Driving to Disney from NYC....HHI a good halfway point?

[nicholas 25]

Just back from 2 1/2 weeks in Disney/Vero and after reviewing the damage of the cost of airfare/rental car/change fees we are going to attempt driving down in either April or July. Is HHI a good stop over for the night for this family of four (3 1/2 and 1 year old). I dont think we will survive 22 hours in the car straight and we have never been to HHI but dont know if it is too far from NYC for the purpose......opinions?

 

[RobDoc]

HH is about a 5 hour drive from WDW- so it's not a halfway point from NYC, but is a great place to stop. April shoudln't be too tough to reserve at 7 months, but July may have limited availability depending on your dates and room type desired (GVs, Studios and 1BRs go quickly- 2BRs are generally more available within 7 months).

Have a great trip!

 

[Lesley]

Also note that HHI is about an hour or so off of I95. I wouldn't stop there if you're just looking to sleep and get back on the road.

When we lived in PA we found halfway to be somewhere in NC (can't recall the name of the town, sorry). I'd guess your halfway point from NYC to be just beyond Rocky Mount. We always liked to get futher than that our first day and make the second day's drive shorter....or we'd drive straight through. We've stopped in Walterboro and Columbia (also about an hour off I-95....friends here offered us a place to stay!), which make the second day's drive about 6-7 hours.

If either adult in your party can manage it, and your kids sleep in the car, I highly recommend doing your driving overnight. By avoiding traffic and having many less stops it makes the trip much faster! But that's just what worked for us, as I'm a night owl..ymmv.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I recall some advertisements suggesting that Lumberton NC is the 1/2 way point between NYC and WDW.
May have been in an AAA tour book---.

 

[lat]

We just did an overnight drive to HH and back.

Overnight drive is good for kids but tough for adults. We had to stop every hour to switch (maybe getting old) drivers. Many gas stations and restaurants are not open during the wee hours (can't get coffee). So you need to make sure you know where to stop for gas and all that.

We bought this week called "driving on I95" or something like that (Amazon carries it) based on someone's suggestion on the transportation board. It was very helpful to help us to decide where to stop ahead of time, also knowing where the rest areas are.

We are going next year and will drive again. Probably will do the overnight drive again. We left our house in central NJ around 6pm and arrived at Disney HH resort around 8 in the morning. It was great because we can get freshened up and still have a full day at the resort.

Checking in on Saturday at Disney HH is great because most members don't stay there due to high points. We can pick the rooms we like, even just out of the ones that were ready. Because of the long drive, we did not want to wait for a room.

However, I am not sure we would want to drive another day to Disney, HH is our limit. I know many people drive down there, Good luck!!!

As far as stops, what about Fayettville, or something like that?

 

[pplasky]

You may want to try the transportation link. Depending on whether you actually want to vacation at HHI or just go to Disney, there is a plethora of information about driving down.

 

[Paula H]

We did the drive last May from Central CT to WDW. We left at 3 a.m. and drove to S. Carolina. We stayed right off 95 about 2 hrs. north of HHI. As someone already stated, HHI is quite a ways off the highway, and not your best bet if you just want some place to sleep. We arrived at our stop over (for the life of me I can't remember the name of the town) at about 4 in the afternoon. This gave the kids (then 4 and 1) time to run around for awhile. Next morning we left SC around 7 and were at VWL at 1. Coming home, we left WDW at 10 a.m. and drove straight through, arriving home in CT at 8 the next morning. We were exhausted when we got home, but we're going to try something similar again.

We're gearing up to drive down in December. Our plan this time is to leave CT at approx. 8 p.m. and see how far we get. DH likes to drive at night because the kids are quiet and sleeping (we don't have to hear the "she's looking at me," "can you change the DVD" , etc. every 5 mins.) But, he works 3rd shift so being awake all night isn't a problem for him. I personally have a tough time staying awake at any time of the day while riding in the car, and only drive for an hour at a time on long trips.

There's an I-95 website, too, that I learned about on the trans. board that I've found very helpful. There's always updated contruction info on there, as well as a list of rest areas, etc. And, if you don't have an EZ Pass you should get one! I bet it shaves about an hour off the trip not having to sit in toll lines.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

When driving to Charleston after getting off work early I used to stop at Emporia. Stopped in Rocky Mount once but I didn't like it.

Lumberton, NC is just before "South of the Border" (Dillon, SC). Seems to me any town in South Carolina but on I-95 would do you. According to mapquest Croton is 14 hours from the Savannah exits on I-95...add two hours in to be on the safe side with the kids... You'd have a short haul to Disney...just five hours.

 

[funhouse8]

We stopped in Santee SC It seemed like a perfect place to stop after driving all day before we were to tired. They had a nice hampton inn with a cracker barrel across the street. Easy on, easy off.

 

[TW1]

I'd suggest getting in to SC on the first day. Seems like a psychological barrier to me to still be in NC the first day.

In SC, just after South of the Border you'll come across a few bigger towns. The first is Florence, with plenty of choices. I second the recommendation for Santee (exit 92 or 95) Its an extra 45 minutes or so south of FLorence. We stay at the Country Inn and Suites in Florence, it too is right next to the Cracker Barrel. A very good breakfast, pool, and good size rooms for about $90/night with AAA discount. We tried the Comfort Inn in Santee once and will never, EVER, go back to that particular hotel. Philly to Santee averages 10 hours in daytime driving on a Saturday in August.

South of Santee the hotels and towns are farther away from the exits, often 5-8 miles off the highway.

HHI is not an easy on/off, especially for just a stop over night's sleep. If you can afford the time (and points) add a day or two on to your going or returning trip to unwind there. It is well worth it.

Drive Safe!

 

[Pluto4Pres]

Check out the Transportation Board and here is the thread that mentions the I-95 book:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=605945

Good luck!

 

[Paula H]

We stayed over in Santee, too, and the Hampton Inn. It worked well. And, there's a Piggly Wiggly right next door - so we did our grocery run and filled the cooler before heading off to WDW.

 

[Simba's Girl]

PaulaH-

I believe we're probably an hour north of you in Central MA-Sturbridge area. We'll be driving down within a day of eachother! We don't plan on driving all night- DH has a hard time seeing and I'm not a night-owl. The kiddos will be 5 and 2. We'll leave at around 4am and stop just before the SC border the first night. Do you go over the Tapanzee bridge or the George Washington when going thru NY?

Heather

 

[LadyDeeDee]

My husband and I drive from southeast CT to Orlando starting no later than 5 AM to get over the GW bridge in NYC by 7 AM, missing the morning traffic (weekdays). We then cross the Delaware at 9AM, the Potomic at 11 AM, and have clear sailing down to Santee by around 7-8 PM. The next day is a short 6-7 hours to WDW. On the way back we usually end up driving straight through. We leave WDW (Saturday) at 6 AM and are entering our driveway at 2 AM. Its brutal but we have the Sunday to catch up on our sleep before we start the work week. Our next trip 'home' (our first as owners at BCV) is scheduled for 2 weeks in November.

 

[Par8hed]

They have these things called airplanes now which enable one to get to florida in a little over two hours for around $90 each. I recommend it highly.

 

[Simba's Girl]

They have these things called airplanes now which enable one to get to florida in a little over two hours for around $90 each. I recommend it highly.

Air-Plane...you mean in the sky? Now that's crazy talk!

LOL...I'm guessing you don't have young children and tend not to bring all of thier junk on vacations with you????

 

[Gail & Joe]

We drive from Philadelphia, Pa and usually get to Fayettville, NC the first night. There is an exit right off of I-95 and they have a lot of hotels there. It is just about half way for us so it might be a little farther for you. If you can get that far on the first night then you won't be getting to Disney too late the next day.

 

[Paula H]

Simba's Girl - Hi there neighbor to the north. We take the G.W. Bridge. I know, I know, I've heard it all - from "there's too much traffic" to "it's a terrorist target." But, as long as you cross it before 6 a.m. you should be able to breeze right across. The worst part of the trip between here and the NJ Turnpike is 95 in Bridgeport because of the construction. For the past several years, regardless of what time of day or night it is, that's always the longest holdup we have between here and points south. Very frustrating. But, given a choice, I always use the G.W. The Tappan Zee always makes me feel like I've driven out of the way just to get across the river. I LOVE seeing the NY skyline as the sun is coming up, and that is a HUGE factor when we're faced with G.W. vs. Tappan Zee. It goes without saying that we still find ourselves speechless when we cross the bridge, look over at Manhattan and the towers are gone.

Have you considered going over to the NY Thruway and crossing the Hudson at Newburgh and shooting right down to the NJ turnpike? We've gone that way a few times on the way home when it's middle of the day and we know the NYC traffic is going to be terrible.

Flying isn't a $99 option from Connecticut (at least not very often) . To get a $99 fare we'd have to go to NY or Boston and the savings on the fare we'd pay in parking or to CT Limo just to get to the airport. Southwest is the best shot for a $99 fare out of Bradley, but the those fares are gone in a heartbeat. And, like Simba's mom said, with two little kids and a ton of gear ...... at this point it's almost easier to just stuff the minivan full of stuff and head off to our other home.

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

Originally posted by Par8hed
They have these things called airplanes now which enable one to get to florida in a little over two hours for around $90 each. I recommend it highly.

In Boston at least $350 round trip per person, it takes an hour to get to the airport in a cab on a good day $30. It takes 2 hours to check in and go through the boarding procedures. Then you wait around an hour for the plane to board and take off. Then you get put on hold for an hour. You take off on your nonstop 2 hour flight and your flight stops for a hour somewhere along the way for something. Then you get to Orlando and wait an hour for your luggage and wonder why your luggage was the last to come out but are happy to have all your luggage. You look around and wait about an hour for a cab or limo to take you to WDW along with the rest of the cattle $50-100 and an hour depending on who or what takes you to WDW. That was my Dentist's trip last November.
Me, my wife and 3 yr old daughter drove down to WDW last March. We left downtown Boston at 1 pm Friday stopped every 2 or 3 hours for Gas, breaks and traded driving. we arrived at Downtown Disney at noon Saturday. $300 Gas and tolls and a lot less headaches than flying. Me and my Dentist recommend it highly.

 

[funhouse8]

We drove down last time and I thought OMG, but it really wasn't bad at all. I think I enjoyed it and with six people it was much cheaper. And it's not $99 RT to fly out of NY either, Last time we flew it was 175 and that was only because we flew tues - tuesday