Looking for a post about driving from Boston area

[mlacreta]

Hello..this is real good of me.... I found a post just a few days ago in which a gentlman from Boston area gave a very detailed timeline of his trip...title had something to do with his wife not liking to fly. I actually pasted it to a document on my computer but i can't access it for some reason and now i can't relocate the post!! Does anyone know what i am talking about and where it is? TIA!!!!

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

My wife hates to fly.
The first time we went to Walt Disney World, April 2004 with my 3 year old daughter We decided to go to WDW a couple of months before we went with little planning. We rented some points off the DIS forum, checked the airfares a couple of times and picked up a trip tick from AAA.

We drove from my office in downtown Boston to WDW Old Key West stopping only for gas and bathroom breaks.

After the first 3-4 hours in the car driving the rest of the way to WDW isn't that bad; more like a series of short trips.

Our Trip to WDW started Friday, 3/26/04 at 1 pm: Miles, Stopped, Time

Leaving, Boston to Walt Disney World: Friday, 3/26/04, 1:00pm
1, Boston to New Jersey 212 212 6:00pm
2, N J to Aberdeen MD 183 395 9:07 pm
3, MD to Rocky Mt NC 266 661 1:36 AM
4, NC to Florence SC 209 870 4:40 am
5, SC to S Newport GA 210 1,080 7:58 am
Arrived, GA to WDW 251 1,331 12:00 PM

Started, Friday, 3/26 0 1:00pm
Finished, Saturday, 3/27 1331 12:00pm
A 23 hr trip with 5 stops along the way down
76 gallons of gas, $131 for the gas, 17.78 mpg 58mph
Driving around WDW 21

The Trip Home started Friday, April 2nd 11 AM: Miles Stopped Time

Leaving Walt Disney World to Boston:Friday, April 2nd 11:00 am
1, WDW to St Augustine FL 116 116 12:44 PM
2, FL to Savanah GA 178 294 3:55 PM
3, GA to Florence SC 174 468 6:22 pm
4, SC to Battleboro NC 181 649 9:30 pm
5, NC to Aberdeen MD 295 944 2:17 am
6, MD to Bloomfield NJ 181 1,125 5:30 AM
Arrived, NJ to Boston, MA 237 1,362 9:30 am

Started, Friday, 4/02 11:00 am 0
Finished, Sat, 4/03 9:30 am 1362
A 22 1/2 hr trip with 6 stops on the way home
81 gallons of gas $126 for the gas 17.58 mpg 60.5mph
Driving around WDW 62

157 gallons, $257 for the gas, $44 tolls, 17.68 mpg, 59.2mph 2776


The traffic was a mess from Hartford through Delaware on the way down.
It rained from North Carolina to Boston, Mass. on the way home

Me and my wife alternated turns driving our Nissan Xterra when we stopped for gas. My 3 year old held out a lot better than I thought she would on the way down and on the way back to Boston, WITHOUT, tapes, DVDs, video games, just a lot of singing and sleeping.

It's not that Bad!!!

April 2005 we caught a break in fares and flew down and back out of Logan on a non-stop with American Airlines , $504 round trip total for the 3 of us.

April 2006 we caught a break in fares so we flew down and back out of Logan on a non-stop with Song/Delta , $496 round trip total for the 3 of us.

The 2007 story and stops are pretty much the same as 2004.

We drove from my office in downtown Boston to WDW, Orange Lake Country Club, stopping only for gas and bathroom breaks.

After the first 3-4 hours in the car driving the rest of the way to WDW isn't that bad; more like a series of short trips.

Our Trip to WDW started Friday the 13th of April 2007, at 3:45 pm:

Destination, Miles, Total Miles from Boston, Time

Leaving, Boston to Walt Disney World: Friday, 4/13/07, 3:45pm
1, Boston to New Jersey 208 208 7:49 PM
2, N J to Laurel MD 219 427 11:44 PM
3, MD to Rocky Mt NC 250 677 3:36 AM
4, NC to Manning SC 219 896 7:00 AM
5, SC to Kingsland GA 226 1,122 10:30 AM
Arrived, GA to WDW 203 1,325 2:00 PM

Started, Friday, 4/13/07 3:45 PM
Finished, Saturday, 4/14/07 2:00 pm
A 22 hr trip with 5 stops along the way down
63 gallons of gas, $175 for the gas, 21 mpg


The Trip Home started at 9:45 AM, Saturday, April 21,2007
Destination, Miles, Total Miles from WDW, Time

Leaving Walt Disney World to Boston: Saturday, April 21st 9:45 AM
1, WDW to Kingsland Ga 194 194 12:44 PM
2, GA to Manning SC 226 420 4:16 PM
3, SC to Rocky Mt. NC 218 638 7:42 PM
4, NC to Aberdeen MD 292 930 12:26 AM
5, MD to Newark NJ 170 1,100 3:27 AM
Arrived, NJ to Boston, MA 246 1,346 7:30 AM

Started, Saturday, 4/21 9:45 AM 0 Miles
Finished, Sunday, 4/22 7:30 AM 1346 miles
A 22 hr trip with 5 stops on the way home
62 gallons of gas $175 for the gas 21 mpg

Total miles 2,671, about 21 mpg, about 70 mph
Total gas 125gallons $350
Total Tolls $50

April 2008 we caught a break in fares so we flew down and back out of Logan to Tampa, 4/19-4/26, on a non-stop with AirTran , $753 round trip total for the 3 of us.

April 2009 we caught a break in fares so we flew down and back out of Logan to MCO, 4/18-4/25, on a non-stop with Delta , $627 round trip total for the 3 of us.

April 2010 we caught a break in fares so we're flying down and back out of Logan to Tampa, 4/17-4/24, on a non-stop with Delta , $717 round trip total for the 3 of us.

If all goes well,
The creek don't rise,
and there ain't no melt down,
We'll do it all again next year.

Good Luck all,
Joe

 

[mlacreta]

Thanks so much!!! I am never successful when I try to search the threads!! I'm curious....you mention 5 or 6 stops on the road trip...do you remember how long your average stop was? I am still trying to compare cost of driving vs flying for a trip we have planned in 40 sleeps!!! Our longest driving trip has been to PA. and that even too 2 hours longer than I had hoped! It's hard to coordinate bathroom breaks and baby feeds... they are on their own schedule!

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

Thanks so much!!! I am never successful when I try to search the threads!! I'm curious....you mention 5 or 6 stops on the road trip...do you remember how long your average stop was? I am still trying to compare cost of driving vs flying for a trip we have planned in 40 sleeps!!! Our longest driving trip has been to PA. and that even too 2 hours longer than I had hoped! It's hard to coordinate bathroom breaks and baby feeds... they are on their own schedule!

As the story goes;
I always compare the cost and time of flying with the cost of driving.
If flying cost more than twice the cost of driving and it's not a non-stop round trip flight then we drive.
This year, back in May, when the April 2010 spring break fares and schedules came out we caught a break with a Delta non-stop, round trip Boston to Tampa flight, $717 total for the 3 of us.
Driving for us, gas and tolls cost about $400 round trip.
Along for the ride we take a couple bags of snacks, a big cooler and a small cooler filled with sandwiches and drinks.
We stop for gas, breaks and to switch drivers every 200 miles, 3-4 hours, that takes about 10-15 minutes.
That's all we need unless we decide to grab something to eat at one of the mall/trip centers where we stop for gas, that usually takes an extra half hour.
We don't take our time and we don't try to hurry it up, we just do what we have to or want to do.
It's realy not that big a deal, it's Just bunch of short 3-4 hour trips, not a long 22 hour drive.
Good luck all,
Joe

 

[mlacreta]

that is prob a good guidline to go by...if it costs more than half. and i LOVE the way you think of it as a bunch of 3-4 trips...lol...don't think dh would buy that one!!! I think i'll really have to buckle down in the next week and try to get a driving cost estimate going. With all our luggage i don't know if we could fit even a small cooler but that certainly would cut back on the food cost while driving...even a fast food stop with 7 can add up quickly...ok 6, the baby won't be eating by then! maybe i need to work on cutting back on my packing! thanks again for all the info!!!

 

[Schmeck]

We start our north-of-Boston to WDW road trips around 3 AM, so we get past all the big cities before rush hour, and we end up in the DC area after their rush hour. We do stop on the way down (usually in South Carolina) for an overnight in a motel, and get to WDW mid morning the next day. That way, the kids aren't so cranky from being in the car, and hubby isn't wiped out from driving all night.

 

[*love*2*shop]

joe- thanks for the great tips!! we always fly..but for 4 of us its always 1200.00+ to fly Plus then the rental car..and thats just to start so we decided to drive this time..we live on the seacoast NH and we are leaving at 9am next fri aug 14.....

 

[coneeny4]

joe- thanks for the great tips!! we always fly..but for 4 of us its always 1200.00+ to fly Plus then the rental car..and thats just to start so we decided to drive this time..we live on the seacoast NH and we are leaving at 9am next fri aug 14.....

We are leaving at 4am from Boston on August 14.

 

[*love*2*shop]

awesome! we cant leave until 9/10 am as my hubby has to work 1/2 day...when do you guys come home? we leave friday- we will just stay over 1 night and we ck in sat aug 15- ckout for us is not until the next sun aug 23...On the way home sunday- we are stopping overnight in VA to do Kings Dominion Monday...sleep over monday night in VA, then restart the drive Tuesday morning sometime- we dont have to be home until wed night at bedtime for all of us!

We are leaving at 4am from Boston on August 14.

 

[coneeny4]

We are at Pop from the 16th to 23rd we are planning on stopping and sight-seeing on the way down we are taking the scenic route.
We have to be home on the 25th my DB is babysitting my dog and he is leaving for Maine on the 25th so we get to babysit his.
Were are you staying at WDW?

 

[goofy4tink]

Safe travels to you guys next week!! Take it easy on the long drive. I've always wanted to drive, but the thought of being in the car with my dh for that long horrifies me!! Maybe if we were to do it over 3 or 4 days each way!!
I fly down on the 14th and head back to Boston on the 21st. See everyone there...sort of.

 

[*love*2*shop]

we normally stay at ALL Star Music in the suites, but they were booked ( this was a last minute trip) so we rented a 3bed/ 3 bath home! close to Disney at Windsor Hills

http://mickeymousehouseoffun.com/

there is just 4 of us- 2A and 2C

The price was sooo cheap compared to a hotel suite ( we are only paying 120.00 a night) so we were able to stretch our vacation with that rate....No sight seeing for us on the way down- im too excited and just want to get there!!!

 

[*love*2*shop]

thanks, we will need the thoughts!!! lol

Safe travels to you guys next week!! Take it easy on the long drive. I've always wanted to drive, but the thought of being in the car with my dh for that long horrifies me!! Maybe if we were to do it over 3 or 4 days each way!!
I fly down on the 14th and head back to Boston on the 21st. See everyone there...sort of.

 

[coneeny4]

Safe travels to you guys next week!! Take it easy on the long drive. I've always wanted to drive, but the thought of being in the car with my dh for that long horrifies me!! Maybe if we were to do it over 3 or 4 days each way!!
I fly down on the 14th and head back to Boston on the 21st. See everyone there...sort of.

Thanks. I have never driven down as an adult only as a kid. The cost for flying for our date's were crazy but we could not pass up free dining.

 

[*love*2*shop]

this was last min trip for us, so the hotel was booked, up solid, airfare was 1300.00+for the 4 of us, and that didnt include the rental car....so long story short it was a huge savings $ for us to do it this way! and splurge on other stuff down there/ along the way!

Thanks. I have never driven down as an adult only as a kid. The cost for flying for our date's were crazy but we could not pass up free dining.

 

[coneeny4]

My DD and I won Universal Tickets so of course we had to do Disney too. We did not plan on going this year and we have never been in the summer..I hope we can handle the heat.

 

[Momof2]

Would you guys mind sharing the route you take to start your trip - the Boston through NY part. We are thinking of leaving about 3:30am on a Friday morning and wonder the best way to avoid morning rush. Do we do 95 to the Tappanzee? Or Mass Pike to Hartford? Thanks.

 

[dantedisney]

We drove from Bedford to Kissimmee.

I had planned on leaving around 9pm July 17th but we were delayed (didn't finish packing) and left at midnight. The original plan was to go through DC but since we left 3 hrs later than planned, I decided to take the scenic I-81 route instead so as not to worry about traffic in DC early Saturday. The drive was long but stress-free.

Make sure the driver is completely rested before your drive. I wasn't and paid for it. I got sleepy 3 hours into the drive and had to periodically take short naps (this made our trip take longer) until my wife was able to drive (during the day).

We made it to Savannah, GA around 9pm and stayed at Fairfield Inn (exit94). Very nice area. Attended Savannah Christian Church Sunday morning and then drove to Orlando.

 

[dantedisney]

Would you guys mind sharing the route you take to start your trip - the Boston through NY part. We are thinking of leaving about 3:30am on a Friday morning and wonder the best way to avoid morning rush. Do we do 95 to the Tappanzee? Or Mass Pike to Hartford? Thanks.

If you are going through NYC, this is the route I always take going to NJ.

I-90
I-84
I-684
Hutchinson Pkwy
Cross County Pkwy
I-87
GW Bridge
I-95

Or taking TappanZee
I-90
I-84
I-684
I-287
Tappanzee
Garden State
I-95

 

[mlacreta]

goodluck with the drives..istill haven't made a decision yet! of corse while waiting for sw fares to go down...they went up!!!! dh thinks they will come back down but trip is in 5 weeks and driving looks more and more like what we will need to do. i think i have to buckl;e down and really try to figure out the cost for the 6 of us to drive!!! i just can't figure out if we can make it without a stop over one night somewhere but with 7 of us that adds to the cost of driving quite a bit...maybe a rest stop nap in the car...is that even safe? with everythingelse all set i think i am starting to panic!!!!!!