How long does it take by car from WDW to NYC?

Spike-in-Berlin

Spike-in-Berlin

Well-Known Member
We are planning our next trip to WDW for September/October (our third in 12 months, yes we are increasingly insane) and this time want to combine our visit to the World with NYC and New England. We want to drive from WDW to New York City and need some advice how long such a trip will take if we only drive on the interstates on the fastest and most direct route to NYC possible.
Thank you.
 
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J

jim1051

Active Member
Depends a lot on time of year and time of day. Leaving Philadelphia at 3 Am it takes me around 16 hours drive time on a good day. add around 2 hours for NYC. The secret or not so secret is getting past DC before all the bureaucrats wake up.

Sorry I was thinking going the other way. Time's the same but it becomes more difficult to avoid DC during daytime.
 
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njDizFan

njDizFan

Well-Known Member
It's a good 18-20 hour drive with minimal stops. Add an extra 2-8 hours to New England depending on your location.

Not a fun ride either, lots of traffic and minimal sightlines. but a nice adventuire and definately worth seeing NYC/Boston./Washington DC as well as other great cities along the way if you care to stop
 
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NYwdwfan

NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
Would you consider flying to NYC and leaving direct from there? You can sometimes find flights around $130 one way on Southwest or Jetblue from Orlando to JFK or LaGuardia.
 
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Ex-Floridian

Ex-Floridian

Active Member
This Nyer from Saratoga used to drive up and back from Jax, FL all the time. Take about 16-18 hours....once you hit VA, it takes about 8 hours..... [Saratoga to NYC will be the same distance as Orlando to Jax]
 
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LizC

LizC

Well-Known Member
I live in NY, and am planning a drive to WDW in October myself. I am NOT looking foward to it, I hate driving! (we have 1 yo twins, and driving just made the most sense) When I was a kid my parents drove us up and down the east coast on vacations, and I think that ruined it for me.

If you can swing the flights I would do that. However, there are some nice places to stop and break up your trip though if you have the time. Some people say that the drive is half the fun. ;)
 
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lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
If you are looking to take the Interstate, I-95 will take you from New York City to south of Jacksonville where you will be able to take I-4 to Walt Disney World. It looks like there is a gap in I-95 in New Jersey, but other than that it will take you almost the entire way.
 
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bgraham34

bgraham34

Well-Known Member
The best and most direct route will be to take 95 all the way up. Like others have said figure about 18-20 driving hours on average to NYC. Could be more if you hit traffic areas at bad time. Much of the ride there wont be much to see besides trees, but the experience alone maybe fun. If you want the full experience be sure to stop at South of the Border at the South Carolina and North Carolina state line. Its a complete tourist trap and many people will tell you to skip it but this will most certainly be a conversation piece for years to come.
 
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Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
When we drive from RI it takes us 21 - 22 hours, and we're 3 hours from New York City, so I'd say to plan on 18 to 20 hours. A lot depends on when you hit the Washington DC area.
 
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Zummi Gummi

Zummi Gummi

Pioneering the Universe Within!
lazyboy97o said:
If you are looking to take the Interstate, I-95 will take you from New York City to south of Jacksonville where you will be able to take I-4 to Walt Disney World. It looks like there is a gap in I-95 in New Jersey, but other than that it will take you almost the entire way.
Click to expand...

I-95 in NJ becomes the NJ Turnpike.
 
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graphite1326

graphite1326

Well-Known Member
I always go around DC. But I live in Upstate NY. It's a little more difficult from NYC. You could go down the coast and then over to 95 when you get by DC. Last time I went past DC it was in the middle of the night (about 2 am) and thought I was safe from the traffic. Wrong.
 
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bethymouse

bethymouse

Well-Known Member
NYwdwfan said:
Would you consider flying to NYC and leaving direct from there? You can sometimes find flights around $130 one way on Southwest or Jetblue from Orlando to JFK or LaGuardia.
Click to expand...
Man- we'd love to fly, but can't find anything under 180$ just yet!:( We'd go out of DC. We usually drive from WV- 14 hours. We leave at night and drive through the night. That works best for us- no traffic.:)
 
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rkelly42

rkelly42

Well-Known Member
I leave from near providence ri about 1am and I am able to make it to st. augustine fl by 530pm that same day. I am able to avoid all nyc and baltimore and dc traffic. On the way back its a different story, a little longer of a drive, harder to avoid a lot of the traffic.
 
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bgraham34

bgraham34

Well-Known Member
bethymouse said:
It is a good deal, but for 4 people it's a total of over 700$ plus taxes and fees. We usually drive and spend about $400, so I'm not quite sure if we're ready to pay that amount. This "bargain" didn't include baggage fees.:(
Click to expand...

I hear ya but still its a good price, and the baggage fees kill you. It was $290 RT from Newark in Sept. So i would take that in a heartbeat. Last time I paid under $200 was 4-5 years ago.
 
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slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
We're about an hour away from NYC, minus traffic. Our last trip to WDW was a drive down. With a few stops for some killer traffic, frequent diaper change breaks (baby, not me), and meals, it was nearly 22 hours each way. When the kids are older, can hold it in better, and if we plan when we go better, I'm sure we can get that down to 20 or 19 (about 1050 miles).
 
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