Pre-made trip plan
NYC to Disney for the First Time
Three days down I-95 the way the Griswolds actually drive it — including the obligatory Pedro stop and a real Savannah overnight before the final push into Mickey country.
- Days
- 3
- Total drive
- 1140 mi
- Drive time
- 19.0 h
Steve’s take
If you've never driven from the Northeast to Disney, the first thing to know is I-95 is not a highway — it's a rite of passage. Twelve hundred miles, eleven states (depending how creative you get), one ridiculous Mexican-themed roadside complex, and approximately seven hundred billboards that say things like 'Pedro's Pleasure Dome — 247 miles!' Lisa and I have done this drive enough to know the answer to 'should we just push through?' is no. Three days. Two overnights. Savannah for one of them because Savannah is genuinely beautiful and your kids will think it's a movie set. By Day 3 you're rolling into Disney with the family still talking to each other.
Who this trip is for
- ✓Northeast families on a first Disney trip — Connecticut, Long Island, NJ, Philly burbs
- ✓Anyone who wants the grown-up version of the East Coast pilgrimage
- ✓Families who'd rather make road-trip memories than sleep in the car
Day-by-day
Day 1
New York → Richmond, VA
340 mi · 6 hr
The hardest day. Get out of the metropolitan-area hell, push through DC, sleep in Richmond. Tomorrow gets fun.
- Maryland House Travel Plaza (I-95 NB side, MD)
Mile 130 · Stretch / break
Yes, the rest stop on the median. Yes, it's fine. Bathrooms, Starbucks, decent food court. The kids will want to know why you keep saying 'travel plaza' instead of 'rest stop.' Don't explain. It's not worth it.
210 mi · 3h 42m to next stop
Hampton Inn Richmond Airport
Mile 340 · Overnight
Why this one: easy on/off I-95, predictable family chain, free breakfast, you're up and out at 8 AM with the morning energy intact.
Sleep at: Richmond, VA
Day 2
Richmond → Pedro → Savannah
440 mi · 7.5 hr
The fun day. Pedro's at lunch, Savannah for dinner. This is the day the kids stop complaining about the trip and start asking when we can do it again.
South of the Border (Dillon, SC)
Mile 250 · Stretch / break
Pedro is up ahead, family. There's no avoiding it after 200 miles of billboards. Stop for one photo with the giant sombrero, one souvenir nobody needed, and absolutely zero serious dining. Twenty-minute stop. Worth it for the bit.
30 mi · 31m to next stop
Florence SC Buc-ee's
Mile 280 · Stretch / break
Real lunch. The brisket sandwich. The bathroom-of-bathrooms. If the South of the Border thing left you wanting actual food and dignity, this is the answer.
160 mi · 2h 44m to next stop
Embassy Suites Savannah Historic District
Mile 440 · Overnight
Stay downtown if you can swing it. Walk to River Street for dinner. Suites give you a separate sleeping room so the parents can stay up watching college football without keeping the kids awake.
Sleep at: Savannah, GA
Day 3
Savannah → Walt Disney World
360 mi · 5.5 hr
The home stretch. Florida by lunch, hotel by 4 PM, Disney Springs for dinner. Day 1 in the parks tomorrow with a rested family.
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Florida Welcome Center (I-95 SB, near Yulee)Mile 480 · Stretch / break
tourist welcome center in Florida, United States
Free OJ. Final 'we're in Florida!' photo. The kids will be losing it. So will you.
60 mi · 55m to next stop
Lunch in Daytona — Sonny's BBQ
Mile 540 · Stretch / break
Detour 10 minutes off I-95. Sonny's is family BBQ done right. Kids' menus, sweet tea, you're back on the road in 45 minutes.
260 mi · 3h 58m to next stop
Walt Disney World
Mile 800 · You arrive!
Pull up to the resort around 4 PM. Long check-in line — bring patience and snacks. Pool, dinner, early bed. Tomorrow you wake up IN Disney and the trip is officially worth every mile.
Sleep at: Disney resort hotel
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Pre-fills with: NYC (10001) → WDW · 2 adults + 2 kids (8, 11) · scenic-route pace · $150–250 hotel budget
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From the real Griswolds · with Pixie Vacations
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