NJ/NYC to WDW by Car

[njcoach24]

Hello All,

We are in North Jersey, about 20 minutes west of Manhattan.

I’ve only ever flown from Newark or LaGuardia to MCO, 3 hour flight (I think the entire travel time is 7 hours door to hotel room). Usually it’s just a party of 2, we get a studio, and the round trip costs around $300-$400 bucks. This summer, we are a party of 4 ( 2 adults, 2 6 yr old kiddos)…flights are $240 round trip each and we are staying a little longer, doing mainly a hotel stay in a 1 bedroom.

Was going to stop in Tampa first to visit a friend…would need to rent a car, pick up groceries, ect.

I’m starting to think driving it may but cheaper (I’ll have my own car, food can be pre packed). I’ve been reading the trip takes about 20 hours with stops. I would want to leave at 6 PM and do the majority of it while the kids sleep (hopefully).

Thoughts on driving straight through? Tips? If I turn it more into a road trip on the way down, any really fun kid stops or must see sights? The furthest we’ve driven down the coast before is Virginia Beach.

Or is it just better/easier/more relaxing to spend the extra money and do the airplane?

 

[Ross Kratter]

Having done it both ways multiple times, the drive can be extremely taxing. It’s just a straight shot down 95 to Daytona, where you pick up I-4 and head straight to Disney. The traffic in the DC area is no joke; make sure you avoid rush hour there in both directions. As far as going to Tampa first, that’s out of the way by a hundred miles or so. You’d end up passing through Orlando and the WDW area on the way there.
I would just pony up the cash and fly. It will be much more comfortable for everyone. A 2 ½ hour flight is much better than 20 hours in the car, not to mention that you won’t be exhausted by the time you arrive in Florida.

 

[cdh]

We drive from northeast PA to Orlando. It’s about 20 hours. We stop and stay in WV but we have a house in WV so it’s an easy stop for us. I-81 is awful. Absolutely awful. The traffic is heavy from start to finish and it’s a fairly miserable drive. We sometimes take a different route but it’s about forty five minutes longer just to avoid some of the traffic. The drive through Charlotte, Jacksonville, and Orlando also really sucks but I don’t like flying so we drive.

 

[njcoach24]

Having done it both ways multiple times, the drive can be extremely taxing. It’s just a straight shot down 95 to Daytona, where you pick up I-4 and head straight to Disney. The traffic in the DC area is no joke; make sure you avoid rush hour there in both directions. As far as going to Tampa first, that’s out of the way by a hundred miles or so. You’d end up passing through Orlando and the WDW area on the way there.
I would just pony up the cash and fly. It will be much more comfortable for everyone. A 2 ½ hour flight is much better than 20 hours in the car, not to mention that you won’t be exhausted by the time you arrive in Florida.

I lean this way, also just remembered I joined some club with frontier and kids fly free on certain days.

 

[DeeBee3]

Having kids around the ages of yours, I would fly. Driving to Buffalo for us (5ish hours) was long enough for them. And I had to stop multiple times for bathrooms, etc.

It's really a matter of your family's style. If your kids are laid back then it would be fine. If they are more active and not satisfied by reading or drawing, etc while driving, it will be tough.

I also would feel wiped out myself as a driver and it would start my trip off exhausted.

 

[Lewisc]

I drove once. I consider it a once in a lifetime experience.

When you feel tired you're probably very tired. Find a place to stay ASAP. Probably not safe.

 

[njcoach24]

I drove once. I consider it a once in a lifetime experience.

When you feel tired you're probably very tired. Find a place to stay ASAP. Probably not safe.

Ended up booking round trip flights on Frontier….$150 total round trip for all 4 of us with Kids Fly Free…really unbelievable.

 

[Her Dotness]

As a kid, I'd have loved the auto train which is only around $200 one way if I recall correctly. Drive down to Lorton, VA, get on it and no worries about getting too tired that can't be solved by sleeping whenever. Plus, you've your own car upon arriving in Sanford, FL, not far from WDW.

Since you've decided, that might be something to consider in future. Could be a terrific experience for the kids.

 

[Lewisc]

Ended up booking round trip flights on Frontier….$150 total round trip for all 4 of us with Kids Fly Free…really unbelievable.

Frontier is aggressively measuring the size of your personal items. If your personal item goes over the sizing box, even just a handle, you pay $99. The person measuring is paid $10, incentive.
Search Frontier personal item on Amazon. I bought Narwey. Don't pack it so it bulges. It fits like a glove.
Checking 1 or 2 bags. Anything between 41 and 50 is an extra $50. Might as well have another family menber check an additional bag.

 

[njcoach24]

As a kid, I'd have loved the auto train which is only around $200 one way if I recall correctly. Drive down to Lorton, VA, get on it and no worries about getting too tired that can't be solved by sleeping whenever. Plus, you've your own car upon arriving in Sanford, FL, not far from WDW.

Since you've decided, that might be something to consider in future. Could be a terrific experience for the kids.

I have heard wonderful things about the auto train. Definitely on the list.

 

[njcoach24]

Frontier is aggressively measuring the size of your personal items. If your personal item goes over the sizing box, even just a handle, you pay $99. The person measuring is paid $10, incentive.
Search Frontier personal item on Amazon. I bought Narwey. Don't pack it so it bulges. It fits like a glove.
Checking 1 or 2 bags. Anything between 41 and 50 is an extra $50. Might as well have another family menber check an additional bag.

I got the Narwey bags for a trip we did in January on Delta and Spirit. They were perfect.

We talked about doing 1 checked bag with items we can’t fit in the personal bags…even at $50 each way we are only at $250 round trip for 4 people. Cheaper than gas and 1 ticket per person on United lol. I hope it goes smoothly.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Good choice on the flying. The part of the trip that's the worst would be that 20-hr drive back home at the end! NOT FUN, especially since the kids no longer have something cool to look forward to!

 

[Lewisc]

We talked about doing 1 checked bag with items we can’t fit in the personal bags

Person next to me on the plane went with one checked bag. It weighted just over 40 lbs $$$
You want to put heavier items, like shoes, in your personal bag

 

[jimmymc]

We've done it as a family from central Jersey (yes it exists) with a hotel stay in South Carolina. That was nice because it allowed us to get to Disney at a reasonable time, well-rested the second day and hit Disney Springs for dinner.

 

[njcoach24]

We've done it as a family from central Jersey (yes it exists) with a hotel stay in South Carolina. That was nice because it allowed us to get to Disney at a reasonable time, well-rested the second day and hit Disney Springs for dinner.

I think if I had a little more time on the other end of the trip this would be the best plan.

 

[kylenne]

Good choice on the flying. The part of the trip that's the worst would be that 20-hr drive back home at the end! NOT FUN, especially since the kids no longer have something cool to look forward to!

My dad making us do the drive from NYC to Tampa (we stayed with relatives there) on our family Disney trips when I was very small was what made me vow never to do it as an adult. We fly or we stay home, lol.

 

[Sunelis]

I drive from Quebec 2 to 3 times per year... Often as a solo. But I love the drive. The only rough part is DC. I usually stop only once just south of DC. Fredericksburg is my stop of choice.

 

[daisy 'n donald]

2 years ago we drove from north jersey down to florida with an 8 and 6 year old. um...it wasn't the best, my 6yo was not having any of it and needed to stop all.the.time. it probably took us twice as long as we had originally hoped for and didn't end up checking in until like, 1am or something crazy like that.
last year we took the auto train, twice actually, once when we went to visit my inlaws in fort lauderdale, and then again to go to disney. she was then 7 and handled the drive to virginia much better. we're doing it again this year. for us it was worth it for the price, and knowing we'd have our car with us and not have to rent one when we got there. and we didn't have to worry about our luggage or taking our cpap machines etc. and my girls loved it bc we had the freedom to move around, and we didn't have to stop to use the restrooms since they're right on the train. sleeping is tough on the train, but its better than driving, and we dont' make the day we get in a park day, so we can rest and then hit the parks full steam the next day.
but i don't know if we'd drive from nj to florida again to be honest. it was ALOT even though we stopped over night in nc on the way there and the way back.