Driving to Disney

[HouCuseChickie]

We're driving as well for our upcoming trip. We used to do it all the time from NJ. This time I'm coming in from TX. We'll drive to either Gainesville or Ocala FL on day 1, so it's a very short drive on day 2. Hopefully our DD2 and DD4 will stay entertained with DVDs or take the time to get some rest. :snore:

 

[kapeman]

It's the directions that mapquest gives me. The 10 sounds familiar though.

For a trip that long, with so many different possible routes, I really wouldn't leave it up to Map Quest or Google.

I usually check them both against each other as a sanity check.

It is surprising how different they can plot your route.

I would highly recommend that you check out the route I suggested and see if it works for you.

Good luck!

 

[mouselvrmom]

Glad to hear that we are not the only crazy people driving to WDW from Minnesota. We performed the feat in February with 3 kids (7,3,2) and had a blast. You have to schedule more than a week of vacation if you are going to do this to take advantage of the time at your destination versus the time in the vehicle. With a stop to see friends along the way in Atlanta, it made for a great trip. Good luck to you!

Wow, February, now that's crazy! :lol: We're staying 12 nights and our driving time is on the weekends so we can take it easy if we want, but the plan is to just keep driving until we get there. Glad to hear that you made it through fine.

 

[draybook]

For a trip that long, with so many different possible routes, I really wouldn't leave it up to Map Quest or Google.

I usually check them both against each other as a sanity check.

It is surprising how different they can plot your route.

I would highly recommend that you check out the route I suggested and see if it works for you.

Good luck!

Excellent, thanks! Any way I can cut down on travel time is fine by me.

 

[KYfriedPanda]

We always drive down either from NY or MA... I love driving enough that I've driven the whole way myself before... I always create a "road trip constitution and guide" with "rules of the road" and fun facts about places we're passing by on the way (thank you internet, for your endless supply of useless information), some weird games, and a sing-a-long guide to songs that I force everyone to sing to... The road trip cds are always a big part of the trip... And we ALL sing... To the point that we have no voices left by the end of the trip... And we're all adults, in case you were curious :lol:

 

[WDW-Crazy]

DH & I with our 3 (now 17,18 & 20 yr olds) ALWAYS DRIVE!!! From York PA. We have made this trek over a dozen times.
My DH hates to fly & I don't like the price tag (for a family of 5).
Any who our tradition is to pack the van the night before our trip. We start our journey @ 0300!!!
We pack a cooler of drinks (o.j./tea/soda/etc...), breakfast donuts/poptarts/granola/etc... and lunch (sandwhiches & snacks).
We only stop to fuel the car & potty at the rest stop.
We are in Savannah GA by 1300 hours. We always stay a night in Savannah (as I use to live there). We have a fun night out with friends
We are back on the road by 0700 and we are in WDW by noon...just in time for lunch!
We usually make a stop at Wal Mart on our way into The World.
Once in Disney we use disney transportation. We have driven ourselves to church/stores/Universal:zipit:/ and to see family at Satallite Beach ...
It is nice to have a car. We have driven ourselves to other resorts for dining reservations (just easier/saves time). And we have driven ourselves to the water parks.
Have flown (DH & I) twice. I will do whatever it takes to get to WDW:sohappy:

Glad to see another WDWMagic member here from my area!

We start our trip taking 30 west towards Gettysburg. There, it's 15 south to Fredrick, MD and the scenic route through VA to Warrenton, and eventually to Fredricksburg, where we get on I-95. From there, it's 95 straight to FL, making stops are rest areas, eating, and re-fueling.

By the way, we've never taken the new Western Beltway, we always take I-95 down to I-4 at Daytona. Does anyone have pics of those WDW sightlines from the Western Beltway? I never knew you could see that much from off of Disney property.

 

[MAGICFLOP]

I hate to fly, but I hate driving more. I would not even attempt a trip that long. I am glad you are all prolific at it.

If I drove from NJ to florida I would be exhausted for 3 days afterwards.

How expensive is it for fuel and tolls from the NJ area to the world?

 

[FireChiefGoofy]

I hate to fly, but I hate driving more. I would not even attempt a trip that long. I am glad you are all prolific at it.

If I drove from NJ to florida I would be exhausted for 3 days afterwards.

How expensive is it for fuel and tolls from the NJ area to the world?

From northern Delaware, there is the Inner Harbor tunnel in Baltimore ($3) going south on I-95. We have a Dodge Caliber and usually stop twice for gas. Coming home is about the same, twice for gas, $3 tunnel in Baltimore, $5 bridge in Maryland on I-95. Not sure what the Delaware Turnpike toll is at the MD/DE state line, we get off at the last exit in Maryland to avoid it (we live about 5 minutes from the state line). Coming from NJ you would have the DE Memorial Bridge and probably the NJ Turnpike. Round-trip it costs us about $170 in gas and tolls.