For those folks driving!

[byejou]

HI Everyone,

We are driving from Massachusetts in June for our much needed WDW Vaca.

In the past we drive a straight 16 hours before we stop but I am thinking maybe we should cut that in half and stop a little sooner.

Does anyone know of a nice hotel that has easy access off 95 around Richmond VA or Emporia VA. Thank you. Any advice or suggestions would be welcomed.

We stayed at the LaQunita Kings Dominion, just north of Richmond. I believe it was $65 per night, nice room, good breakfast. There's also one south of Richmond may be cheaper but also nice hotel for price. As for Auto-train as posted previously, we took it last May and it was well worth price. May use it again this November!! Have a great trip!!

 

[flafan]

Thank you ByeJou

I am going to check it out. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer.
Have a great day!!!

 

[nono]

HI Everyone,

We are driving from Massachusetts in June for our much needed WDW Vaca.

In the past we drive a straight 16 hours before we stop but I am thinking maybe we should cut that in half and stop a little sooner.

Does anyone know of a nice hotel that has easy access off 95 around Richmond VA or Emporia VA. Thank you. Any advice or suggestions would be welcomed.

In Emporia, the Hampton Inn is good, right off the highway, and breakfast starts at 5:30 a.m. We were on the road by 6 a.m., and in WDW by 6 p.m., even with several stops along the .

Good luck deciding.

 

[tiredsportsmom]

We will be leaving Tennessee around 5am Friday, July 5th for our 15 night FL stay! it should be about an 11 hr drive but since DS6 is a LOUSY traveler it will take much longer! Hopefully we can drive 3 or 4 hrs before we stop for breakfast, thinking about packing a picnic lunch so hopefully we can find a rest area with a great view/playground for DS to run around for awhile.

Have his fun bag list made: tablet, leapster explorer & games, tag reader & books, dvd player & movies, coloring books & colored pencils, Also looking for car games to play!

I'm super excited and 5am July 5th can't get here fast enough!!

 

[flafan]

Have Fun tiredsportsmom. Sounds like you are well prepared

 

[Next2Disney1]

If you're driving south to Disney from anywhere on the East Coast, it's best to avoid I-95. Especially in metropolitan areas like NYC, NJ, Philly, Baltimore and DC.

In particular avoid during "rush hour" times which are 6-9AM and 4-7PM M-F.

It's best to pick up I-95 after Fredericksburg, VA and hop on I-295 to skirt around Richmond, VA.

After that you'll have smooth sailing and a nice max speed of 70MPH.

Happy driving!!

 

[mswhittaker]

Ok, driving MA to Disney World, with a teenager and a 2 year old.

We're analyzing which route to drive, but I'm curious on opinions on how to do it.

With the 2 year old, driving straight through leaving at dinner time seems appealing - 2 year old should sleep in the car seat all night, and two of us can split up the driving every few hours. We could make it down to Disney around dinner time the next day.

Alternatively, do we stop one night (Dunn Hampton Inn sounds nice) and risk him getting annoyed in the car seat each day...

Or do we split it over three days (two hotels), leaving at dinner time the first night, stopping around 1am, then driving a shorter day day 2, stopping around Savannah, and a short day day 3?

Opinions!? Anyone do this with a toddler? What's the easiest on them?

 

[des4lee]

If you're driving south to Disney from anywhere on the East Coast, it's best to avoid I-95. Especially in metropolitan areas like NYC, NJ, Philly, Baltimore and DC.

In particular avoid during "rush hour" times which are 6-9AM and 4-7PM M-F.

It's best to pick up I-95 after Fredericksburg, VA and hop on I-295 to skirt around Richmond, VA.

After that you'll have smooth sailing and a nice max speed of 70MPH.

Happy driving!!

I'm from NJ....is there anyway to pick up the highways your talking about from North Jersey?

 

[kerry34]

Ok, driving MA to Disney World, with a teenager and a 2 year old.

We're analyzing which route to drive, but I'm curious on opinions on how to do it.

With the 2 year old, driving straight through leaving at dinner time seems appealing - 2 year old should sleep in the car seat all night, and two of us can split up the driving every few hours. We could make it down to Disney around dinner time the next day.

Alternatively, do we stop one night (Dunn Hampton Inn sounds nice) and risk him getting annoyed in the car seat each day...

Or do we split it over three days (two hotels), leaving at dinner time the first night, stopping around 1am, then driving a shorter day day 2, stopping around Savannah, and a short day day 3?

Opinions!? Anyone do this with a toddler? What's the easiest on them?

We have done it both ways....I prefer the two day stopover but only if we have something fun planned to make it worthwhile, otherwise we just do the one night. Unless you have done it before with your toddler, you won't really know how he/she will handle the long duration ride. In any case when we have done the two day stopover, we left MA around 4 and drove the 84-81 route and stayed over in W.V, hit no traffic at all. Next day we continued on 81, picked up 77 to 26 and then 95 until Savannah on one of the trips, Jekyll Island for the other. We did some sight-seeing the next day and then it was a short ride to Orlando after that. When we drive one night we leave in the middle of the night and bypass NYC by way of Tappan Zee in NY and go the Garden State to Jersey Tpk, and down 95 and stopover in NC for the night, leave early next morning.

 

[vicki_c]

I'm from NJ....is there anyway to pick up the highways your talking about from North Jersey?

That person is here advertising their business (which I reported since that's not permitted).

As to your question, there are many here that drive from Jersey and can answer your questions about avoiding certain roads, if it's even reasonably possible.

 

[PrincessMom4]

Can't wait for my driving adventure (again) soon !!!!!!!!!!

 

[mainelyj]

For those who have done this trip before, which States are cheapest for gas? Or can someone help with a link that lists this already? Thanks.

 

[kerry34]

You can check out the gasbuddy website and it allows you to enter your route for your trip and it gives you approximations of where you will need to fill up based on your vehicle type and gives the gas stations that have the cheapest gas. I have not put this to the test as of yet so I can't speak for its accuracy. The gas is cheaper in the South generally, than the north. However if you are getting gas while at Disney fill up on Disney property as the Hess stations there have always been cheaper than other places.

 

[mainelyj]

You can check out the gasbuddy website and it allows you to enter your route for your trip and it gives you approximations of where you will need to fill up based on your vehicle type and gives the gas stations that have the cheapest gas. I have not put this to the test as of yet so I can't speak for its accuracy. The gas is cheaper in the South generally, than the north. However if you are getting gas while at Disney fill up on Disney property as the Hess stations there have always been cheaper than other places.

Thanks I will try this. I have the gas buddy Ap - but would like to prepare better for our gas ups vs winging it. Never thought to check their actually website. by the way, the Ap has never let me down.

 

[marius97]

Thanks I will try this. I have the gas buddy Ap - but would like to prepare better for our gas ups vs winging it. Never thought to check their actually website. by the way, the Ap has never let me down.

I love them for checking gas prices. I had it planned last year as to what cities/states to stop in. But as I neared E on the guage I realized that we were WAY short of our target...like 200 miles. This year I'm going to have to check what size tank and MPG they are using.

 

[atwmommy]

Ok, driving MA to Disney World, with a teenager and a 2 year old.

We're analyzing which route to drive, but I'm curious on opinions on how to do it.

With the 2 year old, driving straight through leaving at dinner time seems appealing - 2 year old should sleep in the car seat all night, and two of us can split up the driving every few hours. We could make it down to Disney around dinner time the next day.

Alternatively, do we stop one night (Dunn Hampton Inn sounds nice) and risk him getting annoyed in the car seat each day...

Or do we split it over three days (two hotels), leaving at dinner time the first night, stopping around 1am, then driving a shorter day day 2, stopping around Savannah, and a short day day 3?

Opinions!? Anyone do this with a toddler? What's the easiest on them?

Have you thought about sitting the trip between driving and the auto train? My aunt from MA does that a d it works well. We are taking it for the first time in August.

 

[mswhittaker]

Have you thought about sitting the trip between driving and the auto train? My aunt from MA does that a d it works well. We are taking it for the first time in August.

Briefly thought about it but not for us, thanks though!

 

[kasedroz]

We are driving from Central KY for our trip this year. This'll be the first time driving with both girls (first trip time was before youngest DD was born). We are driving through at night, leaving around 10ish. My only problem is how uncomfortable our girls will be sleeping sitting up. Many have suggested since we have a van to old down seats and make a bed for them that way. I'm not sure how I feel about doing this, for legal and safety issues. The people who have suggested apparently do it often and say its no different than them sleeping in a traveling camper or Winnebago. Any thoughts on the issue?

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[nono]

My kids recline a bit in their chairs in our van; they don't lay flat. So they are still belted in...and we put small suitcases on the floor in front of their chairs to make footrests. Really seems to help. Maybe that can be a "middle ground" for you?

 

[kasedroz]

My kids recline a bit in their chairs in our van; they don't lay flat. So they are still belted in...and we put small suitcases on the floor in front of their chairs to make footrests. Really seems to help. Maybe that can be a "middle ground" for you?

I can get behind this idea a lot easier than laying them in the back. We will definitely be doing this. Still hate that we are driving but if it goes horrible I know my DH won't want to do it again.