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

[Kazzy1548]

Hi everyone,
We are planing our first drive down this August. We are planing to drive from Montreal. We want to drive it in 2 days, stopping overninght at a hotel. However, we don't know if it will be better to book a hotel ahead of time or just wing it and drive the most hours the first day and stop when we are tired. If booking is the way to go, where do you recommend us to stop, which hotel...
Thanks in advanced.

 

[ge0rgette2]

Hiya all

I'm sorry I didn't post when we got to WDW - but had no internet access.

Our drive was okay - we left LI, NY Saturday at 1pm or so - arrived in Rocky Mount NC at 215am - stopping at a brand new Ctry Inn and Suites - was awesome - slept about 5 hours, ate their great breakfast and left towards WDW.. arriving about 530pm.

We did hit traffic in NJ, Maryland and DC all due to the wonderful winter storm blowing thru the eastern states. VA was okay to drive thru - snowy and roads were clear so we made up some good time.

Only construction was a little bit in GA - mostly car accidents and on the way back home to LI yesterday there was a big traffic jam in SC as a tractor trailer crashed into a car and landed into the woody area off the shoulder. This stopped traffic for a good bit of time - as well in Jersey.

Other than that - it was our first time driving and we would do it again ... We were able to add another nite to our reservation and having driven allowed us to do so.

So all in all was a nice ride .. wish I didn't have to come back!

Best of luck in your travels and Happy New Year!

Georgette

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

We live in Indiana and will be making the 2,000+ mile roundtrip drive to WDW in October. We drove (straight-thru!) in 2000, 2001 and 2002 but have flown down every trip since 2003. With the cost and hassle (and fright!) of flying we decided to drive instead. We plan to take 2-days down and 2-days back for the roadtrip.

Note to self - buy new tires for the vehicle!

 

[disneymom3]

I can't believe I have entirely missed this thread for however long. We drive from MN everytime we go. This trip we are takind a different route. Sorry to any WI folks but we are SO sick of driving through the Dells it might kill us to do it again. So, we are heading straight down Interstate 35 all the way to Des Moines and then cutting over to St Louis etc. Looking forward to a straight shot down at over 70 instead of wending our way through hills and having to watch carefully for WI Highway patrol who have a rep for not liking MN drivers.

We are going in three weeks and then DH is driving home alone and the kids and I are staying a bit longer and then flying. THAT will be a different experience! Our kids are now 8, 9 and 13. The first time we drove with them they were 1, 2 and 6. It is so much easier now!!

 

[dvczerfs]

I can't believe I have entirely missed this thread for however long. We drive from MN everytime we go. This trip we are takind a different route. Sorry to any WI folks but we are SO sick of driving through the Dells it might kill us to do it again. So, we are heading straight down Interstate 35 all the way to Des Moines and then cutting over to St Louis etc. Looking forward to a straight shot down at over 70 instead of wending our way through hills and having to watch carefully for WI Highway patrol who have a rep for not liking MN drivers.

We are going in three weeks and then DH is driving home alone and the kids and I are staying a bit longer and then flying. THAT will be a different experience! Our kids are now 8, 9 and 13. The first time we drove with them they were 1, 2 and 6. It is so much easier now!!

wow, how long of a drive is it from mn? i spent some time in apple valley mn.

 

[disneymom3]

It is about 1500 miles each way. Triple A says it should take approx 24 hours of travel time. But we never seem to make it in under 28 even after you subtract the night we stop on the way down.

We just about always leave in the late evening. DH does have to work the day we leave this year so he will come home and sleep for 4 hours or so. The kids I will go out to dinner and to the Y to swim and get energy out. Then we drive through the night. According to my crazy kids, this is an integral part of the trip. They don't actually sleep much but are very quiet and mellow and talk nonstop about the things that do happen in the night even if it's just stopping at a gas station. Then we stop somewhere south of Atlanta--that all depends on when DH wants to stop. The following day we go the rest of the day to WDW.

We really enjoy the drive. (Except for the Dells as I mentioned!) We listen to books on CD, do Mad Libs, the kids play games involving roadsigns and license plates and all the old standbys and we just have a nice relaxing time being in charge of our own transportation. I am actually more nervous about flying home with the kids by myself than I was about our first plan which was for me and the kids to drive home while DH flew. Just weird that way I guess!

 

[Tricia1972]

I can't believe I have entirely missed this thread for however long. We drive from MN everytime we go. This trip we are takind a different route. Sorry to any WI folks but we are SO sick of driving through the Dells it might kill us to do it again. So, we are heading straight down Interstate 35 all the way to Des Moines and then cutting over to St Louis etc. Looking forward to a straight shot down at over 70 instead of wending our way through hills and having to watch carefully for WI Highway patrol who have a rep for not liking MN drivers.

We are going in three weeks and then DH is driving home alone and the kids and I are staying a bit longer and then flying. THAT will be a different experience! Our kids are now 8, 9 and 13. The first time we drove with them they were 1, 2 and 6. It is so much easier now!!

Our trip is in three weeks too! Driving from Central WI, so there is no way for me to skip driving through WI. (Our troopers don't even like us here )

Just a word of caution, because I am not sure how much you've driven through Iowa, but they can be pretty sticky about the speed limit too.

 

[dvczerfs]

It is about 1500 miles each way. Triple A says it should take approx 24 hours of travel time. But we never seem to make it in under 28 even after you subtract the night we stop on the way down.

We just about always leave in the late evening. DH does have to work the day we leave this year so he will come home and sleep for 4 hours or so. The kids I will go out to dinner and to the Y to swim and get energy out. Then we drive through the night. According to my crazy kids, this is an integral part of the trip. They don't actually sleep much but are very quiet and mellow and talk nonstop about the things that do happen in the night even if it's just stopping at a gas station. Then we stop somewhere south of Atlanta--that all depends on when DH wants to stop. The following day we go the rest of the day to WDW.

We really enjoy the drive. (Except for the Dells as I mentioned!) We listen to books on CD, do Mad Libs, the kids play games involving roadsigns and license plates and all the old standbys and we just have a nice relaxing time being in charge of our own transportation. I am actually more nervous about flying home with the kids by myself than I was about our first plan which was for me and the kids to drive home while DH flew. Just weird that way I guess!

sounds have a great time.

 

[VictoriaT]

We always drive- no, scratch that, we flew once to WDW- on our honeymoon! Five airline tickets now each time to Florida is a bit much! I grew up with car trips myself in a family of 5, and now I have three of my own, it's no big deal! I enjoy car trips, and with 1100 miles each way, I get to enjoy lots of scenery!

 

[capecoddisneyfamily]

We will be driving our next trip (april vaca) and will be checking out on a saturday. Is the traffic getting out crazy on saturday mornings or should we skip out friday night? thanks

 

[BC1836]

We will be driving our next trip (april vaca) and will be checking out on a saturday. Is the traffic getting out crazy on saturday mornings or should we skip out friday night? thanks

It all depends on the weather and the day (a holiday or holiday eve increases traffic). Of course, if the Cape Cod area is your home try to avoid greater Manhattan/northern NJ Turnpike and greater DC during peak drive times.

We prefer a very, very early a.m. departure...but we're at the Jersey shore not Cape Cod.

Late Friday night may work if you/the driver is completely awake and alert: the pre-dawn experience after driving for hours in the dark can put some drivers into a content feeling that promotes sleep. Not a good situation.

Be sure you're right, then go ahead.

All the best in 2010.

 

[BC1836]

Well, 2009 is about to become history.

For us in 2009: four 2,000+ mile round trip drives to and from (and in!) WDW, for a grand total of 9,093 miles.

So for all who take to the road to get to WDW: Happy New Year!

See ya on the road, God willing, in 2010!

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

Well, 2009 is about to become history.

For us in 2009: four 2,000+ mile round trip drives to and from (and in!) WDW, for a grand total of 9,093 miles.

So for all who take to the road to get to WDW: Happy New Year!

See ya on the road, God willing, in 2010!

All the best.

 

[disneymom3]

Our trip is in three weeks too! Driving from Central WI, so there is no way for me to skip driving through WI. (Our troopers don't even like us here )

Just a word of caution, because I am not sure how much you've driven through Iowa, but they can be pretty sticky about the speed limit too.

Well, the deal with it being faster, we think, to go through IA is also that Interstate 35 is pretty much all 70mph. Dh really doesn't go more than 3 or 4 miles over the speed limit ever so we should be good. Thanks for the warning though! If it was me driving, we might have to worry!

 

[BC1836]

Who will be making the first 2,000+ mile round trip to WDW in 2010?
To be sure, several have posted that they drives coming up. But who will actually be the first? Let the countdown begin....

 

[disneyfan55]

Who will be making the first 2,000+ mile round trip to WDW in 2010?
To be sure, several have posted that they drives coming up. But who will actually be the first? Let the countdown begin....

We are leaving on Feb 4 from central NJ in 2 cars. I doubt we will be the first but that's when we leave.

 

[Tricia1972]

We leave on January 18th, but I doubt that we'll be the first either.

 

[vroomagain]

Who will be making the first 2,000+ mile round trip to WDW in 2010?
To be sure, several have posted that they drives coming up. But who will actually be the first? Let the countdown begin....

I don't know about roundtrip but we started our drive at 6 PM in New York and were on the road to Disney when New Year's hit! We left early to beat the weather and ended up at our first stop in N.C at 8 AM! Left this morning for our next St. Augustine stop to do some touristy things and we will be in WDW tomorrow!

This was or first trip and our longest at that. Something I learned- driving at night is awesome bc the kids are sound asleep in the car, less bathroom breaks and no traffic. The only thing disappointing is that during the night all of the attractions are closed.

Happy Traveling! -And to the Nebraskan with the 'Diz Knee' License plate- we saw you on 95!

 

[BC1836]

For those who ask why we (us and those on this thread) drive 2,000+ miles round trip to WDW, just read the titles of the threads on one or two pages of this TRANSPORTATION topic.

It's as easy as...

 

[soontobewed07]

We are all getting so close to our Disney Vacations.
Happy New Year and lots of Disney Magic to you all