Driving To WDW From Ontario-Where To Stop

[Raineman]

My family and I are planning to drive to WDW for the first week of March next year, from our home in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The total driving time, according to Google Maps, is about 18.5 hours (obviously not accounting for rest/gas/food stops). If we are checking in to the resort on Monday, what would be the best plan for where/ when to stop for the night, if we leave early Sunday morning? If all goes well, we should reach just south of Atlanta by 10 or 11 pm, and if we stayed there and left early the next morning, we should reach WDW by early afternoon, which may let us check in early. The only disadvantage to this is that the first day of driving is a very long one. Any recommendations from other snowbirds who have made this trip before?

 

[wdisneyw2000]

We leave from PA early the morning before check in as well. We usually will sleep in a rest area, but i'd say if you can make it to atleast the middle of GA then your looking at roughly 5 HRS to WDW. We always stop at the Florida welcome center for pix in front of the welcome to Florida sign. It's a Family tradition. Then your roughly 3 hours from there.

 

[kimberlymautz]

I live in PA and when I went with my friend a few years ago we stopped at South of the Border and it was so much fun. Lots of cute little shops and some pretty interesting firework shops. Haha. That's about 10 hours from here though.

I think if you aren't planning on spending any actual time at the hotel you can get away with stopping anywhere. If I were you I would drive until I was tired and then I'd look up nearby hotels and fine the one with the best rate, but that's just me. Good luck!

 

[NYwdwfan]

I'm guessing you'd be driving straight down and not along the East coast? Maybe Augusta, SC? We used to drive from NY and always planned for a longer first day than second day.

 

[SAV]

We drove down from Chicago at the end of July and my stopping point was going to be somewhere between Chattanooga and South of Atlanta, depending on how late it was and how we were feeling. We did have a 3 hour delay with car troubles, so we to stopped just South of Chattanooga because everyone was just spent.

There is a Microtel in Cartersville, GA. that friends of ours stayed at and it was perfect for what was needed. A nice place just to sleep in. Of course this would leave your North of Atlanta on a Monday, so you would have to deal with the Atlanta traffic the next day.

 

[sandam1]

I drove from Buffalo, NY to Jacksonville, FL this past spring and we stayed overnight just outside of Charlotte, NC. The first day was long (around 9 hours), but we were on a "we're going on vacation" high that made it manageable.

 

[Horizons '83]

Valdosta, Ga is always a good place to stop if its not too far for your.You can usually stay at a Hampton Inn there for 20,000 points or 79 bucks a night and its only a 3 1/2 hour drive to WDW from there. You can also always stop in Atlanta too, which would be about a 6 to 6 1/2 hour drive to The World.

 

[Kman]

My family and I are planning to drive to WDW for the first week of March next year, from our home in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The total driving time, according to Google Maps, is about 18.5 hours (obviously not accounting for rest/gas/food stops). If we are checking in to the resort on Monday, what would be the best plan for where/ when to stop for the night, if we leave early Sunday morning? If all goes well, we should reach just south of Atlanta by 10 or 11 pm, and if we stayed there and left early the next morning, we should reach WDW by early afternoon, which may let us check in early. The only disadvantage to this is that the first day of driving is a very long one. Any recommendations from other snowbirds who have made this trip before?

We have done this trip countless times from Southern Ontario. From the Niagara Falls area it is about 18.5 hours give or take. I could give you some good hints but can you tell me more exactly where you live? Which bridge are you planning on crossing into the States?

 

[Jae99]

We did the drive from Barrie Ontario for our visit last December. We took a modified I-75 route and stopped for the night in Adairsville Ga. It is about 30 minutes north of Atlanta. We left at 10;30 pm from Barrie and stopped in Adairsville at 4 pm the next day, including stopping for breakfast and extended gas stops to stretch our legs. We stayed at a Hampton Inn & Suites (http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/ho...s-adairsville-calhoun-area-RMGAVHX/index.html). It cost $89 for the night and had a nice indoor saltwater pool and complimentary hot breakfast. The room was impeccably clean and the staff was amazing. There was a Cracker Barrel just up the road for dinner. We left very early the next morning and were in Orlando 6 hrs later.

 

[Raineman]

We have done this trip countless times from Southern Ontario. From the Niagara Falls area it is about 18.5 hours give or take. I could give you some good hints but can you tell me more exactly where you live? Which bridge are you planning on crossing into the States?

We live in London, so we would be taking the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor/Detroit, and then the I-75 route down.

 

[irwalt2]

My family and I live about 20-30 minutes west of Detroit and drive down each time we go. Our goal usually is to get to Macon GA, which is about 11 hours, find a hotel to spend the night. We then get up early the next morning and continue on our way. Disney though is still 6-7 hours away. Georgia and Florida long states.

 

[brucie]

We drove from Guelph in 2001 drove straight through with 3 drivers

 

[Dave Z]

We drive from Buffalo, NY straight to WDW. We stop for meals and around 3am we stop at a truck stop for showers and breakfast.
We get to Disney around 6 am and always make rope drop.

 

[Horizons '83]

We drive from Buffalo, NY straight to WDW. We stop for meals and around 3am we stop at a truck stop for showers and breakfast.
We get to Disney around 6 am and always make rope drop.

Wow that is dedication!

 

[Tom 55]

I drove from Derry, Nh back in 1997. We left early in the morning before sunrise and packed a cooler of lunch and snacks. The boys were in there early teens so that was not a problem. had to stop for gas and rest stops. I was the only driver and we got to the north/ south Carolina border by 8pm. Stayed at a hotel off the highway for the night after driving 16+ hours. Had breakfast across from race track in Darlington. Was into Florida by noon time. Stopped in Daytona for a little while before continuing down to Melbourne. It is about 45 minutes east of Disney. Got there in afternoon. This was the only time I drove since then it has been flying.

 

[Dave Z]

We been driving since 2004, At first we stop for the night, but in 2009 we been driving straight though.
There have been no issues with my wife and I doing all the driving. On our next trip (March 2016), we
will have my son and my nephew helping out finally. We as a family like to drive, so the distance to
Disney is 1200 miles depending on hotel. However driving home we get depress, so if needed we stay overnight
in Statesville, NC. Good clean rooms at the Red Roof Inn.

 

[Raineman]

Thanks for all the info, guys. Muchly appreciated. I think, at this point, we are probably gonna take the express route and drive down with no overnight stops, with myself alternating with my DW behind the wheel, fully knowing that the first day at WDW is gonna be a wash - napping, relaxing at the resort, etc. Now, we are planning on taking our sweet time on the way back, so I will definitely keep in mind everything mentioned so far.

 

[Jae99]

Thanks for all the info, guys. Muchly appreciated. I think, at this point, we are probably gonna take the express route and drive down with no overnight stops, with myself alternating with my DW behind the wheel, fully knowing that the first day at WDW is gonna be a wash - napping, relaxing at the resort, etc. Now, we are planning on taking our sweet time on the way back, so I will definitely keep in mind everything mentioned so far.

Good luck....It is a long drive going straight through. After 16 hrs on the road I was starting to see double. Have a very safe drive and make sure if you are starting to feel tired make a stop and get out of the car and stretch.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Thanks for all the info, guys. Muchly appreciated. I think, at this point, we are probably gonna take the express route and drive down with no overnight stops, with myself alternating with my DW behind the wheel, fully knowing that the first day at WDW is gonna be a wash - napping, relaxing at the resort, etc. Now, we are planning on taking our sweet time on the way back, so I will definitely keep in mind everything mentioned so far.

We also drove down from Buffalo for our last trip in 2011. We drove straight through both ways. Google says 1,205 miles and 17h without traffic; took us about 20 hours on the way down. We had two kids at the time (4 and 2) and they did fine. I would recommend anyone who drives a similar distance to think about doing it. BUT, I'll always stop on the way back in the future. When you have WDW ahead of you, the trip down is fun. When you've been in the car forever on the way back, and you still have forever to go, and all you have to look forward to is work the next day... not fun!

 

[ArielLover]

I drove from Derry, Nh back in 1997. We left early in the morning before sunrise and packed a cooler of lunch and snacks. The boys were in there early teens so that was not a problem. had to stop for gas and rest stops. I was the only driver and we got to the north/ south Carolina border by 8pm. Stayed at a hotel off the highway for the night after driving 16+ hours. Had breakfast across from race track in Darlington. Was into Florida by noon time. Stopped in Daytona for a little while before continuing down to Melbourne. It is about 45 minutes east of Disney. Got there in afternoon. This was the only time I drove since then it has been flying.

Drive from Nashua NH every year, same routine every year. We leave at 2AM to make sure we are through NYC with no issues. Stop in SC for the night. Have a nice breakfast and at Disney for our 3PM check in the next day.

Joe