Ever just said... "screw it, I'm driving!"

[ddbowdoin]

So my wife and I are pretty responsible people... while we certainly have our vices we're generally fiscally responsible and the types to over plan and think things through. This has to to do with pretty much every facet of our lives, whether it be saving on groceries or saving for our first home. I'd admit we often live in the future and some times forget to live in the now.

With all that aside my birthday is this weekend and my wife (a teacher) has a few days off in February. We're literally on the verge of just packing the car and driving from Boston. Who else has done this before?

 

[Dcokers]

Given expenses (gas/driving hotel costs vs airfare, parking at airport, bag fees, strollers) and time factors (time in car vs time to airport/security/layovers/shuttle drive, etc) my guess is approximately a 15 hour drive is probably worth it. Of course how many in your family needs to be considered as well.

It would cost me about $1500 for a family of four and probably take 8 hours between home to resort.

I can drive it for $350 / 11 hours and have my own car there.

 

[fam]

Fyi we drove from the ohio michigan line last september...left at 430am got to macon ga by 6 to 7 even after the stupid atlanta traffic....super 8 in macon is nicer than a room at a value resort and was only 50 bucks...next morning we left at 4 again and was checked into the hotel by 1030....was in a microvan mazda5 with rear dvd...piece of cake...but....in a wrangler itd suck but i hear the newer ones are better on the highway as far as tire noise and rollover feel.

 

[GMRO]

Given expenses (gas/driving hotel costs vs airfare, parking at airport, bag fees, strollers) and time factors (time in car vs time to airport/security/layovers/shuttle drive, etc) my guess is approximately a 15 hour drive is probably worth it. Of course how many in your family needs to be considered as well.

It would cost me about $1500 for a family of four and probably take 8 hours between home to resort.

I can drive it for $350 / 11 hours and have my own car there.

Wow if we lived 8 hrs away via car...we'd be headed HOME at least 3 more times a year than we do now.

Lucky you!!!

 

[awoogala]

So my wife and I are pretty responsible people... while we certainly have our vices we're generally fiscally responsible and the types to over plan and think things through. This has to to do with pretty much every facet of our lives, whether it be saving on groceries or saving for our first home. I'd admit we often live in the future and some times forget to live in the now.

With all that aside my birthday is this weekend and my wife (a teacher) has a few days off in February. We're literally on the verge of just packing the car and driving from Boston. Who else has done this before?

nice! I always try it, but dh just can't leave on a whim... I may just leave him home next time! but we do drive- just left last week at 7 pm, took 6 hour shifts, got there at noon the next day. kids slept almost the whole way down. so worth it.

 

[awoogala]

nice! I always try it, but dh just can't leave on a whim... I may just leave him home next time! but we do drive- just left last week at 7 pm, took 6 hour shifts, got there at noon the next day. kids slept almost the whole way down. so worth it.

oh, and we drive from nj- 18 hours total, especially when kids are sleeping and you don't need to stop at the bathrooms until they wake in the morning!

 

[GMRO]

nice! I always try it, but dh just can't leave on a whim... I may just leave him home next time! but we do drive- just left last week at 7 pm, took 6 hour shifts, got there at noon the next day. kids slept almost the whole way down. so worth it.

Awesome!!!

 

[coachwnh]

So my wife and I are pretty responsible people... while we certainly have our vices we're generally fiscally responsible and the types to over plan and think things through. This has to to do with pretty much every facet of our lives, whether it be saving on groceries or saving for our first home. I'd admit we often live in the future and some times forget to live in the now.

With all that aside my birthday is this weekend and my wife (a teacher) has a few days off in February. We're literally on the verge of just packing the car and driving from Boston. Who else has done this before?

We did the same one summer. We had just gotten back from our normal WDW vacation and had picked our date specifically to see the last space shuttle launch (we gave ourselves a two week window for delays). The trip soon ended and so did our chance to see the lauch as the delays lasted longer than our vacation. And the very next day, we have liftoff. After returning to PA and settling back in for about 10 days, my wife said we should drive to Disnet tomorrow because our APs dont expire until Thursday (this was a Saturday night at 10 pm) Well lets just say she talked me into it, so Sunday morning i headed to firestone for a quick oil change and tire rotation. Then i dropped the dog off at the father in laws (3 hour round trip). When i got back to the house (noy 430 pm Sunday afternoon) the suitcases were back. I threw some stuff in a suitcase, packed the car, and at 450, we headed down I 95 to WDW. At 1010 am Monday morning, we were at our resort. And the best part about it was we were able to see the final shuttle landing!!!!! So my advice to you is to just go for it.
ps we had two kids with us too (8 and 6 at the time) and had no issues driving straight hrough the night.

 

[zjer]

We're literally on the verge of just packing the car and driving from Boston. Who else has done this before?

I've done it before, with the exception of packing the car. But I've woken up on a Monday, bought a plane ticket, and was in WDW by Wednesday before. It was fun but a bit more expensive since I had to pay rack rate at the hotel. I was going to do that this Month in fact since it was so cold where I live and I saw 80 degrees in Florida. I was talked down and we settled on May. I feel like I still got my way.

 

[1luvwdw4ever]

Planning a trip in oct me and my 2 kids 7 and 12...and we're driving!! Is it possible to drive straight to WDW from NJ(philadelphia area)?? I want to arrive around 2-3pm..that way we get up early the next day park ready! When should we leave..also have heard stories of hitting rush hours in certain areas!!! Any help or advise is welcome!!!

 

[taz0162]

We drove from the Joliet IL area (just South West of Chicago) in Dec/Jan. The TN mountains were beautiful but scarry driving the Southbound route. North wasn't too bad. Left at 4:00AM drove until 10:00PM stopping for gas and meals stopping in Macon GA then finishing up the trip the next morning. On the way back we stopped in Dalton GA. Kids - Son 4-2/2 and Daughter 19 months. The kids rode fine expecially since we purchased the over the headrest dvd player that was first installed for this trip, so it was a brand new experiance for them. The key was timing the trip to avoid the main cities that you drive through, rush hour. Oh, and leaving that early also helped with them falling back to sleep for the initial part of the trip out.

 

[icecreamrules]

My mother is 65 and is just getting around to her "screw it!" days, she's driving from Springfield MA to FL this weekend with others for her first visit to FL and Disney EVER! - you always regret the stuff you didn't do, go for it!

 

[Mrsdonaldduck]

Yes!!!!!!! We drove from
NJ last August with three little ones. It was great and we felt so free. It was great being on our own schedule and not the airline's schedule. Of course the ride down was exciting and filled with anticipation. The ride home wasn't bad we bought new CDs to listen to Disney music on the way home and we loaded up on candy At the Main Street Confectionary!

 

[wdwstateofmind]

we got stuck when AA had their wire bundling issue on all their planes and we were grounded with their fleet for over a week...

One rental car and 15 hrs later I arrived where I should have been 12 hrs. earlier...I-95 isn't too bad if you can avoid the Jersey and DC area rush hour...absolutely avoid Maryland during rush hour (I didn't know how horrid drivers there were until then) as they all slow down for the electric traffic signs causing traffic for absolutely no reason....

other than that the drive is a pretty smooth ride (excluding the highway seams in South Carolina **dunk dunk....dunk dunk.....dunk dunk** from the tires for the entire state) with not too many police and you can literally do 75 to 80 mph the entire way except through curvy Jacksonville...

I've done it other times...from Jersey it takes around 15-18 hrs. depending on traffic...from Boston you'd be looking at around 20 hrs...not my cup of tea but if you can do it then good luck!

 

[wdwstateofmind]

Planning a trip in oct me and my 2 kids 7 and 12...and we're driving!! Is it possible to drive straight to WDW from NJ(philadelphia area)?? I want to arrive around 2-3pm..that way we get up early the next day park ready! When should we leave..also have heard stories of hitting rush hours in certain areas!!! Any help or advise is welcome!!!

I've done the drive over 5 times (and I wouldn't consider it again to be honest). It should take around 15 hrs. from Philly if you drive the speed limit and don't drive during rush hour (avoid Richmond, DC and Maryland rush) so do the maths...most of your driving would be at night so you might want to reconsider that notion and travel early morning and day...get there at late night and just have a hotel room ready to tackle the next day...

 

[wdwstateofmind]

We have driven to Disney from Orlando, MANY times when DS was younger. I actually looked forward to it.. did our usual stops, travelled as far as Daytona Beach the first night. However, after realized it was a quick 2 hr trip by air, that was it LOL If time wasnt an issue (losing 2 days vacation time by driving) I would have no problems hitting I-95

Second this...the plane pretty much goes up to its max altitude from EWR for 50 minutes, then down towards MCO for 50 minutes...the just is logistics...

 

[olinecoach61]

So my wife and I are pretty responsible people... while we certainly have our vices we're generally fiscally responsible and the types to over plan and think things through. This has to to do with pretty much every facet of our lives, whether it be saving on groceries or saving for our first home. I'd admit we often live in the future and some times forget to live in the now.

With all that aside my birthday is this weekend and my wife (a teacher) has a few days off in February. We're literally on the verge of just packing the car and driving from Boston. Who else has done this before?

I haven't done it but I would love to! Being spontaneous is what makes life fun sometimes. If you can swing it financially why not?

 

[foreverbelle]

We actually started doing this about two years ago. We flew once with a newborn and found it was a lot to handle-for us anyway-the next trip we drove and it was just kind of cool from Northern Va. We found we were able to take our time, stop when we needed to and we used the drive as part of the adventure. Not to mention, it made the vacation seem that much longer. I will say it helps that we have family along the way so we are able to use that as an excuse to see them. It takes a bit longer but its kind of worth it for us.

We now change up from flying to driving depending on stay, length and affordability....our son loves knowing he can do both....

 

[Figgy1]

Planning a trip in oct me and my 2 kids 7 and 12...and we're driving!! Is it possible to drive straight to WDW from NJ(philadelphia area)?? I want to arrive around 2-3pm..that way we get up early the next day park ready! When should we leave..also have heard stories of hitting rush hours in certain areas!!! Any help or advise is welcome!!!

Yes it is doable switch drivers just map quest it. I've done it a couple of times from neNJ and nePa straight through!! This trip we are planning a stop both ways but you never know!! Welcome and have a magical trip!!

 

[Phonedave]

Yes it is doable switch drivers just map quest it. I've done it a couple of times from neNJ and nePa straight through!! This trip we are planning a stop both ways but you never know!! Welcome and have a magical trip!!

LOL - re-read her post - unless her 12 y/o has started driving early, it is either a long haul for her, or an overnight stay needs to be done.

-dave

Planning a trip in oct me and my 2 kids 7 and 12...and we're driving!! Is it possible to drive straight to WDW from NJ(philadelphia area)?? I want to arrive around 2-3pm..that way we get up early the next day park ready! When should we leave..also have heard stories of hitting rush hours in certain areas!!! Any help or advise is welcome!!!

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[Figgy1]

LOL - re-read her post - unless her 12 y/o has started driving early, it is either a long haul for her, or an overnight stay needs to be done.

-dave

Planning a trip in oct me and my 2 kids 7 and 12...and we're driving!! Is it possible to drive straight to WDW from NJ(philadelphia area)?? I want to arrive around 2-3pm..that way we get up early the next day park ready! When should we leave..also have heard stories of hitting rush hours in certain areas!!! Any help or advise is welcome!!!​

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I stand corrected but I've driven it myself straight through.