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

[TheTXTaylors5]

Texan here :wave

We have yet to make the drive, but we probably will for our future trips. We are a family of 4 now, and we are also interested in staying offsite and renting pool homes. So we will be looking forward to packing up the van and making the trip. We love road trips, so this will be fun for us.

2314 miles round trip from Plano, Texas!

Congratulations on your upcoming little one. My DD5 was born at Presbyterian Hospital of Plano. It is a great trip from TX to FL. However, driving through Alabama is VERY boring. I forewarn you, make sure to gas up at or before Mobile. Also, no Starbucks in sight. We had to wait until the FL Turnpike for DH's caffeine fix.

- Jennifer

 

[tazleiten12]

We drive over 2500 miles round trip! With 3 kids, we don't like to drive straight through. We make one stop on the way there and one stop on the way back.

 

[digskat]

Excited for the drive this year, just leased a 2008 Pontiac Montana Extended van. There will be way more room then the Ford Escape!!

 

[goofyernmost]

Man, some of you folks are exhausting me just reading about it. I also love road trips, but, I will not drive straight through under any circumstances. Why? Because I figure that I am going to waste one day anyway once I get there catching up on my rest and also because it is really unsafe to be on the road that long without rest. Why do you think the DOT prohibits truck drivers from driving continuously.

I know many do it, but, for me I would rather stay home then not be able to enjoy the adventure. IMHO straight through driving is just an endurance display. I love the south and, as it is, you see very little of it from high speed highways. None of it traveling at night. I can't speak for the other highways, but, on I-95 at night all you see are the grills, rear bumpers and sides of 18 wheelers.

No, I'll pull in at night, watch a little TV, get some much needed rejuvenating sleep and hit the road again in the morning. That way I can smile the entire trip.

 

[BC1836]

I-95 at night all you see are the grills, rear bumpers and sides of 18 wheelers.

Indeed! Very true about those nighttime views of "grills, rear bumpers and sides of 18 wheelers." However, I still want to try a "straight through" drive, although I have yet to do one even after ten round trips. We made a 990 mile trip last Dec. from home to Palm Coast before checking in to a hotel. Close but not quite close enough to Exit 67!

The key factor for us is day light. If we return in late May to WDW (when daylight is abundant) and depart at, say 4:30 a.m., it's quite possible that we can make it all the way with just a couple of nightime hours of driving---and seeing those "grills, rear bumpers and sides...."

All the best.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Man, some of you folks are exhausting me just reading about it. I also love road trips, but, I will not drive straight through under any circumstances. Why? Because I figure that I am going to waste one day anyway once I get there catching up on my rest and also because it is really unsafe to be on the road that long without rest. Why do you think the DOT prohibits truck drivers from driving continuously.

Yeah, there is no way we could do straight through, either. My DH has sleep apnea and needs a good night sleep, or I would be terrified we'd end up on the evening news. And if you drive all night, do you end up sleeping all day the next day?

From Texas we plan to stop in the Pensacola area and then drive the last 6 or so hours so we get to Orlando rested and ready to go.

By then we definitely plan to have a DVD player in the van. I only wish those were around when I was a kid!

 

[loribell]

Man, some of you folks are exhausting me just reading about it. I also love road trips, but, I will not drive straight through under any circumstances. Why? Because I figure that I am going to waste one day anyway once I get there catching up on my rest and also because it is really unsafe to be on the road that long without rest. Why do you think the DOT prohibits truck drivers from driving continuously.

I know many do it, but, for me I would rather stay home then not be able to enjoy the adventure. IMHO straight through driving is just an endurance display. I love the south and, as it is, you see very little of it from high speed highways. None of it traveling at night. I can't speak for the other highways, but, on I-95 at night all you see are the grills, rear bumpers and sides of 18 wheelers.

No, I'll pull in at night, watch a little TV, get some much needed rejuvenating sleep and hit the road again in the morning. That way I can smile the entire trip.

Well since we had two drivers it really was not dangerous for us. My husband slept while I drove & I slept while he drove. And when we checked in to our resort we went and took showers, were at the MK for our 8:00 am breakfast, left the park about 12:30, went back to the resort and swam for a few hours, had dinner and then went back to our room and went to bed about 9. We had a full day. Got a great nights sleep on our first night of vacation, which we never do, and woke up raring to go the next morning. It was probably the best first day we have ever had.

I am not saying it is for everyone but it worked out great for us. We had a nice relaxing drive back home and got to see all the scenery then.

 

[Harley-Mouse]

grills, rear bumpers, & sides of 18 wheelers Sound good to me. This is the only way for me to go. this will be our first drvie to WDW we did HHI 3 time and made it with on problems. WDW will we about 5 more hours drive But I do all the driving. On a normal day I get up At 6:45 - 7:00 a.m. get kids to school do some house work then go to work. I get home around 1:15 am watch some TV go to bed at About 2:30 a.m. When I work a double I leave the house 6:30 a.m get home 1:15 a.m. and start the day again in the a.m.
I work a lot of doubles so the drive down is like a day of work with some thing good at the end of the day WDW!!!!!!!!
Driev all night get a room in Orlando go to pool eat get to bed at 11:00 pm and move over to AKV early the next day.

Like a nother Jeresy guy said Live while i'm alive sleep when i'm dead!!
John Bon Jovi

 

[MinMouse]

Excited for the drive this year, just leased a 2008 Pontiac Montana Extended van. There will be way more room then the Ford Escape!!

You may want to verify the van you have. We have a Montana and Pontiac stopped making them in 2006. If they are still making them I'd love to know . . . we love our 1999!

 

[BC1836]

MinMouse noted the phrase "Been there. Done that. Can't wait to go back!" We agree! That played-out phrase applies to so many things but not WDW. We're already talking about our 11th 2,000+ round trip drive to WDW since 2002.

BTW: This thread topped its 10,000th view!

 

[MinMouse]

MinMouse noted the phrase "Been there. Done that. Can't wait to go back!" We agree! That played-out phrase applies to so many things but not WDW. We're already talking about our 11th 2,000+ round trip drive to WDW since 2002.

BTW: This thread topped its 10,000th view!

Yup! We've got the license plate. Done the drive a few less than you all --- 7 times here with the first also being in 2002. Embarrassed to say our next trip is a flyer . . . fares went down to $59 each way yesterday. I know we'll miss the ride down but not the ride home. Really enjoying this thread though!

 

[BC1836]

Yup! We've got the license plate. Done the drive a few less than you all --- 7 times here with the first also being in 2002. Embarrassed to say our next trip is a flyer . . . fares went down to $59 each way yesterday. I know we'll miss the ride down but not the ride home. Really enjoying this thread though!

Fifty-nine dollars each way is hard to resist. Hopefully it's not an American Airlines flight!
Have a thoroughly enjoyable time!

 

[MinMouse]

Fifty-nine dollars each way is hard to resist. Hopefully it's not an American Airlines flight!
Have a thoroughly enjoyable time!

Thanks for the well wishes! It's a Southwest flight . . . hopefully they resolved their issues a few weeks ago. One of the reasons DH likes to drive is he feels "in control" . . . we can stop, take a different route, have a meal, etc. I'm hoping it's worth the deal though!

 

[BC1836]

The latest Travel Channel program about WDW and DL that was on tonight at 9 pm. was so good that we're ready to drive tomorrow morning!

[But we'll have to wait until next month....]

 

[GoofTroop]

Well since we had two drivers it really was not dangerous for us. My husband slept while I drove & I slept while he drove. And when we checked in to our resort we went and took showers, were at the MK for our 8:00 am breakfast, left the park about 12:30, went back to the resort and swam for a few hours, had dinner and then went back to our room and went to bed about 9. We had a full day. Got a great nights sleep on our first night of vacation, which we never do, and woke up raring to go the next morning. It was probably the best first day we have ever had.

I am not saying it is for everyone but it worked out great for us. We had a nice relaxing drive back home and got to see all the scenery then.

It takes us about 18 hours to get there. We tend to leave around 5:00pm, drive for 2-3 hours, stop for dinner, the kids then watch a couple movies, and are asleep for the night. DH and I take turns driving throughout the night. Kids tend to wake up around 6:00am at which time we'll stop for breakfast and freshen up. Then it's about 11:00am when we arrive at WDW.

Typically we just take it easy on arrival day (depending on how the kids are doing) but typically they a raring to go. We'll hang out at the resort, maybe go to DTD, and have an early dinner. We did purchase an extra park day ticket this time in case the kids want to go to a park for a couple hours. But, we are usually back at the resort right after dinner (5:00pm ressies at Chef Mickey's) for showers then bed, meaning everyone is usually in bed by 8:00pm that first day.....Then we're all recouped from the long drive down.

I LOVE the drive....Even with five kids (ages 14, 11, 10, 7, and 2, almost 3). Our last drive was was almost two years ago, the youngest was 13 months old. My biggest fear is that this might be difficult with him this time around. He doesn't like sitting long.....

Elizabeth

 

[BC1836]

A new week is upon us and gas prices continue to rise nationwide as the price of a barrel of crude oil reaches yet another all-time high. Any 2,000+ mile drivers rethinking forthcoming plans?

 

[Maverick Mike]

Three months from tonight we will be pulling out of the driveway for another 2,000 mile roadtrip to WDW! I can't wait! The anticipation is killing me! Now that the weather is turning warmer here, it really feels like the vacation is getting closer.

Yeah, gas is going to be expensive, but it is worth it for the memories. I love the drive down, love the vacation, and coming home, we get so much time to talk about planning our next trip!

 

[Tammysue5]

We drove down from Northern Ill last year for our first WDW vacation. WE LOVED IT! It is pretty much straight through. We left about 3pm and arrived in WDW about 1pm. 2 meals, Supper and Breakfast. We just booked our 2nd WDW vacation two days ago and after much discussion, the whole family unanimously chose to drive again. Me DH, DS19, DS17, DD9, DD6. They will again take the x-box and game cube... play games on the way.... take a few movies (some for everyone and some for the boys after the girls fall asleep.

We had a good snicker when ever we saw the "Bare All" signs on the way! DD8 and DD5 kept talking about the signs.... DD8 helped us out... when DD5 ask what that meant... DD8 said she thought it was something like "fuzzy wuzzy was a bear..." I nodded and smiled and said 'Yeah, something like that.! Anyway the kids will have to work between two DVD players so they can either play movies or games. I am happy they actually want to spend that much time in one vehicle together!!! Well, it is good that we have a large vehicle... (Denali XL) well for that reason anyway... the gas will be something... but we just plan that expense in .

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I still consider dropping into one of those 'Bare All' places for breakfast sometime. No nefarious reason, just want to watch them fry bacon.

Slightly Goofy (and a bit more)

 

[Tammysue5]

I still consider dropping into one of those 'Bare All' places for breakfast sometime. No nefarious reason, just want to watch them fry bacon.