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

[mjbradeis]

Getting set to go, we leave Saturday from NJ. Plan on stopping after 10-12 hours getting a good night sleep and driving rest of way on Sunday. First road trip to Disney, we are not knew to road trips, we do a yearly road trip to Maine which is 12 hours to relatives. SO EXCITED!!!!!

 

[WDisneyWforMe]

Lots of luck coming your way for a great drive down and back. What part of Oklahoma are you in? We have started driving out I-40 until we get to Nashville and then heading South. I like that drive a lot better. Of course that could be even more iffy during a winter drive since it goes through a bit of the mountains.

Enjoy your trip!

I'm in Oklahoma City and we take I-35 down toward Dallas then skirt over to Shreveport then on down toward the coast, not all the way to New Orleans. Then skirt over MS, AL in to FLORIDA!! The road when not messed up by hurricanes seem better to us all 4 lane and the weather is not as big an issue although we have dealt with the fog and hoping for NONE of that this trip!

Thanks for the good wishes, we do plan to enjoy it!

 

[loribell]

I'm in Oklahoma City and we take I-35 down toward Dallas then skirt over to Shreveport then on down toward the coast, not all the way to New Orleans. Then skirt over MS, AL in to FLORIDA!! The road when not messed up by hurricanes seem better to us all 4 lane and the weather is not as big an issue although we have dealt with the fog and hoping for NONE of that this trip!

Thanks for the good wishes, we do plan to enjoy it!

Have a great trip. Sometime if you aren't traveling in times that you could have to deal with snow or ice try driving out I-40. We used to go the way you do and I like the I-40 route so much better. Interstate all the way!

 

[BC1836]

Let's see: it's about 2:10 in the morning. I know that we woke up early for something or other this morning. Oh, yeah: it's THAT time again!

All the very best to all....

 

[PhotobearSam]

Let's see: it's about 2:10 in the morning. I know that we woke up early for something or other this morning. Oh, yeah: it's THAT time again!

All the very best to all....

Have a great drive and let us know how it went.

 

[loribell]

Let's see: it's about 2:10 in the morning. I know that we woke up early for something or other this morning. Oh, yeah: it's THAT time again!

All the very best to all....

Have a fantastic trip. Please share some pictures with us when you return. Pretty please!

 

[kesharn81]

really....
i cannot beleive this..

 

[Luvamouse]

Let's see: it's about 2:10 in the morning. I know that we woke up early for something or other this morning. Oh, yeah: it's THAT time again!

All the very best to all....

In that insane sense that only others on this board can understand... I envy you! Sometimes at night when I am driving with my girls, or the whole family is out going somewhere...I imagine that we are on a road trip. I just love to drive... Hope your trip is great! And safe! And may you find lower and lower gas prices as you drive

 

[pilferk]

Well...we're HERE!!! Arrived about 4:30 PM.

We did from Northern CT to exit 174 in NC in 9 hours 15 minutes. We did from exit 174 to All Stars in the same amount of time.

The only snarls we hit were around DC and in Southern GA.

The DC snarl was a product of our own success. We hit DC around 6 PM...so instead of staying with 95, I took 895 through the Harbor Tunnel, then 295 (the Baltimore/Washington Pkway), to avoid the nastyness of the beltway. It worked...sorta. We snarled up some on 295, but nowhere near what the traffic reports were saying was on the beltway.

In GA...there's MAJOR construction going on starting around mile marker 60 and running to around mile marker 30. The right shoulder is completely torn up, and the right lane narrows ALOT, forcing the truckers over to the left...which holds everyone to "slow" speeds. Not stop and go...but slower than I'd like to be driving through GA.

Otherwise...smooth sailing. Now, in 8 days, we get to reverse course.

 

[loribell]

Glad you made it safe and sound. Can't wait to hear all about your trip.

 

[Calle&Jakesmom]

We'll be driving down from NH in February. We plan to stop one night on the way. I'm being really optomistic and want to get most of the drive out of the wya the first day (leave home @2:30 or 3:00am and get lots out of the way while the kids sleep). I'm thinking of doing our overnight stop somewhere in GA. I'd like to wake up and have under 5 hours to go to Disney. Anyone have recommendations on a place to stop?

 

[LovePug]

You can also change the route by dragging the blue line to another road. The distance and time will be adjusted accordingly.

I never used Google Maps before and had no idea you could do this! Thanks for the info!

 

[LovePug]

Subscribing to this as my wife and I are seriously considering driving from the Lehigh Valley are of PA next year. I can't believe we are even thinking of it, but with the cost of flights, things are just getting insane cost wise.

I've read through quite a bit of this thread, but wanting to know if anyone has any thoughts on driving, approx 1100 one way, with a 6 year old, and an 8 month old. Are we nuts, or will a DVD player, games, food, and the occasional rest make it possible without going insane, LOL?

We are thinking of leaving our area late afternoon, as in 5pm or so, and driving during the evening, when hopefully the kids would be asleep. Straight through would put us down there around noon next day with breaks. I'm really hedging back and forth, as while I have done the drive alone, the kids part is really making me give it thought. Then again, with the current deal going on, if we DO opt to drive, the savings will allow us to stay deluxe for probably the first and last time, which would be very, very cool. We are thinking Wilderness Lodge.

Thoughts?

The first drive with my son was when he was just under a year old. I had to stop often and get him out of the car (took him into McD's, BK, etc. to eat). You have the advantage of driving at night and that should help a lot. I wish I could do that, but I know I could never make it straight through and, if we stop during the day for me to sleep, he'd never let me.

This last trip was much better with fewer stops (he was 21 months). He did much, much better but I still stopped overnight twice on the way down (I use my Choice Rewards and get some nights free).

Your kids are a much different age and you know them best, but the 6 y/o will probably be fine if given enough things to do when she's not sleeping (she? I don't know why I assume a girl for the 6 y/o and a boy for the 8 mo old?!). Anyway. Maybe have a backup plan for some stops just in case. If your infant normally does well in a car, I wouldn't worry about him too much (him?!).

I'd definitely go for it, though!

Have a great trip no matter what you decide!

 

[LovePug]

One of my biggest rants when we drive are those fast food signs that send you miles down the road!

ITA!!!

 

[J3nn78]

We are going to be driving next November. 2240miles RT for us.

I have been passenger driving down when I was younger with my parents, so it is not new to me.

After a full day of travel, layovers, and general air travel headaches, not to mention ridiculous costs, we decided to drive next year.

We will be DH, myself, DS 4.5, and DS almost 3. At time of travel. We are going to leave Friday at 3pm and drive straight through. Hoping to be in DW Saturday evening with plenty of time to catch up on sleep.

So, as our trip gets closer, I am sure I will be frequenting here for tips.

 

[mcasiano]

We are driving down on April 11. We'll be leaving about 1 or 2 pm. This is our 7th time driving to Disney, it's a very enjoyable thing to do with the family.

 

[Lucy6]

We are driving down this year for the first time. We have always flown before, but airfares are just too high. We are planning on leaving on a Thursday around 8PM, driving straight through approx 1100 miles. Wish us luck, it will be me, dh, ds13, and dd9.

 

[MOmousefan]

We just returned from a 2367 mile round-trip to WDW. My son and I drove from Central Missouri to WDW on 11/29 and returned on 12/6. We drove through the night going down. It rained all through southern GA and there was lots of construction.
Coming home we left WDW before 6:00 AM and arrived hom before midnight.
This is an example of the construction in GA:

There was some construction on 429 and on the turnpike close to 429.

 

[WDisneyWforMe]

We start our drive to the the World tomorrow evening, just a mere 1350 miles but I am starting to get a little nervous about the weather across TX, LA and MS. We're coming from Oklahoma City, were the temps are in the teens but it's clear and dry. Any of you on our thread out there that live or have traveled around Tyler, TX, Shreveport, Alexandria, Baton Rouge that can give me a first hand report on your weather. Accuweather is reporting that all the area will be dry by Friday evening and and much warmer but I would feel better if I heard it I think from someone in the area!

Thanks so much and wish us luck!

 

[mcasiano]

Has any one stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Lumberton, NC of off I-95? I thinking making a rest stop there on our way down to WDW in April.