Questions: Pulling Travel Trailer from Columbia SC

[JAM'S MOM]

We are moving to the Columbia SC area this summer and we've already planned several trips to Ft Wilderness since we will be so much closer than where we are now! It looks like it will be about 8-9 hours on the road compared to the 26 hours from New England.

Can anyone from that area give us some insight about how easy it is to drive from Columbia to Orlando? We are considering either to leave early in the day and arrive in the afternoon or alternatively drive 4 hours after work and then complete the drive the next morning. If we do the overnight on the road, any suggestions on a logical place to stop and camp? If there is a rest stop where we can rest for a couple of hours, that would work also.

Thanks!

 

[dizneydiva2005]

We are moving to the Columbia SC area this summer and we've already planned several trips to Ft Wilderness since we will be so much closer than where we are now! It looks like it will be about 8-9 hours on the road compared to the 26 hours from New England.

Can anyone from that area give us some insight about how easy it is to drive from Columbia to Orlando? We are considering either to leave early in the day and arrive in the afternoon or alternatively drive 4 hours after work and then complete the drive the next morning. If we do the overnight on the road, any suggestions on a logical place to stop and camp? If there is a rest stop where we can rest for a couple of hours, that would work also.

Thanks!

Easy trip... take 77 south to 26 east, 95 south to 4 west and that will take you straight into Disney.
I'm from Charlotte NC which is about 1.5 hours from Columbia SC and it takes us by car with no trailers about 9 hours. We live 540 miles from Disney.

 

[CottontailCurl]

Easy trip... take 77 south to 26 east, 95 south to 4 west and that will take you straight into Disney.
I'm from Charlotte NC which is about 1.5 hours from Columbia SC and it takes us by car with no trailers about 9 hours. We live 540 miles from Disney.

That's how we go, also. Nothing says "I'm on vacation!!" like taking that long ramp off of 26 onto I-95. The sun is rising on your left, sunglasses on, Disney music on, and all is right with the world.

 

[CottontailCurl]

Welcome to the south, ya'll!! We need to do a little of this for going from 26 hours to 8 hours to get to Disney!!

We are moving to the Columbia SC area this summer and we've already planned several trips to Ft Wilderness since we will be so much closer than where we are now! It looks like it will be about 8-9 hours on the road compared to the 26 hours from New England.
Thanks!

 

[CCIntrigue]

Welcome to the south! If you leave after work, a good place to overnight might be the Flying J in Brunswick, GA. Or if you want to travel further, the FJ in St. Augustine. We're about 3 hours up from the road from Columbia, but we try to make it to St. Augustine. Then we can leisurely leave the next morning and have only a couple of hours to WDW.

 

[JAM'S MOM]

You are all so wonderful with your welcome to the South! Southern hospitality will make the transition from the north to the South a welcome change.

Hmmm, maybe we'll add another reservation because the drive sounds like fun whether it's one day or two.

Can't wait to be from the state with the Smiling Faces and Beautiful Places.

 

[clkelley]

I don't know much about 95, (I come in on 75). I always split the trip up because I want to get south of Atlanta in the late evening.

I also seem to rest better that way. If I plan an early morning departure, then I don't sleep well the night before, and we don't get out on the road as early as I want.

If I leave after work the night before, then I usually sleep a bit better the night before that, and then I'm using the time I would be using just hanging around the house to get my self closer to Disney!!

I also split up the drive on the way home. I check out of my Disney resort a day early, then spend the entire day at the parks, then I drive a couple hours out of town, then stop for the night.

The next morning, we can then hit the road and get home at a decent hour.

The couple of times we've stayed at Disney the last night, we tend to linger and do one last breakfast and some shopping, etc., etc., and invariably it's 12-1 in the afternoon and we don't get home till after midnight!!

 

[JCJRSmith]

Y'all are so wonderful with your welcome to the South!

FIXED!!!!

 

[F4disneyfan]

That's how we go, also. Nothing says "I'm on vacation!!" like taking that long ramp off of 26 onto I-95. The sun is rising on your left, sunglasses on, Disney music on, and all is right with the world.

Your family sounds like ours on our drive to Disney every Dec from Ontario Canada. We hit the road and as soon as we hit the Florida State line the music starts and the orange juice flows (stoping at teh welcome centre). From there we know we are almost home when we hit #27 off the turnpike just off I-75. The smiles start the minute we get in the car at home but they get really big at this point and the kids scream as soon as they see all the purple lightposts etc as we drive through Kissimee. Then it gets crazy as we approach the WELCOME TO WALT DISNEY WORLD sign onour way to Saratoga Springs or Old Key West or Boardwalk Villas wherever our DVC home happens to be that trip for a couple weeks. Ahhhh the memories this brings back and even if we have had a not so great drive for whatever reason (only once in 12 drives down) it all vanishes the minute we hit #27 off the turnpike LOL.

 

[CottontailCurl]

The smiles start the minute we get in the car at home but they get really big at this point and the kids scream as soon as they see all the purple lightposts etc as we drive through Kissimee.

Thanks for the goosebumps! Our families must be alike, this happens with my kids too. It's on the ramp from 192 onto World Dr. when they go nuts, though. We have a conversion van and they have been known to make it move from side to side (shaking, not from lane to lane ) as we approach the Welcome to Walt Disney World sign. If you see the van a shakin' it's a trip to Disney we're makin'! OK, that was just wrong!

 

[F4disneyfan]

Thanks for the goosebumps! Our families must be alike, this happens with my kids too. It's on the ramp from 192 onto World Dr. when they go nuts, though. We have a conversion van and they have been known to make it move from side to side (shaking, not from lane to lane ) as we approach the Welcome to Walt Disney World sign. If you see the van a shakin' it's a trip to Disney we're makin'! OK, that was just wrong!

Your welcome I always love to share the things that makes our family holidays to Disney so much fun and so memorable. I like to relive the scenario as I type it and hope that it sparks memories for others ad their families in regards to the special things that help mae a trip so memorable.

 

[JAM'S MOM]

FIXED!!!!

Thanks for the correction! You're right

Of course, when we make the move to the south, we will learn to slow our speech, add some "r"s to the end of our words. We promise to desparately try to stop using the word "wicked".

 

[auntie]

Thanks for the goosebumps! Our families must be alike, this happens with my kids too. It's on the ramp from 192 onto World Dr. when they go nuts, though. We have a conversion van and they have been known to make it move from side to side (shaking, not from lane to lane ) as we approach the Welcome to Walt Disney World sign. If you see the van a shakin' it's a trip to Disney we're makin'! OK, that was just wrong!

Oh my gosh..that' sooo cute! We've made a few trips in a conversion van we used to have. They are the absolute best for long trips..and loads of kids!

 

[dizneydiva2005]

That's how we go, also. Nothing says "I'm on vacation!!" like taking that long ramp off of 26 onto I-95. The sun is rising on your left, sunglasses on, Disney music on, and all is right with the world.

HOW very true!! Nothing better knowing that you'll be sleeping at Ft. Wilderness... eating Trail's End... ohhhhh HOW I wish I could go NOW!!!! {although, I've heard it's crazy right now~ Spring break/Easter too many people!}

BTW to the orginal poster, I'm from NY and moved to NC. It took me a few years to realize that Disney was only a few hours away. Once we did, there was NO stopping us.

 

[JAM'S MOM]

HOW very true!! Nothing better knowing that you'll be sleeping at Ft. Wilderness... eating Trail's End... ohhhhh HOW I wish I could go NOW!!!! {although, I've heard it's crazy right now~ Spring break/Easter too many people!}

BTW to the orginal poster, I'm from NY and moved to NC. It took me a few years to realize that Disney was only a few hours away. Once we did, there was NO stopping us.

We have made a lot of trips from New England and I expect that we will do even more when we will be closer in SC. We traditionally go at Thanksgiving and last week of April and stay for a week each time.

Are 3 day weekends at the Fort "doable" when travelling from the Carolinas? How long do you stay for?

 

[MBMacs]

Thanks for the correction! You're right

Of course, when we make the move to the south, we will learn to slow our speech, add some "r"s to the end of our words. We promise to desparately try to stop using the word "wicked".

You best get to gettin...welcome to y'all from another resident of the Palmetto state.

 

[dizneydiva2005]

Are 3 day weekends at the Fort "doable" when travelling from the Carolinas? How long do you stay for?

Oh sure, hubby and I did that last Sept.
Checked into Animal Lodge on Saturday~ questioned what we were doing at the Lodge, checked out the next morning... headed over to Ft. Wilderness and spent 2 more WONDERFUL night over there.

But now that you're moving to SC... don't forget about Myrtle Beach. LOL We always spend 1 or 2 nights there. Of course, always complaining we rather be at Ft. Wilderness but I do enjoy sitting on the beach, dreaming of WDW.

 

[clkelley]

Are 3 day weekends at the Fort "doable" when travelling from the Carolinas? How long do you stay for?

I would think 4-day weekends would be better.

I don't do short weekends at the Fort because I tent camp, but with a camper, it's possible.

If you are doing Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, I would leave Thursday after work, get in 4-5 hours driving, stay in a hotel, then Friday morning, get on down to the Fort. That would give you Friday afternoon and all day Saturday and Sunday, then drive North a couple hours Sunday night and stay in a hotel, then finish the drive on Monday.

(Or if you have a full-blown travel trailer could stop at campgrounds and just do minimal set up for the way down and back)

 

[CarolinaBlue]

add some "r"s to the end of our words.

Huh?

 

[JAM'S MOM]

Huh?

The New England regional accent tends to drop the letter "r" from words. A good example is "I will pahk the cah in Hahvud Square" which translates as "I will park the car in Harvard Square". (Guess you have to listen to New Englanders talk to really notice it.) Also, the town Worcester is pronounced "Woostuh" and the town Milford is pronounced "Milfud". Not all New Englanders have this accent but many do. When we add some "r"s to our words, we'll know that we are changing our New England style.

(By the way, today we got about 7 inches of snow! That's wicked cool for the skiers here!)