Driving from CT to FL.

[htfdwlfpack]

If and this is a BIG IF.
If i go to florida in September i will be going with my sister. She is retired and dont think she will be working then either. lets assume she wont be for this :0

So i just mapquested from where i live in CT to Orlando Florida and is 19 hours and 38 mins . I know i have NO probelm driving almost 8 hours straight just myself. So with us getting 7 hours in each for driving (total 14) where that might put us? Or is there a program online that can help with this.? Im assuming mapquest has you driving 60 MPH too.(as the times they have given for trips in ct have been much shorter.)

Or we can go another way lol. Wheres a good safe place to stop? What id ultimately like to do is get into orlando around 9AM but thats just me dreaming LOL, so we might end up there at night

 

[slappy magoo]

My brother and his family are driving down in September and are planning routes, etc right now.

I looked at autotrain prices - holy mackerel. They might as well fly.

I understand you do have you car with you, and you can pack it full of stuff. But it also takes 19 hours longer each way.

I think it is a great idea, but price wise it is a no-go.

And why does it cost more for your car to go from Florida to DC than from DC to Florida ? Are people taking the train down to Florida to buy cars and then ship them home ?


-dave

It's not just the car that costs more coming north than it does going south. If you choose to book a private room or roomette, prices seems to be much higher northbound then southbound. For chucks and giggles I've tried it on all sorts of dates. The same day I intend to go to WDW, a superliner roommette would be almost twice as much coming back. I've considered, on the next trip, just doing the Autotrain down, then driving back.

But I don't find the price of the auto train that ridiculous compared to most flight prices out of my neck of the woods. Just did a price check on travelocity, and airfare for the three of us would be more than the autotrain, not to mention
a: we'd have our car, versus relying solely on Disney transportation or paying more for a rental;
b: we'd be able to pack lots of stuff from the baby, from diapers to two strollers (light one and heavy-duty recliner for naps) and her own pack-n-play, and leave it in our car. On a flight we'd have to leave that stuff behind, or ship ahead, or either purchase or rent once we got there, taking time out of the vacation to do so, OR pay the currently obscene prices for extra baggage if we wanted any or all of it to fly with us.
c: It does include 2 meals.

Of course, with the OP and anyone else reading, your prices may vary, depending on what kind of airfare deals you can get, how much you need to travel with, how many people in your party, etc.

Sure, flying is faster, but if you factor in the travel time in your vacation, then there's not much difference between that being a night I sleep in a train, versus a night I sleep at home the day before I go. It's a night I can spend watching some Disney movies with my family, spending soe quality time together, without my wife having a panic attack brought on by flying, or poorly-trained TSA agents deciding they want to check me for a hernia under the guise of safe air travel. It probably wouldn't be a night I could afford to stay an extra day at WDW, once you factor in resort prices, meals, etc, so it's just a night I'm chilling somewhere other than home. I can live with that.

 

[rkelly42]

I have driven down to Disney about a dozen times. I am from Mass/RI line and take 95 straight down till I hit RT 4 in FL. I leave at 1am and stop 4 times for gas, food and bathroom break. I stop in St. Augustine Fl ( about and hour and a half to two hours from WDW), and it is usually about 530pm that same day that I get there. I miss all the NYC and Baltimore and DC traffic. This is drive time I do all on my own to, so to break it up between 2 people it would be a lot easier for you.

 

[Phonedave]

It's not just the car that costs more coming north than it does going south. If you choose to book a private room or roomette, prices seems to be much higher northbound then southbound. For chucks and giggles I've tried it on all sorts of dates. The same day I intend to go to WDW, a superliner roommette would be almost twice as much coming back. I've considered, on the next trip, just doing the Autotrain down, then driving back.

But I don't find the price of the auto train that ridiculous compared to most flight prices out of my neck of the woods. Just did a price check on travelocity, and airfare for the three of us would be more than the autotrain, not to mention
a: we'd have our car, versus relying solely on Disney transportation or paying more for a rental;
b: we'd be able to pack lots of stuff from the baby, from diapers to two strollers (light one and heavy-duty recliner for naps) and her own pack-n-play, and leave it in our car. On a flight we'd have to leave that stuff behind, or ship ahead, or either purchase or rent once we got there, taking time out of the vacation to do so, OR pay the currently obscene prices for extra baggage if we wanted any or all of it to fly with us.
c: It does include 2 meals.

Of course, with the OP and anyone else reading, your prices may vary, depending on what kind of airfare deals you can get, how much you need to travel with, how many people in your party, etc.

Sure, flying is faster, but if you factor in the travel time in your vacation, then there's not much difference between that being a night I sleep in a train, versus a night I sleep at home the day before I go. It's a night I can spend watching some Disney movies with my family, spending soe quality time together, without my wife having a panic attack brought on by flying, or poorly-trained TSA agents deciding they want to check me for a hernia under the guise of safe air travel. It probably wouldn't be a night I could afford to stay an extra day at WDW, once you factor in resort prices, meals, etc, so it's just a night I'm chilling somewhere other than home. I can live with that.

It is tempting. I was thinking of doing it with my kids this summer, but the price just kills it.

For us, bringing our car is not really a benefit. My kids are 8 and 12 and we are light packers. Plus we all get our first and second checked bags free anyway

It works out to being the same ballpark as flying for us (same general area you fly out of) but my kids LOVE to fly. They look forward to flying.

If things change, or maybe if we plan a Florida trip (as opposed to a WDW trip) then maybe the auto train will be in our future.


-dave

 

[The Mom]

we drove from ohio in january of 2010 and we'll be coming back through this july. does jacksonville still look like a bomb went off?? there was construction EVERYWHERE. on top of the traffic. :brick:

The construction is pretty close to being 100% complete around the I-10/I-95 interchange. There also is less construction at the 9A/I-95/I-295 area. Things are moving much more smoothly - for now. There is construction planned for the area just south of the Fuller Warren bridge, so things will be torn up again. :lol:

I'm lucky that it will start after my son graduates; right now, we have to go through that area every day.

 

[luvlifeinfl]

I know my Sister has AAA.

Now im looking at trains if this doesnt work out the way i want it to.

Anyone ever taken a train? Maybe not to florida but and overnight trip? Im not rich, hell right now im out of work(hope to be working very soon though ) but was thinking for ok its about 240 by train not cheap at all, but still anyone rode a train? Id like to hear your experiences if you have

My family has taken the Auto train from Lorton VA to Sanford FL a few times. Since the train station is less than an hr from where we live we have found it to be a good trip. The first time we on the autotrain we took coach and then the other time we had gotten a sleeper car. The reason we liked the train is becasue it leaves at 4pm and once you get settled in on the train it is dinner time then catch a movie in the movie car or go back to your sleeper car and watch a dvd on the laptop, before you know it it is time to go to sleep. Next thing you know you are being woke for calls to Bfast and the train is scheduled to arrive in FL by 930am the next morning, once your car is removed from the train it is less than an hour drive to WDW.

 

[luvlifeinfl]

It's not just the car that costs more coming north than it does going south. If you choose to book a private room or roomette, prices seems to be much higher northbound then southbound. For chucks and giggles I've tried it on all sorts of dates. The same day I intend to go to WDW, a superliner roommette would be almost twice as much coming back. I've considered, on the next trip, just doing the Autotrain down, then driving back.

But I don't find the price of the auto train that ridiculous compared to most flight prices out of my neck of the woods. Just did a price check on travelocity, and airfare for the three of us would be more than the autotrain, not to mention
a: we'd have our car, versus relying solely on Disney transportation or paying more for a rental;
b: we'd be able to pack lots of stuff from the baby, from diapers to two strollers (light one and heavy-duty recliner for naps) and her own pack-n-play, and leave it in our car. On a flight we'd have to leave that stuff behind, or ship ahead, or either purchase or rent once we got there, taking time out of the vacation to do so, OR pay the currently obscene prices for extra baggage if we wanted any or all of it to fly with us.
c: It does include 2 meals.

Of course, with the OP and anyone else reading, your prices may vary, depending on what kind of airfare deals you can get, how much you need to travel with, how many people in your party, etc.

Sure, flying is faster, but if you factor in the travel time in your vacation, then there's not much difference between that being a night I sleep in a train, versus a night I sleep at home the day before I go. It's a night I can spend watching some Disney movies with my family, spending soe quality time together, without my wife having a panic attack brought on by flying, or poorly-trained TSA agents deciding they want to check me for a hernia under the guise of safe air travel. It probably wouldn't be a night I could afford to stay an extra day at WDW, once you factor in resort prices, meals, etc, so it's just a night I'm chilling somewhere other than home. I can live with that.

Slappy,

I know we wanted to take the Auto train in Aug and we have decided to take it to FL and just drive back and just stop for the night in the Carolina's. I first thought the prices we high on the return trip becasue we were coming back on a weekend, but when i moved the dated to a weekday it was still the same.

 

[Keri]

We drive from eastern PA and we never take 95 all the way. It is actually faster and a MUCH nicer ride if you take 78w to 81s to 77s. You cut over to 95 when 77 ends in South Carolina. This is a much more BEAUTIFUL car ride and no major traffic jams around cities to worry about.

 

[WDWmazprty]

We drive from eastern PA and we never take 95 all the way. It is actually faster and a MUCH nicer ride if you take 78w to 81s to 77s. You cut over to 95 when 77 ends in South Carolina. This is a much more BEAUTIFUL car ride and no major traffic jams around cities to worry about.

You like 81!!??!?! We hate 81! Its so boring and long! But I guess to each his own.

 

[Grumpyboy]

My family and I drove from East Haven CT to WDW back in 2007. We left at 1:00pm on Friday and arrived in WDW at 9:30am Saturday morning. We drove 20-1/2 hours straight through. We thought about stopping and getting a place to stay for the night but I felt good and just kept going.

If you want to stop based on miles the half way point is right around the middle of North Carolina. I would say doing about 14 to 16 hours should put you in South Carolina and make your trip the next day about 4 to 6 hours.

 

[wdwfanatic4yrs]

The construction is pretty close to being 100% complete around the I-10/I-95 interchange. There also is less construction at the 9A/I-95/I-295 area. Things are moving much more smoothly - for now. There is construction planned for the area just south of the Fuller Warren bridge, so things will be torn up again. :lol:

I'm lucky that it will start after my son graduates; right now, we have to go through that area every day.

thank you for the heads up. i'll be sure to pack extra advil for the headache i'll get driving through their:lol:

 

[WDW_Emily]

You like 81!!??!?! We hate 81! Its so boring and long! But I guess to each his own.

We took 81 back last year and only liked it because there was no traffic. But I agree it's a very boring ride.

 

[WDWmazprty]

We took 81 back last year and only liked it because there was no traffic. But I agree it's a very boring ride.

Yeah, its like it never ends! :brick: