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

[NALA 24]

We will be taking the 95/26/77/81 route back home and I am trying to plan a few scenerios. Looks like CHarlotte is about 8-8.5 hours away. Any suggestions for a clean, reasonable hotel somewhere along 77 near Charlotte? We're not sure what time we'll leave DW on Sunday...I want to squeeze in more fun and DH thinks we should get up and go...

Three years ago,we stayed at the Hawthorn Suites in Huntersville, N.C. (Exit 25, I-77) The room was very nice and there were dining options not too far away.

This year, I think we will be leaving WDW later in the day and won't be able to make it all the way to NC. Does anyone have a favorite place they like to stop on the way home about 3 or 4 hours from WDW on I-95.

 

[MJ28]

We will be taking the 95/26/77/81 route back home and I am trying to plan a few scenerios. Looks like CHarlotte is about 8-8.5 hours away. Any suggestions for a clean, reasonable hotel somewhere along 77 near Charlotte? We're not sure what time we'll leave DW on Sunday...I want to squeeze in more fun and DH thinks we should get up and go...

We've stayed at a Sleep Inn in Mooresville, NC before. It's not very far once you switch over to 77. I don't remember the exit. It was a nice place. There are a bunch of hotels there. Also, there are a bunch of hotels in Concord, NC which is right around there too. I'm not sure what time of year you are going, but Lowes Motor Speedway is in the area around Charlotte when you pick up 77. If there is a major race, I have a feeling that there might not be much availabilbity.

 

[mrstomrice]

Three years ago,we stayed at the Hawthorn Suites in Huntersville, N.C. (Exit 25, I-77) The room was very nice and there were dining options not too far away.

This year, I think we will be leaving WDW later in the day and won't be able to make it all the way to NC. Does anyone have a favorite place they like to stop on the way home about 3 or 4 hours from WDW on I-95.

Hoping I can return the favor! We are staying in Kingsland GA on the way down, which is the first/last exit in GA. We found a Microtel Inn hotel for $59 a night. I have heard it is a newer hotel and it includes breakfast. I hear it is 4 hours from Disney. Hope this helps and thanks for your advice

 

[pomlover]

This is an interesting thread. Driving is great because it's so convenient and you can take breaks whenever needed, but the drive back is the worst! (I think this goes for any trip you are actually looking forward to)

 

[BC1836]

This is an interesting thread. Driving is great because it's so convenient and you can take breaks whenever needed, but the drive back is the worst! (I think this goes for any trip you are actually looking forward to)

Welcome!

Indeed, there are many reasons for driving instead of flying. And, of course, both methods of transportation have their disadvantages. To be sure, these items have been identified and explianed many times over this thread. But for those regulars on this thread, we prefer to drive.

And, yes, that return trip can be quite taxing, especially if you have to stay overnight at some hotel or motel before heading back home.

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

Welcome!

Indeed, there are many reasons for driving instead of flying. And, of course, both methods of transportation have their disadvantages. To be sure, these items have been identified and explianed many times over this thread. But for those regulars on this thread, we prefer to drive.

And, yes, that return trip can be quite taxing, especially if you have to stay overnight at some hotel or motel before heading back home.

All the best.

we stayed over night a few times years ago but its makes the trip home like pulling a band-aide off slowly. we leave okw at 3:30am and we are in our drive way by 7:30-8pm.

 

[Gowahoowa]

we stayed over night a few times years ago but its makes the trip home like pulling a band-aide off slowly. we leave okw at 3:30am and we are in our drive way by 7:30-8pm.

Agree...We also stayed over two years ago and even though it's a long drive we left VB last year at 8:00am and got home at 3:30am. Caught a lot of traffic in DC at midnight which hampered our journey home by about 1 1/2 hours. Much better than pulling the band-aide off slowly......

 

[caitlinsdad]

Agree...We also stayed over two years ago and even though it's a long drive we left VB last year at 8:00am and got home at 3:30am. Caught a lot of traffic in DC at midnight which hampered our journey home by about 1 1/2 hours. Much better than pulling the band-aide off slowly......

We do it differnt, and take 3 to 4 days to get home,
Stopping to see the sites along the way, always plan some stops to take our minds off of leaving wdw. Only first day on road is a pain, rest has great views. Advoid I-95 most of the way home.

 

[dvczerfs]

We do it differnt, and take 3 to 4 days to get home,
Stopping to see the sites along the way, always plan some stops to take our minds off of leaving wdw. Only first day on road is a pain, rest has great views. Advoid I-95 most of the way home.

we will have to do that on the dis dads bus!!!

 

[disneyfan55]

Three years ago,we stayed at the Hawthorn Suites in Huntersville, N.C. (Exit 25, I-77) The room was very nice and there were dining options not too far away.

This year, I think we will be leaving WDW later in the day and won't be able to make it all the way to NC. Does anyone have a favorite place they like to stop on the way home about 3 or 4 hours from WDW on I-95.

St Augustine, FL is a neat place. A little further north Savannah, GA. We have stopped at both on trips south from NJ and Savannah on the way home. We love the old towns and these are two that can be visited and if you stay away from the actual town, stay inexpensively.

 

[Donald is #1]

Does anyone have any thoughts on stopping in the Fayetteville, NC area near I-95? I was thinking about trying to drive all the way from CT (near Mass-RI border) to about Fayetteville on our first day and then have a much shorter day the second.

 

[disneyfan55]

Does anyone have any thoughts on stopping in the Fayetteville, NC area near I-95? I was thinking about trying to drive all the way from CT (near Mass-RI border) to about Fayetteville on our first day and then have a much shorter day the second.

WE have stopped here (driving from Central NJ) as well as Florence, SC.

 

[BC1836]

Does anyone have any thoughts on stopping in the Fayetteville, NC area near I-95? I was thinking about trying to drive all the way from CT (near Mass-RI border) to about Fayetteville on our first day and then have a much shorter day the second.

Try to make as much progress as possible on day one of a two-day drive to WDW; your second day-drive will, obviously, be less. You should maximmize your time at WDW, not your time on the road. If you can (and this depends on home/work responsibilities, weather, etc.) leave very, very early on your first day.

Since you are located in the NE corner of CN, Fayetteville is a good goal. Disneyfan55's suggestion of Florence is even better.

In any event, have a safe drive.

All the best.

 

[Flyerfan]

we stayed over night a few times years ago but its makes the trip home like pulling a band-aide off slowly. we leave okw at 3:30am and we are in our drive way by 7:30-8pm.

Hmmm.....we are thinking of doing this for the first time in September. We usually have a long drive the first day, then a 5-6 hr drive home the next. So I'm trying to decide if getting home late and tired is better than taking a night to rest and coming home refreshed the next day somewhere around noon.

 

[dvczerfs]

Hmmm.....we are thinking of doing this for the first time in September. We usually have a long drive the first day, then a 5-6 hr drive home the next. So I'm trying to decide if getting home late and tired is better than taking a night to rest and coming home refreshed the next day somewhere around noon.

we get up at 4am for work so getting up at 3am is no big deal for us. we leave wdw at 3:30am, we hit south of the border at 10:30am. now you already in nc.we take rt17 in virginia (thats exit 133) to warrenton va. we get gas and hit mcd drive thru at around 4:00pm. now we only have a 31/2 hour ride. stop at the pa welcoming center.get home at 7:30. we go thru richmond,never had a problem and you miss balt and wash. if you take the int77 way it will take you about 2 hours more. if theres is a problem on int95, you can always get off and go around the problem and get back on 95. if theres a problem on 77, you sit.there is no going around up in the mountains. we always went the 77 way till we spent that night at whites truck stop. and if you time your trip when your going to hit richmond and jacksonville, you dont sit. it seems to work out for us. it dont seem so long a drawn out going that way.

 

[Donald is #1]

WE have stopped here (driving from Central NJ) as well as Florence, SC.

Try to make as much progress as possible on day one of a two-day drive to WDW; your second day-drive will, obviously, be less. You should maximmize your time at WDW, not your time on the road. If you can (and this depends on home/work responsibilities, weather, etc.) leave very, very early on your first day.

Since you are located in the NE corner of CN, Fayetteville is a good goal. Disneyfan55's suggestion of Florence is even better.

In any event, have a safe drive.

All the best.

Thanks for the advice! I will map out Florence SC as an option also.

 

[disneyfan55]

Thanks for the advice! I will map out Florence SC as an option also.

You're welcome!! Once you are past Washington DC, it's usually a pretty smooth ride. Have fun!! The last time we actually stopped just north of Savannah, GA, I know a bit longer but the next day was a breeze!!

 

[sharadoc]

Hmmm.....we are thinking of doing this for the first time in September. We usually have a long drive the first day, then a 5-6 hr drive home the next. So I'm trying to decide if getting home late and tired is better than taking a night to rest and coming home refreshed the next day somewhere around noon.

We're thinking of doing the opposite - the short day on the first day driving home. Check out of the hotel and take it easy day one, then do the longer drive day two. If we have a day left on the park tickets, we may even do one last Big Thunder Mountain and walk down Main St. before we leave.

Last time, we didn't leave until noon anyway, then drove until 8 (stopped in Santee). By the time we got dinner, we were totally exhausted and it was a lot more difficult to drive the second day.

 

[BC1836]

We're thinking of doing the opposite - the short day on the first day driving home. Check out of the hotel and take it easy day one, then do the longer drive day two. If we have a day left on the park tickets, we may even do one last Big Thunder Mountain and walk down Main St. before we leave.

Last time, we didn't leave until noon anyway, then drove until 8 (stopped in Santee). By the time we got dinner, we were totally exhausted and it was a lot more difficult to drive the second day.

We've always thought about departing later in the day and enjoying at least part of the day in a WDW park. But a longer second-day drive is not what we would look forward to. We depart around 9 a.m. and usually make it to Emporia, VA for our overnight stay during our 1,080-mile one way trip home.

A similar departure time in the morning from southern VA gets us to the NJ shore around 4 p.m.

And then we start thinking about our next drive!

 

[patclairesmom]

Driving down in May. It will be myself and my husband and my 2 11year olds. Thinking of leaving @3a.m from Central NJ and making it to Palm Coast. Does anyone know approx time we would get there? Thinking about 6pm My DD says why don't we just keep driving and get to Disney World that night, but I'm not sure.