I drove from New Jersey to Florida to visit Disney World. Here's what the 24-hour road trip is like.

Amanda KrauseAug 25, 2021, 01:52 IST

It took more than 24 hours for me to drive from New Jersey to Disney World.Amanda Krause/Insider

I recently drove from northern New Jersey to Orlando, Florida, to visit Walt Disney World.
The trip took just over 24 hours, and saved me hundreds of dollars on travel expenses.
Here's what my experience driving down the East Coast was like.

I've been visiting Disney World since childhood, and my family has driven from New Jersey to Florida almost every time.

I took this photo while on the road between Florida and New Jersey in August 2021. Amanda Krause/Insider

I almost can't imagine traveling to Disney World by plane. My family and I did so once when I was about 3 years old, but after that trip, we always opted to drive my mom's minivan down to the Sunshine State.

I thought it was only fitting to embark on the road trip once again when I traveled to the Orlando, Florida, theme park this year.

The drive from northern New Jersey to Disney World's All-Star Movies Resort where I was staying takes more than 17 hours.

Driving from northern New Jersey to central Florida can take more than a full day. Google Maps

Of course, that estimate doesn't take bathroom breaks, gas-station stops, meals, and more into account. So in reality, the trip actually ends up taking about 24 hours to complete.

On this specific trip, I left New Jersey with my dad around 7 a.m., made it to Florida around that same time the next day, and arrived at my hotel at approximately 12 p.m.

Of course, that estimate doesn't take bathroom breaks, gas-station stops, meals, and more into account. So in reality, the trip actually ends up taking about 24 hours to complete.

On this specific trip, I left New Jersey with my dad around 7 a.m., made it to Florida around that same time the next day, and arrived at my hotel at approximately 12 p.m.

I left on a Friday morning with my suitcases packed in the trunk of my tiny Honda.

Even with four suitcases in my trunk, there was room for more. Amanda Krause/Insider

There were two of us traveling in my car, and we only brought two bags each.

In my car's back seat, I kept snacks, drinks, pillows, and other road-trip supplies.

Our luggage and supplies fit in the back of the car, so we had plenty of room up front. Amanda Krause/Insider

We planned to take turns sleeping so that we could drive straight through the night, and we brought road-trip essentials with us to keep our stops to a minimum.

That included a bag of different snack options in the back seat and a cooler filled with water and soda. We also brought paper towels, Ziploc bags, and backup phone chargers.

Finally, and arguably most importantly, we brought two small pillows and blankets so that we could be as comfortable as possible while napping.

We planned to take turns sleeping so that we could drive straight through the night, and we brought road-trip essentials with us to keep our stops to a minimum.

That included a bag of different snack options in the back seat and a cooler filled with water and soda. We also brought paper towels, Ziploc bags, and backup phone chargers.

Finally, and arguably most importantly, we brought two small pillows and blankets so that we could be as comfortable as possible while napping.

Once on the highway, a good Spotify playlist was essential to staying entertained.

It's important to have good music queued up when embarking on a long road trip. Amanda Krause/Insider

The drive between New Jersey and Florida is spent almost entirely on Interstate 95, so without good music as your soundtrack, you might become a bit bored by the gray highway.

My playlist was mostly filled with energizing rock songs from bands like Greta Van Fleet and Måneskin. However, variety is key, so I also added plenty of Taylor Swift, Tyler, the Creator, and more to my 35-hour-long playlist.

The drive between New Jersey and Florida is spent almost entirely on Interstate 95, so without good music as your soundtrack, you might become a bit bored by the gray highway.

The view from my car mostly consisted of billboards, grassy fields, and roadside rest stops.

I took this photo right before crossing the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Amanda Krause/Insider

It's basically impossible to truly experience different states when just passing through them, but there were a few landmarks visible from the car. I spotted the Washington Monument while driving toward Virginia, and a few giant football stadiums lit up in team colors.

And even when the scenery wasn't all that exciting, traveling from state to state was. We passed through Delaware to get to Maryland, and moved from South Carolina to enter Georgia. In doing so, I felt like a kid again as I anticipated arriving at Disney World.

I stopped for gas four times before reaching Florida and spent under $100.

Driving my compact car saved me hundreds of dollars in travel expenses. Amanda Krause/Insider

We stopped for gas in New Jersey before hitting the highway and then refueled every few hours. After making stops in Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida, we spent $90.50.

The small amount paid for gas is one of the main reasons my family prefers to drive to Florida instead of flying. Whereas a plane ticket and luggage fees could cost more than $100 per person, driving by car allows you to transport multiple people for a fraction of the cost.

That's not to mention how having a car at the theme park gives you the chance to explore other areas of Florida without paying for Ubers and other transportation.

We stopped for gas in New Jersey before hitting the highway and then refueled every few hours. After making stops in Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida, we spent $90.50.

That's not to mention how having a car at the theme park gives you the chance to explore other areas of Florida without paying for Ubers and other transportation.

Whenever I found myself sitting in the passenger seat during trips to gas stations and rest stops, I kept myself occupied with a good book.

Reading a "Cinderella"-themed book got me into the Disney spirit before my trip. Amanda Krause/Insider

It seemed fitting to bring a Disney-themed book with me on my trip, so I packed Julie Murphy's new novel "If the Shoe Fits" — a "Cinderella" retelling that's perfect for fashion lovers and fans of "The Bachelor."

It seemed fitting to bring a Disney-themed book with me on my trip, so I packed Julie Murphy's new novel If the Shoe Fits — a Cinderella retelling that's perfect for fashion lovers and fans of The Bachelor.

One of my favorite parts of driving to Disney World was visiting businesses that don't exist in New Jersey.

I took this photo after arriving at Buc-ee's in St. Augustine, Florida. Amanda Krause/Insider

I made stops at places like Sheetz and fast-food joints like Cook Out, neither of which can be found in the Garden State. I also stopped at Buc-ee's — a giant convenience store that can almost be described as a giant 7-11 and small Walmart combined.

The store quickly became one of my favorite stops of the entire trip. I found that it was the perfect place to stop for a fresh and affordable breakfast, inexpensive drinks, and clean restrooms (Buc-ee's is said to have the country's cleanest).

Just over 24 hours later, I arrived at my hotel and was ready to start my vacation.

I snapped this photo as I entered the Disney World gates at the start of my trip. Amanda Krause/Insider

There's no doubt that driving for a full day between New Jersey and Florida is exhausting and time-consuming. But as I drove through the Disney World gates nearly 24 hours later, it all felt worth it.

I arrived just after 12 p.m., and checked into my room virtually through the My Disney Experience app. You might think this is where I finally stopped to have a real meal and get some much-needed rest.

But instead, I unpacked, got settled in my room, and then immediately started exploring Disney World.

Do you have a question about visiting Disney World now? If so, email akrause@insider.com.