? When driving from MA to WDW

[scampagna6]

We are driving from MA to WDW in August,where is a good place to stop overnight?
We were hoping to be at the 1/2 way point,is this doable and about how many hours would it take with bathroom/gas stops and a lunch stop?

And how about the reverse drive home where do you stop overnight?

Also we will be leaving MA to head to Kissimmee on a Saturday about 4-5 am
And leaving Kissimee to come home on a Saturday about the same time

TIA

 

[Bernini98]

Good luck Mr. & Mrs. Griswold....

I have done it staying Florence South Carolina (left at 5:00 am, got to florence at 6 pm) ..We drove straight through on the way back

IMO

....of course back then I was 25, gas was $1.10 a gallon and airfare was $500 roundtrip...

Now jetblue is about $150 RT and gas is $2.75 a gallon... and hotels are $$
Now I just fly

BTW

You didn't say how many people.... I95 is not exactly a scenic road trip down and cutting through Amish or Hill Country will slow you down


Good Luck..and have fun either way

 

[shafke]

We drove from New York and for us the half way point was in NC. For MA you are looking at a half way point some where in VA probably.

You would probably be better off planning a stop in NC or SC so you have a shorter drive the 2nd day. The hotels are also cheaper in NC/SC as compared to VA... at least on I95.

If you take the I81 route I can't comment on that.

 

[michelleiada]

Why don't you drive to Lorton, Virginia and take the Amtrak Auto Train? It is an 8 hour drive from Mass (I live here too and have done this many times). The train departs at 4 p.m. every day. You put your car right on it so you don't have to rent a car in Florida. You have a fabulous meal and can get private sleeper quarters to stretch out, relax and finally...sleep. It can't be all that much more than driving all the way and paying for a hotel room. You arrive in Sanford by 8:30 in the morning and you are a 30 minute drive to Disney World. This is so much better than driving the whole way because you are well rested when you get there. And...if you have kids....it is an ADVENTURE! Kids love the train.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[cranbiz]

Halfway point from Carver is Roanoake Rapids, NC. There are several name hotels there right off of I95.

 

[buzz5985]

We stop around Lumberton, NC, about 800 miles. Leave Boston around 3 am, our first stop is NJ for gas. Usually the 2nd rest stop in NJ - less crowded. We also pack a cooler with drinks, sandwich fixings, and an outdoor tablecloth and eat at a picnic table at a rest stop. We probably only stop 2 - 3 times the first day, for maybe 10 - 15 minutes each stop. Depending how long it takes to get gas, go the bathroom, and snack. When we are in Lumberton, we order in pizza and relax. Up early the next day to get to WDW as early as possible.

 

[scampagna6]

We stop around Lumberton, NC, about 800 miles. Leave Boston around 3 am, our first stop is NJ for gas. Usually the 2nd rest stop in NJ - less crowded. We also pack a cooler with drinks, sandwich fixings, and an outdoor tablecloth and eat at a picnic table at a rest stop. We probably only stop 2 - 3 times the first day, for maybe 10 - 15 minutes each stop. Depending how long it takes to get gas, go the bathroom, and snack. When we are in Lumberton, we order in pizza and relax. Up early the next day to get to WDW as early as possible.

buzz5985 can you recommend any hotel in Lumberton NC that you stay at?
Basically just want to make sure it is clean and a safe area.
Also we are going to need 3 rooms so traveling in August do you think I would be better off just booking it in advance to make sure we can get a room?
TIA

 

[Darcy03231]

I live in southern NH (right on the MA border- takes me about 45 min to an hour to get to Boston, depending on traffic). Mapquest puts the drive from my house to WDW at about 21 hours. My brother and SIL did the drive from my house straight through. It took them 26 hours on the way down and 24 on the way back. On the way down they hit a lot of traffic due to an accident. Some traffic in spots on the way back.

Good luck and have a great trip.

 

[buzz5985]

buzz5985 can you recommend any hotel in Lumberton NC that you stay at?
Basically just want to make sure it is clean and a safe area.
Also we are going to need 3 rooms so traveling in August do you think I would be better off just booking it in advance to make sure we can get a room?
TIA

I stayed at the Best Western - we were traveling with our dog, and Best Western allowed pets. The rooms have a fridge and microwave and coffee maker. Free wireless internet (weak signal in my room). All the chain hotels are present in the area. Plus a few chain restaurants. There is also a Walmart. We call Pizza Hut and have pizza delivered, we eat, watch a movie, get to bed early and get up and start again around 4 am.

I would recommend having hotel reservations. Just check the cancellation policy. A lot have a 5 pm cancellation on check in day. So that way, you feel you can go longer, cancel and travel on.

Janis

 

[scampagna6]

I stayed at the Best Western - we were traveling with our dog, and Best Western allowed pets. The rooms have a fridge and microwave and coffee maker. Free wireless internet (weak signal in my room). All the chain hotels are present in the area. Plus a few chain restaurants. There is also a Walmart. We call Pizza Hut and have pizza delivered, we eat, watch a movie, get to bed early and get up and start again around 4 am.

I would recommend having hotel reservations. Just check the cancellation policy. A lot have a 5 pm cancellation on check in day. So that way, you feel you can go longer, cancel and travel on.

Janis

Thanks Janis! A couple more ? for you
By leaving MA @ 3am what time do you normally arrive in Lumberton?
And then leaving Lumberton @ 4am what time do you arrive in WDW?
Thanks again for all your help!
Sherri

 

[buzz5985]

Thanks Janis! A couple more ? for you
By leaving MA @ 3am what time do you normally arrive in Lumberton?
And then leaving Lumberton @ 4am what time do you arrive in WDW?
Thanks again for all your help!
Sherri

I remember getting to lumberton around 5 pm. We hit traffic in Northern Virginia. But then again, I can never seem to get through Norther Virginia without hitting traffic. From Lumberton to WDW, we arrived around 1 pm.

Some may say I drive a little fast. But I always make sure there is someone in front of me going faster. It can be a really fun trip. I remember when DS was about 5, and he had his own AAA map, following the route, giving us directions - even though the map was upside down.

Last year we wrote down all the different state license plates. We found 46 states. Took us down and back to find them, and trucks didn't count

Janis

 

[scampagna6]

I remember getting to lumberton around 5 pm. We hit traffic in Northern Virginia. But then again, I can never seem to get through Norther Virginia without hitting traffic. From Lumberton to WDW, we arrived around 1 pm.

Some may say I drive a little fast. But I always make sure there is someone in front of me going faster. It can be a really fun trip. I remember when DS was about 5, and he had his own AAA map, following the route, giving us directions - even though the map was upside down.

Last year we wrote down all the different state license plates. We found 46 states. Took us down and back to find them, and trucks didn't count

Janis

Janis THANK YOU so much for all your help!
It should be an exciting trip for sure!!
Sherri

 

[GranddadTom]

An important consideration for you is when you will be hitting the major northeast cities. You didn't say what day of the week you planned to leave and approximately what time? If you can give me that, I can give you some tips. Also where exactly in Massachusetts will you be leaving from?

 

[buzz5985]

If I could get through that Northern Virginia traffic I would be a happy camper. I uusually go through on Saturdays. Last trip, we saw a sign for Dunkin Donuts on Route 1?? got off and realized that road is parallel to 95, so we stayed on that for a long time, a lot of lights, but I made a lot better time than on 95.

Janis

 

[scampagna6]

An important consideration for you is when you will be hitting the major northeast cities. You didn't say what day of the week you planned to leave and approximately what time? If you can give me that, I can give you some tips. Also where exactly in Massachusetts will you be leaving from?

We will be traveling both ways on a Saturday. Plan on leaving about 3am.We are leaving from Burlington MA
Any tips you have would be great!!

 

[GranddadTom]

It's going to take you around 8 hours to get to the Washington Beltway. New York City should be fine at 7:00 am on a Saturday. I think Baltimore also will be no problem. The Washington Beltway will not be bad (I'd go counterclockwise taking the western route on the Beltway). But hold your hat once you get onto Rt. 95 south of Washington and here is why - in the summer (you mentioned August) this road carries a lot on traffic on Saturday heading for the outer banks of North Carolina (like your Cape Cod). The 80 or so miles beween Washington and Richmond will be slow, especially the northern half, but don't look for things to ease up much on the lower half. Just live with it and plan for that stretch to take an hour or so more than you would expect. South of Richmond things should pick up. You'll hit another bottleneck in South Carolina where the road from Columbia (Rt. 26?) dumps into Rt. 95. Rt. 95 in Georgia has a lot of construction but by next year some of it may be finished. Before I go there I google "Construction I-95 Georgia" to see where they will be closing lanes and I prepare myself for work arounds (incidently Rt 1 in Virginia is usually not a good work around for heavy traffic on Rt. 95). If I were you, I'd try to stretch the first day and try to get into Orlando before noon on Sunday. We drive from just north of Washington to Orlando in one day and it usually takes between 12 1/2 and 13 hours (870 miles).

 

[scampagna6]

It's going to take you around 8 hours to get to the Washington Beltway. New York City should be fine at 7:00 am on a Saturday. I think Baltimore also will be no problem. The Washington Beltway will not be bad (I'd go counterclockwise taking the western route on the Beltway). But hold your hat once you get onto Rt. 95 south of Washington and here is why - in the summer (you mentioned August) this road carries a lot on traffic on Saturday heading for the outer banks of North Carolina (like your Cape Cod). The 80 or so miles beween Washington and Richmond will be slow, especially the northern half, but don't look for things to ease up much on the lower half. Just live with it and plan for that stretch to take an hour or so more than you would expect. South of Richmond things should pick up. You'll hit another bottleneck in South Carolina where the road from Columbia (Rt. 26?) dumps into Rt. 95. Rt. 95 in Georgia has a lot of construction but by next year some of it may be finished. Before I go there I google "Construction I-95 Georgia" to see where they will be closing lanes and I prepare myself for work arounds (incidently Rt 1 in Virginia is usually not a good work around for heavy traffic on Rt. 95). If I were you, I'd try to stretch the first day and try to get into Orlando before noon on Sunday. We drive from just north of Washington to Orlando in one day and it usually takes between 12 1/2 and 13 hours (870 miles).

Thanks for the tips!

 

[GranddadTom]

One last thing. When leaving DisneyWorld, people always complain about the heavy traffic going north on I-95 in Florida. Well, guess what - that heavy traffic is all of your fellow WDW vacationers all leaving for home at the same time (between 8:00am and 11:00am). By leaving before 5:00am - as you are planning on doing - you get ahead of that rolling traffic jam and you are easily out of Florida in 2 1/2 hours.

P.S. It will be hot at WDW in August.

 

[scampagna6]

One last thing. When leaving DisneyWorld, people always complain about the heavy traffic going north on I-95 in Florida. Well, guess what - that heavy traffic is all of your fellow WDW vacationers all leaving for home at the same time (between 8:00am and 11:00am). By leaving before 5:00am - as you are planning on doing - you get ahead of that rolling traffic jam and you are easily out of Florida in 2 1/2 hours.

P.S. It will be hot at WDW in August.

That is good to hear that we can beat the traffic since we are leaving early!
We have been to WDW in August before so we do know about the heat and humidity,the good thing is very easy packing...shorts,tshirts,bathing suits and SUNSCREEN