Road trip to WDW from North East???

[ASweetLov]

I was wondering if anyone has ever drove from the north east to WDW? How long did it take? was it cheaper than to get airplane tickets? Did you spend lots of money on gas? Any advice?

I was wondering about this because my fiance and I want to drive down to WDW, but not on our September trip since we already paid for the plane tickets but maybe the next trip.

[iadarolas]

I did it a long time ago, from Massachusetts. It took 24 hours, drove straight through without stopping, except for bathroom runs. It isn't a very interesting drive. Once you get beyond Virginia, or DC, there is nothing at all to see. I would much rather fly and get there in 3 hours.

[mitchsfan]

I have made the trip twice and like the previous poster says --there is nothing to see. When you reach Virginia, there are hundreds of billboards for SOUTH OF THE BORDER. SotB is a Mexican theme area in one of the Carolinas.

The drive down isn't bad but that drive back is NEVER ENDING!!!!

[MMFreak]

We have driven several times from New Jersey and with only bathroom breaks and quick meals we made it in about 18 hours.

I think for a family of four it is def cheaper than flying (at times) BUT! Time is money and if your time is valuable. Also there is the wear and tear on your vehicle so in most cases I would say the extra cash it costs to fly becomes digestable when you actually think about all of the above.

[SBETigg]

Many long years ago, I did it with my family (from MA) But they're not the types to drive straight through. We stopped for a night in Virginia, and then again in Georgia, and arrived on day three. It was nice, actually, but to do it again, I would do one overnight on the way down and back instead of two on both trips. I don't think I would have the patience for one long trip in the car.

[wdwfansince75]

Direct route (I 95) is about 1280 miles. Going I 84 to I 81(PA, MD, WV, and VA) to I-77 (VA, NC, SC) to I 26 to I 95 is about 100 miles longer, but avoids almost every major metropolitan area. It is a beautiful ride, through some of the East Coast's more rural areas, has lots of scenery, and lots of Cracker Barrels and Sheetz Bros gas stations. Because you miss NYC, NJ, and the Baltimore-Washington mess, it is about as fast. We can make it from the Poconos in NE PA to Charlotte, NC, in about 10 hours...Not sure how long it would take you to get to I-84, but from there to Jacksonville, FL, there are no metro areas to negotiate....Even Charlotte, with the new outer bypass (I 485), is no problem. We always average over 60 MPH on our many trips on this corridor, between SC and NE PA. Would do better, if we didn't make so many stops at Cracker Barrels.

Your total drive time should be in the 23-24 hour range....Get an early AM start, drive through PA and down through the Shenandoah Valley. Spend the night in the Carolinas, or even GA, and have a 6-8 hr trip on day 2.

[ASweetLov]

Thanks everyone!

[FriendsofMickey]

We have driven from W-PA for the last five years. We stop the first night. We do not book the first night stop, we just drive until we get tired and then we stop (we usually have a couple of places/scenarios picked out in advance).

The cost is going to be dependent on the price of gas. Though, for us I think it is cheaper than 4 plane tickets would cost. (We also visit family in Florida, so we want our car).

I think it is beautiful drive (scenery); but, I do agree the drive home is a killer. It is all in the attitude. :)

[c&d]

We've :drive: every other year. It takes us 2 days. We leave around 3:30ish after DS gets out of school. We drive as far as Stafford, VA, we stay at the Hampton Inn. We get there usually around 10:00pm. We're up bright and early the next day and are at WDW around 7:00pm. Because we do this during April vacation it's about $500 cheaper.

Two nights in hotels $~250
Gas: About $300
Road trip Food: About $100

We :heart: roadtrips

[diz_girl]

We :heart: roadtrips

I'm another fan of road trips. I love driving to (and from) WDW, although the drive down this past Thanksgiving weekend was harsh - I'll never go at that time again.

I hate flying and love driving, so I'll always pick the drive. We'll be going to Mackinac Island, Michigan this summer and we'll drive there too, and the trip there is only 2 hours shorter than going to WDW.

[Chernabog1326]

I think you have to love the idea of a road trip to enjoy driving to WDW. I like to think of the road trip as an extra day or two of vacation and have driven from CT about 6 times. It has taken us anywhere from 19 to 26 hours (Feb snowstorm) We drive through the night, making stops for gas and coffee. Once we get through NC, my wife will drive for a couple of hours, and I catch a cat nap in the front seat, then it is straight on till Disney. On the way home, we leave at 3 a.m., and I am usually home at midnight.

[mudpuppysmom]

I remember making the drive when I was a teenager with my family and I swore I would never drive to Florida again -- and so far I have not! We drove straight thru (my dad and I drove as my mom could not drive a stick and my brother was too young to drive legally--so it was me and dad, period). It was boring and long. We only stopped to switch drivers and bathroom (all one stop by the way) and I want to say it was two times, maybe three!

Give me 2 hours and 20 minutes in a plane any time! You're there and no long boring trip cooped up with your family! (I'm sure by now you can tell, I'm a fan of flying!)

Cost IS a factor and I really cringe when I have to buy the tickets, but sooner or later I find them for under $150 RT and I bite.......one time DS#1 and I both flew ROUNDTRIP for $180 (yeah, two tickets and both ways! --them days are over though!).

For us, around $550 and two hours is enough to want to fly....I don't know that we could drive for that much as we would have to stopover one night.

I think it's all in what you want to do and how much you can spend. Airfare is a tradeoff for being there quick though, no doubt about that one!

[Hull-onian]

I was wondering if anyone has ever drove from the north east to WDW? How long did it take? was it cheaper than to get airplane tickets? Did you spend lots of money on gas? Any advice?

I was wondering about this because my fiance and I want to drive down to WDW, but not on our September trip since we already paid for the plane tickets but maybe the next trip.

We have this discussion all the time. Flying so far has been our only choice. We figure toll roads, high ways, big scary trucks, stopping to eat, etc. So flying wins all the time. That was an excellent question by the way.

[PETE FROM NYC]

DW and I have flown from NYC 12 times.This year, now that we are retired we are trying a road trip.
Our plans:
Leave NYC Sun Aug 30 ,drive to Virginia.Spend a couple of days there doing Kings Dominion and Busch. Then arriving at WDW Friday Sept 4 staying til Sun Sept 13.Then we well be off WDW for a few more days to do Sea World,Busch and Universal,then head back when we are darned good and ready.
Retirement gives us nothing but time.

[cmsizzlin]

We have driven from Chicago the past 2 yrs and are driving down again in August. This trip we will spend the night on the road since there are only 2 adults this trip and 3 kiddies. We like the freedom of having our own transportation so we can visit the ocean or gulf and come and go as we please. I love to drive so it doesn't matter to me and once we get out of IL and IN (no offense to IN folks)the drive gets more scenic and interesting. I think it is cheaper for us to drive personally. We pack the car w/food/snacks/drinks/things to keep the kids busy and hit the road.

[dream6]

We've driven to Florida before from MA - not such a fun time. We stopped for the night somewhere in Virginia I think. I'm far too impatient to get there that I think it's worth it to fly. But I do know some people who enjoy the drive down, so it depends I guess!

[diz_girl]

Plus, there are no Cracker Barrel restaurants at 35,000 feet. I love Cracker Barrel.