Driving to Disney?

[Blinkysmom]

Has anyone driven to Disney from Texas? (Houston area) What time did you leave? How long did it take you to get there? Did you make lots of stops or just drive straight through?

 

[disneyfanforlife]

I have drove from Michigan. I can say we left not later than 6 am. We stoped every few hours. That was to eat, restroom, and gas. We also stay over night just out of Flordia. Hope that is some help. Michigan is about 18 hours if we did not stop.

 

[Broker]

We live in Baton Rouge LA which is 4 hours from Houston. It takes us a little over 10 hours to get to DW driving almost straight through. We have 1 meal in the car that we prepare and keep in a cooler powered by the car through the DC plug and drive through for one meal at a fast food place. We usually stop twice at rest areas for a bathroom break. I leave about 4 in the morning so the kids sleep for a few hours.

T

 

[Mickeymouse1117]

We are leaving from just south of Houston tomorrow. We are planning on taking our time and breaking it up into a 3 day trip, arriving on the 3rd day. Will post with thoughts and comments after we get there.

 

[missypriss19]

Good luck to you. We are planning a trip in Juanuary and thought about driving for about 2 seconds. We figured the cost did not add up. We figured at least a 2 day drive. $300 in gas, $50-75 for hotel, + food. The cost of airlines tickets thru southwest for only $600 for all three of us. We quickly voted to fly instead of drive. I have friends that have driven a stated it took them about 14 straight thru. I, however; prefer to get there in 1-2 hours.

 

[PictureJumpr]

We drive it once in a while.

It takes about 17 hours straight, no stopping more than five/ten minutes for gas or whatever.

You'll find that it takes longer to get to Disney once you hit the Florida border than it takes to get TO florida... Maybe that's the idea that 'hey we're in florida now!' or something...

If we have kids with us, we'll usually stop in Mobile for the night to divide the trip into two parts. If you leave Mobile after breakfast you can make it to the resorts/Disney mid-afternoon.

Adults only means a straight trip, switching drivers at gas stations. Only rule is everybody drinks a whole bottle of water at each stop to alleviate swollen ankles - one of my friends who goes with me has spent many unhappy first-disney-days with swollen feet and ankles for failing to follow this rule... lol

I don't know what part of town you are in (we're southwest) but it can help a lot to check txdot's website leading up to the trip to watch construction - we all know i-10 on both ends is forever under construction.

And be careful to catch the loop in Lousiana and not drive straight down into New Orleans - had a driver once miss that while those of us who know better were asleep, and it literally added an hour and a half to the total trip.

Hope this helps!

 

[Blinkysmom]

We're actually not in Houston, but South of Houston in a little town called Sweeny. We will have kids with us, so an overnight stop will be necessary. I will make sure to check about construction on I-10. Thanks for all the information.

 

[dydo2424]

Only once with kids (ages 4&6) and it was a LONG ride. We leave from San Antonio (Medina actually)though and really push hard going down there. When it was just us grown ups we would stay on the eastern side of Mobile in case there was traffic to deal with the next am. Then we make it to WDW by afternoon the next day. We leave to avoid Houston traffic as best as we can and then do what you can to avoid the Baton Rouge traffic. It's almost as bad as Houston at times.On the way back we stop in the Destin/Ft. Walton Beach area to see what my DH calls the real beach. Port Aransas is our usual beach destination. We take about 2 days to get there and about 3 days to come home, but that usually only leaves 4 days for WDW. It wasn't so bad, we have a DVD player in the car and an extra portable one, so that helps. That said, the 2 longer days were easier on my kids than driving for 3 different days. In August we flew to Orlando for the first time ever and it was sooo sweet! 6 days in the parks meant extra time to look around. HAVE FUN! Have a safe and easy trip!

 

[Mickeymouse1117]

Ok we just got back. From Angleton to WDW it is just a tad over 1000 miles and took about 15 hours. Worst traffic was in Weesyanna. We hit it during the day on the way over there and that was the bad part. On the way back we hit Weesyanna at night so the traffic was not an issue. Weesyanna was about 4:30 hrs, Bama and Miss were just under an hour each and Florida was about 7 hours. We did take two days to get there because our reservations were not for a few days. On the way back we drove straight through. Really didnt start to feel it till we got close to Houston. I think I will drive again if we go back. It took about $120 in gas and we had our own car while we were there. I would have to say that Florida is possibly the nicest part of the drive. Very clean roads, plenty of rest stops and well maintained. To my neighors in Weesyanna , Sorry folks but you scored on the bottom, for a State that collects state income tax and has legal gambling you have the poorest maintained roads, most congestion and only 1 rest stop the entire length of the state and it was closed.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Good to see input! DW and I were talking about driving to WDW from California! (Plus sightseeing along the way!) Last long trip I drove was San Diego to Boston and back. Rented a mini-van so as to not put miles on the family car!

I have found that about 550 to 650 miles a day is good planning, plus you can stop earily at a hotel and get some good food and rest.

 

[Donald Duck Dad]

WE have driven twice from Conroe. Both times we traveled HWY 105 E
through Beaumont to I-10. Last trip we departed @ 6 AM and drove to
the east side of Tallahasse, arrived approximatley 8 PM. Departed next AM
@ 8 AM and arrived at POR early afternoon. When taking the FL turnpike
we used the Western Way back road to get into the land instead of
going all the way to I-4. Saved at least 1 hour of travel time. The
" Western Way" back way is signed well off the turnpike. You can also
look on the boards under the travel area using the Driving by Auto and
use the search key words Western Way.

Our overall travel time was about 17 hours. 5 people DM, DDad, 2 DS
and DPrincess (7 at trip time).

Not a bad drive if you have roomy car. Take entertainment!!!!!
Portable DVD (Disney movies of course) CD's (Recordings of Spectromagic,
Wishes, Illumanations and Fantasmic)

HAVE A GREAT DRIVE.

 

[Busymom85]

We are driving to DW also but from north TX. We plan to do it in two days. Too old to drive it in one and enjoy myself. Plus 3 kids who don't want to be in the car that long at one time. Stopping in Mobile. Have a great trip.