Travel Time from London, ON??

[tinkerbeth]

Hello....

Can anyone give me an idea what to expect for travel time from London to WDW? We're going to try to leave at 4pm on Friday (before March Break) and drive all night. I'm hoping to be able to make a PS for Boma for about 6pm on Saturday...does that sound doable?

Thanks!

Beth

 

[striker3636]

Yes, it is doable, but it doesn't give you a lot of room if you like to take longer rest breaks or hit bad weather or delays at the border. We have driven from the Stratford area (now from Waterloo) and we did our drive over 2 12 hour days. We stopped only when we needed to for gas/pit stops, and had only 20-30 min meal breaks. You also have to watch your timing for getting through Cinncinati and Atlanta too...both are big time wasters if your timing is off.... Have you driven all night before? Are you prepared to pull over and snooze for a bit if you just can't make it through the night? Are you wanting to check in first before dinner? You might be so bagged after the trip you may not get the full enjoyment out of the restaurant either. It kind of depends how well you travel and whether you'll be pumped and ready for action once you get there, or so tired you'll want to crash in your room.

 

[Cruisin]

When we went at the beginning of January we did the trip from Chatham to WDW in just under 18 hours of actual driving time, so add another hour and a bit from London.

That is just driving time, not figuring in time for gas stops, restroom visits and meals etc. Of course you also have to factor in your driving speed comfort level.

We did the trip with one overnight stay in both directions.

 

[PoohBWV]

We usually figure between 21 and 22 hours from Chatham including stops for gas and meals. Like a previous poster said, be sure to time your stop so that you hit Cincinatti and Atlanta during non peak hours or you will waste a lot of time.

We also have two drivers, so we don't stop for rest breaks.

 

[Disneyof3]

We usually figure between 21 and 22 hours from Chatham including stops for gas and meals. Like a previous poster said, be sure to time your stop so that you hit Cincinatti and Atlanta during non peak hours or you will waste a lot of time.

We also have two drivers, so we don't stop for rest breaks.

Were just east of Cambridge and it took us 24hrs to drive to WDW with 7 stops. Breakfast 1hr, lunch 1hr, 3 pee breaks and 2 gas breaks.We leave the one night at about 6pm and arrive the next night at about 6-6:30. That is with a 7,4, and 2 1/2 training in pull ups. YAY no diapers anymore and he had no accidents. This year were doing the same thing.

 

[jtdl]

I think it'll be pretty tight. We are leaving next Thurs night from the Sarnia area and also plan to drive straight through. Our reservation for Pop Century doesn't begin until Sunday, but we feel more comfortable with having lots of extra time to play with. Don't forget about the truck traffic at the Bluewater bridge, if your crossing there. Even though the trucks are not supposed to block the car lanes - they do and it can sometimes take a looonngg time to get across, although there usually aren't many trucks on Friday night. The last time we drove down it took us about 22 hours of driving time. Oh yeah, don't forget about the unexpected. On our last trip we left at 10 pm with plans of driving straight through. Well, we hit a pot hole on the road just at the Ohio border, blew a tire and had to spend the night 1 and 1/2 hours from home cause of course there was no place open to buy a new tire!

 

[soupy11]

I have driven 5 times now in the past 9 years and it has never taken longer than 23 hours. From my door in Kitchener to Downtown Disney it is approximately 2200 km's. We drive approx 3 hours - 4 hours at a stretch between gas ups and bathroom breaks. We always leave at 7pm on a Thursday night and usually get in at 5pm Friday. The longest time it took was last February due to an accident in Cincinatti that closed down I75, but we were still to our hotel in under 23 hours.
We find if you leave at 6-7pm from the Kitchener area you miss 90% of the rush hour traffic. We hit Detroit at 10:30. Cincinatti at a little after midnight - 1am. Atlanta is crossed around 10am or 11 am. We have never seen any stop and go traffic (other than the accident) and really enjoy the trip.

My wife and I trade off shifts every gas break to keep fresh. I find that the most difficult part is around 6am Friday morning waiting for the sun to rise. I find I get quite drowsy so we always pull off in Kentucky at the Cracker Barrel for a bite to eat and some coffee. This year we are driving down in April and we are using the 6-7pm Thursday departure guideline. I am traveling without my wife this time and going with my sister and her family. We are counting on a bit more time as there are 3 kids accompanying us. I can't imagine it taking longer than 24 hours though. We shall see.

There is no harm in making a priority seating arrangement. No cost to you if you can't make it and no consequence if you get there and don't feel up to it. Have fun.

 

[tinkerbeth]

Thanks for all the great replies. We are leaving at about 4 from London, hope to be through detroit by about 8 even with Bridge Traffic, and we'll switch off as well. i've got to get some info about I-75 so I feel prepared in case we need to stop.

We had the same thing with the pothole last time DH and I drove down to FL. Ours was in Detroit, in some seedy part we got lost in because of the detours. DH had to change the tire in the Freezing cold and we prayed the spare would last until we got to a garage. We were scared. Hopefully that won't happen this time. Fingers crossed!

I just keeping thinking...soon I'll be at DisneyWorld, soon I'll be at Disneyworld...

 

[Susan--Ontario]

Tinkerbeth,

If you live in the north part of London go through Sarnia/Port Huron. It is a little bit faster and it is less confusing going through Detroit (just remember you're driving to Toledo and you won't get lost). From London to the Disney gates is 19 hours of drive time. The last two trips (Nov and Jan) we were able to go a bit quicker because we had good weather and no policeman. Have a safe, fun trip and if you have any other questions feel free to PM me.

 

[soupy11]

Go to Chapters and pick up Dave Hunters "Along Interstate 75" Book. It is invaluable if you are taking 75. It shows every exit/restaraunt/gas station, etc. Where the cops like to trap, radio stations to listen to, information on the local areas, historical tidbits, etc.

It is a great book to have with you.

 

[jtdl]

Go to Chapters and pick up Dave Hunters "Along Interstate 75" Book. It is invaluable if you are taking 75. It shows every exit/restaraunt/gas station, etc. Where the cops like to trap, radio stations to listen to, information on the local areas, historical tidbits, etc.

It is a great book to have with you.

I totally agree. I bought it for this trip and it is great. Small kind of maps as the CAA triptiks only much more detailed. The restaurant/gas station tips are invaluable!

 

[the4moores]

We also cross at Sarnia and we live in the South end of London. Less traffic and not as confusing. When we come home we always seem to cross at Detroit and often have a longer wait. Last time we were stuck on the bridge for over half an hour and I could feel it swinging back and forth (it started to freak me out). I don't know why we cross in Detroit on the way home. I guess it is because you hit Detroit first and just feel like getting back into Canada as quick as possible.

 

[tinkerbeth]

THanks a million! I will definately get that book about I-75. We will for sure cross at Sarnia, and lilkely do Detroit on the way back as well. I cant' wait to check out that book.

Beth

 

[Susan--Ontario]

4moores,

I hear you about the swinging bridge. Once when my DS was little I was going over and we were stopped in the middle lane and every time a truck went by on either side of us the whole bridge seemed to shake. I said to my Mom, if we don't move in the next 30 seconds I'm getting out and walking down and I'll meet you at the bottom. I was dead serious. That's why I love the two spans at Sarnia. Getting stopped is less likely now that they have designated car and truck lanes.

We think about crossing at Detroit but unless the weather is bad we go on to Port Huron. That way when we cross the bridge we're only 45 minutes from home. It's all a mental game with us.

 

[tinkerbeth]

Well, I have ordered the I75 book from Amazon. Of course, I thought I might as well get the Unnofficail 2005 guide too, since you get free shipping...but then I was one dollar short of the free shipping, so I also ordered a Raffi CD for Gabe. It's too easy when they store your credit card number for you - you don't even have to get up to get the wallet. I'm such a book addict. I can't wait to bore DH every second of the way down I75 with all the information. he'll LOVE it.

Beth

 

[digskat]

I just did the drive in November, we left home (an hour north of Sarnia) at 8:30PM, driving straight through. We were in Loudin, Tennessee by 8:30AM, but do to a faulty alternator, stopped in Macoun, GA for the night. I found that traffic was non-existant after 2AM, and total driving time was about 19 hours.
I used the book, and swear by it. The drive wasn't near as bad as I expected, so we are driving down again in October. On the way back, we took I275 from the I75, and this avoided the I94/95 switch at Detroit. We crossed both directions at Sarnia, with no issues.

 

[Disney Ontario]

Hi We are from Paris, Ontario. We have the newest edition of the Dave Hunters book. Chapters on line. Cheaper and delivered within 3 days. We always cross at Detroit. Is it easier to cross in Sarnia? We are afraid where to go after the border. How long after the border do you hit I-75? Help please.

 

[digskat]

I found it pretty easy to get onto the I75. I went online for simple directions (Mapquest details it well), and it took about an hour to get from Sarnia to the I75 at Detroit. If I can remember, it was I94 to I95, to the I75. It is quicker to get across at Sarnia, and fairly well marked out. Map it out from home to hotel, and use the mapquest to get you to the I75. Good luck

 

[dsneygirl]

I totally agree. I bought it for this trip and it is great. Small kind of maps as the CAA triptiks only much more detailed. The restaurant/gas station tips are invaluable!

DH and I swear by this book. I loved knowing which restaurants were coming up so we could plan our stops accordingly.

 

[Disney Ontario]

Hi again. I know that in the Dave Hunter book, it tells you how to get on the I-75 from Detroit. Does it tell you how to get on from Sarnia? I have not got my book handy right now,(packed it)