How long is your trip if you drive?

[bunny]

I am debating flying versus driving. Last year we had to fly weird times and lost a day each way flying. I am really thinking about driving but we only have a week. We could leave Friday after school, drive to 11 PM, and then finish up on Saturday. I figure we have a 15 hour drive. On the way back I would leave on Saturday night, drive a few hours and finish up on Sunday. I also love having a car at WDW. BUT... another part of me says just bite the bullet, fly and be there in a few hours. Can anyone tell me what you think the shortest amount of time you would need to be there to drive?

 

[kydisneyfans]

We have never flown-several 16 hour trips from the Canton, OH area via I77 to 95--now a 13 hour trip from KY via I75.

All trips start by leaving after school on Friday-by daylight Saturday-we are there. Driving home usually occurs all day Saturday, with a recovery day Sunday. I like doing things on my schedule, not that of an airline. By the time you arrive at the airport early, go through security, any layovers, picking up a rental, it's just too much of a hassle, plus it is just too expensive.

 

[clkelley]

I am debating flying versus driving. Last year we had to fly weird times and lost a day each way flying. I am really thinking about driving but we only have a week. We could leave Friday after school, drive to 11 PM, and then finish up on Saturday. I figure we have a 15 hour drive. On the way back I would leave on Saturday night, drive a few hours and finish up on Sunday. I also love having a car at WDW. BUT... another part of me says just bite the bullet, fly and be there in a few hours. Can anyone tell me what you think the shortest amount of time you would need to be there to drive?

When we drive and go for a week, that is what we do. Leave after school/work on Friday night and try to get past Atlanta, then finish the drive down on Saturday.

On the return a week later, we leave late on Saturday night, stay in Ocala, and finish the driving on Sunday.

(Our drive is approximately 11 hours).

We now only fly if we can get our direct flight from our home airport at a reasonable rate (less than $200 each). Cause if we have to go to Nashville or B'ham to fly, or make a connection in Atlanta, driving is easier.

Now as for the shortest trip we would drive, we're not really the ones to ask. I have left at 1pm on Friday afternoon and driven home Sunday afternoon (the same weekend)

 

[Mom2Rae]

and we live in Virginia Beach. It's about a 12.5 hour drive to Orlando for us. We drive straight through at night. We leave around 7 at night..our dd usually sleeps through the entire trip..when she wakes up we're entering the gates at Disney.

We have driven to Savannah before and stopped (about a 10 hour drive) and finished the last 2 hours the next day. That worked pretty well.

Either way, road trips are fun and the family can really "bond"!

HTH!

 

[pepe of ohio]

back in the day, of driving, we're 1200 miles from the Mouse Kingdom. Used to do the straight through marathon drive, about 20 hours and would always hit the Florida welcome station around midnight. From there we liked getting into Disney around 5 or 6am to start our fun. Leaving and coming home were never discussed but depressing.

Those are bye gone days now, will no longer drive that far or long anymore. We do the Amtrak travel, like it better, no frazzled nerves, endless traffic and tired body. Its longer by train, 27 hours, but the boarding time, 3am and detraining in Kissimmee 10:30am, we arrive sane, refreshed and ready to go.

 

[MeggerasMa]

We have driven twice from NE PA. Our driving time totaled 19 1/2 hours once and 23 hours the other. Alot depends upon how the traffic is flowing. We had 3 small children along both times and they were terrific riders. The one trip we were informed of a traffic accident ahead of us and were able to take the next exit off of I-95. Lucky for us it lead to Jekyll Island (?spelling) Georgia, where we spent a lovely afternoon on the beach. Both trips were over ten years ago. We will again be driving down for our next vaca, but we are going to travel leisurely this time and wimp out and take the auto train from FLA back to VA. (No kids this time either. Just DH and me solo.) We always leave around midnight so DH can sleep a few hours before taking the first shift behind the wheel. Good Luck and drive safely.

 

[Garden Stater]

a few years ago traveled to wdw by bus for a high school class trip. we were coming from northeast nj and made about 3 rest/food stops along the way. the trip took almost a whole day (leaving around 2pm and driving through the night) but it felt MUCH longer, and i wasn't even doing any driving.

the 20+ other trips i have made to wdw with family/friends were all by plane (except for 2 autotrain trips), and we find it far more pleasant.
i can't imagine driving this distance with my family. my parents and i would probably be too beat to enjoy a wdw vacation after such a long drive, not to mention how tired we would probably be upon returning home afterward.

 

[lovemy3girls]

We drove this past Oct. from NJ with our 3 kids. It was great! We left at 4 am on a Fri. morning, and had planned on stopping about half way. We ended up just driving straight through and we had a late dinner at our resort. It really isn't a bad drive. On the way home, we were going to drive straight through but my 5 yr old got car sick. yuck! We had to stop in VA for the night. The car stunk the rest of the way home. But still, we look back on that trip with the best memories! I am all for driving!

 

[paras4ri]

We drive from RI and have done it since DD was just 2, she's now 11 and DS is 14. The trip takes 21-22 hours and we stop for gas and meals. We've tried many different departure times but found it's best to leave home in the early evening. That allows us to drive through CT & NY after rush hour and past Washington DC in the overnight hours. On one trip when we arrived in VA in mid-afternoon we sat in traffic for 2 hours. Our gas stops are Elkton, MD, Gaston, NC and Hardeeville, SC and we arrive at WDW in the late afternoon.

My DH drives the entire distance!!!!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Our total trip is about 16 hours, and we used to do it all at once. But I was so tired when we got to WDW that I wasted the "gain" time by sleeping!!
So now we drive to Brunswick Ga, stay the nite, and get to WDW by around 10:30 AM the next day.
BTW-Glen Rock is just S. of York PA, about 8 miles N of the Md/PA line

 

[theterms]

We always drove straight through, but I think we'll be flying from here on. We would leave around 10 pm and get to USF or WDW somewhere between 3 and 5 depending on traffic, weather, and the kids and dog stops. Usually it's about 18 hours average for us. I love driving down - it's coming home that's depressing!!

 

[pennyplanner]

Too long from CT! It's a non-stop flight for us all the way. The airport is 45 minutes from our home.

--penny

 

[MOmousefan]

We always drive from central MO and it takes 18 hours. We purchase 5 day park hoppers, just the right amount of time for us.
On our last trip we left at 3:00 PM CST time and arrived in Orlando around 10:00 AM Sunday. We left PoP Century the following Saturday at 7:00 AM and were home by midnight.
Our route took us through St. Louis, Nashville, Chatanooga, Atlanta, and the Florida turnpike. We love driving everywhere we go for vacation.

 

[ccw]

Just drove from NC to Disney and it took about 10 hours, incl. one half hour or so break for lunch and a stretch break or two. Had 3 teenage boys with us and, even tho it was a long drive, they were so plugged in with watching DVDs on laptops and listening to their ipods that they were pretty content. Traffic thru Jacksonville was a bit of a pain on the way back...may have been the day to take the bypass instead of going straight thru on 95 like we usually do.

 

[Paull117]

03, 04 we drove from WI drive time is roughly 21,22 hrs. I am not sure how long we stopped for lunch or breaks. Just take our time and have fun with the kids. When we do this I start driving somewhere around 2 and 3 am and try to get through IL by noon. Stop just north of Atlanta around 7 pm. Wake up and finish the driving the next day.

The way back get on the road by 9 find someplace around Nashville for the night then finish the next day. We only stay 1 week.

My dream is to bring our camper down and spend 2 weeks down in FL, but my wife says it would take too long. She likes the ride, but she has her limits.

Paul

 

[dzneelvr]

We drove once in order to get over for a 2-day at Vero Beach after our usual 10 days in WDW. VB was a paradise and we are so happy we did it. However, just going to WDW we'd never drive again since a regional airport 40 minutes from home has regular flights to Sanford in Orlando and no more delays at Chicago Ohare to deal with. The ride (20-21 hours) was exhausting and we needed the arrival day to recover and nap. The ride home from Vero Beach was depressing and seemed to take forever. We'll be flying out again on June 22. Less than 4 hours from the time we lock our front door, we'll be in WDW!! YIPPEE

 

[cranbiz]

I drive frequently, in fact I'm here in sunny FL now and drove this time. From Carver MA to Deltona FL is usually 19-20 hours (1350 miles). This trip we had DN2 and DN4 along with DW and myself and it took 22 hours.

We did make extra potty stops but it went rather well, the girls slept most of the time. I drove most of the time and DW filled in for a couple of hours.

Flying just didn't make sense this time, Airfare was a little over $500 and a rental was going to run about $200. Driving will cost me with gas and tolls about $320.

 

[ellenmiele]

We drive from central NJ. We leave at 6 pm, drive strait thru (kids sleep all night - DH and I take turns driving) and get to WDW by noon. We have taken the autotrain home on some of our trips but the last 2 times we just drove back same way. We usually stay in WDW for 6 or 7 nights. I think if we were staying less than 6 nights I would want to take the autotrain home - maybe that makes the vacation seem longer.

 

[Disneyjosh229]

Start at 5 pm. Arrive in Florence, KY at 10 pm. Get up at 7 Am, arrive disney at 9 pm. I hate driving, but its better then not going at all

 

[jtopp]

Our drive usually takes about 14-15 driving hours. We usually split it overnight, starting early on day and driving into SC, and then finishing the following day. We have also tried leaving at dinnertime, driving until midnight, and finishing the next day. Driving straight thru for that distance is too much, and I (and the rest of the family) are so tired that we wasted time resting and lost more time then if we had split the trip.