So Who Is Driving To Disney!

[Mom to 2]

We are driving this Nov/Dec for the 3rd time from Northern WI. Takes us almost 30 hours and this time we are driving straight through, usually we stop for a few hours to sleep. We'll see how it goes!!

Lory

 

[Disneykim]

From michigan its 18 hours straight without stops or traffic.........so probably about 20 or more for us. We're leaving about 3:00 or 4:00 am and stopping about every 5 hours (so I figure 3 stops with the 4th being the final destination) for gas and a quick bite at a restaurant (drive thru fast food probably unless were making good time then a crackerbarrel for dinner). The kids (4) pass time by watching movies, listening to their mp3's, reading, and playing the old alphabet game (love hearing the whining of hard to find x's)!! With modern times I think its harder on the passenger and driver for the long drive rather than the kids now. We arrive hopefully in orlando at 11:00 or midnight and stay off site and wake up and hit the park. We do the long haul since we rather wake up and go to the park then spend another day driving 5 or more hours.

 

[MissTink]

We'll be driving up from Miami! Just about 3 hours away, but hey... it's a drive!

 

[drgnfly30]

I'm driving... Me, DH, DS16, DS10, Dog, From Delaware.. Not really looking forward to it, but we are bringing all the portable electronics that we can fit in the car!! Three Nintendo DS's, Laptop for DVD's, two Ipods, Sirius Radio..... & lots of headphones!

 

[drgnfly30]

im driving from NJ, near philadelphia...people keep argueing with me that it takes 20 hours to orlando, when I drove to daytona last may and it only took 15 and orlando is another hour away! grrr


i think my boyfriend will do most of the driving and we plan to stop at my bf's brother's house in south carolina for the night.....but we *MIGHT* drive straight thru on the way back....

We drove from Delaware (& are again in June)... took us 16 hours...straight through..

 

[sammielynn]

We drive from Tennessee. I don't like to fly It takes us about 10 hours if we hit Chattanooga and Atlanta at the right times Thank goodness we do not have to drive through Knoxville. I do agree that Georgia is the longest state in the union. Most of the time we stop in Ocala for the night so we will be fresh when we hit Orlando. This year we are hoping to drive it all in one day. DS161/2 will be able to take the wheel some this year, but somehow that scares me.

 

[wonderlandaddict]

We have drove 8 x which is 16 hrs drive. When my girls were little we left at bedtime and drove straight thru, so when they wake up we would be there. It was such a good time to be able to talk about adult things all night while they slept!
The last few times we left after school and drove about 1/2 way and stopped to spend the night. On the way home since we get up early we usually drive all of the way home.
What we have done every trip is pack a picnic to eat on the way down and lots of snacks. We somethimes eat the picnic in the car driving. Our goal is not to spend any money on food or snacks during the drive down and eat out on the way home. The kids still get very excited about packing food! The drive is the perfect time for homework and I also buy puzzle books and coloring books.

 

[SoccerDogWithEars]

We drive from Raleigh, NC almost every year. IMHO, Georgia is nothing compared to South Carolina. I always think we get stuck there. It takes about 11 hours total, but we usually stop in St.Marys/Kingston, GA and spend the night, which splits it into 8 and 3. We usually take out one of the seats in the van and put in a cooler, and all 3 of us bring our laptops. My dad has an ac/dc converter, so we don't have to worry about the battery dying. I can read in the car, so I usually just bring tons of books. Also my ipod or portable cd player, because even with 3 people, finding music everyone likes is hard.

 

[MeggerasMa]

Another vote for South Carolina being the state that goes on forever and ever (at least when you are driving I-95)! We have driven from PA to Disney several times since dh won't fly anymore. The last two times have taken us 19 hours and 23 hours. Alot depends on traffic. We had three little ones while doing those trips and they were terrific. We played alot of silly games (license plates from different states, etc) and would sing silly songs, chat, sleep, munch on junk food. We also stopped alot. DH and I shared the driving, but he promised he'd drive the I-4 stretch because that was the only part of the drive that intimidated me a little. Don't you know, he got food poisoning at a seafood bar in GA (no offense intended). So guess who slept in the "way-back" of the mini van from the anti nausea shot at the emergency room while I got to drive my favorite I-4! Next trip no seafood for DH! Anyway, hope everyone has a safe journey.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Another Kentuckian checking in-about 12-13 from the Lexington area-depending on Knoxville and Atlanta traffic--we have the portable DVD player, Gameboy, etc. Our key is to leave so the kid sleeps most of the trip-a couple of hours of excitement when we leave, 8 hours of sleep, and then we're only 2 hours away. We tried to stay halfway and it just did not work. We felt it took a day of vacation away, plus the 2nd day drive was long. I like it when the wife sleeps too--then the cruise is set just a little faster and the bathroom breaks stop.

 

[tinkerrn]

Another Kentuckian checking in-about 12-13 from the Lexington area-depending on Knoxville and Atlanta traffic--we have the portable DVD player, Gameboy, etc. Our key is to leave so the kid sleeps most of the trip-a couple of hours of excitement when we leave, 8 hours of sleep, and then we're only 2 hours away. We tried to stay halfway and it just did not work. We felt it took a day of vacation away, plus the 2nd day drive was long. I like it when the wife sleeps too--then the cruise is set just a little faster and the bathroom breaks stop.

I had to laugh about the bathroom break stops!!! I can't even begin to tell you how many times we stop for little breaks. I do try to make them very quick, but DH still gets soooo agrivated with me. He usually cuts me off all fluids about 3 hours into our trip!!!! I don't even get out of Kentucky before we start arguing over the bathroom breaks!!!!

 

[Bear Necessities]

Oh God, people who have not driven it have no clue of the sheer boredom that awaits once they clear Macon all the way through to Gainesville. And really, there isn't much between Gainesville and Ocala, nor Ocala and Orlando. And it comes right at the end when you're most tired. Man I hate that drive.[/QUOTE]

You have obviously never driven across Nebraska. LOLOL

 

[LisaRN]

when we do a summer trip..which is this year..we drive We are driving from Buffalo NY area..my girls actually look forward to our "road trips"