Hotel/Motel Mid-Way Stop Recommendation?

[peripixie]

We're driving from Houston to WDW in March. Looking for some recommendations on a nice, inexpensive, convenient place to stop mid-way the evening of our drive and then pick up the rest of the route the next morning. Any recommendations?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I can't help as I'm from MO, but if you don't get any answers here, try the transportation board

 

[peripixie]

Thanks! Didn't think about that, put it there too.

 

[klmall]

As mentioned by Gumbo4x4, you will definitely get help with this at the Transportation Board found here.

You'll also want to think about the max you want to drive each day and how many drivers you have with you.

 

[JDUCKY]

double post

 

[JDUCKY]

What time are you leaving?

How long do you plan on stops?

Any reason to not drive the 14-15hrs straight? (leaving at or just before dawn, losing the one hour from time zone change, arriving about 9-10pm) Saves money for dining at Disney or souvenirs!


Plenty of places to Priceline a hotel in, say, Mobile, Pensacola, Tallahassee.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We drive I10 most of our way, so when we aren't on I10, we are driving about the same distance as you from Houston. We have done it all in one, but it's a long day. So we usually leave home about 7 or 8 and drive to Live Oak which is the last exit before you hit I75. It's about 11 hours and then you are only about three hours from WDW.

There is a Holiday Inn Express, Econolodge, Quality Inn and maybe more. You are right off the interstate so it is easy to get back on. We used to stay in Tallahassee, but our last trip was right during football season and there wasn't any way we were going to get a room in Tallahassee during that weekend.

 

[peripixie]

We want to leave around noon on a Thursday, pick a stop somewhere that evening to sleep and then resume Friday morning. We check-in to our Disney Hotel Friday and didn't want to be dog tired (we drove straight through the night all the way last trip) so we could enjoy a little park time Friday night. Then start our lovely week vacation with Mickey!

There are many options just looking for some suggestions from personal experiences. Thanks!

 

[SA mom]

We have stopped in New Orleans before. That is about 6 hours down the road from you, but maybe a place to avoid during Spring Break.

Gulfport, Mobile, and Pensacola are also good choices with lots of variety of places to stay.

If you are members of AAA, I highly recommend requesting a Trip Tik before you leave. They will mark all the construction zones on I10.

 

[chartle]

I just plot the route in Google Maps and then add a destination along the route around the time we want to stop. Then I search for clusters of hotels around that destination not far from the interstate. We are partial to Microtels right now but I mostly check to see if they have 2 queen beds.

I also pick a spot that has places to eat the next morning. We never rely on the "free breakfast" we look for an ihop, Bob evens or Cracker Barrel near by or maybe a few miles down the route.

You can use Google street view to check out the area but most places like this are pretty safe.

 

[jaman12]

We drove from south Louisiana in 2012 and stayed at the Microtel Inn in Marianna Florida. It was a good split at about 5/6 hours.

 

[Arenita]

I drive from Houston, but usually drive about 14 hours to Ocala. We stay at the Country Inn and Suites there. We have a swim, get a good night's sleep, do some grocery shopping and arrive at WDW before 11 a.m. the next day.

Pensacola is the 8 hour mark for me - 1/2 way. Lots of choices, but I have not stayed there. (It is so exciting to get to Florida, but then to realize there is still an 8 hour trip...ugh!!!!) That said, we LOVE our road trips! Enjoy!

 

[shell8558]

We drive every year from lake charles and have stopped at a couple different places . Last year we stopped at the hampton inn , mobile al. Was nice , safe , right off interstate and had a good breakfast . We also like the staybridge in Tallahassee.

 

[dprincessmom]

We live in Tallahassee area - from here to Disney it is about 4+ hours. If you can make it as far as Tallahassee, there are plenty of hotels (look for ones around Raymond Dehl Road) this puts you on the far side of Tallahassee. There are several of the big chain hotels there so if you have points, use them there to save you the rate. They are right off the interstate and there are several different places to eat. If you are feeling up to it, early departure the next morning and you can be there for park opening. That's what we usually do to get the most park time on the short trips.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We have stopped in New Orleans before. That is about 6 hours down the road from you, but maybe a place to avoid during Spring Break.

Gulfport, Mobile, and Pensacola are also good choices with lots of variety of places to stay.

If you are members of AAA, I highly recommend requesting a Trip Tik before you leave. They will mark all the construction zones on I10.

Unless you have a reason to be in NOLA, take 112 out of Baton Rouge and hook back up with I10 at Slidell. You will add a lot of miles and traffic going through NOLA.

When we used to leave after work, we would drive about seven hours to Daphne, AL (also Malbis, Spanish Fort), just across the bay from Mobile. You're about 40 min from Pensacola at that point. But that I10 drive across the FL panhandle always seems to be the longest of all. If you get up early the next morning (you'd miss the Mobile tunnel traffic the night before), you'd be in WDW around 3PM.

 

[peripixie]

These are really great suggestion what about the Fort Walton Beach area isn't that about half way? Is it off route? Maybe the spots might be pricey during spring break though...

 

[MOM POPPINS]

We stop in Tallahassee! That way we can go to Disney World the next day! It's only about 4 hours away so we plan a late afternoon after we check into our hotel. The room is usually not ready so we head on out to a park and come back later... or we also have gone straight to Animal Kingdom for the afternoon close the park then go check in!

 

[peripixie]

The more I think about it, would be nice to BE in Florida by the time we stop. I would rather drive just a few more hours the next morning. Daphne has come up a couple of times....

 

[peripixie]

Not Daphne. Tallahassee.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

Yes Tallahassee! We love it since we can still be in Disney World the next early afternoon! We have been doing this for years! We also Priceline our hotel in Tallahassee!