We did and vowed never again. We are north of you in Maine and are driving next month. We will be going 84, 81, 77, 26, 95. No big cities, lots less traffic, less planning for timing things right, very scenic and beautiful. It is 130 miles longer but with what traffic can be and for the pain and agony of stress, well worth it. We are stopping in Columbia, SC over night then a short day the next. Happy planning!

 

[buzz5985]

Hey, I'm from Wakefield, about 10 miles north of boston. We drove down Feb of 2002. Left on a Saturday 4 am. We hit a little traffic around DC but, I drive to Boston every day, during rush hour. So it was nothing.

We stayed in Rocky Mount, NC. It is a little ways off the highway where the hotels are. About 15 minutes. We stayed in a pet friendly hotel. We had a small dog. The Red Roof Inn. Around $50/night. Seemed clean enough. Couple of stains on the rugs, bathrooms were clean. Noticed a lot of workers staying there. I think they were line workers. We left there at 5 am, and arrived at the ASMo at 3pm. We were stopping every 2 hours for about 10 minutes each stop, to walk the dog, and my DS was 5 at the time.

 

[Ted and Holly]

I did the drive with a couple friends a few years back. We did 95 the whole way and switched drivers. We did not hit too much traffic back then and got there pretty quickly.

This time, we are not going for vacation. This is the Big Move. Less traffic will always be good, but we are definitely not worried about the scenery.

We have looked into the 81/77 route. It just looks SO far out of the way. We are trying to figure out a time to leave that will not give us the traffic. I know we will see some of it, though.

I drive 495 in Mass every day. Traffic doesn;t bother me. We will be in two cars with the cats, which will make it a bit less comfortable.

Thanks everyone! We still have 2 months to plan for this, but that time is going quickly!

Ted