For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (III)

[LadyBeBop]

I'm nervous about being stranded in the middle of nowhere with no cell service. (My dear sweet husband and his father know nothing about fixing cars.) I'm at the point of packing a tent and sleeping bags just in case. I'm driving myself crazy! Please calm my fears about our first three day drive across the country!

I looked at your routes on Mapquest, and it looks like it's going to be three long days. About 12 hours each day. One car or two? If one car with four drivers, it's doable. But I'd like a day or two extra to possibly do some sightseeing along the way. After all, you're be passing by such landmarks as...Graceland (southern route), Gateway Arch (northern route) and Lookout Mountain (northern route)

I wouldn't worry too much about cell phone coverage. Assuming you have good cell phone coverage and not Willie's Bargain Basement coverage, you'll be fine on interstate, and I think you'll be OK off the interstate as well.

Also, any route ideas would be great! I can't decide between the north or south route.

Southern route is shorter, but it takes you off the interstate more. Northern route is more interstate (only about 50 miles off interstate vs. about 900 miles off interstate on the southern route). I may take one route down and one route home. If you're really worried about being in the middle of nowhere, I'd take the northern route. At least you'll be on interstate for over 95% of the trip.

 

[BC1836]

Back home from our 4th drive to Disney with a side to spend Thanksgiving with the grandkids in TX. Car unpacked and now to put away the Disney ornaments, the wine from F&W, and all the other goodies we got.
Will be home for one week and then drive back down to Disney for the MVMCP and Candlelight Processional - our 5th drive down this year.
Oh by the way - looked at our top speed on the GPS - 103 - not the record though - our old one had 111.

Your 4th WDW drive is updated in this thread's all-time records [see post #1 on Page #1]


All-Time "For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" Records (updated 11/27/12)

Most Total Drives: 53 (since '73): dvczerfs

Most Drives in One Decade/10-Year Period: 26 (2003-2012): bc1836

Most Drives in One Calendar Year: 4 (four times: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011): bc1836; (two times: 2009 & 2012): cruisingkat

Most Drives in One 12-Month Period: 5 (12/08-12/09): cruisingkat; (12/09-12/10): bc1836

Most "Non-Stop" Drives: 12 (2008-2012): bc1836

Shortest Time Between Drives: 19 days (2009): cruisingkat

Most passengers in one vehicle: 10 (2010: 2 adults, 8 kids; 1999 Chevy Express Van): birdslightyear (aka just*the*ten*of*us)

Longest Drive (one way): 2,020 miles (2011): Shir Khan (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)

Second Longest Drive (one way): 1,953 miles (2011): peigirl (Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada)

 

[StuffedwFluff]

Thank you LadyBeBop! I was thinking of doing two routes, one north (the shorter one to get there faster) and south on the way home. There will be four drivers in one car, so I think we'll be fine hours wise. My husband and Father in law love driving the entire way to California (10 hours). We're hoping to do 15-16 hours the first two days (starting at the butt crack of dawn so the kids can sleep in the car) and about four or five hours the last day.
Thank you for all of your great information!

 

[wmcyip]

Our (with dh and ds(4)) first drive scheduled for 12/1 but will be at SW before landing WDW on 12/5

Will take it slow spanning 2 days, will overnight in NC

Can't wait but nervous at the same time

And will expect many pee pee stops, lol

 

[Allieran3]

Our (with dh and ds(4)) first drive scheduled for 12/1 but will be at SW before landing WDW on 12/5

Will take it slow spanning 2 days, will overnight in NC

Can't wait but nervous at the same time

And will expect many pee pee stops, lol

We also took it slow, stopping in SC overnight. I could not drive straight thru. We did 8.5 hrs the first night and 7.5 the second day and arrived at Pop around 4:30pm yesterday!

 

[Jakesmom504]

First time driver from South Jersey...and a little nervous! We leave in 2 weeks, will be arriving on the 14th. Originally we had planned to stop overnight somewhere but now DH is saying he thinks he might want to drive straight through! I cannot stand traffic even more than I hate to fly so for all you fellow South Jerseans what would be the best time to leave? I would like to make it to Disney by about lunch time or shortly after. Also for those of you who did drive straight through...is it worth it?? I really want to do MK the day we arrive but MVMCP is that night so the park closes at 7. We have ADR's at Ohana's for dinner that night when we leave the park. Me...I'm sure I will be on pure adrenaline but since DH will probably be doing most of the driving I don't want to kill the first day for him!

 

[patclairesmom]

We'll be leaving in less than 12 hours for our 2nd trip this year. We are leaving monmouth county nj at 6 am and stopping overnight in Santee SC then continuing on until we get to our hotel in Kissimmee.

 

[artesian]

First time driver from South Jersey...and a little nervous! We leave in 2 weeks, will be arriving on the 14th. Originally we had planned to stop overnight somewhere but now DH is saying he thinks he might want to drive straight through! I cannot stand traffic even more than I hate to fly so for all you fellow South Jerseans what would be the best time to leave? I would like to make it to Disney by about lunch time or shortly after. Also for those of you who did drive straight through...is it worth it?? I really want to do MK the day we arrive but MVMCP is that night so the park closes at 7. We have ADR's at Ohana's for dinner that night when we leave the park. Me...I'm sure I will be on pure adrenaline but since DH will probably be doing most of the driving I don't want to kill the first day for him!

depends on how you drive. we around 7pm and can be there by lunchtime the next day. that's minimal stops for gas only and maybe a bite to eat. the reason we pick that time is i don't want to hit DC before 10. So far this has worked very well for us on 4 trips now

 

[MulanMom]

We're planning on driving straight through to WDW but not planning to do a lot our first night/afternoon there. We'll stay off property for the first night, visit DTD and take care of tickets/TiW so that when we check in to the Poly the following day, we're all set to go.

We make a yearly trek to NC for summer beach trips and leave about 5-6pm at night to miss DC traffic just like PP. It's amazing how heavy traffic can be on 95 around DC even late at night...but at least it's moving. The further south we go the emptier i95 gets.

Have a great trip!

 

[Shir Kahn]

We're planning on driving straight through to WDW but not planning to do a lot our first night/afternoon there. We'll stay off property for the first night, visit DTD and take care of tickets/TiW so that when we check in to the Poly the following day, we're all set to go.

We make a yearly trek to NC for summer beach trips and leave about 5-6pm at night to miss DC traffic just like PP. It's amazing how heavy traffic can be on 95 around DC even late at night...but at least it's moving. The further south we go the emptier i95 gets.

Have a great trip!

I wish we could drive straight through to WDW but it's a 32 hour drive for us and the longest I've done in one stretch was 25 hours straight, so I don't think that's going to happen!

 

[BC1836]

First time driver from South Jersey...and a little nervous! We leave in 2 weeks, will be arriving on the 14th. Originally we had planned to stop overnight somewhere but now DH is saying he thinks he might want to drive straight through! I cannot stand traffic even more than I hate to fly so for all you fellow South Jerseans what would be the best time to leave? I would like to make it to Disney by about lunch time or shortly after. Also for those of you who did drive straight through...is it worth it?? I really want to do MK the day we arrive but MVMCP is that night so the park closes at 7. We have ADR's at Ohana's for dinner that night when we leave the park. Me...I'm sure I will be on pure adrenaline but since DH will probably be doing most of the driving I don't want to kill the first day for him!

Give yourselves an 18-hour block of time to complete your drive. That time includes driving and periodic stopping (gas, bathroom, food -- if you're not bringing any with you). We have done the straight through drive many times, but we end our drive at a nearby WDW hotel for the night (less expensive that arriving at WDW just to sleep for the first night). That allows us to drive the ten minutes to our WDW hotel the next morning, relaxed and ready for a full day. If you do a straight-through drive and expect to be fully alert once you arrive, you'll be surprised when your inner zombie takes over.

No matter what your driving plans are, be safe.

All the best.

 

[Jakesmom504]

Give yourselves an 18-hour block of time to complete your drive. That time includes driving and periodic stopping (gas, bathroom, food -- if you're not bringing any with you). We have done the straight through drive many times, but we end our drive at a nearby WDW hotel for the night (less expensive that arriving at WDW just to sleep for the first night). That allows us to drive the ten minutes to our WDW hotel the next morning, relaxed and ready for a full day. If you do a straight-through drive and expect to be fully alert once you arrive, you'll be surprised when your inner zombie takes over.

No matter what your driving plans are, be safe.

All the best.

Thanks! I've been hearing it's about 17 or 18 hours so that's pretty much what I planned on. We always drive down to OBX which isn't so bad but this year we were stuck in major traffic and it ended up taking 12-13 hours! We were tired but still able to manage. I'm a nurse and unfortunately have pulled many a 24+ hours of no sleep. It's horrible but wouldn't be the first time. DH on the other hand, I'm not so sure. He wants to drive straight through to save on the hotel cost for a night but I'm thinking we might be better off stopping. I guess we'll see as it gets closer!

 

[patclairesmom]

We made great time driving today. What a difference in traffic compared to going over Easter week. We left our home at 6am and picked up my son's friend. Got on the parkway about 6:17. Stopped right before the turnpike on 195 (Great Adventures exit) and had a quick breakfast at McDonald's. Despite those 2 setbacks we made it to Santee at @ 5:15pm.

 

[BC1836]

We made great time driving today. What a difference in traffic compared to going over Easter week. We left our home at 6am and picked up my son's friend. Got on the parkway about 6:17. Stopped right before the turnpike on 195 (Great Adventures exit) and had a quick breakfast at McDonald's. Despite those 2 setbacks we made it to Santee at @ 5:15pm.

Excellent progress! Now then...finish your drive!

All the best.

 

[goofyfigment]

Driving from NE PA in 20 days. Cant wait. Im just nervous because ive never made the drive in the winter

 

[BC1836]

Driving from NE PA in 20 days. Cant wait. Im just nervous because ive never made the drive in the winter

Your major concern should be just getting out of the PA-DE-MD area and over the Potomac River. But winter is winter. Six inches of snow in your town may not be as dangerous than a slick of black ice in southern VA.

Just be careful: check the weather constantly.

All the best.

 

[goofyfigment]

Thanks. We usually go 81-66-17-15-95 so fingers crossed there is no snow.

 

[goofyfigment]

Another question. Do you usually book a road hotel in advance or just stop when you get tired

 

[BC1836]

Another question. Do you usually book a road hotel in advance or just stop when you get tired

The last few years we have booked in advance. Earlier trips were booked on the road but it was risky since we sometimes couldn't find a convenient place to stay overnight prior to our WDW arrival.

Now we book a reservation that has a late cancellation time, just in case our progress is slowed or in case we make better time and go much further on the drive.

The key thing: make all your arrangements (departure time, expected rest stops and reservations) in advance so the only thing you have to worry about is the drive itself.

All the best.

 

[WellingtonR]

The last few years we have booked in advance. Earlier trips were booked on the road but it was risky since we sometimes couldn't find a convenient place to stay overnight prior to our WDW arrival.

Now we book a reservation that has a late cancellation time, just in case our progress is slowed or in case we make better time and go much further on the drive.

The key thing: make all your arrangements (departure time, expected rest stops and reservations) in advance so the only thing you have to worry about is the drive itself.

All the best.

We just made the roundtrip from CT and we didn't book any hotels. I'm glad we didn't because the first day down and back we got farther than expected. Today for our second day coming back, i81 through Virginia was packed with semis and people driving slow in the passing lane. I was getting pretty frustrated!!!