Driving to Disney – do you drive overnight or during the day?

[WebmasterLeah]

We have traveled to Florida a lot and have always flown, but once our daughter became the age of having to pay for a flight, we’ve had to weigh the costs and time commitment of flying vs. driving.

Read more here:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/driving-to-disney-do-you-drive-overnight-or-during-the-day/

 

[OZMom]

We've done the drive from CT to Orlando several times, we always drive straight through overnight. I think I actually commented on the thread you referenced because several of the quotes sounded familiar. It definitely comes down to family preference though. DH and I both love to drive, we both sleep fine in the car and are kids are used to driving long distances.

 

[lilmissdisney216]

We are making the drive from Michigan and we plan on driving straight through only stopping for gas and to potty my SD. About 17 hrs or so to Disney from MI

 

[verleniahall]

We drove straight to FL from KS in September - the DH drove with no stops (other than gas, foodk, and bathroom breaks) - and we made it in 24 hours (give or take an hour stop for breakfast at Bob Evans - OMG that place is FANTASTIC!!) - DH nixed that idea this year, we are flying - booked through the Military Exchange

 

[Anchored]

we usually leave the day before our first vacation day and drive 4-6 hours then wake up the next day and finish it. I can't see well at night, so many big rigs are out at night which scare me, and too many sleepy drivers on the road (and they say driving sleepy is worse than driving drunk) I prefer daytime driving.

 

[MNCruzn]

We've driven from Minnesota on all of our trips. Usually we plan two overnight stays on the way down (one around the Hopkinsville, KY / Clarksville, TN area, and the other in Gainsville, FL. We are early-risers, so the Gainsville to Orlando trip usually gets us in to the resorts between 9am & 10am, and so we can have almost full day at a park that day (we usually go with whichever park has Extra Magic Evening hours, just to extend the day). Homeward, we usually do one stop, usually somewhere around Paducah, KY. This is about half-way for us. Since we have a 3rd driver this year (my 17 year old), we may try to do the home trip without stopping. However, it's almost 23 hours without stops...a LONG time to be in that small of a space...

 

[minniemouseforever]

I would never stay cooped up in a car for that long with my kids. That being said the first thing that popped into my mind after reading your post was that 16yr old who fell asleep at the wheel this past year. Don't remember if they were on the way to or from Disney. He was driving . Older brother was in the front with him. Fell asleep also. Five family members died that day. When I read the article the courts were deciding weather or not to charge him. Not saying this would happen to you. It's just what happened in this case and it is a lot of driving on little sleep after a busy trip. Something to thing about.

 

[OKW Lover]

Before we moved to Florida, we did the drive from Southeast Mass to WDW something like 6 times. Being retired, we had the luxury of time so we didn't push ourselves. We broke the trip up into 3 eight hour days coming and going. If I had still been working and needed to conserve vacation days, this could have easily been done in 2 twelve hour days, but I'd never try driving straight through.

 

[rotlex]

We have been driving down for the past five years from PA. We love it. It has become a BIG part of our vacation in that it allows us "prep" time to get into vacation mode on the way down, and cool down time on the way back. We drive straight through, used to stop in GA on the way, but learned it's really not that bad non stop once you get used to it. We leave around 3am and arrive by 7pm most times.

The other benefits of course are the cost savings over flying, as well as the fact that we have a car while on vacation!

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

We don't drive straight through. At about 15 1/2 hours without stops, we would be completely exhausted, and that's not the way we want to start our vacation. We usually leave early and drive about 10-12 hours, and then leave early the next morning and arrive at WDW a little before noon. Works for us! We've tried driving straight through on the way back, and that was a mistake too. Those last couple of hours are just dangerous.

Laurie

 

[disneysteve]

We drive from NJ every year. We do not drive through the night. I just don't feel safe or comfortable doing so and it just results in us arriving in Florida totally exhausted and losing that first day anyway. We usually leave Friday afternoon, stop for the night in the Carolinas somewhere and getting back on the road in the morning. We're in Orlando in time for dinner and reasonably well rested, enough so that we often hit DTD that evening.

A couple of times, we have made the trip home without a stop over by leaving first thing in the morning and encountering little to no traffic. So an 8am departure got us home just after midnight. That wasn't our plan but it just worked out that way.

 

[Thumper1066]

We live in Southern Ohio and we have done the drive, every which way. It is 14 hours without stops from our door to our home away from home. If time allows we try and take two days. This is our favorite schedule. We get up at the crack of dawn and head out. We stop for gas and a quick lunch and go as far as Macon. We get there around check in at our Hotel. The next morning we are up and about early, it is about 5 more hours which gets us to WDW to check in for a resort day and lounge by the pool. We take a trip to Downtown Disney in the late afternoon and get to bed early before our first park day. On the way home it depends on how long we put off leaving, but we have driven straight through on the way home.

 

[nono]

On the Transportation board, there's a "For 2000 Miles" drivers thread...anyone from NJ/PA and further are eligible (1000 mile each way). Driving enthusiast wanted!!!

That being said, I think in the end, the ability for the alternate driver to sleep in the car, and stay awake when it's his/her turn at the wheel is key for an overnight drive. We've done it all sorts of ways, and are back to overnight on the way down, short first day/long second day to get home. We love it. It's a part of the vacation! If we could fly with 4 seats together, I bet we wouldn't be as keen on driving, but we get so much "connect time" in the car, that it works for us.

 

[Hunterr]

omg all this "17 hours in one day" and so on stuff is making me anxiety for a road trip I'm never making.
That's just too long. You guys would benefit by stopping at a hotel for a night (those who drive straight through)!!
What's the point if you're gonna be exhausted by the time you get to Disney

 

[1Grumpy9]

In Oct, my friend and I drove from central PA to Orlando. We decided that it would be better for us to stop. We left around 6:30am and stopped in Daytona for the night at 11pm. We lost about an hour due to construction traffic in VA and Charlotte (we try to avoid I-95 most of the way). This way we didn't have to get up early the next morning and we could do some things in Daytona before starting the Disney portion of the trip. I personally like driving during the day, but if you get an early enough start, you can avoid most of the traffic issues.

 

[minniemouseforever]

What's the point if you're gonna be exhausted by the time you get to Disney

Ditto

 

[rotlex]

omg all this "17 hours in one day" and so on stuff is making me anxiety for a road trip I'm never making.
That's just too long. You guys would benefit by stopping at a hotel for a night (those who drive straight through)!!
What's the point if you're gonna be exhausted by the time you get to Disney

Actually, it's not all that bad. Really. We drive all day, arrive at 7pm, have a light dinner, swim etc. and are ready for our first full day next morning! We don't generally stay at our Disney resort that first night though. Usually, we stay at the Hampton inn Lake Buena Vista right by DTD. Much cheaper at usually $85 per night or so, plus free breakfast!

 

[smiths02]

We drive from the metro Atlanta area (so around 7 hours?). There is no way we would drive more than say 12 hours in a day. I would be really concerned about safety (driving at night is harder for me, worried about falling asleep, worried about sitting for so long, etc.)

 

[1Grumpy9]

My friend and I could have probably done it all in one day if we would have left another hour earlier and not hit construction. I know by the time we got right outside of Daytona, I was starting to get tired and was in need of a good long break. We also stopped for a nice breakfast and a fast food dinner in which we went inside to eat, so we lost about 2 hrs there if we would have just ate in the car. My parents have done (years ago) the straight shot from Daytona home a couple of times to beat some bad weather in Feb. They don't any more because they are usually pulling a camper.

 

[Poohbug]

It is at least a 19 hour drive to Disney for us. If we have two drivers, we opt for the straight through and get it over option. If there is only one driver, we have to stop. Just priced out flights for my family: Milwaukee to Orlando was over $1600! Looks like we will be driving if we want to visit Florida anytime soon.