Distance from port night before

[Partyof4LA]

For driving in the morning of the cruise, how far is too far? What’s your comfort zone as far as distance to drive to port the morning of the cruise?

We are driving from Louisiana the day before our cruise out of Port Canaveral. It’s our first time driving instead of flying in. With stops, the drive will likely be 12-13 hours. We are thinking of splitting the drive up. Instead of getting a hotel very near the port, we are considering stopping somewhere else along the route to sleep and driving the rest of the way the morning of the cruise. I don’t want to be so far that we stress about making it on time, but am not sure where we should stop. For those who’ve driven in the morning of, what is your comfortable time cushion?

 

[Partyof4LA]

This is our route in. We want to stop somewhere after we exit I-10 in Florida (taking either I-75 or I-95 and getting a room right off the interstate/turnpike/hwy 528).
Bonus points for suggestions of what city to stop in

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

We drive down from VA. When sailing from PC we stay in either the Daytona area or St. Augustine. That's about 10-ish hours from home (depending on how fast I drive ). Easy drive the next day. When sailing from Miami, we usually stay in Melbourne. That's a bit longer, but Melbourne is a good 12+ hour drive from home. It's about 3 hours to the port from Melbourne

 

[Mango7100]

We drive from TN. Last time we stopped in Ocala (so about 2 hours from port). We have also stopped at WDW the night before a Miami cruise and drove from WDW to Miami that morning (so about 3 hours but traffic to Port of Miami is heavy). Both times we gave ourselves an extra 90 minute cushion in addition to expected driving time.

 

[Skippyboo]

This is our route in. We want to stop somewhere after we exit I-10 in Florida (taking either I-75 or I-95 and getting a room right off the interstate/turnpike/hwy 528).
Bonus points for suggestions of what city to stop in

Lake City would have multiple hotels and the options of either route.

 

[auntlynne]

Gotta factor in football game traffic for UF or Jax Jaguars, if applicable.

I feel comfortable if I get as close as Orlando. If coming down I-95, I would aim for hotels at the Titusville exit.

I am cruising out of Tampa; driving 6 hours to Tallahassee and then 5 to hotel for pre-cruise hotel night 20 minutes from port. The return home from WDW after cruise is planned as a single-day event.

 

[Partyof4LA]

Lake City would have multiple hotels and the options of either route.

Thats about 3 hours between lake city and port canaveral. Is that enough time morning of cruise to drive in? We’ve never driven so don’t know how many hours we should give ourselves.

 

[auntlynne]

Thats about 3 hours between lake city and port canaveral. Is that enough time morning of cruise to drive in? We’ve never driven so don’t know how many hours we should give ourselves.

Are you planning on going through Orlando, Deland, or Jacksonville? Parking at Terminal 8 (DCL) or off-site?

Google Maps says just over 3 hours. That would mean no traffic issues. It depends on how comfortable you are driving fast with the big rigs.

I am used to the trip to Orlando, so I feel comfortable with that route. It does involve tolls and I put a toll pass on my windshield a few years ago.

If going through Jacksonville, Lake City is not directly on the route. Staying on the ring (I-295) might be a good stopping place.

 

[auntlynne]

I know my own driving/ travel patterns; if it says 3 hours, I allow for four. And that does not mean I am a pokey driver. But there are bathroom stops and allowing for slow-downs.

 

[Skippyboo]

OP do you have your Port Arrival Time? I am cruising the Saturday after Thanksgiving this year. My PAT is 1 pm. Driving down from the Atlanta area the day before, staying at DS Drury.

 

[John VN]

For driving in the morning of the cruise, how far is too far? What’s your comfort zone as far as distance to drive to port the morning of the cruise?

We are driving from Louisiana the day before our cruise out of Port Canaveral. It’s our first time driving instead of flying in. With stops, the drive will likely be 12-13 hours. We are thinking of splitting the drive up. Instead of getting a hotel very near the port, we are considering stopping somewhere else along the route to sleep and driving the rest of the way the morning of the cruise. I don’t want to be so far that we stress about making it on time, but am not sure where we should stop. For those who’ve driven in the morning of, what is your comfortable time cushion?

r.e. bold My Comfort Zone is where I am posting from in Motel on the beach just 5 miles from Terminal. Drove the 211 miles last night to get here at 1:30AM this morning so tomorrow we have only 5 miles to ship.

 

[Partyof4LA]

Are you planning on going through Orlando, Deland, or Jacksonville? Parking at Terminal 8 (DCL) or off-site?

Google Maps says just over 3 hours. That would mean no traffic issues. It depends on how comfortable you are driving fast with the big rigs.

I am used to the trip to Orlando, so I feel comfortable with that route. It does involve tolls and I put a toll pass on my windshield a few years ago.

If going through Jacksonville, Lake City is not directly on the route. Staying on the ring (I-295) might be a good stopping place.

Thanks! Looking closer, I do see that Lake city is not directly on the route. I'm not 100% sure where we are going through yet, was trying to figure out how far from port is a comfortable, safe bet before making that decision. Most likely not Deland, that didn't pull up on the map directions. I'm not sure what the ring (I-295) is. We are likely either taking I-75 to Florida turnpike to 528 (I'm seeing major cities Ocala, Gainsville, Orlando- including MCO airport- along that route) or I-95 (seeing Jacksonville, Palm coast, Daytona, Titusville along that one).
We are comfortable driving fast and with big rigs and don't mind paying tolls.
We will probably park at the terminal, but still considering other options.

 

[Partyof4LA]

OP do you have your Port Arrival Time? I am cruising the Saturday after Thanksgiving this year. My PAT is 1 pm. Driving down from the Atlanta area the day before, staying at DS Drury.

We do not have a port arrival time yet, we have 97 days before sailing.

 

[crazy4wdw]

For driving in the morning of the cruise, how far is too far? What’s your comfort zone as far as distance to drive to port the morning of the cruise?

We are driving from Louisiana the day before our cruise out of Port Canaveral. It’s our first time driving instead of flying in. With stops, the drive will likely be 12-13 hours. We are thinking of splitting the drive up. Instead of getting a hotel very near the port, we are considering stopping somewhere else along the route to sleep and driving the rest of the way the morning of the cruise. I don’t want to be so far that we stress about making it on time, but am not sure where we should stop. For those who’ve driven in the morning of, what is your comfortable time cushion?

I would not risk it. I would be at the port at least a day before your cruise departs. You have no idea how weather or traffic may delay your trip. I just returned from a 7 day on the Fantasy. I left home two days prior to the cruise departure date on what should have been a 7-hour drive from my home to Port Canaveral. That trip was 9 and one-half hours due to accidents on I-95 near Savannah, GA and then St. Augustine, FL.

 

[crazy4wdw]

sorry, double post.

 

[Partyof4LA]

I would not risk it. I would be at the port at least a day before your cruise departs. You have no idea how weather or traffic may delay your trip. I just returned from a 7 day on the Fantasy. I left home two days prior to the cruise departure date on what should have been a 7-hour drive from my home to Port Canaveral. That trip was 9 and one-half hours due to accidents on I-95 near Savannah, GA and then St. Augustine, FL.

We aren’t risking the whole drive. 12+ hours of driving in one day is a lot with 3 kids, especially when I’m the primary driver who will do majority of it. So we were thinking of getting within a few hours of port the night before then driving the rest the morning of. Not a huge chunk, just a few hours. I just don’t know how many hours is too many to account for possible accidents/traffic jams.

 

[Skippyboo]

Boat leaves at 3:45 pm, earliest port arrivals are 11ish .

Google Maps says ~2.5 hours from Gainesville to DCL terminal via 75, Fla turnpike and 528.

If you’re within 3 hrs, you can get up have breakfast and then hit the road.

 

[John VN]

Boat leaves at 3:45 pm, earliest port arrivals are 11ish .

Google Maps says ~2.5 hours from Gainesville to DCL terminal via 75, Fla turnpike and 528.

If you’re within 3 hrs, you can get up have breakfast and then hit the road.

r.e. bold - Watched Fantasy pull out at almost 5pm today.

 

[hrhdhd]

Thanks! Looking closer, I do see that Lake city is not directly on the route.

Lake City is on I-75 right after getting on from I-10.

 

[stkgator]

Traffic on I-75 between Ocala and the Turnpike as well as traffic through Orlando can be terribly slow at times. If you want to stick to interstates, I would suggest driving to Jacksonville and then south to PC on I-95.