Road trips to Disney World. What’s good and what to avoid on your way to Florida.
Air travel is our family’s preferred method of heading down to Walt Disney World. However, from time to time we would pack the minivan and hit the road to Florida. Firstly, full disclosure, we live in Southern Maryland, so it is a 12-hour door-to-door journey and a straight shot down I-95 to Florida.
Well, gone are the days of traveling straight through to the Sunshine State. There are many opportunities to indulge in the majestic sceneries of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. So with that being said what should you consider when road tripping to Disney.
- Overnight stays. When we first traveled to Florida, we would drive straight through and only stop at rest areas for a couple of hours. Honestly, that proved to be a little daunting. By the time we arrived in Kissimmee, we were tired and spent whatever was left of the day in bed. No good, if your goal is to hit the parks. As years passed by, we’ve become smarter in how we road tripped. Think about staying overnight somewhere. Also, right off of I-95 is Florence, SC. This was the perfect stop for an overnight stay for our family. Hotels, restaurants, and shops are conveniently located off of I-95. We stayed at one of the new hotels in the area and our suite had a full kitchen with a separate bedroom and two televisions. The lobby and dining areas were clean. The staff was friendly and gracious.
2. Try to have more than one driver. If you are the only driver in the family, then a road trip would not be the best. Driving can sometimes wear you out.
3. Good navigation and road trip websites. Google Maps and the i95exitguide.com have become our friends.
Google Maps provide you with directions, but it also offers ideas on how to find hotels, gas stations, and rest areas along your route, and i95exitguide.com offers info on hotels, traffic, rest areas, etc. along the I 95 corridor. We decided to drive halfway, spend the night and begin anew the next day. After extensive research, we determined that anywhere between Florence, SC, and Manning, SC would be the best place to stop for the night. Working our departure time to coincide with our arrival time in South Carolina had us there around 7:00 pm.
4. Think about secondary roads. The easiest start for us is traveling down Route 301 and catching I-95 right before you hit Doswell, VA. This is where you will find another amusement park, Kings Dominion. The first city we hit in Virginia is the capital city of Richmond. Richmond is located about one hour and a half from our starting point.
5. Roadside attractions. There are many roadside attractions along the way. We never stopped here, but South of the Border is right at the North Carolina/South Carolina border. You will know it’s there, having seen signs along I-95 of its existence.
If you do want to venture there, it has hotels, restaurants, and recreational activities for the family.
6. Go beyond I95. If you are up to venturing away from I-95, one of my all-time favorite places to visit is Savannah, GA, so I made my husband (yes, I said it) make a stop so I can pick up some pralines at Savannah Candy Kitchen https://www.savannahcandy.com (that’s how much I love chocolate). Savannah is approximately 10-12 miles east of I-95, so it makes a great stop to have a meal and eat some chocolate.
7. Costs. Economics always depends on the season, the number of people traveling, and time commitment. Be sure not to forget to factor in gas, tolls, parking at the Disney resorts, and other hotel stays. Bringing things from home can save you money, especially if you pack meals for your road trip.
Standard Overnight Parking charges per Resort Category:
- Disney Value Resorts: $15 per night
- Disney Moderate Resorts: $20 per night
- Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts: $25 per night
Standard park parking is included for guests of Disney Resort hotels.
For more info, check out this link: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/
8. See Florida. Having your own vehicle allows you to venture around the Orlando area. You may even decide to head out to Universal Studios.
9. Timing is everything. Tried to time your departures to coincides with hotel check-ins and meal stops.
10. Have fun. Traveling by air will get you to Walt Disney World quickly, but on the other hand, a road trip will create memories and appreciation of this country.
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