For those folks driving!

[floreksa]

Hi Everyone! for those who drive from New York (Long Island) or up north area.

Do you do the drive in one day, or do you stop and do an overnight somewhere. If you do stop along the way where do you stop? Which state?

I'm trying to figure out the driving plan, I don't know what time I should leave since it would be the first time driving to FL I'm a little.

We've driven from Western MA 2x now. We always stop in Santee, SC.

Our 1st time down we left at 9pm and went 95 all the way so that we were hitting NYC/DC during the overnight hours. Driving completely overnight that 1st night was a little rough and the hotel didn't want to check us in when we got there around noon.

Last time we left at 3am, but did 84,81,77 route. Got into Santee, early evening.

Makes for about a 6hr ride to Disney the next day if I remember correctly.

We're flying for this trip, but only because we're checking in the day after Thanksgiving and I found flights for $200 round-trip.

 

[mwehttam]

Hi Everyone! for those who drive from New York (Long Island) or up north area.

Do you do the drive in one day, or do you stop and do an overnight somewhere. If you do stop along the way where do you stop? Which state?

I'm trying to figure out the driving plan, I don't know what time I should leave since it would be the first time driving to FL I'm a little.

We are from Rockland County NY and drive down every summer. We have two little ones, DS is 7 and DD is 3.

We tend to break up the drive. I like to leave after work on Friday and drive to below DC and stop for the night. The next day we will drive to Savannah, about 7-8 hours. Then, finally, it is only 4 hours to WDW from Savannah.

We take this long due to the age of the kids. I remember when DS was about 9 mo he was DONE after 8 hours in the car and he let us know that very loudly.

As they get older we will start to driver more and reduce the days. This year we plan on getting to Jacksonville on the main day instead of Savannah so we are only 2 hours from WDW.

We have also taken the AutoTrain one way a couple of times but that is getting more and more expensive.

 

[trishie30]

We've done the drive many times and have sometimes stopped, sometimes gone straight through. Just recently we drive down and stopped in Savannah, which is a great spot because there are plenty of hotels and places to grab something to eat. If you have a pet with you, there are also places to stay that will allow your pet. From there you have about 4 hours left to WDW. We leave at 5 am from home and with stops we usually arrive in Savannah at 8. The key is to time it so you avoid the rush around DC, which ususally lasts from about 6 am - 9am. Now on the way home, we drove straight through and made it in 17 hours (we're at exit 114 off the Garden State Parkway in NJ). Good luck with your drive!

 

[DIS kid at heart]

We just drove it from NJ last week. On the way down we went straight through from 6:45pm-10:15am with stops for gas, pee & bfast. This worked well with our DS2 because he slept from 9-6:30. Only problem was our room wasn't ready yet. On the way home we left in the morning and stopped in Lumberton, NC for the night. The way back took us almost 3 extra hours! A lot of that was the DC area...overnight was much better if you can handle it!!

 

[AndrewBarnard]

It good to visit these kind of places, going to adventure or new mystery places is good and interesting but safety comes first so you need to be very careful while driving.

 

[crazelion]

I drive the whole 10 hours by-self with 3 kids and mom. We do gas stops and rest stop breaks. We get to the hotel at night. I let kids play in the hotel pool until bedtime.

 

[DT83097]

Hi everyone!
We are roadtrippin' this summer as well. Driving from Central, Illinois to WDW. We are leaving on a Friday morning, staying the night in Chattanooga, TN that night, and finishing our trip the next day.

This will be, by far, the longest roadtrip our kids have ever been on (the longest before this being about 9hrs.) Hopefully the planning we're putting into ahead of time will make it go as smoothly as possible

We are driving down for first time in 2 weeks from Southern Michigan! DH has made trip to Orlando Convention Center twice for work so he's a little familiar with route. Planning to leave early Sat. morning and get south of Atlanta before stopping for night and finish the rest of drive Sunday morning. Depending on # of stops for food / bathroom we hope to get to resort by 2:00pm. We did Michigan to Colorado last year and kids did pretty well so hoping this will be the same!

 

[mickeymyfavorite]

coming from NY what do you think is the cost to drive gas, tolls...etc?

Any good tips?

 

[dawz1026]

We drive every year from Hicksville NY! We found the best way to do it is leave Sat around 6am and drive to Jacksonville for the night. We make it there in 15 hours exactly so we have so unwinding time and teh next day it is only a 2hr drive. We have always rented a mini van from Budget and used X474200 code. Lat year the discount was close to 500 bucks. This next trip we leave Nov 28 and prices are much higher. It is very doable and easier if you enjoy shopping when you are there so you don't have to worry about plane fees etc. Any q's feel free to PM me.. oh gas and tolls is around 350 round trip!

 

[LuvEeyore]

Is there anyone who has driven from the Roanoke, VA area that has gone 220 through to Greensboro and on to Florence, SC? Wondered if it was any faster than driving to Winston-Salem and through Charlotte before connecting to I77. Thanks!!

This is the way we go to the beach. Be careful going through Greensboro as it can be confusing. The difference is splitting hairs from home. I am driving for the first time in January and am trying to decide which route to take. I am not worried about Greensboro because I am familiar with the road. Both Routes are boring but both have plenty of places to stop and good rest areas.

 

[LuvEeyore]

I am looking for places to stop off I- 95 from Florence to Orlando to eat. Any Suggestions.

I am also looking for a Sheraton(Starwood) to stay at on Starwood points less than 2 hours from Universal Studios off of I 95 or I 4. Any suggestions

Thanks

 

[babesboo99]

Thank you dawz1026. We are coming from Albany, NY and we are driving down and we were thinking of renting a car . Do you make arrangements months ahead of time or do you try to rent right before you go? we have driven before we just want the relaxation of not putting the miles on our car if we can help it..Are there any other rental places that might be good?

 

[NADINENURSE]

Dawn, I lived in Bellmore we are practically neighbors , I too am renting a car. Any extra insurance should I purchase, or just go with my own ? Thanks

 

[pha1226]

We drive every year from Hicksville NY! We found the best way to do it is leave Sat around 6am and drive to Jacksonville for the night. We make it there in 15 hours exactly so we have so unwinding time and teh next day it is only a 2hr drive. We have always rented a mini van from Budget and used X474200 code. Lat year the discount was close to 500 bucks. This next trip we leave Nov 28 and prices are much higher. It is very doable and easier if you enjoy shopping when you are there so you don't have to worry about plane fees etc. Any q's feel free to PM me.. oh gas and tolls is around 350 round trip!

Holy crap, Dawz, you just saved me a ton of money!!! I've been shopping for a minivan rental for our roadtrip for weeks and haven't found anything under $700 (for 10 days, renting off airport). I just booked from Budget with your code for $480. Where is that code from?

 

[dbramer]

Holy crap, Dawz, you just saved me a ton of money!!! I've been shopping for a minivan rental for our roadtrip for weeks and haven't found anything under $700 (for 10 days, renting off airport). I just booked from Budget with your code for $480. Where is that code from?

Wow. I just priced a minivan for 10 days, using that code, over 500.00 less. I may have to reconsider using our own van for the drive down and back. The free roadside assistance could be a godsend. also.

 

[mickeymyfavorite]

Dawn, I lived in Bellmore we are practically neighbors , I too am renting a car. Any extra insurance should I purchase, or just go with my own ? Thanks

I grew up in Merrick. Went to Mepham, small world! (no pun intended)

 

[ToyStory3]

Any suggestions for a hotel/motel off of i95 in the Savannah area? We like to go the bulk of the trip the first day so we can get there by lunch on the second day. We stopped in Savannah last time and it worked out well. Something inexpensive but clean and with a continental breakfast. Thanks!

 

[disneyfan55]

Any suggestions for a hotel/motel off of i95 in the Savannah area? We like to go the bulk of the trip the first day so we can get there by lunch on the second day. We stopped in Savannah last time and it worked out well. Something inexpensive but clean and with a continental breakfast. Thanks!

We have stayed a number of times at Days inn Port Wentworth Ga. Exit 109 on I95. Clean and decent price and breakfast and not far from Savannah

 

[Rvillediser]

Hi there. We plan on driving our daughter down from the Chicagoland area (for DCP - she wants her car with her). We plan on driving straight thru, leaving on Wed. Aug. 13. What time would be best to leave to avoid Atlanta rush hour? Thanks!!!!

 

[jsdeforge]

Any tips from my NJ disney friends would be much appreciated. We will be leaving the south jersey area on a Sunday late in September. We will be traveling with my DW DS DS DD the kids are 8 year old triplets and do very well on long trips. I would really like to make it as far as possible on day one maybe even straight trough. Whats time should I leave? Any food stop recommendations? Driving straight through good idea bad idea? Thank u in advance