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

[rdevine10]

Also, does anyone know where you can get a good list of hotels on i-77 in NC? should we choose that route?

 

[disneymom06]

Have you done a mileage comparision? Is Going 84 to 81 down shorter than 95? While 95 may have "traffic spots", the mileage difference may not be worth it? We are just north of NYC and always take 95. We drive straight through with 4 kids. Its about 1125 miles door to door. Our best time was just under 18 hours, our worst was 26 hours. We only stop to stretch, switch drivers and bathroom breaks. My inlaws are in Hancock NY, WEST of 95, so the 81 route is shorter for them.

 

[vitfamily]

Also, does anyone know where you can get a good list of hotels on i-77 in NC? should we choose that route?

http://www.allstays.com/Special/exits-I77-nc-map.htm

 

[shoreline99]

Hey all -

Leaving CT this week to drive down in 2 legs (I-95 route), looking for a place around Brunswick, GA to stop (somewhere between Savannah and Brunswick is OK too). Figure 15 hours +/- driving time to there and 4 hours +/- the next morning. Thought about driving straight through, but not sure how that will fly and we don't want to be miserable @ WDW when we arrive. Chasing 4 kids around the world when you're exhausted is no fun...

Anyone ever stay at the new Comfort Suites?

 

[Wendaeh]

Well, technically I don't qualify for this thread since according to Mapquest it is 996.48mi from my house to the Polynesian! If anyone has a problem with my posting, let me know and I will quietly slink away... Of course, if I let my dh drive we'll probably get lost and I will have to start a 3,000+ mile thread!!

I am also coming from NJ, but I'm right at the base of the DE Memorial Bridge.

Do most of you drive straight through?? We have two little ones with us (8 &4) so we plan to stop along the way.

Any tips? I originally planned to leave at 3:30 on 4/22...but then realized this would land us in DC around 5:30p!! Yikes! So, now I'm thinking if we wait until 5:30 or 6p to leave, we can probably make to either Emporia, VA or Rocky Mount, NC before stopping? Is this reasonable? Has anyone stopped near there? I figured we'd just stay at a cheap motel...but some of the reviews on TripAdvisor are downright scary!!

Getting excited...4 weeks to go!!

Jen

Hi Jen!

We leave from S Jersey (Medford) on Easter morning around 3-4am. We did this drive a couple of summers ago and found that by leaving so early we missed everything through DC and it was smooth sailing (aside from the torrential rains) until Jacksonville. I think that leaving later than your scheduled time of 3:30 would be better - I'm sure others will come along with some hotel ideas for you. Right now I have 2 reservations - 1 in Brunswick,Ga and 1 in Orlando (in case we decide to go straight through). Have a wonderful trip!

 

[dsnymomof4]

Have you done a mileage comparision? Is Going 84 to 81 down shorter than 95? While 95 may have "traffic spots", the mileage difference may not be worth it? We are just north of NYC and always take 95. We drive straight through with 4 kids. Its about 1125 miles door to door. Our best time was just under 18 hours, our worst was 26 hours. We only stop to stretch, switch drivers and bathroom breaks. My inlaws are in Hancock NY, WEST of 95, so the 81 route is shorter for them.

Just curious - what happened on the 26-hour trip? Please tell me you didn't sit in traffic for 8 hours! We always drive overnight(when we don't have enough money to fly) and usually average around 17-18 hours. Only the one time we actually had to detour off of 95 in VA and sat in non-moving traffic for 2 hours, but other than that, have not really had many traffic problems. On our way home last trip, we had some backups around Baltimore in the afternoon, but I just don't know if it would be worth it to go 81/77/26 because google is showing an extra 90 minutes.

 

[rdevine10]

Have you done a mileage comparision? Is Going 84 to 81 down shorter than 95? While 95 may have "traffic spots", the mileage difference may not be worth it? We are just north of NYC and always take 95. We drive straight through with 4 kids. Its about 1125 miles door to door. Our best time was just under 18 hours, our worst was 26 hours. We only stop to stretch, switch drivers and bathroom breaks. My inlaws are in Hancock NY, WEST of 95, so the 81 route is shorter for them.

The mileage comparrison was about 50 miles more going 84-81-77-26-95, than 684-287-gardenstateprkwy-95. And, it appeared to only add minimal miles if we cut back into 95 around DC.

We are leaving at around 12 noon on Thursday before easter break (Im anticpating a LOT of traffic), and I dont want to be ANYWHERE near NYC, Baltimore, DC, etc during rush hour. Since our leaving time is not flexible, Im thinking 84-81 is a better route (and we have driven that before to other places.... much less traffic). Im all about easier, less stressful driving!

In any event, any advice anyone if we should pre-book a hotel??? Ive been looking at some on 77 and it appears they currently have LOTS of availibilty. I havent checked 95 yet.

Is cutting back in by DC to 95 better? Or should we continue on to 77? Easpeically considering this would be a holiday weekend? thanks!

 

[Marty Moose]

Thanks Wendy (Wendaeh)!

Yeah, I definitely think we'll be leaving later! Luckily, we're leaving Wednesday night but don't check in to the Poly until Saturday (we are stopping at my in-laws first in N. FL - about 2 1/2 hrs from WDW). I'm hoping to get as far as we can Wed night and then stop somewhere and do the bulk of the driving on Thurs. I'm just not sure where to stop or how far we can get by, say, 11p or Midnight? I figured we'd just wing it and stop whereever we felt like it, but now I'm thinking we should have a room reserved somewhere?

Jen

 

[lauralw]

We stayed at the new Comfort Suites in Kingsland, GA when we drove down during Christmas week. I think Kingsland is 15 minutes past Brunswick.

We were very impressed. The room was large, the beds heavenly and the breakfast buffet good. They also had computers for guests in the lobby, which helped me plan my drive back home.

If we ever get that far again, we would definitely stay there.

 

[shoreline99]

Thanks, lauralw. We looked at the one in Brunswick, it appears to be brand new as well. You can cancel a reservation until 4 PM so we will play it by ear!

 

[buzz5985]

We stayed at the Brunswick Marriott last summer. Free breakfast - hot buffet, waffles, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon - we enjoyed it. For four of us it was $119.

 

[glo]

Well 3 nights in WDW...but one at the beach in Tampa and a leisurely drive back stopping in NC for something we have to do. We have to see some machine's in Tampa and NC for our job. We are making a trip out of it with my kids. 4-5 hours of work for a free week Not to bad huh?

Just need to decide if we should try straight through and when we should leave.

GLO, you're going to drive from Boston for a 3 day vacation?? We drive from central MA and really wouldn't consider doing it for anything under a week. No matter how smoothly the drive is, it is a looooooong one and recovery is needed!

 

[sharadoc]

http://www.allstays.com/Special/exits-I77-nc-map.htm

Thanks for that link. Very helpful!

 

[beachgirl2000]

What a great thread -- I need to take the time to read through everything!

We are driving for the FIRST TIME EVER from Philadelphia to AKL in May -- We want to try and do a straight through on the way there and leave at 6:00 PM on a Friday nite and are hoping to arrive sometime around noon the next day! Does anyone have any really great advice for us -- it is me, my husband and my 8 year old son (whom I am hoping sleeps most of the way).

On the way home, we may stop off somewhere since I will be nowhere near as excited to come home as I will be to get there.

I need some advice from the pros here! Thanks!!!!!

 

[beachgirl2000]

Hey guys,

I am sure this question has been answered, but with 70 pages on this post to read, my eyes got tired. I am going back to WDW going into Memorial Day weekend, and staying through the first week of June. I will be driving down from South Jersey to Orlando for the first time.

I have been pricing the airfare, which is really good ($130 RT). This does not include any bag charges. However, the rental car prices are really high this year. The best rate with discounts is about $472 for seven (7) days. The rental price for the whole stay is about $840 with taxes included. This was for a mid-size SUV. The mid-fullsize range car is about $100 cheaper for the same period. I am definitely going to have a car either way I go. I plan on seeing some other parts of FL this time.

With that said, I priced the gas, tolls, food, and hotels to drive from NJ to Orlando (RT). If gas stays near the range it is now, my cost would be around $450-$500 (give or take) if I drive. This would save me in the range of $600.

The option of the AutoTrain was not even a consideration. The general consensus of everyone posting seems to be to leave early on a Saturday. I would probably drive to Savannah, stay overnight, and leave fresh in the morning for Orlando.

My only problem is I am not looking forward to the drive, as I have flown all these years. I have never driven beyond Atlanta, and it was not straight through. It would be nice to have my own vehicle, since I convinced myself it was why I bought it in the first place to go on long trips. The time it takes to drive is my #1 drawback vs. cost. Any suggestions or helpful hints would be appreciated. I've got my ears on. Talk to me.

If you stay in Disney, you honestly DO NOT NEED A CAR -- last year, we used the Magical Express and then the buses to get to and from all Disney Parks. We even went to Universal -- the front desk arranged for a Mears Shuttle Bus for us which cost us right around $70.00 RT (for 3 of us). We are driving this year and I feel like you do, I would rather hop on a plane and be there in 2 short hours and start my vacation but my husband and son want to drive so I am trying to me happy about it!

 

[BC1836]

Howdy to all!
We are in WDW. And our 14th drive since 2002 includes a lap top for the first time. Hence, this message.
Our drive to WDW was eventful. We departed Saturday morning at 3:30 a.m. and experienced drizzle and light rain through NJ, DE and MD. No precipitaion at all through VA and NC. Some periodic rain in northern SC and then nothing until southern SC. The sky opened up with clouds that looked like a cross between Close Encounteers of the Third Kind and The Wizard of Oz. It got so bad we stopped at the GA Welcome Center. Inside we discovered we were in a tornado warning zone! A nervous 20-minute wait resulted in "just" a tornado watch. So we took off and managed to outdrive the bad weather. We made it to Deltona, FL, at Exit #111 on I-4, where we stayed overnight.

The next morning, FL was still rainy. But get this: at Exit #67, the rain stops! By the time we checked in at the GF the sky was gettting brighter, and by the time we arrived at the MK on the monorail, the sun broke through!

All the best.

 

[FidlMom]

by the time we arrived at the MK on the monorail, the sun broke through!

Sounds like Disney Magic to me!

Glad you had a safe trip, and enjoy your stay!

 

[dvcfamily41801]

What a great thread -- I need to take the time to read through everything!

We are driving for the FIRST TIME EVER from Philadelphia to AKL in May -- We want to try and do a straight through on the way there and leave at 6:00 PM on a Friday nite and are hoping to arrive sometime around noon the next day! Does anyone have any really great advice for us -- it is me, my husband and my 8 year old son (whom I am hoping sleeps most of the way).

On the way home, we may stop off somewhere since I will be nowhere near as excited to come home as I will be to get there.

I need some advice from the pros here! Thanks!!!!!

We will be leaving Bucks Co this Friday night hopefully around 8 and driving straight through. I am not a good passenger driving during the day as I tend to get a little nervous and jumpy, so the overnight drive seems to help a little bit. We debated on taking our son (9) out of school Friday and leaving around 8am and just stopping in Georgia for the night. I don't think I want to do that, just stick with the original plan. We have driven to Hilton Head many times and the overnight route is the best for us, but that is only 12 hours. We are stopping in Emporia, Virginia on the way home.

I will let you know when we get back how it goes. The plan is my DH drive as long as he can while I sleep (I am a nervous wreck to drive around DC) and we will switch somewhere in North Carolina. The only other time we drove to WDW was in 04 and we pulled over in Georgia for a little bit just because the lines were running together. I think it lasted about 15 minutes as my son woke up and at 4 years old, he did not get the whole shut your eyes and go back to sleep thing so we kept on going. We already told him, if that happens this time...he is to put his iPod on or his play his DS or something. We will stop for breakfast somewhere and hopefully lunch will be Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney!!!

We have tons of snacks and drinks that we will take in the car. Figure my son will watch a movie or two and get to sleep. I am going to try to sleep right away. Might get up at some crazy hour on Thursday so I will be good and tired (Im sure that won't happen!).

 

[dsnymomof4]

BC1836 - glad you made it through the tornado warning safely - sounds like an interesting ride down! Hope you're having a great time!

What a great thread -- I need to take the time to read through everything!

We are driving for the FIRST TIME EVER from Philadelphia to AKL in May -- We want to try and do a straight through on the way there and leave at 6:00 PM on a Friday nite and are hoping to arrive sometime around noon the next day! Does anyone have any really great advice for us -- it is me, my husband and my 8 year old son (whom I am hoping sleeps most of the way).

On the way home, we may stop off somewhere since I will be nowhere near as excited to come home as I will be to get there.

I need some advice from the pros here! Thanks!!!!!

This is exactly how we drive down from central NJ - we leave around 6:00pm and drive straight through and arrive around noon. DH usually starts the drive, I take over at the first rest stop and drive until I'm tired - usually around 1:00-2:00, during which time DH takes a nap. DH then drives the rest of the night and I take over again around 7:00. I usually let him take back over before Jacksonville - I don't like the busy cities. I definitely recommend plenty of snacks/drinks - that usually helps to stay awake and alert - especially when everyone else is sleeping. DS will probably sleep most of the way down, but make sure he brings a DVD player or DS or something to keep occupied. Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[johnnow]

Howdy to all!
We are in WDW. And our 14th drive since 2002 includes a lap top for the first time. Hence, this message.
Our drive to WDW was eventful. We departed Saturday morning at 3:30 a.m. and experienced drizzle and light rain through NJ, DE and MD. No precipitaion at all through VA and NC. Some periodic rain in northern SC and then nothing until southern SC. The sky opened up with clouds that looked like a cross between Close Encounteers of the Third Kind and The Wizard of Oz. It got so bad we stopped at the GA Welcome Center. Inside we discovered we were in a tornado warning zone! A nervous 20-minute wait resulted in "just" a tornado watch. So we took off and managed to outdrive the bad weather. We made it to Deltona, FL, at Exit #111 on I-4, where we stayed overnight.

The next morning, FL was still rainy. But get this: at Exit #67, the rain stops! By the time we checked in at the GF the sky was gettting brighter, and by the time we arrived at the MK on the monorail, the sun broke through!

All the best.

Glad to hear you made it ok. I've seen a funnel form high up in the sky a couple of times, but it must be a scary sight to see that wall of clouds.

By the way, how was the traffic and construction. We start our drive this Saturday. But, our Trip Tik shows construction zones all over 95.