Help me, I'm dreading driving from Syr to Orlando in July

[Alexander]

UGH! I am totally with you OP! We are leaving in 10 days and I have been scouring for cheaper (not cheap) flights. So far, they have gone down from $750 to $500 R/T Buffalo to Orlando. I am almost ready to bite the bullet and pay the $2,000 to avoid having to drive by myself with 3 kids (4, 12, 13)!

 

[Alexander]

UGH! I am totally with you OP! We are leaving in 10 days and I have been scouring for cheaper (not cheap) flights. So far, they have gone down from $750 to $500 R/T Buffalo to Orlando. I am almost ready to bite the bullet and pay the $2,000 to avoid having to drive by myself with 3 kids (4, 12, 13)!

Bullet bit, chewed and swallowed! I just booked flights for the four of us to a tune of $2017. But we'll get 2 1/2 more days of vacation AND I don't have to drive!

 

[C&G'sMama]

You'll be fine! You're on the 2000+ miles thread and that's a big help. Folks there will be able to help you with any questions you may have.

Just don't get yourself all worked up about the distance in advance. If you KNOW you'll be in the car for that many hours, then you'll be able to mentally handle it. Physically, just make sure you stop every couple of hours for potty and mental health breaks. Bring snacks and water in the car - don't fill up on fatty or extra-sugary snacks or everyone will be too wound up. Also don't bring lots of messy stuff, or your vehicle will be full of crumbs and trash.

I too was going to suggest the 2000+ thread. Being in Syracuse is nice as you can shoot right down 81. (My in-laws are in Watertown) Being in Rochester going 90 to 81 takes us too far East so we take 15 to 81 and eventually get over to 95 (avoiding DC).

Enjoy it. We love to drive and have been doing it since our kids were toddlers (they'll be 11 and 8 in May when we drive down)

I'm the opposite of Sharadoc as far as messes. We're living in the car so I just do a quick clean up every time we stop and when we stop for the night I get everything picked up. I try to vacuum at least once before we head back.

It gives you the freedom to have more stuff and have your car while you're down there.

 

[Tikitoi]

I would love to have the opportunity to drive to Disney from here, Upstate NY.

 

[happymommy]

I've done the drive once from BWI area - it was fine (and fun!) going down. My kids were 2 and 4, so we left from their preschool at noon, picked up DH, then got on the road. We were going to stop for the night, but at 8pm, they were both sound asleep (they were usually asleep by 7pm) so we kept driving..... and driving..... then pulled into Orlando at 1:30am. It was fine, but I was exhausted the next day (and they were up at 6am!).

The drive home was not fun.

We only did this, as it was right after 9/11.

Have you considered looking into airfare from BWI? We usually get good airfare with SW or Airtran.

Otherwise, make the best. Look at it as an adventure. You can take all your stuff (we had the back of the minivan filled to the brim, as we were gone for 2 weeks and had a condo so had non-perishables, case of water, case of juiceboxes, double stroller, etc... also things like laundry soap). I used platic storage bins in lieu of luggage for these items. Then we did have one overnight bag packed - good thing as we arrived in town earlier than expected so got a room nearby the BWV for the night.

It is a long drive, so I honestly would look into any airport within a few hours' drive. Coming home, you may thank yourself.

 

[Maryrn11168]

We have never driven to Disney, but we have driven fron NYC to Hilton Head Island 3 times with 4 kids and one of those times my mother came with us too. I understand that it is about 5 hours shorter than Disney. We always left by 4:30 am and the kids slept in the car for a good 4-5 hours.

The drive down is usually fine. The ride home is horrible!! You generally dont get on the road to start home until 11 or 12, so you don't get very far on day 1.

This year the airfares are so high! We were thinking of driving down this August for our cruise and then I looked into the Auto train (see the thread on this site). We booked coach seats and are taking our car for $875, that includes dinner and breakfast, we are a family of 5 2 Adults and 3 kids. We wont have to rent a car down there, more savings. Right now they are running a special kids ride for $19/each way. or if you have AAA they offer 10% discount. I have really talked it up to the kids and my husband and I are psyched!

Hope all work well for you.

 

[antree]

I know what you mean I hate the driving from South Jersey. If you have to drive the best way I felt to make the driving easier and didn't seem so long, was leaving early in the morning. We left at 4 am and checked in to our hotel at 8 pm that night. The drive was so much nicer.

The airfare might drop, keep checking, our flight for Aug. just dropped to $79.00. If you can you might consider driving to Phila. airport and take SW for $79.00, I just checked and July is $79 - $119.

Here's some pixiedust that your flight drops in time.