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

[rdevine10]

Since you were already on 81 you should have stayed on 81 through VA to pick up 77-26-95. You bypass Baltimore, DC, Richmond and pick up 95 somewhere in SC. The additional drive would have more than made up for the time you sat in traffic.

The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line but it is not always the quickest.

We had considered that, but opted not to because we have driven 81 before, and in the past there has been LOTS of wildlife (deer) in the middle of the night, with the highway itself being darker, and less rest areas, gas exits, etc. Perhaps next time? hmm... guess that means there will be another drive in our future

 

[BC1836]

We have found that when dividing up a drive to WDW with one overnight stay, the best thing is to maximize the first day drive. Driving to a half-way point on the first day seems to make the second half of the drive even longer on the next day, traffic notwithstanding. We did that once in 2002, on our first drive. Never again. Our first day goal is always Florida, and each trip we get closer: First Jacksonsville, then St. Augustine, then Palm Coast, then Deltona (last month). This plan isn't for everyone but we suggest at least driving past the mid-way point on the first day.

All the best.

 

[dsnymomof4]

We had considered that, but opted not to because we have driven 81 before, and in the past there has been LOTS of wildlife (deer) in the middle of the night, with the highway itself being darker, and less rest areas, gas exits, etc. Perhaps next time? hmm... guess that means there will be another drive in our future

Has anyone who's driven this route during the day found there to be a lot of deer on the road? I hadn't really thought about that before, but isn't really something I would want to worry about. I don't know if we should just stick with 95 all the way down.

 

[BC1836]

Has anyone who's driven this route during the day found there to be a lot of deer on the road? I hadn't really thought about that before, but isn't really something I would want to worry about. I don't know if we should just stick with 95 all the way down.

We've driven I-81 during the day but not during a WDW drive. Deer in the daytime? Sure, especially in PA. The numbers of them in small road-side clusters depend on the season and time of day, too.

All the best.

 

[kristytru]

We drove 81s in the day Easter week and not a deer in sight for us

 

[BC1836]

We drove 81s in the day Easter week and not a deer in sight for us

They were probably all here in NJ, feeding alongside the GSP, especially from Exit #117 to Exit #63!!

 

[pomlover]

Drove all the way from Houston to Orlando and back! 28 hour+, no hotel breaks. Man that was tiring but very worth it.

 

[mickeymom24]

Has anyone done a drive from Texas? We have to drive across Texas (yikes) and I am not looking forward to that! Any hotel recommendations along the way? I was thinking about staying in Houston but might push for a couple more hours if we can handle it. Any places to eat, stop or stay over on our long trek would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mrshams]

We're planning our first road trip to WDW for August. We normally fly, but with the high airfares right now and the fact that my DD5 has expressed no interest in flying due to the air pressure pain that she gets when she flys -- she initially said NO to going to Disney because of this.

So, I talked my DH into driving from Long Island, with a stop in Florence SC. We were going to stop somewhere in NC, but I wanted to be closer to WDW on the second day, so we may be able to get in a little park time, if we leave early enough.

 

[shafke]

We're planning our first road trip to WDW for August. We normally fly, but with the high airfares right now and the fact that my DD5 has expressed no interest in flying due to the air pressure pain that she gets when she flys -- she initially said NO to going to Disney because of this.

So, I talked my DH into driving from Long Island, with a stop in Florence SC. We were going to stop somewhere in NC, but I wanted to be closer to WDW on the second day, so we may be able to get in a little park time, if we leave early enough.

What time do you plan on leaving.
We left LI at 10pm and got the to NC/SC border around 8:30am. We were also planning on stopping midway through SC but it would have been way too early to stop for the day. We continued on most of the way through GA stopping in Brunswick GA around 3pm leaving a very short 4 hours or so for the 2nd day.

 

[BC1836]

We're planning our first road trip to WDW for August. I talked my DH into driving from Long Island, with a stop in Florence SC. We were going to stop somewhere in NC, but I wanted to be closer to WDW on the second day, so we may be able to get in a little park time, if we leave early enough.

Always try and go well beyond your mid-point journey length if you plan an overnnight stay on your way to WDW. You will appreciate it on the second day, as shafke correctly pointed out in a previous post.

When you depart is the key to your drive (the weather notwithstanding). For us, it's an early, early morning departure. And a weekend departure.

For you, a major goal should be getting out of LI and through NJ in off-peak driving times. And avoid the same in the greater DC area at all costs!

All the best.

 

[caitlinsdad]

We are driving both ways this year from Ct to Fl and back
In the past we have taken the autotrain down and driven home. i95-i26-i77-i81-i84, rt7 to home.

This year on the way down we are leaning to I95 most of the way, but wish to make a trip via the Chesapeake bay bridge tunnel

Any recommendation on Routes and timing, one driver (me) and family riding along, for rest points and distances in a 3 day drive. No rushing needed.

 

[pwdebbie]

We are driving, again, from near Harrisburg, PA.

EXCEPT

This time we are actually stopping to sleep.

Where do y'all think is the half way point? I'm trying to figure it out on Mapquest but I'm not doing so well.

TIA!

If you are taking the I-81 route, Orangeburg, SC, is a good stopping point. We just did that last week. Stayed at the Sleep Inn on St. Matthews Rd.

 

[kristytru]

Traveling from Morris County NJ, we stopped in Fort Mill, Sc

 

[rdevine10]

We are driving both ways this year from Ct to Fl and back
In the past we have taken the autotrain down and driven home. i95-i26-i77-i81-i84, rt7 to home.

This year on the way down we are leaning to I95 most of the way, but wish to make a trip via the Chesapeake bay bridge tunnel

Any recommendation on Routes and timing, one driver (me) and family riding along, for rest points and distances in a 3 day drive. No rushing needed.

We didnt go the Chesapeke bay bridge tunnel (in fact I just posted a recap like 2 pages ago), but we live in the same general area (small world!).

On the way down we did 84-81-70-270-295-95. With a 2 hour accident delay and about 2 hours total for stopping, it took 21 hours to the Daytona area. We did 95 all the way back to the NJ turnpike, to the gardenstate, to 287 to 684, less stops, straught through again and it took 21 and 1/2 hours (but it rained on the way home).

Ill be interested to read about this route you want..... Ive looked at it before and it appears much more direct, although you have no major highways (to my knowledge in DE) and into VA? perhaps Im wrong.

good luck with the trip!

 

[miprender]

We just got back from DW and flew down (Stinkypeet we were down there the same time as you)

But I want to go back again next April2010 and probably the only way we can go this time is if we drive. The cost of 5 for airfare plus car rental would be too much. We would be driving from Warwick,RI.

Are there any suggestions? We would probably leave on a Friday night/Sat Morning (DH would sleep some and then we would head out) I know we can get pass NY, but the DC area has me worried.

But oh well I still have a whole year to plan.

 

[mjones73]

We stopped at the Maryland Welcome center reststop at 3:30 am. Some freak tried to pick up my DH when I was in the rest area going to the bathroom (mind you he was in our van with 2 sleeping kids). Couldnt get out of this place fast enough. No more reststops at that time of the day. Who knows what the freak wanted, but, something wasnt kosher about his "story".

Do you know what rest stop it was in MD? I wouldn't be surprised to hear something like that happen at the Chesapeake House Welcome Center up by where I live.

I always get people down by me asking for money/gas/whatever and they always have some story...

 

[rdevine10]

Do you know what rest stop it was in MD? I wouldn't be surprised to hear something like that happen at the Chesapeake House Welcome Center up by where I live.

I always get people down by me asking for money/gas/whatever and they always have some story...

It was the one going north on 95, 1st one in the state of MD, a welcome center. Probably that one! Ill never stop there again

 

[mjones73]

It was the one going north on 95, 1st one in the state of MD, a welcome center. Probably that one! Ill never stop there again

Ahh, that would be the next one down from me, I'm up at the top of the state, exit 100, about 8 miles from the DE/MD line.

 

[mookie]

14 hours from now we will be on our way! Super excited....even though I just found out about 3 hours ago that I need new brakes and 2 new belts on my car after having it checked out at the dealer before we go. $600! Oye. At least we caught it beforehand and it least will be safe....to bad the dealer STILL has my car so we can't pack!!!

Anyway, wish us luck...and for my fellow Chicago buddies that are leaving today...see you on the drive!