Driving to WDW from MA ???

[tjcjr]

Though we have driven to WDW before, we never seem to get there as quickly or as easily as other folks we've spoken with. We have used both AAA and Mapquest but would now like to hear some more personal advice. Does anybody have any surefire directions, shortcuts, tips, areas to avoid, etc. for driving to WDW from Masachusetts ?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Disney Fool]

The best info I have is to try to make it to North Carolina or South Carolina the first day. Second day will only be an 8-hour trip to Orlando. I did this in April, with only two drivers. (going again in two weeks!) We left at 6 a.m. on a weekday, and arrived just over the border of South Carolina at 11 p.m. We pulled off the road and stayed at a Comfort Inn. We started off again the next morning at 8 a.m. and arrived at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge at 3 p.m. Satruday on the dot. We had two teens, and a 4 year old with us, and we stopped along the way for breaks. There is an alternate route other than 95 South which avoids NYC, and Washington, it's I-84 West to I-81 south to I-77 South to I-26 East to I-95 South to I-4 south to Orando. A friend of mine Did this in 14 hours the first day, stopped at Rock Hill, SC overnight, and continued 8 more hours the second day. the return trip was even faster, 12 hours, stopping at Harrisonburg, VA, and then another 8 hours the second day. I hope this helps. Have a safe trip!!!

 

[JillU-DVC]

We drove home from our Disney trip last September (yes, we were actually in AK when they closed it).

We decided to drive and not take the chance that our airline would be flying on our departure date (of course, it DID fly, but we were already on our way home).

We went to AAA in Kissemmee, and they advised us to avoid I-95; I know this appears to be the shortest, fastest route to MA/WDW, but take the inner route!! I don't have a map in front of me, but it's a couple of innerstates on the other side of teh mountains from I-95. Almost no traffic anywhere, even when TONS of people were on the road because the airlines weren't flying.

It took us approx. 24-26 hours of DRIVING to get home - that doesn't include time for stopping, eating, stretching, gas, etc.

It's probably a little longer in distance, but it more than makes up for it because of less traffic!

Email me privately at jillandtim@charter.net if you want me to look up our exact route when I get home.

 

[JillU-DVC]

I've had a couple of people ask me about our route to/from Disney - here it is!!

Massachusetts to Florida

I-90 to Sturbridge MA
I-84 to Scranton PA
I-81 to Wytheville VA
I-77 to Columbia SC
I-26 to Orangeburg/Charleston SC
I-95 to Daytona Beach FL
I-4 to Orlando, Tampa, Clearwater

 

[buzz5985]

My memory is a little hazy, but last February 23, we left Wakefield at 4 am on a Saturday morning, 2 adults, 1 child (5 yo) and one dog (10 yo). Ended up taking a 15 minute break every 2 hours, arrived in Rocky Mount NC around 6 pm. Average speed 70 mph. I never went over 70, just rarely under, just kept up with traffic. I did not use the around the major city routes, just the one around NYC. All the others went straight through the cities since it was the weeked. Left Rocky Mount at 5 am and arrived at the ASMo around 2 pm. We hit a lot of traffic around Orlando.

 

[goofyforwdw]

We have drive a number of times and our route is close to JillU
but we differ a little We have two drives and ussually arrive in 24 hrs. We did pack dinner last trip and that save a lot of time . We got some fried chicken and sides stopped in PA rest stop ate dinner and were back on the road in 1/2 hour where as if we went into a resturant it would be over an hour. We did stop for breakfest but by then needed the longer break. Good luck.
Rt 90 to Rt 84 W exit 9
Rt 84 W to Rt 81 S (via 390) Exit 4
Rt 81 S to Rt 66 E Exit 300
Rt 66 E to Rt 17 N Exit 28
Rt 17 N to Rt 95 S Exit merge
Rt 95 S to Rt 295 E Exit merge
Rt 95s to Rt 4 Exit 8
Rt 4 to Magic Kingdom
We left at 1pm Had to let the kids got to school drove through and checked in at 12.30 the next day 1450 miles.

 

[Basser]

We drove to WDW in May. It took us 20 hours using I-95. We left S.E. Mass. at 9:00 pm, we never hit any real traffic till we got to Fla. Rte 4 then we had heavy traffic all the way to WDW, it was moving at or near the posted limit just a lot of cars.

 

[clarkgriswold]

Leave between 4 and 6 p.m. and drive through. It's amazing the time you can make driving down when there's no traffic. We covered 1370 miles in 19.5 hours. Left at 5:30 p.m. Thurs, checked-in at CR at 1:00 p.m. Friday. Only stops where for rest rooms and a sitdown breakfast at the Cracker Barrel right after you come out of Jacksonville.

Strange thing is, the first time we did this, the plan had been to simply drive until about 10 p.m. to get south of NYC morning traffic. Once we hit the road, we just kept going. Now it's the only way we do it.

Have fun & be safe!

 

[LindaDVC]

We regularly go North To Boston and South to Florida from North Carolina.

I agree with several suggestions of avoiding 95 on the trip North via the suggested routes. I prefer to miss the big cities and the driving is much more pleasant!

We also do the suggested route south and hit 95 at route 26 which would continue on to Charleston SC, when we head to HH or Florida.

Both trips seem long to me and glad I am not doing the whole thing in one trip. In fact son is flying to Boston now to see the Grandparents and hopefully the plane will safely land in less than 20 minutes!

Linda