Driving to WDW from the GTA: our tried and tested itinerary

We're leaving Wed after school, stopping the night, then driving all the next day and stopping for the night. We don't want to be wiped out for our trip. Also, DH has back issues and can't do those ultra-long drives any more.
 


Is anybody driving to Florida this March break?
YES. We are leaving early to go - March 3rd. (We had tickets to Universal Resort given to us at Christmas time - What an amazing gift!! Our Disney trip is starting earlier than originally planned..) We live in London Ontario and take the I75 route. We've toyed with the idea of going the I95 route, to simply avoid the Atlanta area - but we so far have always stuck to the I75 route. We enjoy the road trip. Our first stop is normally somewhere in Kentucky. Our 2nd night is south of Atlanta, and then on the 3rd day/night we are in Orlando. I've been reading this thread with interest to see how folks from the GTA handle the trip. We may try the I95 route someday...
 
Wish we could go places in March, but my wife has her busy season from March-June so no trips for us during that time :(
 
We live in Scarborough (east Toronto) and we always take the I75 down to Florida. We have been driving down for March break for the past 10 years. We will leave after school on Thursday and make it to just south of Detroit the first night. We go through Sarnia as I don't like driving through Windsor or Detroit. Tried it one year as Google map said it was faster. Well I think the 401 turns into a parkway on the outskirts of Windsor so with lots of traffic lights along the way it felt like an eternity till we reached the border. On the other hand, the 402 ends at the border of Sarnia and Port Huron, Michigan. You seamlessly go from the 402 to I94 (which you will then drive onto the I275 and then onto the I75). Note that there has been construction on the I75 south of Detroit for the past 2 years. The I75 is completely shout down on the south side of Detroit. You will be forced to bypass Detroit.

One summer we decided to drive through Buffalo and take the 401/QEW/I90/I79/I77/I95 down and back as Google maps said it was quicker AND we wanted to drive through the Virginia Mountains. It was so tiresome changing speeds and going through so many towns and small cities. We encountered alot more traffic than we expected so much so that we changed our plans and took the I75 home. We were much happier for it.

On Friday (the second day), I found that if we leave our hotel around 8 am that we miss morning rush hour traffic in Dayton and Cincinnati. We also use a travel book to plan rest stops along the way. When the kids were young, I brought soccer balls or footballs and the kids would run around at the rest stops along the way. It really helped for them to blow off steam. The travel book showed rest stops, restaurants, tourist spots all along the I75. Every page represented about 20 mins of driving so I could plan where we would stop. Normally it is too cold to have a picnic on the Friday (first full day). But Saturday at lunch we'd be north Florida and we'd have a picnic lunch at one of the rest stops.

We found that driving made sense to us cost wise as we're a family of 6. Even though we only had 6 full days in Florida...and 4.5 days of driving it was still worth going down. Just to get the bright sunshine, blue ski and greenery of leaves and grass. We have a DVD outfitted mini van and I would buy a bunch of new movies for the kids to watch using Bluetooth headphones. My husband and I would listen to Satellite Radio. One channel would play all the old radio shoes from the 30's and 40's... very entertaining.

If you take the I75 down (or back) - look for the 52 foot statue of Jesus coming out of a pond at the Solid Rock Church near Monroe, Ohio. Every year the kids can't wait to see it and yell "Look Jesus!". Fun memories.

Going Down
Thursday night: Staying just south of Detroit (new this year as we usually stay just north of Detroit) I'll see how it affects whether we hit or miss rush hour on the major cities going south on the I75. It looks like we'll hit Toledo during rush hour.

Friday night: Stay just north of Atlanta - that way we don't get stuck in the rush hour traffic going through Atlanta. We'll get up early Saturday morning to travel through Atlanta and it is usually very quiet.

Saturday: Arrive in Tampa or Orlando depending on plans that year sometime around 3 pm.

Return
Leave by 7 am on Saturday morning and make it to Lexington
Home in East Toronto by Sunday at 5 pm.

I have used the following book for years:
I-75 and the 401: A Traveler's Guide Between Toronto and Miami Spiral-bound – Apr 30
Unfortunately, the author hasn't updated it in maybe 10 years and there is some discrepancy as development has occured along the i75.
 


I lived in Windsor and worked cross border for a few years, so yeah I'd definitely avoid going all the way down the 401, unless you're looking for a logical break for driving, as there are a few places to stop and eat along Huron Church going to the Ambassador Bridge.

The 402 is super boring but not very busy, and the Blue Water Bridge provides a nice view.
 
@WeluvthePeterPanRide check out the book Along I-75, https://www.amazon.ca/Along-Interst...preST=_SY264_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Similar to your description, but still regularly updated.

I always get a laugh at this book because every year my local Chapters gets about 5 copies and they never sell. Proves that whoever orders stock must be from Toronto, and never looks at a map. No one from Ottawa would drive I-75 ever for anywhere; it is the most indirect route from Eastern Ontario to pretty much anywhere in the US. But it is a favored route for everyone in the Golden Triangle.
 
Just going to add to that route.... we rent a van to do the trip. Why put the miles on my vehicle when the rental will be less than a tune up or the side-of-the-road fix of a breakdown, which happened to us about 10 years ago.

This year's 13 day trip will cost around $630 for a van rental out of YYZ (yes, I'm going to tell DH he has to drive 'all the way' to the airport just to rent a car because it's half the price of our local rental place in the GTA). Oh yes, that's unlimited mileage and because I booked with Costco, it's also a second driver free and 2% back to my Executive membership bonus next year.

Tip: If you are renting from your local place, make sure it's unlimited mileage or you'll add another $400 to your price. If your local place isn't check the next town over. For example, Burlington and Hamilton Enterprise locations have a mileage limit, but Oakville and Mississauga locations rent with unlimited mileage.

I forgot to mention, opening day pricing for airfare last year (A/C and WestJet) were going to cost around $4000+. So driving is a no brainer at that savings.

We are thinking of doing this as well. We have to rent because we have a company vehicle. I have one booked from Niagara Falls, ont right now, but I am going to go look at the others you just mentioned. We have always flown. Because we are in Northern Ontario and I would much rather go the Sault ste. Marie route, I can't find a rental company there with unlimited mileage. My niece is driving from there, and we would have loved to tag team them..
 
@WeluvthePeterPanRide check out the book Along I-75, https://www.amazon.ca/Along-Interst...preST=_SY264_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Similar to your description, but still regularly updated.

I always get a laugh at this book because every year my local Chapters gets about 5 copies and they never sell. Proves that whoever orders stock must be from Toronto, and never looks at a map. No one from Ottawa would drive I-75 ever for anywhere; it is the most indirect route from Eastern Ontario to pretty much anywhere in the US. But it is a favored route for everyone in the Golden Triangle.


That's Golden Horsehoe :)
 
We live in Scarborough (east Toronto) and we always take the I75 down to Florida. We have been driving down for March break for the past 10 years. We will leave after school on Thursday and make it to just south of Detroit the first night. We go through Sarnia as I don't like driving through Windsor or Detroit. Tried it one year as Google map said it was faster. Well I think the 401 turns into a parkway on the outskirts of Windsor so with lots of traffic lights along the way it felt like an eternity till we reached the border. On the other hand, the 402 ends at the border of Sarnia and Port Huron, Michigan. You seamlessly go from the 402 to I94 (which you will then drive onto the I275 and then onto the I75). Note that there has been construction on the I75 south of Detroit for the past 2 years. The I75 is completely shout down on the south side of Detroit. You will be forced to bypass Detroit.

One summer we decided to drive through Buffalo and take the 401/QEW/I90/I79/I77/I95 down and back as Google maps said it was quicker AND we wanted to drive through the Virginia Mountains. It was so tiresome changing speeds and going through so many towns and small cities. We encountered alot more traffic than we expected so much so that we changed our plans and took the I75 home. We were much happier for it.

On Friday (the second day), I found that if we leave our hotel around 8 am that we miss morning rush hour traffic in Dayton and Cincinnati. We also use a travel book to plan rest stops along the way. When the kids were young, I brought soccer balls or footballs and the kids would run around at the rest stops along the way. It really helped for them to blow off steam. The travel book showed rest stops, restaurants, tourist spots all along the I75. Every page represented about 20 mins of driving so I could plan where we would stop. Normally it is too cold to have a picnic on the Friday (first full day). But Saturday at lunch we'd be north Florida and we'd have a picnic lunch at one of the rest stops.

We found that driving made sense to us cost wise as we're a family of 6. Even though we only had 6 full days in Florida...and 4.5 days of driving it was still worth going down. Just to get the bright sunshine, blue ski and greenery of leaves and grass. We have a DVD outfitted mini van and I would buy a bunch of new movies for the kids to watch using Bluetooth headphones. My husband and I would listen to Satellite Radio. One channel would play all the old radio shoes from the 30's and 40's... very entertaining.

If you take the I75 down (or back) - look for the 52 foot statue of Jesus coming out of a pond at the Solid Rock Church near Monroe, Ohio. Every year the kids can't wait to see it and yell "Look Jesus!". Fun memories.

Going Down
Thursday night: Staying just south of Detroit (new this year as we usually stay just north of Detroit) I'll see how it affects whether we hit or miss rush hour on the major cities going south on the I75. It looks like we'll hit Toledo during rush hour.

Friday night: Stay just north of Atlanta - that way we don't get stuck in the rush hour traffic going through Atlanta. We'll get up early Saturday morning to travel through Atlanta and it is usually very quiet.

Saturday: Arrive in Tampa or Orlando depending on plans that year sometime around 3 pm.

Return
Leave by 7 am on Saturday morning and make it to Lexington
Home in East Toronto by Sunday at 5 pm.

I have used the following book for years:
I-75 and the 401: A Traveler's Guide Between Toronto and Miami Spiral-bound – Apr 30
Unfortunately, the author hasn't updated it in maybe 10 years and there is some discrepancy as development has occured along the i75.


Wow what an amazing post - I could really imagine being out there on the highway! My friend lives very near that statue close to Cinci
 
I live in Windsor and have made the drive 3 times never again for me. We cross the border and catch a flight out of Detroit for around the 200 dollar mark return price. Here is something to think about if you are coming from Toronto drive to Detroit metro airport 4 hours catch a flight and then fly back to Detroit and drive home 4 hours. Look for flight deals you might even get them for around 150 return.
 
@WeluvthePeterPanRide check out the book Along I-75, https://www.amazon.ca/Along-Interst...preST=_SY264_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Similar to your description, but still regularly updated.

I always get a laugh at this book because every year my local Chapters gets about 5 copies and they never sell. Proves that whoever orders stock must be from Toronto, and never looks at a map. No one from Ottawa would drive I-75 ever for anywhere; it is the most indirect route from Eastern Ontario to pretty much anywhere in the US. But it is a favored route for everyone in the Golden Triangle.

Not everyone, I take the route someone above thinks there are too many towns? Route 19 part of that is the only one with towns I know, the rest is Interstates. Straight through just like I 75. Maybe changing Interstates is too complicated?? We leave at 3am Fri morning, Stop around 8Pm in Hardeeville and in Orlando by noon Saturday.
 
putting this thread back in front as a number of 'driving from Ontario' threads have appeared today
 
We also drive (from Woodstock ON) and leave when DH gets home from work on the Friday. So leaving around 5pm and stop in Troy OH for the night, then all the way to Valdosta GA on the Saturday night and we are at WDW by noon on Sunday. Gives us time to get groceries and Einstein Brothers bagels (our FL tradition) before checking in. We have a no-park day on the first day.
On the drive back, we try to get to Kentucky the first day and then home by supper time on Sunday. 58 more days!!

Where do you stay in Kentucky?

KJB
 
We live in Hamilton and we only drive. We flew once when the kids were little, but we've driven everytime with up to 4 kids in the car. Our preferred method is to go across in Sarnia and head down I-75. We've always done straight through overnight on the way down and 2 days back. Going through Sarnia only adds about an hour to the total trip time, but I think our route will be down I-77/I-79 now.
Typically we leave between 2 and 5 on a Friday, depending on when I can get off work, and arrive in WDW early afternoon. DW and I will switch drivers often. We tend to stop every 2.5 to 3 hours to refill the tank, never letting it get much below half, especially in the winter. We usually arrive late enough that a room is ready for us and we take a quick nap or relax and get a bite to eat and early bed the first night in WDW.
My wife now has knee issues and the straight through driving is not going to work for us any more. We found a nice Hampton Inn in Charlotte / Lake Norman NC, with a great BBQ restaurant not far away and that will be our normal stop from now on. We have stopped in Beckley, WV before.
I agree with the OP about splurging a bit on a hotel if needed. The cheap ones along the highways often need some major upkeep and sometimes they are hard to find in the hills of the Carolinas and Virginias.

Where do you stop on the way home? Do you do the same route? We will be driving next week, trying to see if going down "through the mountains" makes sense coming back as well or should we go over to I75? We live in Hamilton as well...
 
We are checking into Disney tomorrow. We left Ontario yesterday @ 5, stayed in WV last night and in GA tonight. Came the Pennsylvania route for a change this time. Anyone crossing at the Peace Bridge it's under construction - we dinged our passenger mirror of the MH.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top