For 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers only!

[BC1836]

Driving down in our motorhome from Fargo, ND in April. 3,600 miles round trip.

Now THAT'S a round-trip drive!
You've got a 1,600 mile "credit" on this thread!
All the best.

 

[disneyfan55]

Now THAT'S a round-trip drive!
You've got a 1,600 mile "credit" on this thread!
All the best.

I know not WDW but we drove to DL on 2 of our 6 crosscountry trips. Those 2 were about 8,500 and 7,600 miles each. on the 8500 mile total trip we drove up the west coast as well as back and forth across the country! It's one of the most fun things I've done (planning and taking cross country trips with Many National parks/historic sites/museums included!

 

[nappingbeauty]

thank you everyone for the feedback on microtel! I booked a room both ways for a little over 60 dollars each night for a suite! Have always stayed at a hampton inn or fairfield inn during past trips but that has always been close to a hundred dollars per night! Nice to have a little extra disney money this trip!!!

Thank you again!!!

 

[BC1836]

I know not WDW but we drove to DL on 2 of our 6 crosscountry trips. Those 2 were about 8,500 and 7,600 miles each. on the 8500 mile total trip we drove up the west coast as well as back and forth across the country! It's one of the most fun things I've done (planning and taking cross country trips with Many National parks/historic sites/museums included!

You've got to be THERE by now!

All the best from Blizzard World (not to be confused with Blizzard Beach).

 

[mrstomrice]

thank you everyone for the feedback on microtel! I booked a room both ways for a little over 60 dollars each night for a suite! Have always stayed at a hampton inn or fairfield inn during past trips but that has always been close to a hundred dollars per night! Nice to have a little extra disney money this trip!!!

Thank you again!!!

We thought our Microtel in Wilson NC was a great choice for the price! It was a bit older, but clean and that is all we needed! Have a great drive!

 

[slowtalken]

I love long trips especially when the final destination is Disney.

 

[mousebymarriage]

We returned from Disney on Feb.16th and it was chilly. We were in Disney Feb 6th -13th , then spent a few days with family on the gulf coast before driving back. We stayed off site (Buena Vista Suites 1 night Feb 5th) because we left NJ earlier than planned so we arrived in Fla earlier than planned.
Our original plan was to leave Northern NJ at noon on Friday Feb 5th but with the impending snow storm we decided to head out 12 hours early (midnight on Thurs/Fri). We drove straight through and did not notice any decrease in open rest areas. Not sure if we were just lucky or what but, everytime we stopped for gas, food or bathroom break we had no problems finding a bunch of places at each exit that we stopped at even in the middle of the night.
The drive down was uneventful except for some wicked rain in South Carolina and Georgia.

The trip home was a different story, we drove straight through from my Family in Port Charlotte Fla. to NJ and it was the longest drive of my life! About 2 hours after leaving my familys house I started to vomit and proceeded to vomit for 1000 miles. I picked up some kind of a virus (I also had a low grade fever) and puked about every hour or so. My poor DH was a trooper, he drove the whole way home without complaining. We did stop a couple of times at rest areas so he could get a couple of hours sleep but other than that we drove straight through.

I would definately do the drive again (we have done it a few times before) and I think the drive is part of the fun (except for having to wash my hair in a gas station bathroom because it was windy the one time I vomitted and my hair blew in my face). Man I must have been a sight puking on the side of the road!

 

[disneyfan55]

We returned from Disney on Feb.16th and it was chilly. We were in Disney Feb 6th -13th , then spent a few days with family on the gulf coast before driving back. We stayed off site (Buena Vista Suites 1 night Feb 5th) because we left NJ earlier than planned so we arrived in Fla earlier than planned.
Our original plan was to leave Northern NJ at noon on Friday Feb 5th but with the impending snow storm we decided to head out 12 hours early (midnight on Thurs/Fri). We drove straight through and did not notice any decrease in open rest areas. Not sure if we were just lucky or what but, everytime we stopped for gas, food or bathroom break we had no problems finding a bunch of places at each exit that we stopped at even in the middle of the night.
The drive down was uneventful except for some wicked rain in South Carolina and Georgia.

The trip home was a different story, we drove straight through from my Family in Port Charlotte Fla. to NJ and it was the longest drive of my life! About 2 hours after leaving my familys house I started to vomit and proceeded to vomit for 1000 miles. I picked up some kind of a virus (I also had a low grade fever) and puked about every hour or so. My poor DH was a trooper, he drove the whole way home without complaining. We did stop a couple of times at rest areas so he could get a couple of hours sleep but other than that we drove straight through.

I would definately do the drive again (we have done it a few times before) and I think the drive is part of the fun (except for having to wash my hair in a gas station bathroom because it was windy the one time I vomitted and my hair blew in my face). Man I must have been a sight puking on the side of the road!

We left WDW on Feb 12 and 3 of us were stomach sick as well. We stopped outside Savannah that night and it snowed!!

 

[soontobewed07]

Well everyone weare on out way. Starting our long drive down. It's cloudy and cold in Boston and starting to flurry. Hoping to make it thru NY ok

 

[nono]

Hi folks! We're planning on driving in early May. It'll be two cars, 5 drivers, a 6 yr old and a 3 yr old. Originally, we were going to drive "up and around" as we live at the southern tip of NJ, because the ferries don't start early enough to get ahead of DC traffic. But then, the more the two families talked about it, we are now planning on leaving the night before. We'll take the last ferry, and drive down the Delmarva penninsula and meet up with our second car, coming from NE MD, at the "top" of North Carolina.

We've flown, we've taken the AutoTrain, and now this! To add to the excitement, we're planning on driving straight through. Hey, we figure let's get the full experience if we're going to do it!

So, I guess one thing I'm trying to get advice on as a first-timer is where are the good places to stop in the middle of the night for a leg stretch and that sort of thing. I would imagine the N.C. & S.C. Welcome Centers won't be open in the middle of the night...

Also, any other overnight travel advice is welcomed! THANKS!!!

 

[Malaguti Ball Clan]

Well everyone weare on out way. Starting our long drive down. It's cloudy and cold in Boston and starting to flurry. Hoping to make it thru NY ok

How is the drive so far?

 

[dvczerfs]

Hi folks! We're planning on driving in early May. It'll be two cars, 5 drivers, a 6 yr old and a 3 yr old. Originally, we were going to drive "up and around" as we live at the southern tip of NJ, because the ferries don't start early enough to get ahead of DC traffic. But then, the more the two families talked about it, we are now planning on leaving the night before. We'll take the last ferry, and drive down the Delmarva penninsula and meet up with our second car, coming from NE MD, at the "top" of North Carolina.

We've flown, we've taken the AutoTrain, and now this! To add to the excitement, we're planning on driving straight through. Hey, we figure let's get the full experience if we're going to do it!

So, I guess one thing I'm trying to get advice on as a first-timer is where are the good places to stop in the middle of the night for a leg stretch and that sort of thing. I would imagine the N.C. & S.C. Welcome Centers won't be open in the middle of the night...

Also, any other overnight travel advice is welcomed! THANKS!!!

the rest rooms are open 24 hours at the welcoming centers and the rest stops. there will be people around. people sleep in there cars, truck drivers and other people like yourselfs driving at night. most gas stations are open 24 hours.

 

[MinnieTink]

I said I'd never do it again but we are driving to WDW in August! After pricing airfare for a family of 5, we will be happy to do it. The last two drives were nonstop from Disney to home in Northern NJ and it was hard. We were delirious. This time I insist! on an overnight stop on the way home. We are thinking maybe southern Va would be the place to stop. Any recommendations would be appreciated!!

 

[OrlandoHelp]

I said I'd never do it again but we are driving to WDW in August! After pricing airfare for a family of 5, we will be happy to do it. The last two drives were nonstop from Disney to home in Northern NJ and it was hard. We were delirious. This time I insist! on an overnight stop on the way home. We are thinking maybe southern Va would be the place to stop. Any recommendations would be appreciated!!

Last year we stopped in Roanoke Rapids NC. I beleive it was a Hampton Inn. Very nice and on the boarder of VA and NC. It was about a 7 hour drive home the next day. We plan to do the same this year.

 

[JVL1018]

I said I'd never do it again but we are driving to WDW in August! After pricing airfare for a family of 5, we will be happy to do it. The last two drives were nonstop from Disney to home in Northern NJ and it was hard. We were delirious. This time I insist! on an overnight stop on the way home. We are thinking maybe southern Va would be the place to stop. Any recommendations would be appreciated!!

We're also from northern NJ, and last year on our way home from Hilton Head we stopped in Emporia, VA at the Holiday Inn Express. Very nice, seemed new, comfy beds.
We have done the WDW drive twice and both times pushed through on the drive home, it's too much-we're driving again this November for the first time in years and my husband and I agree that we need to stop on the way home.

 

[dvczerfs]

we drive straight thru on the way home. we leave okw at 3:30am. yup, 3:30am, i usualy leave for work at 4am so no big deal. we drive till we get home which is about 7:00-7:30pm. (16 1/2 hours). no traffic in florida at all and it seems to go faster.

 

[cey]

Arrived in St.Augustine FL today. Tomorrow we check into our Villa at WH. We drove I 81 through snow and rain on Friday. Worse part of our drive was through PA. We stayed the first night at a Best Western in Fredricksburg VA. Ran into some friends from home at Breakfast the next am. Too funny!
Second day we drove to Florence SC. Drive was fine, cloudy with very little snow or rain. Drive today was sunny and warm. 18C and sunny! DH is watching the gold medal hockey game while I surf the net! Next time we will drive and only stop for 2 nights! Weather was much better than we expected. The drive was not as bad as I remembered! Best part is that we are in Florida.

 

[emh1129]

Could any of you recommend a good trip planner online? I've been playing with a few but I seem to remember seeing one that would give timelines along the side.. say, after 10 hours, you should be about here, 14 hours here, etc. But now I can't recall where I saw that & can't seem to find it.
Does that ring a bell for anyone?
I'm trying to plan a stop on our return trip and I need to pick a good overnight spot around 12-13ish hrs north of Disney on our way back to CT.
Thanks!

 

[Tina]

I can't recommend a site, but 12-13 hours north of Disney should put you somewhere in central Virginia. My most recent drive took me door to door in 13 hours exactly (at 70 mph and only gas stops) and I live in Northern VA. With a stop or two along your way, I would aim for Richmond or possible a little south of there on 95. Fredericksburg is also an option but it would depend on your speed & length/number of stops.

 

[soontobewed07]

We Did it one swoop. 25 hours on the road and we agreed it was WAY too much. DS was awsome I never thought a 2 year old could be so good. In the last 2 hours he was going stir crazy. We decided on the way home to stay in Charleston for the night and then head home.

Roads were great traffic amazing. Warning it is Bike week in Daytona so watch out ! Drive safe.