Texas/Louisana Drivers

[Khill]

So getting ready to make the drive in a month. Wanting to drive straight through from Houston.

Anyone done the straight through drive, and how was it?

Going to do it in 2 days coming back though. Annyone have any fun places to stop for the kids to see? They are girls ages 6 & 9.

 

[Khill]

Really? No one in the Tx/La area has done a 1 day drive?

 

[JEAhrtWDW]

We are driving from Dallas area in June, but don't plan to drive straight through. I was hoping someone that drives would recommend a place to stop. We were thinking of Pensacola and going to the beach.

 

[3LittlePirates]

We are from the Shreveport area and it takes us about 15 hours to do the drive...We have done the drive straight through on the way home and it was brutal!!! We usually leave about noon one day and drive all the way to Gainsville, that way the next morning we only have about 2 hrs to drive and we can make it to Disney before noon!

 

[SurfinTX]

We are leaving DFW as well. Our plan is to leave early evening and arrive at Pensacola Beach early A.M. Rest for a few hours there and continue to N.W. of Orlando at a hotel. That way we are rested for the first day.

From Houston you can do the trip but you will be worn out by the end. Maybe arrive late so you can crash and be ready the next day?

 

[rksbb]

We've driven twice from south Louisiana, (about 1 hour from New Orleans). The first time we stopped about an hour from Orlando, then got up early and had a GREAT first day. The second time we drove all the way and stayed just outside the parks, then got up checked into SSR and hit the Magic Kingdom and had an equally GREAT day.

Both times we drove straight through on the way home, even with a 9yr old and a 14yr old. It took about 12 hours.

NO REGRETS!!!

 

[curemyreed]

Alrighty! Gave a little involuntary shudder when I had to recall driving straight through from Houston for our Dec. 2008 trip!!! Remember that freak snow we had? We left out the next day early evening. I had slept some extra hours during the day in order to pull an all-nighter. DH, DS, DS, and DD all slept in the van as I drove. The heater decided to quit working and there was still plenty of snow on the ground along the highway in Louisiana.....BRRRR!!! Finally discovered that the heater for the back half of the van was still operating and thawed out! I drove until about 8 a.m. or so before I felt like I needed to hand the reins to DH. (If I had been the only driver I would have had to break at a hotel at that point.) I laid down as best I could on the back row and crashed out for the rest of the trip. I thought doing the overnighter might have me drained or mess up my sleep pattern, but it didn't. We have flown every other time we've been to WDW and I DEFINITELY like that better!!! However, we were so grateful to have our van during this trip as it was the first time we stayed at POR. When they say it is a big, spread-out resort that is NO exaggeration! We were as far as you can be from the food court & didn't care for not being one of the first bus stops. So we drove a lot.

Hope you are sharing the driving duties. Sure makes it easier. When are you going? You will almost certainly have better gas prices then we did. It was in the high $3's then. Even at those prices it was less expensive than all five of us flying Southwest, though.

One thing I would suggest is check construction/detours/etc. ahead of time. We traveled when I10 was still being worked on around Orange and that brought traffic to a screeching halt on our return trip. Thankfully, when you are driving all night it isn't such an issue.

 

[Khill]

Hope you are sharing the driving duties. Sure makes it easier. When are you going? You will almost certainly have better gas prices then we did. It was in the high $3's then. Even at those prices it was less expensive than all five of us flying Southwest, though.

One thing I would suggest is check construction/detours/etc. ahead of time. We traveled when I10 was still being worked on around Orange and that brought traffic to a screeching halt on our return trip. Thankfully, when you are driving all night it isn't such an issue.

Thanks for the update. How long did it take you. We are in Sugarland, so the tollway it is to I-10 in Baytown.

We are planning to leave about 5-6am on the 12th of March. And my wife and I will swap drivers every couple hours to stay fresh.

On the way home we are splitting it in 2 days. Did you push through on the way home as well?

 

[minniemee]

We are braving the road from Spring, TX to Orlando in March!! Usually fly, but this is a last minute trip & airfare for 4 was out the roof!!! Looks like about a 15 hour trip, we will sleep over in Pensacola then drive the other leg the 2nd day. My boys are 15 & 7, so they should manage the drive OK. We just got a new vehicle with a DVD in the back so they should be quite comfy! If not there's always Benadryl!!!!!

 

[MommaluvsDis]

You're still quite a way from Pensacola to WDW. About 4 1/2 hours. We stop in Ocala which is about 1 1/2 hours from WDW. We'd rather not have much of a drive for the next day. Just our preference.

We do drive all the way sometimes which is 12 1/2 hours from Leesville, LA.

 

[minniemee]

You're still quite a way from Pensacola to WDW. About 4 1/2 hours. We stop in Ocala which is about 1 1/2 hours from WDW. We'd rather not have much of a drive for the next day. Just our preference.

We do drive all the way sometimes which is 12 1/2 hours from Leesville, LA.

We are leaving at 4pm on a Friday when school lets out & driving 'til about midnight. That is why WE are sleeping in Pensacola. We do not mind driving the rest of the way our second day at all. We like to get a good 8 hours of sleep before we arrive at Disney, all happy & well rested!!

 

[Khill]

We are leaving at 4pm on a Friday when school lets out & driving 'til about midnight. That is why WE are sleeping in Pensacola. We do not mind driving the rest of the way our second day at all. We like to get a good 8 hours of sleep before we arrive at Disney, all happy & well rested!!

We ar eleaving the 12 as well, just taking the kids out that day. Figure to leave 5-6 am.

Where are you staying? We are at POR.

 

[minniemee]

We ar eleaving the 12 as well, just taking the kids out that day. Figure to leave 5-6 am.

Where are you staying? We are at POR.

We love the Port Orleans resorts, but as this was just booked 6 weeks out all the mods were booked with our PIN!! So we are staying at Pop for the first time! I am hoping we like it, but after staying at WL last year this will be quite different!
I wish we could get the kids out & leave early too, but my 15 year old doesn't exactly have the best of grades lately!
How far are you guys going on day one?
We've never driven from Texas either, however we did drive once when we lived in Louisiana. It was 11 hours & not bad at all, my husband did all of the driving though!! I just kept him company!!!!

 

[VLee]

I have friends in Northeast La who drive in one day all of their trips. They swap drivers and with breaks, it takes about 14 to 15 hours.

This past summer I drove, but in two days. Our trip is 800 miles and I didn't head out until after 8 pm one night. Drove about 3 1/2 hours and stopped around midnight. Left out again at 5 am and with lunch break, drove into Animal Kingdom Lodge's parking lot at 2:30 pm.

May be driving more since Southwest fares have gone up lately.

 

[curemyreed]

Yep, it was a 15 hour drive, not counting breaks, as I remember it.

You're staying at the POR! So, like I said, if you end up in the boondocks you will be mighty glad to have your car. Since we are early-birder touristo's anyway, we found it more convenient to drive since we parked extremely close at all but MK anyway, and didn't even need the tram. Certainly was a blessing to avoid the huge bus lines at park closing. You know that you park free at the parks as a resort guest, right? Let the CM know at check-in. Have you expressed a room preference on your reservations? I did all I could, including a fax, and still ended much farther than we wanted to walk to get to the main pool, hot tub, and food court. That was the only stay out of many in the World that I did NOT get what I requested or even close.

There will only be 3 of us in September, so we will do the first 4 days at Pop Century and then the next 4 at Bay Lake Tower. Excited to try a monorail resort and our first DVC stay! Hoping Southwest will kindly offer a teeny-tiny airfare to us!!!

 

[Khill]

How far are you guys going on day one?
We've never driven from Texas either, however we did drive once when we lived in Louisiana. It was 11 hours & not bad at all, my husband did all of the driving though!! I just kept him company!!!!

We are driving straight through on the 1st day. Hence the leave very early, so we get there by 9pm or so.

Still need a place mid way home though. Thanking pensacola, destin, or gulf shores.

Any thoughts for a beach sleepover?

 

[ckdsnynt]

I envy you people that can drive it! We are pricing air fare for Dec. 2010 for a grand gathering and so far, it is $800! for each of the 25 of us! But driving it takes 22 hours. So that is out.

 

[lalugo]

Hi to all. I don't post verry often. but it seems like I am the only one that has done the drive from Los Angeles to Port Canaveral. last december Me and My,DD 12, DS 9 DW 44, drove from Los Angeles to Baumont Tx straight thru, spent the night there. next morning We left about 7:00 am and drove to Orlando, We check in at CBR at 10:00 pm the same Day. Have FUN and Enjoy the DRIVE I really do

 

[minniemee]

We are driving straight through on the 1st day. Hence the leave very early, so we get there by 9pm or so.

Still need a place mid way home though. Thanking pensacola, destin, or gulf shores.

Any thoughts for a beach sleepover?

Hands down, Destin has the best beach!!! The only reason we are sleeping in Pensacola is because we are staying right off of I-10 & not going to have time for the beach! We used to go to Destin alot, it is a beautiful beach with white sand & blue water!! Love the restaurant "The Back Porch" too, yummy!!