Driving to the World

[Masonic Mouse]

We drive down to the World or Florida beach location every year and some yeasr twice. We Drive down from the New Haven CT area aprox. 1200 miles to a WDW resort check in. Bob 24 hours are you crazy. 18 to 19 hours from CT. Four people in a mini-van. We leave CT at 3:30 AM and are at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge by 9:00 AM. Around about that time my youngest wakes up. We plan on two days but do it in one. Even when we do take two I stop around 2 hours out from WDW. This last time down three weeks ago we stoped at a Compfort Suites in St. Augistine. It was a great stop. Clean,big,Jacuzzi tub,free breakfast,and friendly staff. Hit the Road at 9:00 AM and checked into OKW at 11:00 AM. On the way back stoped at a lousey Compfort in off Exit 3 on the Jersey Turnpike. I like the drive the Kids are Plugged into there stuff and my Wife and I enjoy talking and quite time. When she reads I listen to the Diz unpluged wich I save up for the Drive. I don't have to deal with Airports parking the car or getting a ride I am stocked with food before I even get to Disney, I don't worry about getting stuff I buy back home, I have my car, and it is the kind of thing family memories are made of oh ya and my Wife will not fly.

Jeff

 

[DisneyKevin]

This is the way we always did it when we were kids and they are some of the best memories of my life.

 

[Cruz Family]

I am all about unique experiences, getting there being half the fun, making memories, and enjoying the moment. BUT......that just sounds nuts to me! As they say to each their own!

BTW, My DH had a family emergency come up and had to drive from MA to FL. He left at 10pm and it took 25 hours, only stopping for gas and a couple of bathroom breaks.

 

[cocowum]

We have done the drive a couple of times. On the drive down, we leave from Albany NY at about 6:00pm and drive straight through the night and arrive in the World by Noon. That way the trip isn't so hard on DD. She was alot younger and would sleep for most of the drive. We would also avoid all the traffic that way. The trip home was the worst though. yuck.

Anyway we haven't driven for quite a while with Southwest's low fares and great rental car codes we would usually only spend about $500 - $600 on airfare and a rental car.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

We drove down once when I was a kid. I have some memories of that trip...some kinda cool (going over a really long bridge with 2 tunnels in it...where is/was that?), some not so cool (like the way some parts of Georgia smelled...ewww). This was the 4th of July, and we didn't have a/c in cars back then, so it was hot and disgusting most of the time. We also didn't do it straight through, we stopped overnight somewhere.

I might try it as an adult, but I don't think I'd try it with young kids in the car. I'm just not that patient.

That being said, my FIL does it all the time...and if there's ever a man you don't want to be on the road for 24 hours straight, it's he. And yes, it does take 23-24 hours from here.

 

[RainbowGirl]

It was 24 hours for us + we were driving from Canada! Driving is our preferred method as well. Everything's at your fingertips, our kids were plugged in and happy (most of the time). We did 2 nights to get there but after our 2nd night's motel experience on the way there, we did a 24 hour marathon on the way back. Let's just say the experience included a Red Roof Inn, lots of shirtless clientele, dirty boxers on our patio, hair on the sheets and my son exclaiming "Pirates of the Carribean!" while pointing at 2 20somethings in bandanas walking out of the broken security doors at the poorly-lit back of the motel where we were parked. It was a drive to remember...you can't get that on a plane!

I drove all over the US and Canada as a kid, we never flew. Like you said Kevin, + it's an ingrained part of the memory of my childhood and the legacy continues...

 

[UrsulasShadow]

It was 24 hours for us + we were driving from Canada! Driving is our preferred method as well. Everything's at your fingertips, our kids were plugged in and happy (most of the time). We did 2 nights to get there but after our 2nd night's motel experience on the way there, we did a 24 hour marathon on the way back. Let's just say the experience included a Red Roof Inn, lots of shirtless clientele, dirty boxers on our patio, hair on the sheets and my son exclaiming "Pirates of the Carribean!" while pointing at 2 20somethings in bandanas walking out of the broken security doors at the poorly-lit back of the motel where we were parked. It was a drive to remember...you can't get that on a plane!

I drove all over the US and Canada as a kid, we never flew. Like you said Kevin, + it's an ingrained part of the memory of my childhood and the legacy continues...

Okay, I google-mapped it, and according to them, it takes about 21.5 hours from Port Hope, Ontario, Canada to Lake Buena Vista, Fl, and it takes about 21.25 hours from Plymouth, MA to the same point. Almost the same.
New Haven, CT, 18.5 hours.

All of these are drive-straight-through times at the speed limit, no potty breaks, no Mickey-D stops. So if you're like most of us who need to pee and eat, 24 hours is about right, and Bob's not crazy.

 

[Cruz Family]

Okay, I google-mapped it, and according to them, it takes about 21.5 hours from Port Hope, Ontario, Canada to Lake Buena Vista, Fl, and it takes about 21.25 hours from Plymouth, MA to the same point. Almost the same.
New Haven, CT, 18.5 hours.

All of these are drive-straight-through times at the speed limit, no potty breaks, no Mickey-D stops. So if you're like most of us who need to pee and eat, 24 hours is about right, and Bob's not crazy.

Not to mention traffic, my DH hit a ton of it in two different places (sorry I don't remember where).

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

All I know is that I won't be drivin' from WA to FL anytime soon!

 

[RainbowGirl]

Okay, I google-mapped it, and according to them, it takes about 21.5 hours from Port Hope, Ontario, Canada to Lake Buena Vista, Fl, and it takes about 21.25 hours from Plymouth, MA to the same point. Almost the same.
New Haven, CT, 18.5 hours.

All of these are drive-straight-through times at the speed limit, no potty breaks, no Mickey-D stops. So if you're like most of us who need to pee and eat, 24 hours is about right, and Bob's not crazy.

I would never have thought that they would have been similar distances! I'm sure if I'd looked at a map I might have known better. I've learned something today.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

All I know is that I won't be drivin' from WA to FL anytime soon!

I dunno...get me an RV, and you won't be able to KEEP me off the roads. I really hope to retire with my Winnebago and simply keep moving. But I'd do that for the adventure, and I don't think I'd want to do a marathon 24 hour driving stint just to get there and back.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I would never have thought that they would have been similar distances! I'm sure if I'd looked at a map I might have known better. I've learned something today.

I always get a kick out of finding some of my Canadian neighbors who are at the same latitude as I am!

 

[RainbowGirl]

I always get a kick out of finding some of my Canadian neighbors who are at the same latitude as I am!

I don't know about you but all I really know is I was shovelling a foot of snow off of my driveway while listening to Pete saying it was some warm temperature (that I've blocked out of my head) while the last podcast was being recorded.

 

[Towncrier]

We drive down to WDW once or twice a year from NE Ohio. With the family in the car, the trip takes two days (or about 20 hours). By myself, I have managed to cut the time down considerably. I left the Animal Kingdom Lodge one afternoon at 4PM, stopped briefly to drop someone off at Orlando International Airport, then headed straight home, stopping only for gasoline and biological needs. I ran into a wicked snowstorm in West Virginia (it was December), but still managed to pull into my driveway at 8AM. That's 1061 miles in 16 hours (or an average speed of a little over 66 MPH). WDW is just far enough away to prevent me from heading there whenever I hear just how wonderful the weather is in Florida (compared to NE Ohio).

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I dunno...get me an RV, and you won't be able to KEEP me off the roads. I really hope to retire with my Winnebago and simply keep moving. But I'd do that for the adventure, and I don't think I'd want to do a marathon 24 hour driving stint just to get there and back.

Oh great -- Mindy and a rolling cistern...truly the American Dream!

 

[scarlett873]

I'm one of the weird ones who doesn't mind driving. We drive from Indianapolis to WDW and it takes us about 16-18 hours, depending on the route! We drive straight through - no hotel stops. Just bathroom and food breaks! We load up the iPod and go...

The drive home sucks...lol

 

[Minniemouse07]

Dh has made some suggestions about driving from Philly to WDW once we purchase our minivan next year.

I laughed at him!

I told him that if I'm taking a WDW vacation I want EVERY day of it to be in WDW... not four of it driving back and forth.

We don't rent a car once we arrive, we just use DME and on property transportation. For our December trip our family of four traveled by Southwest for just under $800 round trip.

The only way I would drive to Florida from Philly is if I was retired and had unlimited time to go back and forth.

 

[kab407]

Oh great -- Mindy and a rolling cistern...truly the American Dream!

Can you picture it?

Will- if you see a RV with Mass tags on it, be afraid. Be very, very afraid!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Originally Posted by calypso*a*go-go
Oh great -- Mindy and a rolling cistern...truly the American Dream!

Can you picture it?

Will- if you see a RV with Mass tags on it, be afraid. Be very, very afraid!

It's amazing what they can customize into those Winnebagos these days, ain't it??

 

[Harley-Mouse]

Driving down from New Jersey this July. We have made the trip to Hilton head island 3 times. 12 1/2 hr from jersey to HHI resort. So I don't see any problem making the trip to WDW. I will drive all night depart NJ at 9:00 pm or so and get a room in Florida some place. Hope to make the trip in one day and stay off sight for one night. Who makes the trip from New Jersey?