REAL driving time from Toronto to WDW

[SandraC]

Hi, I have been plotting maps on www.freetrip.com www.mapquest.com www.mapblast and all the distances and driving times are different. It ranges from 20 - 22 hours. I always thought it was 24 hours. What is the real driving time to WDW from Toronto. THANKS! Sandra

 

[MaryannF]

We've driven 4 times. Each time my husband has done all the driving. Two kids take up the space in the back seat. They were 6 and 11 the first time we drove and 12 and 17 the last time. We stop several times each day to eat and/or take a break and stop at night to stay in a motel. We get on the 401 at Yorkdale. We have used Interstate-75. Each time it has taken us between 24-25 hours.

 

[DisneyLisa]

Believe it or not, each time we drive to WDW we keep a log...times we reach places, cross borders, mileage, temperatures, etc. (along with a lot of funny comments by my friend who keeps the logs for me & can find something funny in anything...makes for great reading when you get home) so I just looked at my log from last year & here are the times from the way back:

(I'm sure you know how long it takes to get to the Niagara Falls border so you can add that on to these times - I drove from Ottawa to Kitchener then down to the border so my times are going to be off for that portion of the trip, so I'll start from the Canadian/US border.)

Left WDW BC Resort: 6am
Stopped in Morgantown, WV: 8:30pm
On the Road the next day: 6:00am
Reached the US/Canadian border: 11:00am

TOTAL 19 1/2 hours - We stopped only for gas or a quick bite to eat on the way back (quick calculation looks like a total of 1 1/2 hrs of stopping time).

Also for your info: mileage when we left WDW was 37,467 km & 39,474 km at the border (total distance of 20,070 km)

So it looks like our actual driving time was about 18 hours from WDW to the Canadian/US Border. Our route was (in reverse): crossed at Niagara to I90, to I79 (at Erie, PA) down to I77 to I95 (near Charleston, SC) to I4 (at Daytona) to WDW.

Hope that helps & gives you an idea of realistic times. If you have any other questions...I'd be happy to answer them.

 

[SandraC]

DisneyLisa, Keeping a log! That is so what I do too! LOL! We used to drive to Montreal a lot from Toronto and logged every radio station, Tim Hortons, rest stop etc.,. along the 401.

I can easily get my mind around about a 20 hour drive, add 4 hours of stops for 24 hours. That's okay. Some reason 24 hours in a car seems dreadful compared to 20 ~ weird eh?

We are driving to Cincinnati this summer, about 8.5 hours in car, 10-11 hours with stops. I am using this drive as a test run, see how the kids are in the car.

dh wants to drive to PEI. For the same drive, we can go to WDW. I would rather WDW, but I would go to PEI to make him happy because he puts up with tons of my crap LOL. Such a good guy.

He thinks he should drive all night while me and the kids sleep in the car. I hate that idea. I worry he'll fall asleep. I can easily drive during the day. But the last couple years, I find night driving is bad for me. I can't see well at night and I get tired.

I like your driving instructions. I couple in last nights yoga class told me the same directions, they got them thru CAA. Thanks Sandra

 

[DisneyLisa]

We drove to WDW years ago when the 3 kids were little (61/2, 5 & 3)...24hrs straight...left here at supper time & arrived in Daytona the next day at supper time- it was exactly 24 hrs. door-to-door. Now that I'm older & more responsible I wouldn't do it again. In hindsight, we were pretty tired & when we got to the other end, we had three kids ready to roll. We shared the driving but it was still tough. I know lots of prople do it but as I said, I'm more cautious now...read so many articles about accidents on the road when someone is tired and falls asleep at the wheel. And even if you're not tired...there could be someone else on the road who is.

Now we stop overnight and for an extra $200 per trip for accommodations, I feel our lives are worth it. I know an accident can happen any time...but just my feelings.

 

[SandraC]

DisneyLisa, where do you stay, what hotels, on the way there and back? Thanks! Sandra

 

[PoohBWV]

Sandra: We have done the drive from Chatham to Disney in 20 1/2 hours and it has also taken us 22 hours, depending on road conditions. We stop only for gas and lunch at a McDonalds, but usually stop for a sit down dinner. The time it took 22 hours, there was a large forest fire just inside the border of Florida and we were stopped on the highway for about 45 minutes.

 

[DisneyLisa]

We usually stay at a Hampton Inn...I know they cost a little more but I like them & they have great continental breakfasts early in the morning, which is great.

As I mentioned earlier, the half-way point is somewhere between Beckley, WV. and Statesville, NC, but I usually like to drive a little more than half way on the first day (I find we're less tired the first day) so the earliest place we'd stop would be the Hampton Inn in Statesville (where we stopped last year). I also take into account what time we'll be leaving in the am & if we'll hit rush hour in a big city. If we leave Statesville at 6am...we'd hit Charlotte, SC at about 6:45 which probably wouldn't be too bad (haven't really plannned it right out yet - might have to change things a bit). Another option is to leave later the second day, like 10 am, which would still get us into Dayton Beach at about 6pm (lots to still decide). I'd rather drive a little farther than Statesville but there are only really 2 big cities (Charlotte & Columbia) between Statesville and the I95 so I'll have to get out the CAA books & check out the hotel situation. Think I'll go dig those books out now.

If you're interested, I can give you the exact times we went throught each city/state/border (it might help you with your calculations). Let me know.

 

[SandraC]

DisneyLisa, if it's not too much trouble, I could really use your times ~ but only if it's convenient for you! Thanks a bunch! Sandra

 

[DisneyLisa]

Sure...here's a summary of the trip back (our log was much more detailed, but this should help). As I mentioned in another post...we had a hard time trying to find a motel on the way down & a lot of time was wasted so our times on the way down would not be a true indication of the actual driving time.

Here it is:
Leave WDW @ 0.00 hours
WDW to Daytona (I95) @ 0.45 hours
Florida/Gorgia Border @ 3.0 hours
Savannah, GA @ 4.0 hours
Columbia, SC @ 6.25 hours
Charlotte, SC @ 8.25 hours
Statesville, SC @ 9.0 hours
Bluefield, WV @ 10.75 hours
Clarksburg, WV @ 14 hours
Morgantown, WV @ 14.5 hours (STOPPED FOR NIGHT)
Pittsburg, PA @ 15.5 hours
Erie, PA @ 17.0 hours
Buffalo, NY @ 18.0 hours
Niagara Falls, ON @ 19.25 hours
Hamilton @ 19.75 hours
Kitchener @ 20.5 hours

I rounded everything to the quarter hour & it is in running time from the time we left WDW. Also, as I said earlier, I calculated that we spent approximately 1 1/2 hours of this time as stopping time. Let me know if you have any questions or need further info.

 

[DisneyLisa]

SandraC
Discussed everything with my friend today and we've basically decided that we want to drive a little farther on the first day again this year. I got the books out & we're thinking we'll stop at the Hampton Inn in Orangeburg, SC...just before we hit the I95 (should be about 14.5 - 15 hours of driving). We've also decided to do the Daytona Beach days at the end of our trip, so when we get up the second day, we'll have approximately a 6 hr drive to WDW. So we can sleep in a bit (ie. not on the road at 6am) & get there for check-in time...then off to DD and the Rainforest Cafe.

Can't believe we've still got 4 months to go...I've always planned our trips to WDW at the last minute in the past (like 2 or 3 weeks ahead) so this will drive me crazy....wish we were leaving tomorrow. You'll be off before too long...lucky you.

 

[DSNY FN]

Our Drive from London taes us approximateley 18 - 20 hours depending on stops and traffic. We drive I75 each way and find the mountains in Tennessee to be beautiful we will drive to Valdosta then stop so we put in about 15 hours of driving then stop for the night. Then it is a short 3 to 3.5 hour drive to WDW from there this year we drove to Valdosta we left London at 6:22 PM and arrived in Valdosta at 3 PM the next afternoon we made quite a few bathroom stops for my mom as she doesn't seem to be able to go that long before needing a washroom break. Plus we stopped in Ohio for Coffee & food at Timmy's the we took about 2 hours at the Georgia welcome centre and looked around and had breakfast let the kids waste some energy before loading them back into the van. we left the welcome centre and were in Valdosta by 3 that afternoon we got to the welcome centre a little after 8AM just so you know.Hope this helps a bit
Darren

 

[SandraC]

You are all just awesome for helping me like this. THANKS!

I just bought dd's Disney ticket at DS Yorkdale today. I meet a wonderful lady on these boards who, like us, needed only 3 Disney tickets, 7 DHP Canadian Deal, so we both had to pay full price for one person in our party. We got together today and purchased the Canadian deal together to save $100 each! What a great way to start our trip ~ saving money!!! She is going in two weeks and we are going in 7 weeks (just making the deal deadline!). I love these boards!

dh is getting used to my LET'S DRIVE TO FLORIDA idea. I think our 10 hour Ohio trip this summer will make or break the deal. I'll have to bring dd into the deal by telling her the less complaining she does in during the Ohio trip the better daddy will like the idea of driving to WDW.

When I get an idea into my head ~ like driving ~ it tends to take over. The info you all give me is sooooo valuable. I really appreciate it. With dh getting 5 - 6 weeks vacation annually, I would like a couple trip to WDW per year. I don't think he'll go for that. But we'll see.

THANKS AGAIN! I reserved a bunch of DRIVING TO WDW books from the library and they are on there way! MORE MONEY SAVINGS FOR ME! I read the library books a then decide which to buy. Sandra

 

[DisneyLisa]

Happy planning