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

[dvczerfs]

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.

 

[BC1836]

'Tis true. The drive is more than just part of the journey. Flying and driving are both modes of transportation, but the drive to WDW is particularly unique. Sure, it takes more time. But at least you can go to the bathroom during your last hour on the road by just pulling in to the next rest stop or gas station or fat food joint (unlike new int'l airline rules)!

All the best.

 

[3girls4me05]

I posted this on another thread but realized it is sticy thread and doesn't get much traffic. So I am driving down in a few weeks for the first time with my children.
My parents recommended this route. I am leaving from north of Boston at 4am on a Friday. Plan to stay somewhere (can I make it to South Carolina?) the first night and then continue to Orlando on Saturday. So how does this route sound?
84 to the NY/CT border, then 684 (goes around NY) White Plains to 287 which goes to the Garden St. Parkway to the Jersey Turnpike to 95

 

[lovemygrowingfamily]

New here.

We are making our first trip in 18 days. I have read a lot on here and how to make our trip bareable.

Anyone drive from Minneapolis straight through to DW? What routes do you go?

We are leaving from Grand Forks,ND and know that it is 5-6 hours to the cities with 1 potty break and depending on the weather. We will leave 6 pm Friday night and check in is on Sunday. We are looking for a easy way since this is our 2nd trip out of state (once to the black hills). The trip should be around 3600 miles round trip according to AAA.

ALso are there any must stop at restraunts along the way?

Thank you

 

[Tricia1972]

New here.

We are making our first trip in 18 days. I have read a lot on here and how to make our trip bareable.

Anyone drive from Minneapolis straight through to DW? What routes do you go?

We are leaving from Grand Forks,ND and know that it is 5-6 hours to the cities with 1 potty break and depending on the weather. We will leave 6 pm Friday night and check in is on Sunday. We are looking for a easy way since this is our 2nd trip out of state (once to the black hills). The trip should be around 3200 miles round trip according to AAA.

ALso are there any must stop at restraunts along the way?

Thank you

Are you planning on driving straight through the night both on Friday and Saturday nights, or are you panning on driving to MSP on Friday night, and then leave MSP Saturday morning?

I just checked google maps and it looks like the trip is about 29 hours. I would probably priceline a hotel just south of MSP (I am assuming you'll take I35 down, if you take I94 through Wisconsin, I'd shoot for Woodbury/Hudson) Drive there, and then leave around 6am on Saturday morning, which should put you in the Orlando area around 10am on Sunday (allowing at least 4 hours for stopping along the way)

I'm not even sure that you're suggesting this, but driving through the night for two nights seems excessive to me, especially since this is only your second road trip. Perhaps others have previously had positive experiences traveling through the night for two nights with two drivers (one who is expecting - congratulations by the way) and five little ones. To me it seems like the dangers would outweigh the benefits.

 

[lovemygrowingfamily]

I drive 7 nights a week 1 am until 8 am all alone so I am used to being up at night. DH will drive during the day. we plan to stop to eat and let the kids stretch for at least 30-60 minutes every 2-3 hours during the day. Maybe stopping for a few hours somewhere in Tennessee.

We have thought about stopping at one of our siblings house for the night in Minneapolis but that means no peaceful driving for me. Plus that leaves time for bad weather stops that i hope we won't run into. We take I-29 down to Fargo the I-94 to the cities.

I"ve thought about going over to Chicago and down to Nashville or from MInneapolis through Rochester down through Iowa over to Nashville but since this is our 2nd trip out of state I was wondering what most people take.

 

[disneylovin24]

New here.

We are making our first trip in 18 days. I have read a lot on here and how to make our trip bareable.

Anyone drive from Minneapolis straight through to DW? What routes do you go?

We are leaving from Grand Forks,ND and know that it is 5-6 hours to the cities with 1 potty break and depending on the weather. We will leave 6 pm Friday night and check in is on Sunday. We are looking for a easy way since this is our 2nd trip out of state (once to the black hills). The trip should be around 3200 miles round trip according to AAA.

ALso are there any must stop at restraunts along the way?

Thank you

WOW...That's a long trip!!!!

 

[disneyfan55]

I posted this on another thread but realized it is sticy thread and doesn't get much traffic. So I am driving down in a few weeks for the first time with my children.
My parents recommended this route. I am leaving from north of Boston at 4am on a Friday. Plan to stay somewhere (can I make it to South Carolina?) the first night and then continue to Orlando on Saturday. So how does this route sound?
84 to the NY/CT border, then 684 (goes around NY) White Plains to 287 which goes to the Garden St. Parkway to the Jersey Turnpike to 95

Yes, you do want to avoid NYC and 287 will do that. It actually goes to the NJ turnpike without going on the parkway.

 

[eeyoresmom]

We are driving from central MA in April. Leaving home about 4pm and will hit NYC around 8pm. I'm thinking of staying on 95 for the way down.On the way home however, we may be hitting NYC around 6pm.This is a Saturday, but end of school vacation week in NE so I KNOW ther'll be heavy traffic. Should we plan on going over the Tapanzee on the trip home? I guess I'm wondering if traffic is heavy on 95 will the Tappanzee route be better? TIA

 

[disneyfan55]

We are driving from central MA in April. Leaving home about 4pm and will hit NYC around 8pm. I'm thinking of staying on 95 for the way down.On the way home however, we may be hitting NYC around 6pm.This is a Saturday, but end of school vacation week in NE so I KNOW ther'll be heavy traffic. Should we plan on going over the Tapanzee on the trip home? I guess I'm wondering if traffic is heavy on 95 will the Tappanzee route be better? TIA

In all my experience driving to MA from NJ, the Tappanzee has always been fine. Our last trip, pulling a trailer the GPS took us through NYC It was a nightmare. We took the tappanzee back home-no problem and it was similar milage! Not quite as many tolls either! I avoid NYC at all costs.

 

[shafke]

We are driving from central MA in April. Leaving home about 4pm and will hit NYC around 8pm. I'm thinking of staying on 95 for the way down.On the way home however, we may be hitting NYC around 6pm.This is a Saturday, but end of school vacation week in NE so I KNOW ther'll be heavy traffic. Should we plan on going over the Tapanzee on the trip home? I guess I'm wondering if traffic is heavy on 95 will the Tappanzee route be better? TIA

I avoid 95 through the Bronx at all costs. This road can be backed up at any time of day from the GW Bridge all the way through about New Rochelle. 6PM on a saturday I would definitely go the alternate route.

 

[soontobewed07]

So what is the route one should take from Boston?

We are leaving at 4pm so I figure we will hit NY around 9pm or so is it ok to stay on 95 or should we be re routing ourselves? We will be driving thru the middle of the night so I am thinking there shouldn't be much traffic unless we hit construction?

 

[3girls4me05]

So what is the route one should take from Boston?

We are leaving at 4pm so I figure we will hit NY around 9pm or so is it ok to stay on 95 or should we be re routing ourselves? We will be driving thru the middle of the night so I am thinking there shouldn't be much traffic unless we hit construction?

I am far from an expert since this is the first time myself but my parents have made this trek several times. I am also leaving at 4am from about 10 miles north of Boston. I am taking this route (which was confirmed on here as a good idea) This takes you around NYC and on the Tappan Zee.

84 to the NY/CT border, then 684 (goes around NY) White Plains to 287 which goes to the Jersey Turnpike to 95

 

[Calle&Jakesmom]

Last trip we left southern NH around 3:00am on Saturday. We went 95 straight through NYC and the GW Bridge. That time of day- must have been around 7:30/8:00am- we had no problems or delays. So for those of you who will be going south around this time of day- on a weekend- it shouldn't be a problem.

HOWEVER, on our way back we took the same route which put us going into NYC and over the GW bridge at about 6:00pm on Saturday: that was a whole different experience! We sat in tons of traffic forever and crawled across the bridge. It was sooo frustrating !

Here's what we learned... Heading south there is no toll over the GW. Heading north there is a toll, which causes traffic to slow down! In the future (this Feb!! ) we will go 95 over the GW bridge on the way there and as long as it it isn't during "rush hour" - it seems to be the most direct route- ,but on the way back we will take the Tappenzee to avoid traffic & toll slow down.

 

[soontobewed07]

Ok So it sounds like we might be ok just heading down 95 the whole way since we will be leaving at night time.

Every time you all give advice I write on a note pad so I can have all of my tips and tricks in one place .

We are so close I can't wait

 

[hoverpumpkin]

I am also going to be driving down from Boston in July, with my partner Patrick. We are no strangers to long drives, and although previously our longest trek together was from Washington, DC to Atlanta, I have also driven from Indianapolis to Wyoming for an archaeology dig. It's a good thing I really love road trips!!

I have never driven to WDW before, only flown, but in my 20s I have developed an insane paranoia about planes. So, that combined with several other factors means we have to drive. We will probably be stopping for two nights on the way down - once in Pennsylvania, to sleep for a while and drop our cats off with my mom, and once in Asheville, NC. We'll also stop in Washington, DC to visit some friends.

We generally plan routes that may not be the most straightforward way but are significantly more pleasant for us. For instance, we will avoid New York City (going on 84 through CT and the Pocono Mountains of PA) and the entirety of 95, choosing instead to drive down the long arm of Virginia, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, to hit Asheville (which we love) and go on from there. We will add about 200 miles and 7-8 hours by doing it this way, and it might be longer, but it is considerably more enjoyable. Patrick does the bulk of the driving and it is less stressful for him to be on roads like 84, 81 and PA-209.

I, however, am still wondering when to leave! I'm not sure if we should leave in the morning or the evening. I figure if we leave in the evening, after rush hour, we should be at my mother's house around 1 or 2 AM. We could sleep there and jet off early the next morning to stop in DC - a short 4 hour drive and we'd be there for lunch, then 8 more hours and we'd hit North Carolina maybe by 11 PM. The next morning we'd do a ten hour block and be in Orlando hopefully by check-in time around 4. (We'll be staying at the Universal Royal Pacific for the Harry Potter conference for the first 5 nights, then switching to the Polynesian for the Disney half of the trip.)

On the way home, to make leaving less painful, we will pass through and spend a night in the Great Smoky Mountains. It makes the long slog back a little easier.

Anyway, this was long and boring and I'm sure nobody read it, but it sure was helpful for me to type it all out!

 

[momtolots]

Sounds like a great drive. Although we drive from Canada, we, too, like, the Blue Ridge Pkwy through VA. It is beautiful, and the kids love stopping through the mtns and NC. I'm sure the drive and trip will be great.

 

[disneylovin24]

All of you New Englanders are lucky you can avoid NYC. Living on Long Island you have to drive around the city someway There's pretty much 3 routes, the BQE (poor horror!!! the highway itself is bumpy and traffic there is always) the Cross Bronx (not a bad highway, just another place where you ALWAYS experience traffic) or you can drive straight through Manhatten

 

[pilferk]

I posted this on another thread but realized it is sticy thread and doesn't get much traffic. So I am driving down in a few weeks for the first time with my children.
My parents recommended this route. I am leaving from north of Boston at 4am on a Friday. Plan to stay somewhere (can I make it to South Carolina?) the first night and then continue to Orlando on Saturday. So how does this route sound?
84 to the NY/CT border, then 684 (goes around NY) White Plains to 287 which goes to the Garden St. Parkway to the Jersey Turnpike to 95

We drive down from NW CT and that's EXACTLY the route we take. Works like a charm. To avoid even more traffic (and, quite frankly, we find it quicker) you can also pick up the Sawmill Parkway on 684. It gets you right back to 287, but we find it's a bit quicker (saves us 15 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic).

We typically leave around noon, and pull in to northern NORTH CAROLINA hotel stop about 10:30 or 11 PM. You're leaving about 8 hours earlier, but are also about 3 to 4 hours further north. I think South Carolina (as in: South of the Border area) might be pushing it...do-able, though. It would be a LONG drive that first day...and a relatively short one the 2nd day.

I avoid NYC like the plague pretty much all times (except VERY late at night/early in the AM)....with your driving times (you'd probably hit NYC around 10 AM), I think the route you're working with is definitely going to be your best bet.

 

[DoctorK]

Google maps wants us to take Route 15 from Western NY through PA and connect to 81. It seems like (from Rochester, NY) taking the Thruway to Syracuse and taking 81 from there is the faster way.

Isn't 15 a little po-dunk road? Maybe in the summertime... but taking it in the winter sounds like it could really slow things down.

Any thoughts or experiences?