Driving stright down are we crazy?!?!

[WDW_Emily]

We are from Massachusetts (about 15 minutes from CT) we have drove to florida every time we go to disney/ However, this trip we will have 4 people who can drive. So instead of staying in a hotel in SC or GA, should we just drive straight down? Is 21 hours in a car with only bathroom and food breaks to long? has anybody done this before?

 

[Master Yoda]

As long as you can be safe and have a rested driver at the wheel I say go for it.

 

[Nemo14]

We've done it with 3 drivers from RI and it's not bad. Make sure that you have 2 people awake at all times though. We've also done it with 2, but I really don't recommend that. Have fun!

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

Wowzers!
I've driven from southern CT to WDW before, but stayed overnight in South Carolina and it was well worth it after being tired in the car for that long.
But if you chose not to stop after all, be careful and have fun!

 

[Lucky]

Last week at a Subway sandwich shop in Santee SC (just off I-95) I talked to a group of women from Massachusetts who were doing this. So you wouldn't be the first.

 

[Mouse Man]

The Mrs. and I drive down from Southern New Jersey every year, we have driven it straight thru. It takes 18 hours from my home to be on Disney property. So can it be done, yes, here's the kicker. I was so tired the next day that I wanted to do nothing at all. The second day I am about 90% myself. Now we stop in SC and stay over night and have no issues at all. It's all up to you and how you feel driving for 21 hours staight in the car with other people. When people get tired they do have a tendancy to get a little grouchy. I hoped this helped a bit.

 

[mousebymarriage]

We did it in March from Northern NJ (just 6 miles from the GWB) and we drove to Port Charlotte Florida (about 2-3 hours south west of Disney). We drove straight through with only 2 drivers, it was hard but, I would definately do it again. 3 Years ago we drove down to Disney with 2 drivers but, we stopped in Santee S.C. . and I much prefer to keep driving straight through.

 

[mouse_luv]

We've driven there 19 hours straight.

 

[heartodisney]

I have driven places before straight thru..too tired the next day to do much, I recomend stopping and rest, so you will be able to do things at MK. Just think.. if something does happen..Lord forbid..you will miss your visit and hospital cost are higher than you really can imagine.

 

[luvlifeinfl]

We have made the 15.5 hr trip from VA, it has only been my husband & I, by the 3rd yr of making that drive we decided we just could not do it anymore, so we used to stop in SC & spend a day or 2.

Now we no longer drive, we take the Amtrak Auto train here in Lorton, VA. It is worth it to us, we get to sleep and someone else does the driving and we do not put the miles on the van.

 

[littleangelnyc]

driving down tomorrow from NY

to the people that have stopped overnight can you recommend a specific hotel to stop at overnight in Georgia, something right of I 95
thanks

 

[kerrie]

Im on the ct /mass border and we are driving down next month strieght through with twpo kids see my kids travel great in the car so we are leaving after dinner aroun 630 Now wen it was dh and me we did it 2 ways drive stright through and we also stoped at this place at south of the border you know the turest trap there was a hotel right there at that time wasnt too $$ btu if you look up hotels along 95 there is a place just as you enter north Carolina right off the high way. this is the site www.i95exitguide.com/restareas/index.php
I find it very helpful and you might too. good luck and remeber if you make the car ride fun youll A. have a better tim eand B it will go faster

 

[bobjl527]

Only once have we driven and not stopped from Chicago. We would usually stop right before Atlanta, but on this particular trip we decided just to keep driving until we got tired. After 22 hours, with stops for food and restrooms, we made it. My brother-in-law did the majority of the driving and he was spent the next day. He spent most of the day sleeping. I wouldn't recommend ever doing that again.

 

[dznygirl64]

We used to do this all the time up untill we got Airtran at our local airport.We live in northern Illinois (not Chicago area) and its 22 hours drive from our drive way to All Star Movies.My best time was one year in March no construction 18 hours.I quit driving down after getting a speeding ticket in Tennessee on I 24.$250.00 Get a good front door and stick with them.I remember the Canadians drive fast Good Luck

 

[LaughingGravy]

4 drivers?
If all will agree to drive, then I'd say yes, do it, but have two awake, two asleep. Really, trust me on that. No use if you're going to marathon it with all 4 awake.
The freedom to just put your stuff in and go blows away airline baggage restrictions, security hassles as well as the teeming masses and recirculated air in a tube. Oh, and there's also the cost of flying down 4 people vs. gas and tolls.
Check auto fluids regularly with fuel stops.

I envy you. I love to drive. My family does not.

 

[rock_doctor]

As long as you stop and strech your legs every couple hours you should be fine. We drive from PA twice a year. Stop in Florence SC the first night and Orlando the second. By staying in Orlando, just outside of SeaWorld it is a 20min drive to Disney and we can check in to pop as early as we want and go explore.

Hotels in GA are expensive so if we can't make it to Florence we usually stop in Walterburo SC which is only ~50 miles from the SC and GA line. As you go into each state stop at the state rest-stop and get their paper hotel coupon books. There is a red one and a green one (don't remember the name of them). This is how we stay when we travel. It allows us to plan where we want to stop and usually get the room (albeit a one star hotel) for usually $30 a night. We travel on the cheap and spend the money at Disney.

For those who have diesels...we fill up at the Flying J in Dillon, SC. Be sure to get a Flying Js travelers discount card. It is free, gives you a penny discount plus allows you to pay with a credit card for the cash price. We also stop at either exit 3 or 6 in GA and fill up one last time. Plus there is a Flying J in northern VA that also has diesel for a good price. The gas stations on Disney property actually are not too bad so once there you are ok, plus free air... If you take a left off Disney property onto west vine (out of downtown Disney) and stay on it about 5 miles you will get to a super wal-mart.

What was your question?

 

[Mikester71]

I am from Canada and we usually drive straight through on the way home with just me and my wife switching off every few hours. Usually takes us about 21 :ROFLOL: hours too; including potty breaks and food breaks.

 

[mousebymarriage]

I am from Canada and we usually drive straight through on the way home with just me and my wife switching off every few hours. Usually takes us about 12 hours too; including potty breaks and food breaks.

12 hours from Canada to Disney? Wow, and I thought I was a fast driver!:ROFLOL:

 

[Tinkyroo]

We drive 19.5 hours straight through every time we go to WDW. Here is our trick. Two nights before we leave my DH does not sleep. He stays up all night so that he will be sleepy enough to fall asleep the night before the big trip (otherwise he is not able to fall asleep). The next day he packs up the car, takes some Benadryl (to help him sleep) then goes to bed at 5:30/6pm. We wake up at 2am and get on the road at 3/4am. I pack all food needed for the trip in a cooler. We only stop for gas and use the bathroom during those stops. My DH does all the driving (drinking chilled canned esspresso double shots to stay perky), the kids play DS, sleep and watch movies, I sleep much of the day (I get sleepy in moving cars) and disperse food to everyone during meal times. We get to WDW that night, unpack, get to bed late then sleep in till 9/10am the next day. When we wake we feel great and hit the parks. It works for us. And, amazingly my DH LOVES the drive!

Good luck and enjoy your trip!

 

[Mikester71]

12 hours from Canada to Disney? Wow, and I thought I was a fast driver!:ROFLOL:

Oops..my mistake! Should be 21 hours! :ROFLOL: