Tips for Driving to WDW

[World Showcaser]

My DBF and I plus our 3 kiddies are driving to WDW in August. I have driven before but it was with others who planned and decided everything and it was without the children.

I'm wondering if anyone has any tips to offer for getting there safely and quickly and cheaply. We are leaving from Maine.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. (And yes, we know it will be warm but we like the heat and have air conditioning in our car.)

 

[minnie mum]

1. CAA trip tiks are worth their weight in gold. They'll map out your route along with mileages and estimated times. You can plan your stops accordingly, and use the website to also scope out accommodations and food.

2. Gasbuddy.com. Input your vehicles make, model and year, plus your route and it will tell you what the return trip will take in gallons of gas and estimated cost. It can also tell you where to get the cheapest gas on your route, and what the current gas prices are in each state.

3. Use the visitor centers at the state line for each state. Bathrooms, vending machines, picnic tables, and grass for the kids to run around on to burn up excess energy. Plus you can pick up brochures and coupon books (you can find coupons for accommodations this way if you don't book hotels in advance).

4. Plan to stop every couple of hours, even if it's only for 5-10 min just to stretch your legs and let your brain rest- you will be sharper driving than if you try to go for hours on end without a stop.

5. Everybody pees at every stop. Or tries to. That way you hopefully can avoid unnecessary stops.

6. Watch your speed. There are a couple of states in the south that are famous for their speed traps. You're usually safe if you just maintain the same speed as those around you.

 

[Tower]

If anyone is good for driving at night, head out at 8PM and deadhead till at least midnight or 1AM, switch drivers and keep going. The kids will sleep, and there will be less 'Mom are we there yet?'

Get a cheap DVD player to entertain the kids during the daytime. If possible, get a splitter for any headphones so the parents can still listen to the radio/CD's in the front without all the movie noise from the back.

Make sure you have your GPS updated to the latest maps. My Garmin even posts the speed limit on the screen so (U.S. side only), even though you might not see a sign, you'll have an idea of the speed limit.

 

[bdoyledimou]

i have driven a large number of times --

We generally leave at 6 am -- get to the border for 9 am, stop for breakfast, drive through to lunch, drive through to dinner -- ONE driver for this part --

Then we switch up drivers and drive until about 4-5 am -- we are usually at the georgia welcome center by then, and I taker a nap till the sun comes up (about 2-3 hours) then on the road to 8-9 am and breakfast.

From then on -- it's Florida and the kids push to drive all the way through to "home"

If we drive this year, we will be taking a break though -- i am too old to go straight through now...

 

[nanay2jdr]

We originally planned to drive the 20 hour trip from T.O. with an overnight stay. But calculating the cost of gas, meals, hotel, time, and stress (family with 3 kiddies: 3, 11, and 13). Our cost will be around 500 each way. Not to mention, time and stress-fee are more valuable. Luckily, I was checking CAAsco.ca site and was able to book a return flight from buffallo for 1,200 for a family of 5. And both straight flight of under 3 hours each.
Best value!

 

[World Showcaser]

1. CAA trip tiks are worth their weight in gold. They'll map out your route along with mileages and estimated times. You can plan your stops accordingly, and use the website to also scope out accommodations and food.

2. Gasbuddy.com. Input your vehicles make, model and year, plus your route and it will tell you what the return trip will take in gallons of gas and estimated cost. It can also tell you where to get the cheapest gas on your route, and what the current gas prices are in each state.

3. Use the visitor centers at the state line for each state. Bathrooms, vending machines, picnic tables, and grass for the kids to run around on to burn up excess energy. Plus you can pick up brochures and coupon books (you can find coupons for accommodations this way if you don't book hotels in advance).

4. Plan to stop every couple of hours, even if it's only for 5-10 min just to stretch your legs and let your brain rest- you will be sharper driving than if you try to go for hours on end without a stop.

5. Everybody pees at every stop. Or tries to. That way you hopefully can avoid unnecessary stops.

6. Watch your speed. There are a couple of states in the south that are famous for their speed traps. You're usually safe if you just maintain the same speed as those around you.

These are great tips! Thank you. We get a free triptic from Toyota so I'll definitely be doing that. I'm looking forward to giving Gasbuddy.com a try.

If anyone is good for driving at night, head out at 8PM and deadhead till at least midnight or 1AM, switch drivers and keep going. The kids will sleep, and there will be less 'Mom are we there yet?'

We really do not want to drive through the night. Getting there is part of the fun for us. We hope to drive all day and stop around supper time and get a hotel afterward to have a swim and relax.

We originally planned to drive the 20 hour trip from T.O. with an overnight stay. But calculating the cost of gas, meals, hotel, time, and stress (family with 3 kiddies: 3, 11, and 13). Our cost will be around 500 each way. Not to mention, time and stress-fee are more valuable. Luckily, I was checking CAAsco.ca site and was able to book a return flight from buffallo for 1,200 for a family of 5. And both straight flight of under 3 hours each.
Best value!

From Toronto, I have no doubt you could get some good deals. From New Brunswick...not so much! It would be about $600/person if we got a deal.