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

[BC1836]

We had to cancel our upcoming WDW trip. Still, it's good to know that when you drive you don't have the problems associated with cancelling airline reservations.

[All the best to all veterans on this Memorial Day!]

 

[Flyerfan]

We are from PA and usually drive. We stop somewhere in South Carolina for the night going down and on the way back in Virginia. For the next trip we are thinking of driving straight through but only for the trip back to PA. It is only DH and I, no kids so I think we could do it. We usually leave our resort early, usually around 5am. I know there are many out there who drive without stopping for the night so I'd like to hear from you. Is it really as bad as I'm imagining it?

 

[aarmando20]

We have drove in the past from Philadelphia and went straight through with 2 drivers. It isn't that bad as long as the 2nd driver sleeps when not driving. We are leaving in just over 2 weeks and now have a 3rd driver so we will drive straight through again.

 

[mjones73]

It's not bad at all, we've done it twice now from about an hour south of where you are with no problems. Make sure you take turns, and the other one of you gets some sleep when they can.

We like to leave early evening for the trip down, stop for dinner somewhere south of DC then I'll drive while my wife gets some sleep and we'll switch off in the middle of the night. We typically leave after lunch on the return trip and again stop somewhere to eat up in South Carolina then drive for awhile before switching off again. It typically is a 15-16 hour drive including meals and rest stops, I'm starting about 60 miles south of you so figure another hour or so.

 

[homesick187]

We drive 2544 miles roundtrip at least once a year. Lately it's been twice a year. It takes us about 20 hours if we drive straight through taking turns. It's a long drive but the end is worth it.

 

[sharadoc]

Thank you for the suggestion...after looking at both routes, we are going to try the 81-77-26-95 route, hoping to avoid some traffic since we can't change the times we are leaving.

Does this route take you through the mountains? I HATE driving along a mountain, especially with switchbacks. We've considered this route but I wanted to hear about some actual experiences.

Thanks,

 

[jondvl]

Where did you find the information on the AAA website? I looked and unless I am really stupid I did not see it.

Also, where did you get the Flyers Avatat? I am a Devils fan and I could use one of those.LOL

 

[WI_DisneyFan]

Where did you find the information on the AAA website? I looked and unless I am really stupid I did not see it.

I know you didn't ask me, but I thought I could help anyway. From their main page, look under the "Travel" heading (you'll see a picture of an airplane). The second from the bottom is Directions & Maps — TripTik®.

Here's a link if you want to save a few steps...

TripTik®

It does take a little bit of playing around to use it, but once you figure it out it is pretty simple.

 

[Flyerfan]

Where did you find the information on the AAA website? I looked and unless I am really stupid I did not see it.

What WI Disneyfan said On my screen there is a graphic on the right side of the screen for the triptik planner. Yours may look different.

Also, where did you get the Flyers Avatat? I am a Devils fan and I could use one of those.LOL

Ya know, I don't remember Sorry, I really don't

Answers in bold

 

[dvczerfs]

We are from PA and usually drive. We stop somewhere in South Carolina for the night going down and on the way back in Virginia. For the next trip we are thinking of driving straight through but only for the trip back to PA. It is only DH and I, no kids so I think we could do it. We usually leave our resort early, usually around 5am. I know there are many out there who drive without stopping for the night so I'd like to hear from you. Is it really as bad as I'm imagining it?

hi flyer fan!! we leave okw at 3:30am.(we normaly get up at 4am so its no big deal) we take int4 than 95 north. you will hit south of the boarder by 10:30am. we take 17 in vir. and than int66, than 81 to 78. we are home by 7:30 pm. my dw drive part of n.car. but i drive the rest. im an outside rep. so i do alot of driving for my job. dw wont get into a plane, and we always drive. the way down, we stop in s.car. and leave the following morning bt 3:30am.(cant sleep anyway)

 

[Muhlenberg]

Does this route take you through the mountains? I HATE driving along a mountain, especially with switchbacks. We've considered this route but I wanted to hear about some actual experiences.

Thanks,

That route does go along the mountains, but it's not bad...just a little curvy/hilly....speed limit is still 65. Probably the worst part of it is coming down out of the mountains on 77 (I think) in the VA/NC area. It's really a nice route.

We're driving down in Sept., and tacking on a side trip to Boca Raton. I haven't figured that part of it out yet.

We drove straight through to WDW last August right before Faye...and trying to GET there before she hit (successfully) and only hit 20 minutes of rain. We took the 81-77-26-95 way.

I might add that we left at about 2 PM and would have hit the DC area at the wrong time but it got us there before Faye. We were, however, WAY too early to check into a room.

 

[treeface]

We are from PA and usually drive. We stop somewhere in South Carolina for the night going down and on the way back in Virginia. For the next trip we are thinking of driving straight through but only for the trip back to PA. It is only DH and I, no kids so I think we could do it. We usually leave our resort early, usually around 5am. I know there are many out there who drive without stopping for the night so I'd like to hear from you. Is it really as bad as I'm imagining it?

We usually drive straight through on our way home and did at Christmas. Although we live in northern IN, it's about the same amount of time. We left OKW at 5:45 am and were in our house at 11:30 pm. We stopped only four times, me, DH and DS7. We had about 1.5 hours of stopped time, had a couple lines for gas and things. We almost always drive straight through on the way home and leave first thing in the morning. It saves a night in the hotel plus we are always excited to get back home to our pets we had to leave.

 

[BC1836]

Besides the obvious, like state borders, what places along the drive to WDW indicate that you are "getting there?"

For us, it's passing Lake Marion in SC. It means that GA is less than an hour away.

 

[dvczerfs]

Besides the obvious, like state borders, what places along the drive to WDW indicate that you are "getting there?"

For us, it's passing Lake Marion in SC. It means that GA is less than an hour away.

passing south of the boarder and the worst part is the drive from jaacksonville to the disney exit! we always seam to go alittle faster on that leg of the trip!!

 

[marius97]

Seven days and counting until our first overnight drive How should I get ready? As a stay at home dad, I'm a bit flexible on what I can do. Should I sleep every last possible minute between now and when we leave to be well rested? Or should I try to bump back my own bedtime as late as possible to get my body more used to being up that late?

Yes I am aware of the issues with driving all night and we have a good plan to deal with them.

 

[sharadoc]

the worst part is the drive from jacksonville to the disney exit! we always seem to go a little faster on that leg of the trip!!

You are so right! I HATE that part - it feels like I'm in some generic city and no where near Disney World. We just try to concentrate on I-4, and ignore Jacksonville as much as we can!!!

 

[FreezinRafiki]

Seven days and counting until our first overnight drive How should I get ready? As a stay at home dad, I'm a bit flexible on what I can do. Should I sleep every last possible minute between now and when we leave to be well rested? Or should I try to bump back my own bedtime as late as possible to get my body more used to being up that late?

Yes I am aware of the issues with driving all night and we have a good plan to deal with them.

In experience working swing shifts in college, you would be better off trying to change your sleep schedule. Unfortunately, the way a human body works, you can't "bank up" sleep.

 

[M2DD's]

Do most of you drive non stop or do you stop at a hotel over night to sleep. We live in Illinois and have about an 18 hour drive. We drove over christmas and we stopped both ways to sleep at a hotel. It seemed to take us forever to get there and back. Were leaving next wk and talked about just driving down there as oppose to stopping over night to sleep.
How does it work for my fellow disers to drive straight through?

 

[dvczerfs]

Do most of you drive non stop or do you stop at a hotel over night to sleep. We live in Illinois and have about an 18 hour drive. We drove over christmas and we stopped both ways to sleep at a hotel. It seemed to take us forever to get there and back. Were leaving next wk and talked about just driving down there as oppose to stopping over night to sleep.
How does it work for my fellow disers to drive straight through?

we have a 16 1/2 hour trip. we stay over on the way down but non stop coming home. it seem over the years, the more you do it the better it is. we use to drive non stop, 5pm till we got there but than you are dead tired when you get there and sleep anyway. so we stop on the way down and non stop on the way home.

 

[dvczerfs]

You are so right! I HATE that part - it feels like I'm in some generic city and no where near Disney World. We just try to concentrate on I-4, and ignore Jacksonville as much as we can!!!

it seems when you hit I4, it is the longest 40 miles you will ever drive.(by brother lived on annete drive in limerick!)