Driving to Disney - Your Thoughts?

[wickedfan07]

Hi Everyone!

i'm hoping I can find some opinions here about driving to WDW. My family (5 people: my parents, myself (17), my sister (15), and my grandmother) are planning on driving down at the end of June. We live in northeastern Pennsylvania. We were originally considering driving straight through, stopping every few hours for a stretch break, gas, food, etc. However, we're now looking at stopping for the night somewhere past the halfway point, breaking up the travel time, and possibly allowing us to do something the night we arrive at WDW instead of just recuperating from spending the last 18-20 hours in a minivan. (we will still have some rest time though.)

So, if any of you have driven to Disney from the northeast, wha would you recommend? Can anyone recommend decent places to spend the night in South Carolina or Georgia? Any tips?

In case it matters, we will be staying at our timeshare off-site for 7 nights (June 23-30). (We tried to exchange our timeshare week for a week at a DVC resort, but it turns out we're not allowed to since our timeshare is too close to Disney property.)

Thanks!

 

[suzpman]

We drive from southeast Michigan every year

It is about 19 hours of driving time and we usually drive straight through. The other option is to drive to the Florida line, then get up with a short drive to WDW. We have been doing this since 1985 sometimes in an RV but since 2001, in a minivan. Good luck!

 

[MickeyTigg]

We just got back from WDW and we drove. I suggest you go as far as you can the first day....leaving early enough to cover as much ground as possible. I also suggest trying to get to southern Georgia if possible, leaving you about a 5 hour drive the next day.

 

[Keetz]

Driving to Disney

My husband and I drove to Disney 3 years ago with a 4 year old. We live in Pittsburgh, PA. We stopped for the night at my sisters house near Raleigh, NC. That was a good place to stop. It took us about 10 hours to get to her house, then we left her house around 6 am and we were at our WDW resort around 3PM.

Another thing we liked about driving there was that we were able to take our car to Walmart one night. We forgot our daughters armies for in the swimming pool and the hotel and WDW wanted a fortune for new ones. We were able to find Mickey Mouse ones at Walmart for like $3.

I can also tell you from traveling to NC with my elderly parents, that the trip will be easier on your grandparent if it is broken up.

 

[duck_daddy]

I have driven from Shamokin PA 3 times I always drive straight thru going down. I usually leave around 1am so I beat Washington and Baltimore traffic. This past time I got down there in 14 hours which was way quick. We leave the day before our check in date get down there usually around 5 or 6 get a cheap hotel right next to Disney, go to bed around 9 and are refreshed the day of check in. I always want to stay half way but once we are going I just want to finish it.

My wife is from Sunbury, not far from Shamokin right?:shrug:

 

[MacDuffieMuppet]

FROM MASS:

my dad and uncle try to drive all the way down. we camp so food and bathroom stops dont occur. But south of the broder is a neat place to see, but stayign there is pricey. As you enter florida there are wuite a few nice rest areas. i do agree driving at night is better casue orlando in the day tiem is he-double hockey sticks.

i enjoy driving down cause we spend more time as a family and in my family between work adn school it is one of the few times all of us are togteher.

 

[jonabyte]

Me and my wife have driven every year for 5 years now. Being that we come from Ontario, Canada, the drive is definitely part of the vacation, we can stop at many different restaurants and shops than we have in Canada.
Plus the two days driving gets me out of work mode and into vacation mode, vice versa for the drive back.
BTW, I love to drive and I am sure that makes a big difference.