For those that drive from Massachusetts...

[michelleiada]

We are considering driving to WDW next year, in May. We have always flown but we are going for 2 weeks, with adult kids, and young grandchildren. My husband and I would drive and the kids would fly down and meet us there. I like the idea of packing whatever we need in the SUV, and having a car to hit up the grocery store. We are DVC members and stay in the larger villas so we have a full kitchen. So, for those of you that drive from Massachusetts, give me your best tips. How many hours do you do the first day? What time do you get on the road? Where do you stop along the way?

 

[hardcorestitch]

Which Disney hotel are you staying at?

 

[michelleiada]

Which Disney hotel are you staying at?

Right now, 5 nights in a grand villa at Animal Kingdom and 9 nights at Beach Club. The first 5 nights may change at 7 months out based on other availability. Beach Club won't change either way,

 

[FastPasser.]

I did it once and only once, never did it again. It was horrible.

 

[hardcorestitch]

Perfect.

I would knock out about 9-10 hours worth of driving sometime around 6 or 7am if possible. Your first stop will likely be somewhere in the Carolinas-maybe the Fayetteville or Florence areas. By your 2nd day, you should make it to Florida by sunset.

Although I would not recommend this route and I would still fly if it’s possible.

 

[mickey916]

We drive down from SE Mass. We leave at 3 am and make it to Santee SC in about 14 hrs. I highly recommend Fairfield Inn & Suites Santee. This makes for only a 6 hr drive the next day. If we don’t want to drive that long the first day sometimes we stay in Quantico/Stafford, VA at the Fairfield Inn before going to Santee.

 

[Giraffe_Zen]

Seriously, I agree with all that say just fly. You can still get groceries by having a delivery service bring the stuff to your hotel.

 

[Giraffe_Zen]

We are considering driving to WDW next year, in May. We have always flown but we are going for 2 weeks, with adult kids, and young grandchildren. My husband and I would drive and the kids would fly down and meet us there. I like the idea of packing whatever we need in the SUV, and having a car to hit up the grocery store. We are DVC members and stay in the larger villas so we have a full kitchen. So, for those of you that drive from Massachusetts, give me your best tips. How many hours do you do the first day? What time do you get on the road? Where do you stop along the way?

It's hard to say where to stop and how long it takes if everyone is giving estimates from different parts of MA. If you don't mind, what part of MA are you in?

 

[michelleiada]

Perfect.

I would knock out about 9-10 hours worth of driving sometime around 6 or 7am if possible. Your first stop will likely be somewhere in the Carolinas-maybe the Fayetteville or Florence areas. By your 2nd day, you should make it to Florida by sunset.

Although I would not recommend this route and I would still fly if it’s possible

We drive down from SE Mass. We leave at 3 am and make it to Santee SC in about 14 hrs. I highly recommend Fairfield Inn & Suites Santee. This makes for only a 6 hr drive the next day. If we don’t want to drive that long the first day sometimes we stay in Quantico/Stafford, VA at the Fairfield Inn before going to Santee.

This is more what I was thinking. Leave at 3 am. Drive 15 hours. Sleep. Drive the remainder. Thank your for the Fairfield Inn info. 6 hours on the second day is not bad at all.

 

[michelleiada]

It's hard to say where to stop and how long it takes if everyone is giving estimates from different parts of MA. If you don't mind, what part of MA are you in?

Tyngsoboro. Right on the NH border.

 

[michelleiada]

Seriously, I agree with all that say just fly. You can still get groceries by having a delivery service bring the stuff to your hotel.

Yes. We've always done grocery delivery but it's expensive when you are feeding my crew. Even with only breakfast items, snacks, waters, alcohol. And I find you end up wasting too and leaving it behind.

 

[mickey916]

This is more what I was thinking. Leave at 3 am. Drive 15 hours. Sleep. Drive the remainder. Thank your for the Fairfield Inn info. 6 hours on the second day is not bad at all.

When we leave at 3 am we typically make it to DC before we see any real traffic.

 

[FastPasser.]

Tyngsoboro. Right on the NH border.

I’m very familiar with Tyngsborough, notice the spelling. I grew up in Lowell and lived in Nashua for a long, long time.

 

[hardcorestitch]

Yes. We've always done grocery delivery but it's expensive when you are feeding my crew. Even with only breakfast items, snacks, waters, alcohol. And I find you end up wasting too and leaving it behind.

It may not work for everyone… but sometimes what I do is skip a meal or two or downsize to just snacks while in park. Not just a money thing-it’s also so my belly doesn’t burst! Your controlled appetite and hunger will thank you.

 

[Mle8308]

When I moved back to MA from Orlando, I drove. Never again, unless I were doing it over maybe a week and had touristy stops planned on the way. I was exhausted after driving all that way even though I did stop overnight in Fredericksburg, VA (I believe that's where we stopped, it was supposed to be a half way point, and mile wise, it may have been. There was an accident on the highway, so time wise, it was not). Between the hotel rate, gas (and even more so if you have an SUV), and stopping for food/drinks, for me, it would not be worth it. I'd rather pay to fly and either rent a car in FL or use ride shares to go to the grocery store once you arrive in FL (and you don't have to worry about perishables spoiling in the car, a cooler will only keep stuff cold for so long).

 

[pooch]

I’d echo flying down. You could do even a 1 day rental car at MCO, do your grocery run and return it to the car care center or the Swolphin (I forget which one has the car return). 2/3 solid days on the road does not sound like fun!

 

[pooch]

Oops double post

 

[JBRB828]

We drove from NJ for many years when the kids were young. When DH & I went ourselves when we turned 50, we drove. Never again!! It just felt so long to reach NC or SC to spend the night. Coming home the traffic was horrible on 95N. And we hit such a bad thunderstorm in NC that DH could hardly see out the windshield, and the trucks were going so fast past us. We couldn't wait to get to our hotel for the night. Now we fly always!
Why don't you fly and rent a car for a few days.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We drive down from SE Mass. We leave at 3 am and make it to Santee SC in about 14 hrs. I highly recommend Fairfield Inn & Suites Santee. This makes for only a 6 hr drive the next day. If we don’t want to drive that long the first day sometimes we stay in Quantico/Stafford, VA at the Fairfield Inn before going to Santee.

A much more realistic drive! We leave at 2-3 am. Leaving MA at 6 or 7 am will be a traffic nightmare through Hartford, NYC area and NJ. You will be cruising by the time traffic is snarled.