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

[BC1836]

YAY - join the club! Isn't driving a wonderful thing!

We think that it's time for us to start considering out first WDW drive of 2010 because membership in this "club" requires active participation!

 

[MinnieTink]

Yes - we have done it a few times now, and the average is 12 hours from PA\Allentown area. That's using 81\77\26\95 route, including stops for gas, eating, and "kid stops".

Our last trip in August, we left at 4am, and arrived in the Savannah area just after 4pm. We like to get 4-6 hours of driving in before the kids even wake up.

Thank you! And how long from Savannah to Disney?

(we usually leave around 3:30 am as well and the kids usually sleep til Va. )

 

[cruisingkat]

The family (me, DH and DS9) will be driving to WDW from just north of Omaha, NE. We leave on Friday, May 28th at 3pm. DH won't be home until 2:45 from work, so we have a leave time of 3. We are checking into Disney on the 30th. Any tips, info, routes, drive times....would be sooooooo appreciated! We drove to South Padre Island last summer and had a blast! Google maps has us going through Atlanta - kinda scared of that! Just looking for info and support for this trip! Thanks!!

Going through Atlanta at any time other than rush hour is no problem. You can stay in the HOV lane. We actually find driving throgh Atlanta much easier than navigating I-24 through Nashville. You have to keep switching lanes as three different interstates connect and disconnect.
What is your routing?

 

[rotlex]

Thank you! And how long from Savannah to Disney?

(we usually leave around 3:30 am as well and the kids usually sleep til Va. )

Takes us roughly 4-5 hours to get from Savannah to Disney. That includes a breakfast stop. That leg of the trip usually goes pretty quick for us, as once we hit Florida, the excitement starts to REALLY build!

The last two trips, we left Savannah around 6am, and got lucky enough to have our rooms ready when we arrived at our hotel. (Sometime between 11 and 12). If the room isn't ready, have our swim suits packed in an overnight bag, and hang out at the pool until it is.

Getting excited now. Trip is still 6 months away, and I can't wait!!!!

 

[disneyfan55]

Takes us roughly 4-5 hours to get from Savannah to Disney. That includes a breakfast stop. That leg of the trip usually goes pretty quick for us, as once we hit Florida, the excitement starts to REALLY build!

The last two trips, we left Savannah around 6am, and got lucky enough to have our rooms ready when we arrived at our hotel. (Sometime between 11 and 12). If the room isn't ready, have our swim suits packed in an overnight bag, and hang out at the pool until it is.

Getting excited now. Trip is still 6 months away, and I can't wait!!!!

Yes, we have been stopping in Port Wentworth just outside Savannah the past 3 trips. We have stayed just off exit 109 and it's a nice Days Inn. It's about a 15 min ride to Savannah, if you want to drive just to check it out. Also, DON'T forget to stop at the Fl welcome center! OJ or Grapefruit juice and a lot of info there.

 

[rotlex]

Yes, we have been stopping in Port Wentworth just outside Savannah the past 3 trips. We have stayed just off exit 109 and it's a nice Days Inn. It's about a 15 min ride to Savannah, if you want to drive just to check it out. Also, DON'T forget to stop at the Fl welcome center! OJ or Grapefruit juice and a lot of info there.

Yep, we ALWAYS stop at the Florida welcome center. It's kind of become a ritual for us, LOL.

 

[disneyfan55]

Yep, we ALWAYS stop at the Florida welcome center. It's kind of become a ritual for us, LOL.

Yes, it's a major thing for us. It lets you know for sure you're almost to WDW!

 

[jog58]

So hubby and I decided this year for various reasons to take the drive down to WDW from Massachusetts [the South Shore]

He did the Disney College program and has done the 20 hours drive in one shot by himself and he think together we can definitely do it in a straight shot. Our only question is when we should leave. We are thinking of getting home from work on Friday April 23rd around 4:30p and doing one of two things. Nap for a few hours [maybe until 8 or 9] and leave then. Or get a few more hours and sleep until 1am or so and then start the drive. We would leave right after work but it seems like the time we will spend in traffic in Rhode Island is best spent sleeping, not to mention that around 9:45p we are both dragging and ready for bed.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions or concerns would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Becky2005]

So hubby and I decided this year for various reasons to take the drive down to WDW from Massachusetts [the South Shore]
Or get a few more hours and sleep until 1am or so and then start the drive.

My vote is for the 1 am depature time. You will be more rested and even if you are a bit tired, as the sun starts coming up it will make you more awake (maybe that's just me). Traffic will be really light then too. We have done it many different ways and our favorite is getting up early and heading out.

I'm not coming from the same area but it seems to work the same most places.

 

[Marshay]

Yes, we have been stopping in Port Wentworth just outside Savannah the past 3 trips. We have stayed just off exit 109 and it's a nice Days Inn. It's about a 15 min ride to Savannah, if you want to drive just to check it out. Also, DON'T forget to stop at the Fl welcome center! OJ or Grapefruit juice and a lot of info there.

Yep, we ALWAYS stop at the Florida welcome center. It's kind of become a ritual for us, LOL.

Yes, it's a major thing for us. It lets you know for sure you're almost to WDW!

It haven't been to the FL Welcome Center since the 80s. I remember getting the OJ as a kid, picking up brochures of the attractions and seeing all the palm trees.

Is there anything else? (besides restrooms, of course)
- picnic tables, playground, running space, gas, food, vending machines?

Thx

 

[disneyfan55]

It haven't been to the FL Welcome Center since the 80s. I remember getting the OJ as a kid, picking up brochures of the attractions and seeing all the palm trees.

Is there anything else? (besides restrooms, of course)
- picnic tables, playground, running space, gas, food, vending machines?

Thx

Yes, it's a big rest stop with tables, dog area, plenty of running space, vending machines and loads of travel info. There isn't real food or gas. It's a rest stop so none of that.

 

[dvczerfs]

So hubby and I decided this year for various reasons to take the drive down to WDW from Massachusetts [the South Shore]

He did the Disney College program and has done the 20 hours drive in one shot by himself and he think together we can definitely do it in a straight shot. Our only question is when we should leave. We are thinking of getting home from work on Friday April 23rd around 4:30p and doing one of two things. Nap for a few hours [maybe until 8 or 9] and leave then. Or get a few more hours and sleep until 1am or so and then start the drive. We would leave right after work but it seems like the time we will spend in traffic in Rhode Island is best spent sleeping, not to mention that around 9:45p we are both dragging and ready for bed.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions or concerns would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

i agree with becky2005

 

[jog58]

Thanks for your answer guys!

 

[sharadoc]

We think that it's time for us to start considering out first WDW drive of 2010 because membership in this "club" requires active participation!

As good a reason as any!!

 

[BC1836]

As good a reason as any!!

Any reminder by sharadoc is always welcome!

 

[Calle&Jakesmom]

It haven't been to the FL Welcome Center since the 80s. I remember getting the OJ as a kid, picking up brochures of the attractions and seeing all the palm trees.

Is there anything else? (besides restrooms, of course)
- picnic tables, playground, running space, gas, food, vending machines?

Thx

They still have the OJ & lots of brochures. They also have something new (I think)- see photo:

I don't remember seeing this sign last year at the rest area. I wonder, if it's new, if they wanted to cut down on the # of people who slow down on 95 to take a photo of the welcome to FLA sign.??.?.

 

[Tanooki]

So we made it back home last night.
We left Clermont Monday morning around 6am, spent the night in Roanoke, VA (Country Inn and Suites, very nice big suite for 6, with breakfast) and arrived home in Montreal (close, it's a suburb) around 9pm.

While we went down I-95 all the way because we traveled during a weekend, we went the 26-77-81-88 way coming home because we wanted to avoid traffic around DC and NYC since it was during the week this time. This worked out perfectly. We never had any problem with traffic or road work. My youngest son (2) had a bit of a hard time with ear pressure while going through the mountains and I have to say that the scenery made absolutely no difference to me so I can't say that I'm really partial to one or the other itinerary. I guess we'll continue to choose depending on what day we travel.

Because yes, we will probably do this again
We have a cruise booked in December and we are seriously considering getting there by car now

It's so much more affordable that 6 plane tickets and a rental minivan...

All in all, a very nice experience. Tiring, but still nice.

Thanks to everyone on the Transportation board! Your comments and suggestions were precious and helped to make our trip a success!

 

[Marshay]

They still have the OJ & lots of brochures. They also have something new (I think)- see photo:

I don't remember seeing this sign last year at the rest area. I wonder, if it's new, if they wanted to cut down on the # of people who slow down on 95 to take a photo of the welcome to FLA sign.??.?.

That's a great sign and a must-have photo for our scrapbook! Thanks for posting!

Do any of you remember a playground at the FL WC? I'm guessing it doesn't have one since no one has mentioned it...but just wanted to double-check.

 

[BC1836]

Our roundtrip flight to Texas is over. Ah, the "joys" of limited packing, early airport arrivals, $100 extra for 1 checked bag each roundtrip, security checks, waiting, the overhead bin battles, airline "food," airplane seats, exiting the plane, waiting for luggage, etc.

We are so ready for our next drive to WDW.

 

[Calle&Jakesmom]

That's a great sign and a must-have photo for our scrapbook! Thanks for posting!

Do any of you remember a playground at the FL WC? I'm guessing it doesn't have one since no one has mentioned it...but just wanted to double-check.

No playground. In fact, I don't recall ever seeing a playground at any of the rest areas (good idea though!). There is a small picnic/grassy area that would suffice to let the kids get out and run around.