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

[dvczerfs]

Last year, we drove from just north of Philly to WDW, but we broke it up into two days of driving. If we come this year, it will probably be a shorter trip, which means we will try to drive it straight through.

For those of you who drive from up here, how long did it take you from door to door averaging around, say, 70 mph. We will make as few stops as possible. We won't drive thru the nite... we'll just leave REALLY early... around 3am. Thanks!!

hi disney tigers, im in the lehigh valley. we leave at 3:30am and we hit old key west at 7:30-7:45pm. i go 78-81-66-17-95. 17 is not an interstate im only doing 55-60, the rest of the trip im in the left lane. if there doing 70,im doing 70. if there doing 80 im doing 80. it works out well. im a rep so im on the road alot and use to driving in traffic. good luck and drive safe.

 

[bookwormde]

We have flown the last few time due to the SW $50-60 fare but when we do it is about 15 hours and we leave at about 11pm (from nothern DE). I set the cruse control at about 8 over. We make maybe 3-4 quick stops and one 20 minute "meal" stop.

bookwormde

 

[dvcfamily41801]

Last year, we drove from just north of Philly to WDW, but we broke it up into two days of driving. If we come this year, it will probably be a shorter trip, which means we will try to drive it straight through.

For those of you who drive from up here, how long did it take you from door to door averaging around, say, 70 mph. We will make as few stops as possible. We won't drive thru the nite... we'll just leave REALLY early... around 3am. Thanks!!

We drove from Bucks Co. last April and we left around 7pm and we pulled into Earl of Sandwich at 11:43 am. We stopped to switch drivers a couple times and some drive through McDonalds and breakfast.

The way home we did stop over in Fredericksburg, VA. We left Downtown Disney around 11:00 am and got to the hotel around 9:00 pm. We stopped and ate lunch and stopped at a pizza place for dinner and then we finished up the last 5 hours the next morning. All of our family is in the Baltimore area so we feel once we get to that point we are all but home so it is not bad.

We are kicking around driving in July since airfare is expensive now. We are driving to HHI in a couple of months so maybe we will see for sure after that trip if we are up for an additional 5 hour ride a few months later. Since we do the overnight drive, it is not a problem. We usually switch drivers in NC and then again in GA . My husband starts the drive since I can't do DC. Im scared of that area LOL! It really has not been that bad. The first time we drove to WDW several years ago, I had a total melt down in Virginia because we had stopped and stayed overnight in Wilson, NC and the drive the next day was just waaaaay to long. I was ready to get home by that point. So going farther into Virginia and only having about 3 hours until we reach "home" in Baltimore was great!

Hope you have a great trip and safe travels!

 

[gandycat]

Our round trip is just about 2,000 miles. We leave in two weeks, this will be the 5th trip for my 9 yo and the 4th for my 6 year old. We also drive to Boston from PA almost every year, it's only 1,400 miles RT but it sure has made my kids adventerous travelers

 

[disneyfan55]

Our round trip is just about 2,000 miles. We leave in two weeks, this will be the 5th trip for my 9 yo and the 4th for my 6 year old. We also drive to Boston from PA almost every year, it's only 1,400 miles RT but it sure has made my kids adventerous travelers

You have to try cross country!! We did it for the first time when my son turned 6 in 1986!! We drove from NJ to CA in 1986, 1988 and 1989 our 2 children. We did it alone in 2003, 2004 and 2005!! Love the planning and visiting the many National Parks etc.(as well as DL on 2 trips)

 

[dvczerfs]

You have to try cross country!! We did it for the first time when my son turned 6 in 1986!! We drove from NJ to CA in 1986, 1988 and 1989 our 2 children. We did it alone in 2003, 2004 and 2005!! Love the planning and visiting the many National Parks etc.(as well as DL on 2 trips)

disneyfan, how long did that take??? did you go int80?

 

[disneyfan55]

disneyfan, how long did that take??? did you go int80?

The 6 trips totalled about 3-4 weeks each. We would pretty much drive a long day on the first 700-900 miles then slow down to maybe 500-600 for the second (you gain 1 hour each day driving west!) then really start the sightseeing etc. I had planned route/places to stay each day. In the 80's it wasn't as easy to locate all the info. For the first trip I picked a few points along the way that we always wanted to visit - The Alamo, Carlsbad Caverns, Grand Canyon DL (of course) Sequoia NP, Rocky Mountain NP, 4 corners, Mt Ruchmore. I looked at the map and plotted the course that allowed for other sites to fit in (I had a 50 states book)

Getting back to your question, Yes we have driven on I 80 (I actually think I 70 is a better ride) for portions of the trip between NJ and Chicago area. Most times we either went up north to 90 (more of the sites we wanted to see as well as less traffic) On the 6 trips I think 80 was the one interstate we used on either a west or east drive for that portion. A couple times we drove through NB as well. We really never drove the same east/west route on the same trip either. On NP we visited on all but 1 was Rocky Mountain NP in CO, I think my favorite overall. I love the area and mountains!! We have been to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Badlands, Olimpic, Redwood, Kings Canyon, Mesa Verde, Shennandoah, Smokey Mountain, Black Gunnison, Devils Tower, Wind Cave Saguaro, Zion, Bryce to name some of the most known. There are MANY along the routes cross country as well as many little neat places like Wall Drug Store and the Corn Palace in SD!! SD is really a neat state along with Mount Rushmore, Wind cave, badlands and Deadwood there is a lot to see!! Devil's Tower is about an hour away as well!! Just so you know we have done many east coast shorter trips and concentrated on the midwest and mostly the mountain west for the cross country trips. Any other questions, please ask. It's so much fun to plan and plot the trips. I actually make binders now for the trip with coupons/info in each divider. I contact each state and many smaller towns for all their free info as well as the National Parks and put the info along with place to stay and route in the binder. It's a lot of fun.

 

[dvczerfs]

The 6 trips totalled about 3-4 weeks each. We would pretty much drive a long day on the first 700-900 miles then slow down to maybe 500-600 for the second (you gain 1 hour each day driving west!) then really start the sightseeing etc. I had planned route/places to stay each day. In the 80's it wasn't as easy to locate all the info. For the first trip I picked a few points along the way that we always wanted to visit - The Alamo, Carlsbad Caverns, Grand Canyon DL (of course) Sequoia NP, Rocky Mountain NP, 4 corners, Mt Ruchmore. I looked at the map and plotted the course that allowed for other sites to fit in (I had a 50 states book)

Getting back to your question, Yes we have driven on I 80 (I actually think I 70 is a better ride) for portions of the trip between NJ and Chicago area. Most times we either went up north to 90 (more of the sites we wanted to see as well as less traffic) On the 6 trips I think 80 was the one interstate we used on either a west or east drive for that portion. A couple times we drove through NB as well. We really never drove the same east/west route on the same trip either. On NP we visited on all but 1 was Rocky Mountain NP in CO, I think my favorite overall. I love the area and mountains!! We have been to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Badlands, Olimpic, Redwood, Kings Canyon, Mesa Verde, Shennandoah, Smokey Mountain, Black Gunnison, Devils Tower, Wind Cave Saguaro, Zion, Bryce to name some of the most known. There are MANY along the routes cross country as well as many little neat places like Wall Drug Store and the Corn Palace in SD!! SD is really a neat state along with Mount Rushmore, Wind cave, badlands and Deadwood there is a lot to see!! Devil's Tower is about an hour away as well!! Just so you know we have done many east coast shorter trips and concentrated on the midwest and mostly the mountain west for the cross country trips. Any other questions, please ask. It's so much fun to plan and plot the trips. I actually make binders now for the trip with coupons/info in each divider. I contact each state and many smaller towns for all their free info as well as the National Parks and put the info along with place to stay and route in the binder. It's a lot of fun.

wow, very cool! one day, when dd is out of school and on her own, i would like to drive west and end up at dl.a person i work with did it in 3 days but i would like to see a few things on the way. mainly mt.rush., grand can. would be the big ones. what time of year would be the besst time? im thinking spring or fall.

 

[disneyfan55]

wow, very cool! one day, when dd is out of school and on her own, i would like to drive west and end up at dl.a person i work with did it in 3 days but i would like to see a few things on the way. mainly mt.rush., grand can. would be the big ones. what time of year would be the besst time? im thinking spring or fall.

The 3 (should have been 4, our car was broken into in Council Bluffs Iowa on the way out in 1987 and we turned around and came home since that day we were supposed to drive to Colorado and it was Father's day. We came home and fixed the window and drove to WDW!) trips in the 1980s were when my kids were from age 6-almost 12 (2 kids) and they still talk about all the places, sights and states they visited. In fact when we were in a restaurant the other day my grandson had a children's menu with 8 places to plot on the map. His mother, my daughter now 32, not only said were they all were. She finished the sentence with and I went to every one at least once!! They were: Statue of Liberty, Grand Canyon, St. Louis Arch, Mt Rushmore, Alamo, Washington Monument, Golden Gate Bridge and Old Faithful!! It is a great thing to be able to do when the children are growing up. Aside from the cross country, we visited MANY national historic sites on the east coast and national Parks.

When the children came on the 80s trips we left the day after school got out near the end of June and came back in July. We went the end of Sept/beginning of Oct in 2003, August in 2004 and mid Sept through Mid Oct for the last trip. I was remarried in 2005 and the trip was our honeymoon (not all the way cross country-furthest west was western MT) we also stayed a week at a dude ranch at the end of their season for about 650 each for a week. Unheard of price for a dude ranch!! Any other questions, please ask!! I almost love the talk of planning these trips more than planning WDW. Not as much to plan there!!

 

[dvczerfs]

The 3 (should have been 4, our car was broken into in Council Bluffs Iowa on the way out in 1987 and we turned around and came home since that day we were supposed to drive to Colorado and it was Father's day. We came home and fixed the window and drove to WDW!) trips in the 1980s were when my kids were from age 6-almost 12 (2 kids) and they still talk about all the places, sights and states they visited. In fact when we were in a restaurant the other day my grandson had a children's menu with 8 places to plot on the map. His mother, my daughter now 32, not only said were they all were. She finished the sentence with and I went to every one at least once!! They were: Statue of Liberty, Grand Canyon, St. Louis Arch, Mt Rushmore, Alamo, Washington Monument, Golden Gate Bridge and Old Faithful!! It is a great thing to be able to do when the children are growing up. Aside from the cross country, we visited MANY national historic sites on the east coast and national Parks.

When the children came on the 80s trips we left the day after school got out near the end of June and came back in July. We went the end of Sept/beginning of Oct in 2003, August in 2004 and mid Sept through Mid Oct for the last trip. I was remarried in 2005 and the trip was our honeymoon (not all the way cross country-furthest west was western MT) we also stayed a week at a dude ranch at the end of their season for about 650 each for a week. Unheard of price for a dude ranch!! Any other questions, please ask!! I almost love the talk of planning these trips more than planning WDW. Not as much to plan there!!

wow, that is a life long gift you gave your kids. im 44 and my parents passed away when i was 16 and 17 and after all these years, i remember our family trips. we drove on all of them and even as an adult i drive on everyone. my dad once told me flying is no way to vacation, you miss out on alot when you get into a plane. again, that is great gift you gave your kids and no one can take that away from them. i admire you!!

 

[disneyfan55]

wow, that is a life long gift you gave your kids. im 44 and my parents passed away when i was 16 and 17 and after all these years, i remember our family trips. we drove on all of them and even as an adult i drive on everyone. my dad once told me flying is no way to vacation, you miss out on alot when you get into a plane. again, that is great gift you gave your kids and no one can take that away from them. i admire you!!

Thanks! Yes, I realize how much they learned by going. The WDW were fun and they still like to go best with me!! We, in fact are all going in Feb. My daughter, her son, and my son!! It should be fun. We will be driving there as well. When we flew to WDW for their Band performance in 1995, both kids missed the ride to WDW. There is something about it!! On almost all the trips 2003 and before (except a couple where we stopped outside Atlanta to visit relatives on the way) we drove straight through!! Yes, your dad was right!!! With driving, you do see everything along the way! That's why I research the cross country trips and find little places along the way to stop even if it's just for a picnic lunch. Oh, by the way, we broght most food with us especially snacks, drinks and sandwich fixins. The cross country trips became quite cost efficient!

 

[disneymom3]

wow, that is a life long gift you gave your kids. im 44 and my parents passed away when i was 16 and 17 and after all these years, i remember our family trips. we drove on all of them and even as an adult i drive on everyone. my dad once told me flying is no way to vacation, you miss out on alot when you get into a plane. again, that is great gift you gave your kids and no one can take that away from them. i admire you!!

My dad used to say the exact same thing! Guess that's why we are all on this long drive thread, huh?

We just love everything we see when we drive. The kids love the old standbys (there is an airport in IL that looks really awesome at night, the gum we smell as we pass the Wrigley's factory, the hospital where Daddy went to Starbucks etc.) and the new sights as well. We live in a really wonderful country and we love being able to see how vast and different it is from place to place.

And about that Starbucks....it's in a hospital to the east of the freeway at the second Paducah, KY exit as you head south on 57. Dh has them all mapped out if anyone is in need! We have a GPS now so that is taken care of.

 

[sharadoc]

Last year, we drove from just north of Philly to WDW, but we broke it up into two days of driving. If we come this year, it will probably be a shorter trip, which means we will try to drive it straight through.

For those of you who drive from up here, how long did it take you from door to door averaging around, say, 70 mph. We will make as few stops as possible. We won't drive thru the nite... we'll just leave REALLY early... around 3am. Thanks!!

I think we do about 17 hours of driving, so you'll probably make it into WDW around 8 pm if you just do potty breaks and driver switch. We try to draft behind the trucks, so we do at least the speed limit, and usually keep it at the recommended 7 mph above the limit to stay "under the radar".

We won't do the straight-through because we don't want to feel wiped out or stressed when we get there. We, the adults, could probably crash right away. But we don't think the kids could follow our schedule.

In August, we got stuck in the "bumper to bumper" for the entire state of Virginia, so we were actually on the road around 17 hours and only got to Walterboro SC. We think that means we COULD do straight through, but it would be hard for me to handle.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

Hi again everyone! We are at 95 days until our trip (which means 93 until we leave, lol) and we are thinking of driving straight. We will leave after the kids get out of school (at least by 4pm) and I will drive while DH sleeps, then we will switch. We might leave a little earlier, we need to check out the maps again (we did this two years ago, but we stopped in North Carolina)...

 

[BC1836]

Last year, we drove from just north of Philly to WDW, but we broke it up into two days of driving. If we come this year, it will probably be a shorter trip, which means we will try to drive it straight through.

For those of you who drive from up here, how long did it take you from door to door averaging around, say, 70 mph. We will make as few stops as possible. We won't drive thru the nite... we'll just leave REALLY early... around 3am. Thanks!!

Indeed, it can be done in a day. We've done it twice and you've got about an hour's head start on us.

The key: leave very, very early on a weekend. Three a.m. is a good time to leave. We did our last straight-through drive in June of 2009. We left the Jersey Shore (not to be confused with an MTV reality show of the same name!) at 3:22 a.m. and made it to WDW by 8:01 p.m. (gas and bathroom stops only). In May of 2008 we departed at 4:45 a.m. and made it to WDW by 7:31 p.m.

All the best.

 

[Calle&Jakesmom]

Just booked the HoJo Inn & Suites in Newark, DE for our stop on the way down. I'd like to have gone a little farther south, but it seems like once you cross over into MD and near Baltimore the hotel rates jump up quite a bit. This will be about a 6 hour drive from home and we're hoping to leave around 3:45 on Friday (or as soon as we can get the kids off the school bus and into the car!). It looks like from Newark, DE it will be about 14/15 hours to Lake Buena Vista. I think that's pretty do-able for our day of driving on Saturday.
Cant wait!!!

 

[soontobewed07]

Hi again everyone! We are at 95 days until our trip (which means 93 until we leave, lol) and we are thinking of driving straight. We will leave after the kids get out of school (at least by 4pm) and I will drive while DH sleeps, then we will switch. We might leave a little earlier, we need to check out the maps again (we did this two years ago, but we stopped in North Carolina)...

We are leaving at 4pm from Boston and planning on driving thru the night DH is use to night driving as am I so DS 2 will sleep and we will drive until we just cannot take it anymore. I haven't booked a hotel yet and I am thinking I won't. DS should wake by 8am if all goes well so I am thinking he can handle 4 hours in the car. We may just make it in one swoop if we do I am going to book The Holiday inn Maingate east and hit up Seaworld with the extra cash!

Just booked the HoJo Inn & Suites in Newark, DE for our stop on the way down. I'd like to have gone a little farther south, but it seems like once you cross over into MD and near Baltimore the hotel rates jump up quite a bit. This will be about a 6 hour drive from home and we're hoping to leave around 3:45 on Friday (or as soon as we can get the kids off the school bus and into the car!). It looks like from Newark, DE it will be about 14/15 hours to Lake Buena Vista. I think that's pretty do-able for our day of driving on Saturday.
Cant wait!!!

YaY another Boston Driver

 

[edbo77]

I'm in the same boat as you guys - we're leaving Boston around 4PM but we have a hotel in VA about 30 minutes past DC so I figure we'll get there a bit after midnight. See you on the road!

 

[disneylovin24]

About 2400 miles round trip drive for me! The last couple of years we've been doing it straight through and it took us about 21-22 hours. We take I-81 to I-73 then back onto 95 in South Carolina from long island. This year we're going back to our old way of doing it. Leaving at 4 in the morning and drving down to Georgia spending the night then being only 5-6 hours from WDW in the morning We're alittle bit more rested when we don't drive straight through. Coming home though we can never predict what we do. We just do what we feel like, sometimes we stop, sometimes not.

 

[disneylovin24]

wow, that is a life long gift you gave your kids. im 44 and my parents passed away when i was 16 and 17 and after all these years, i remember our family trips. we drove on all of them and even as an adult i drive on everyone. my dad once told me flying is no way to vacation, you miss out on alot when you get into a plane. again, that is great gift you gave your kids and no one can take that away from them. i admire you!!

Same thing my dad always tells me! He says that half of the vacation is all of the fun we have driving, which is pretty true.