Tips for driving from BC to Disneyland

[tlcdoula]

With all the flights issues and extra cost for car rentals or transport if we needed to fly into LAX we are thinking about driving again. Of course borders would need to be open

Just looking at where to make our stops along the way. We would head Across the border after work maybe as far as Everett on the Wednesday and then have till Saturday before checking into our hotel near Disney. Trip home would be similar. Head out Friday morning and be back home Sunday.

 

[Sue M]

How many days are you planning to make the drive in? I haven’t driven, but have thought about it. The halfway point is around Ashland Ore, the border of Ore & Ca. About a 10 hr drive.

 

[OkanaganAmanda]

I have driven a couple times - but back when I was young (in university) so we did the drive straight down, rotating drivers. From Vancouver to Disneyland it was pretty much 24 hours straight. How many people driving will you have? How long of days do you want to be driving?

 

[Chickinvic]

I have driven a couple times - but back when I was young (in university) so we did the drive straight down, rotating drivers. From Vancouver to Disneyland it was pretty much 24 hours straight. How many people driving will you have? How long of days do you want to be driving?

What a fun time that must have been back then! I have always flown down from Victoria, but would consider driving at some point assuming I had enough time off work.

 

[tlcdoula]

How many days are you planning to make the drive in? I haven’t driven, but have thought about it. The halfway point is around Ashland Ore, the border of Ore & Ca. About a 10 hr drive.

We would have 2 full days and one evening each way to go there and back.

I have driven a couple times - but back when I was young (in university) so we did the drive straight down, rotating drivers. From Vancouver to Disneyland it was pretty much 24 hours straight. How many people driving will you have? How long of days do you want to be driving?

It would just be hubby and myself going so we could share driving. I am not sure what to do it is so up in the air with borders and cases increasing. We are on Vancouver island so we would have to take the ferry over the evening before and would drive across the border. Possibly even take the Coho to Port Angels if times would work out and pending borders are even open by then.

 

[Chickinvic]

Sounds like a nice long trip, and you seem to have allotted enough time for a relaxing drive. My advice is take the Pacific Coast Highway to follow the coastline down Washington State and Oregon, etc, as it is so much more scenic.

 

[Sue M]

We would have 2 full days and one evening each way to go there and back.

So 1 overnight stop? I’d stop as close to California border as you can. assuming you’re in the GVR district it would give you 10 hrs each day of driving. But not sure I have your driving days right.

 

[tlcdoula]

I have driven a couple times - but back when I was young (in university) so we did the drive straight down, rotating drivers. From Vancouver to Disneyland it was pretty much 24 hours straight. How many people driving will you have? How long of days do you want to be driving?

Wish I had it in me to do the long drives like that now. I remember just jumping in the car when I was younger and driving all day long. Now not so much haha

 

[Chickinvic]

Wish I had it in me to do the long drives like that now. I remember just jumping in the car when I was younger and driving all day long. Now not so much haha

My back would get to me after 24 hours in a car these days. Oh to be young again

 

[Sue M]

Isn’t there a ferry from Vic to Seattle? That would be a fun way to go. I’d like to drive down one day but husband isn’t a theme park person. And my daughters (31 & 36) don’t have the time. Sometimes I go alone and meet up with my Cali friends down there. But I wouldn’t feel comfortable driving alone

 

[Aladora]

Isn’t there a ferry from Vic to Seattle? That would be a fun way to go. I’d like to drive down one day but husband isn’t a theme park person. And my daughters (31 & 36) don’t have the time. Sometimes I go alone and meet up with my Cali friends down there. But I wouldn’t feel comfortable driving alone

There is a passenger only ferry from Victoria to Seattle (The Clipper) and a car ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles. (Black Ball Ferry)

 

[Sue M]

There is a passenger only ferry from Victoria to Seattle (The Clipper) and a car ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles. (Black Ball Ferry)

Oh, right. The Clipper doesn’t take cars. Always thought that would be a fun trip. But for me very expensive having to take a ferry to get to Vic.

 

[Sue M]

Wish I had it in me to do the long drives like that now. I remember just jumping in the car when I was younger and driving all day long. Now not so much haha

Exactly. Now a 3hr drive is fatiguing lol. When I drive from Ft Lauderdale to WDW my rest stop is Port St. Lucie! Bathroom break, then just sit in car with eyes closed for 15 min.

 

[Cupcakesmum]

I think I could manage the drive down, but I think as soon as I would arrive I would start dreading the drive home and it would hang over my head like a dark cloud. But it’s becuase I’m getting old and my back doesn’t like more than a few hours in a car at a time!

 

[OkanaganAmanda]

We would have 2 full days and one evening each way to go there and back.



It would just be hubby and myself going so we could share driving. I am not sure what to do it is so up in the air with borders and cases increasing. We are on Vancouver island so we would have to take the ferry over the evening before and would drive across the border. Possibly even take the Coho to Port Angels if times would work out and pending borders are even open by then.

Did you make the drive down? How was it? We have decided to drive down from the Okanagan to DL for spring break. The flexibility of having our own car seems nice, and we just have cabin fever and are looking forward to the drive. It's a 23 hour drive from here. Planning to drive over two days.

 

[tlcdoula]

Did you make the drive down? How was it? We have decided to drive down from the Okanagan to DL for spring break. The flexibility of having our own car seems nice, and we just have cabin fever and are looking forward to the drive. It's a 23 hour drive from here. Planning to drive over two days.

Yes we did it was great. We did it over 2.5 days. Left here on a Thursday morning and had a long day in the rain storm that hit. Our first night we stayed in Ashland Oregon and then the second night we stayed in Santa Nella California. Then we drove from there to our hotel near Disney. Picked up some groceries etc and checked in around 230pm.

For our trip home we tried to space our days out a little more even. We stayed in Sacramento the first night and Eugene the second.
Any questions ask away.

 

[thenicefamily]

Yes we did it was great. We did it over 2.5 days. Left here on a Thursday morning and had a long day in the rain storm that hit. Our first night we stayed in Ashland Oregon and then the second night we stayed in Santa Nella California. Then we drove from there to our hotel near Disney. Picked up some groceries etc and checked in around 230pm.

For our trip home we tried to space our days out a little more even. We stayed in Sacramento the first night and Eugene the second.
Any questions ask away.

Hi from Nanaimo! A few questions -

- What time of year did you go?
- How did you find driving around LA to get to Anaheim? (keeping in mind we're used to Highway 19, lol)
- Not that cost is the main point of doing it by driving but, do you reckon you saved money by driving, taking into account gas/meals/accommodation en-route?
- Looks (from Google Mapping Ashland and Santa Nella) like you didn't take the PCH. Were you happy with your choice to do the drive inland?

Thanks in advance for any info you can share!

 

[tlcdoula]

Hi from Nanaimo! A few questions -

- What time of year did you go?
- How did you find driving around LA to get to Anaheim? (keeping in mind we're used to Highway 19, lol)
- Not that cost is the main point of doing it by driving but, do you reckon you saved money by driving, taking into account gas/meals/accommodation en-route?
- Looks (from Google Mapping Ashland and Santa Nella) like you didn't take the PCH. Were you happy with your choice to do the drive inland?

Thanks in advance for any info you can share!

Im also Nanaimo. We left Nov 11 and took the second ferry from duke point.

We had flights booked but my husbands permanent resident card was expired and we didn’t notice till we were packing to leave the weekend before ugh!! So very quick change of plans to drive and book hotels. It cost about $550 in fuel and $700 in hotels so we didn’t save Any money by driving down. But there was only myself and hubby. With kids it would work out cheaper.

i had reservations for the meals and parks so we had to make it to Disney by nov 13th before dinner time. No time to take the scenic route. I would love to one day though. We stuck to the i5 both ways. Driving on the freeways is a bit intense but I love to drive so I’m ok with it and we usually rent a car for a day at universal so I knew what to expect. The traffic did drive me insane at times. I drive a 6 speed manual so the traffic was a hassle.

I would drive again but hubby says he has done it he is good. So maybe a girls trip one day. I would stick to driving during daylight hours and don’t make the first day to long Because when you add the ferry on it makes For a long day.

 

[thenicefamily]

Im also Nanaimo. We left Nov 11 and took the second ferry from duke point.

We had flights booked but my husbands permanent resident card was expired and we didn’t notice till we were packing to leave the weekend before ugh!! So very quick change of plans to drive and book hotels. It cost about $550 in fuel and $700 in hotels so we didn’t save Any money by driving down. But there was only myself and hubby. With kids it would work out cheaper.

i had reservations for the meals and parks so we had to make it to Disney by nov 13th before dinner time. No time to take the scenic route. I would love to one day though. We stuck to the i5 both ways. Driving on the freeways is a bit intense but I love to drive so I’m ok with it and we usually rent a car for a day at universal so I knew what to expect. The traffic did drive me insane at times. I drive a 6 speed manual so the traffic was a hassle.

I would drive again but hubby says he has done it he is good. So maybe a girls trip one day. I would stick to driving during daylight hours and don’t make the first day to long Because when you add the ferry on it makes For a long day.

Thanks! Sounds like we were at Disney for at least one of the same days - the 13th. Dapper Day. Not that that's why we were there but, it was on then. Myself, daughter and two of her friends flew down for a 3-day adult Disney Princess trip. OMG - the rain the day we returned (13th), insane!

I also drive a standard (and a Mini to boot!) and hubby's a former PR card-holder, now citizen.

Very helpful info, much appreciated.

 

[OkanaganAmanda]

Ooooph, that rain in November was so bad, I can’t believe you had to drive in that! Yuck!
that would make for an extra, extra long day for sure with the ferry.

We have two kids (aged 6 and 8) and they are good car riders. Planning to drive on Saturday/Sunday (March 19 and 20). We have park reservations on the 21-24, and then two days to get back.
Haven’t decided if we drive from here over to Vancouver on Friday night (to visit and stay with the grandparents) and straight onto the I5 bright and early. Or, we can take the 97 south from here (Okanagan) and it eventually joins up in California at Medford.