For those who drive all night - straight thru...

[Nana2Callie]

Do you get to that place where you just know that a 30 minute power nap would be enough to finish the drive? What do you do? Years ago - I would stop at a public place (like truck stop) and crash for a few minutes. But, is that still safe? Thanks,

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've been there and for a couple of trips, stopped at Kingsland Ga....Hampton Inn for around 100.00... That's about a 12 hour drive for us...

Last trip, same route, told the wife, it was about 9pm, what say we drive to the Florida border, stop at the Welcome Center and take a power nap of a couple of hours and continue on... Driving thru Jacksonville and Orlando in the wee hours of the night and getting into WDW about 5 am...

Great plan, Welcome Center has 24 hour security on site, we asked and they said no problem...we took a nap, continued on and breezed thru Jacksonville around 1am.... Hit Orlando and were going to take the 417 to avoid traffic but there was no traffic at all at 4-5 am....pulled into POFQ around 6 and waited for food court to open at 6:30 am for breakfast, checked in and all and were ready for a day of fun...

Headed back down this October and doing the same thing... Saving the 100 bucks for a short sleep is worth getting into WDW real early feels like an extra day....Florida Welcome Center is beautiful, well lit, clean and in house security...

 

[starwarsmomma81]

Last summer we drove straight through from WDW to Kansas City, MO. On the way back, I was very tired and just couldn't make it anymore. (My partner was a jerk and would not take over because it was still my turn. How safe is that?!?! Seriously!! We're not together anymore, but I digress....) It was during the day and we weren't there very long. But I felt safe and it did help me finish out my "turn". To be honest though, I would not do it again. We are flying this time!! How far are you driving? Our drive was 21 hours +

 

[Nana2Callie]

We are driving 17 hours from Arkansas and previous trips we've stopped for the night - but on a tighter budget this round and was hoping to save the 2 hotel rooms on the road.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would never be comfortable trying to sleep in a rest area. No matter how nice or how well lit. And I'm trying to figure out how everyone would sleep, if you have so many people that you need 2 rooms. Trying to get everyone to sleep at the same time in a car sounds like a nightmare in itself.

How many drivers would you have? Is there enough that you can just take turns? No matter what, I would have the money on hand for an emergency hotel room, just to be on the safe side. Get a booklet at a rest stop and use those coupons if you need to. But I wouldn't sleep in a rest area.

 

[Nana2Callie]

We have 4 adults and 1 older child in a minivan and we have 2 alternating drivers.

 

[kydisneyfans]

During Disney travel and my daily travel, I have slept at rest areas dozens of times. I've never had a problem.

I also use Walmart parking lots. There are usually motor homes and semis parked there too.

Truck stop parking lots are too busy to get any sleep.

I ensure that wherever I stop, there is some place open close by to get a cold drink when I wake back up.

 

[NJFireman22]

We (DD,DW) have been driving from South Jersey (16hrs) for over 10 years 2-3xs a year. We leave at 6pm on the way down, and 4am on the way home. We always go right thru, we take breaks every 3 hours. We have stopped a few times for an hour or so. We always use State rest stops and never had any issues at all. Truck stops are loud as was stated. If you get tired STOP,
Arrive Alive" as the old says goes.

 

[double r]

Our kids are a lot older but we like the whole night drive the most, leave De around 5pm and with stops and driver switch, usually only one stop for a meal(breakfast) and at Disney around 10am, but that's what works for us not for everybody. Be safe and stop when your are tired.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I would never be comfortable trying to sleep in a rest area. No matter how nice or how well lit. And I'm trying to figure out how everyone would sleep, if you have so many people that you need 2 rooms. Trying to get everyone to sleep at the same time in a car sounds like a nightmare in itself.

How many drivers would you have? Is there enough that you can just take turns? No matter what, I would have the money on hand for an emergency hotel room, just to be on the safe side. Get a booklet at a rest stop and use those coupons if you need to. But I wouldn't sleep in a rest area.

When we're headed for vacation, driving 15+ hours, when or if we stop, we don't need a bed, put on pajamas, cover up with blankets and sheets to take a rest...

If we didn't feel safe anywhere, might just as we'll stay home... Never read or heard of mass problems in secure rest stops to Welcome Centers... And Florida's is beautiful....

We just need to close our eyes from the tedium of traffic, exercise, stretch our legs and grab a coffee.... Be it 30 minutes, hour or three and we're just like new anxious to get to WDW....

Just the 2 of us, mid 60's and cars nowadays, front seat recline almost to horizontal.....we ain't picky...

 

[maxiesmom]

Just the 2 of us, mid 60's and cars nowadays, front seat recline almost to horizontal.....we ain't picky...

If I wanted to do so, I would think it would be much easier to get 2 people to sleep in a car at the same time than it is to get 5 people. When you are spending a few thousand on a vacation, not wanting to spend $60 on a hotel and get actual rest, hoping all 5 will be able to get a few minutes of shut eye out in public, seems a pretty silly decision.

My dad used to work at rest areas doing maintenance, and he had some pretty scary stories to tell. No way would I sleep with my family in a car like that. There is being afraid of every shadow, and there is common sense. Ensuring my family is safe and secure is well worth spending $60 on a hotel room.

 

[LadyBeBop]

$60 for a motel room for five? Honestly, I think sleeping at the Florida Welcome Center is safer than sleeping at a flea-bitten motel room. (And yes, we use motel coupons. Even with them, you cannot get a good motel room for $60 for five.)

That said, we've budgeted the $100/night for a good motel for four.

I only remember sleeping in the car twice. Once, we couldn't find a motel room for 100 miles. The second; I only needed a two hour power nap. Drove from Cincinnati the Knoxville airport (overnight trip) and back home again. Ten hour round trip; I slept for a couple of hours at a Knoxville gas station, then headed home again. To my bed.

I really need a good bed to sleep in.

 

[deb010305]

We too added the cost of a motel room (both ways) into our budget when we drove from Southeasten MA. And before we went we checked out possible motels on trip advisor, to see what people said.

 

[ericstac]

we are driving in this year, i love to drive and the kids are a bit older with the youngest being 5, so i figured it was time to start driving rather than flying. it will take about 14hrs and our plan was originally to have a layover hotel but i've recently decided not to 'waste' that money and drive straight through and stay at a resort hotel and enjoy the day prior to our vacation! lol..

our vacation starts Sun Dec 22nd.

My plans are to wake up friday, hit the gym, go to work for a few, take a long nap, wake up go to my parents and meet the wifey and kids there and have xmas with them, taking a nap if needed.. get on the road by 8pm. kids will pass out by 10pm and its peace and quiet until morning when we hit Florida.

We don't have Krispy Kreme in Houston no more and my kids are dying to try them so once in Gainsville FL, about 12 hours, we will stop for donuts. then get back on the short trip to disney and hit Beach club, relax poolside while the kids play, eat at beaches and cream, enjoy the boardwalk etc... go to bed early and have a great vacation, currently at the poly but now might change that.. if we can find something.

 

[maxiesmom]

$60 for a motel room for five? Honestly, I think sleeping at the Florida Welcome Center is safer than sleeping at a flea-bitten motel room. (And yes, we use motel coupons. Even with them, you cannot get a good motel room for $60 for five.)

That said, we've budgeted the $100/night for a good motel for four.

I only remember sleeping in the car twice. Once, we couldn't find a motel room for 100 miles. The second; I only needed a two hour power nap. Drove from Cincinnati the Knoxville airport (overnight trip) and back home again. Ten hour round trip; I slept for a couple of hours at a Knoxville gas station, then headed home again. To my bed.

I really need a good bed to sleep in.

I wouldn't sleep in a flea-bitten motel either. And I have had no problem using those roadside coupons to get a room much less than $100. Even $100 it is well worth the cost to get a safe good nights sleep. Instead of hoping everyone can get enough sleep in the car to be a good driver.

 

[Danibelle]

I wouldn't do this. In Florida, the security has been cut and there is no guarantee there will be police at the rest areas. There are some pretty lonely stretches from the Carolinas down to Florida and in the southern states in general. I have never experienced any really bad stuff in my travels but there is panhandling just as you go into Florida on I-95. I would be very aware if I had to stop in a rest area (particularly after dark). It may cost you $100 but to me, my family is worth it. IMHO.

 

[oneprincessjo]

We've been there and for a couple of trips, stopped at Kingsland Ga....Hampton Inn for around 100.00... That's about a 12 hour drive for us... Last trip, same route, told the wife, it was about 9pm, what say we drive to the Florida border, stop at the Welcome Center and take a power nap of a couple of hours and continue on... Driving thru Jacksonville and Orlando in the wee hours of the night and getting into WDW about 5 am... Great plan, Welcome Center has 24 hour security on site, we asked and they said no problem...we took a nap, continued on and breezed thru Jacksonville around 1am.... Hit Orlando and were going to take the 417 to avoid traffic but there was no traffic at all at 4-5 am....pulled into POFQ around 6 and waited for food court to open at 6:30 am for breakfast, checked in and all and were ready for a day of fun... Headed back down this October and doing the same thing... Saving the 100 bucks for a short sleep is worth getting into WDW real early feels like an extra day....Florida Welcome Center is beautiful, well lit, clean and in house security...

We make the same exact stop!!!! I love that Hampton!!!

To OP: We drive from PA, we start the drive at 7pm and will drive till we hit Kingsland, GA. We grab breakfast at The Cracker Barrel next door and then check in too The Hampton for the day and night, they are really good about getting us in a room pretty early in the morning (assuming they have availability, but we never had a problem yet). We just chill, sleep... Grab dinner and go to bed super early and finish the drive the next morning... Usually in the parks by 11am. This works for us since we have a small child. The next trip we will stop on the way down like we normally do and we hope to drive straight through on the way home from Disney (assuming my 2 and a half year old is ok with it

 

[Maliki2]

Do you get to that place where you just know that a 30 minute power nap would be enough to finish the drive? What do you do? Years ago - I would stop at a public place (like truck stop) and crash for a few minutes. But, is that still safe? Thanks,

Did that once in my younger years will never do it again. But we did drive from Saint Albans, Vermont which is roughly 10 minutes from the Canadian border. That was the worst drive I have ever done! Its just not worth it IMO. Get a 50 dollar hotel half way and sleep for a few hours then hit the road. I won't ever put my family at risk like that again.

 

[Maliki2]

We too added the cost of a motel room (both ways) into our budget when we drove from Southeasten MA. And before we went we checked out possible motels on trip advisor, to see what people said.

Not always a good idea! We did the same...we stayed at one of the best rated motels in our area in NC...what a dive! We ended up waiting 2 hours for the counter person (who would be right back). She came out of one of the rooms adjusting her dress....I can only assume!

 

[Day-Day]

I would not pay money for a 30-minute nap. I'd feel safe at the rest stops even if I didn't travel with a handgun.