Attn Atlanta to WDW Drivers

[x5x5x5x5x5]

Has anyone made the trek recently? Any nasty roadwork that you remember? I've made it from downtown Atl to the Boardwalk in seven hours but I'm hoping to drop that to 6.5.

 

[grimley1968]

Subscribing. I come from further north (southern Kentucky), but this certainly affects my drive.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Drove it over Labor Day weekend. The amount of construction now compared to 12/24/36 months ago is much less.

We live in Lawrenceville (north east of ATL) and it took us about 7.25 hours driving about 77 mph and only stopping for gas and rest areas. We ate sandwiches in the car.

We left in the early am from home on Friday and also left early am from WDW on Monday.

 

[x5x5x5x5x5]

Good information - thank you! I've checked the DOT maps and don't see anything that should cause delay . . . but you never know.

grimley - I am making the drive Friday and will report back asap. We won't be leaving until around noon though . . . boo!

 

[grimley1968]

grimley - I am making the drive Friday and will report back asap. We won't be leaving until around noon though . . . boo!

Please do, and thanks. Enjoy your trip!

 

[LadyBeBop]

Please do, and thanks. Enjoy your trip!

When are you going down? We leave in 6 1/2 weeks.

BTW, I can't remember if you take I-65 through Nashville or I-75 through Knoxville. We drove to Knoxville over Labor Day. I-75, just south of the KY/TN border, and up the mountain was down to one lane for about ten miles. With the trucks, that was a long ten miles.

 

[grimley1968]

When are you going down? We leave in 6 1/2 weeks.

BTW, I can't remember if you take I-65 through Nashville or I-75 through Knoxville. We drove to Knoxville over Labor Day. I-75, just south of the KY/TN border, and up the mountain was down to one lane for about ten miles. With the trucks, that was a long ten miles.

We're going during our girls' fall break, from 10/4 through 10/13 (padding fall break with the surrounding weekends).

We live along Highway 27 in southern Kentucky, so we take that down through a small part of northern Tennessee (basically Oneida), and then take a decent little connector road (63) from 27 to I-75 just north of Knoxville. It's a little more direct for us this way than heading due east to I-75 in KY (I also drive east each day for work, and I love to avoid that on vacation). But we're south of Knoxville, on I-75, in about 2 hours this way.

We live about 90 minutes east of I-65. Unless I'm driving to Nashville or due south of there I avoid I-65 as much as possible.

I can report that I drove down to Knoxville about a week ago to visit a shop that Lexington, KY does not have and, for the first time I can recall, did not see one single orange cone or concrete barrier on the entire trip through the Knoxville area. We ended up on the west end of Knoxville, along the 640 bypass. That's the easiest drive I've had in years in Knoxville. There have been times in the past where the construction was so obnoxious in Knoxville (and I knew it beforehand) that I'd just take Highway 27 all the way down to Chattanooga and get on I-75 there. South of Harriman, TN, all the way to Chattanooga, Highway 27 is a nice four-lane, and mostly limited access road. But for the first time in (I think) my adult life I actually recommend doing the trip through Knoxville now along I-75/640.

 

[willowsnn3]

Good information - thank you! I've checked the DOT maps and don't see anything that should cause delay . . . but you never know.

grimley - I am making the drive Friday and will report back asap. We won't be leaving until around noon though . . . boo!

Leave early enough to get past McDonough/Henry County on I75 before the floodgates of early weekenders start heading to Florida. Traffic is always heavy in that area specially on Fridays.

 

[Belle & Ariel]

It took us 8 1/2 hours to get from Chattanooga last Thursday evening.
There was a small construction zone with a lower speed limit in south Georgia--after the Macon bypass. No work but lower speed.

 

[x5x5x5x5x5]

Good information - thank you! I've checked the DOT maps and don't see anything that should cause delay . . . but you never know.

grimley - I am making the drive Friday and will report back asap. We won't be leaving until around noon though . . . boo!

So we made it! Was a breeze - no traffic issues. A tiny bit of rain. Made it from midtown atlanta to boardwalk in 6 hours and 30 minutes including one 15 min stop. Awesome! By the way, the villains thing at Hollywood studios is going to be nuts! It's gridlock getting into HS!!

Average speed on cruise was between 77 and 78.

 

[grimley1968]

So we made it! Was a breeze - no traffic issues. A tiny bit of rain. Made it from midtown atlanta to boardwalk in 6 hours and 30 minutes including one 15 min stop. Awesome! By the way, the villains thing at Hollywood studios is going to be nuts! It's gridlock getting into HS!!

Average speed on cruise was between 77 and 78.

Thanks. That's good to know.

 

[lylone]

I would be careful going through Atlanta during the next few months. There are a lot of fall festivals, Braves Games and Falcons Games that can mess up your travels through town. I live in Duluth which is North of the city and even to go to the airport we always use the I-285 bypass. One little wreck or one convention can mess up I-75/85 and turn it into a parking lot.

 

[LadyBeBop]

I would be careful going through Atlanta during the next few months. There are a lot of fall festivals, Braves Games and Falcons Games that can mess up your travels through town. I live in Duluth which is North of the city and even to go to the airport we always use the I-285 bypass. One little wreck or one convention can mess up I-75/85 and turn it into a parking lot.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Any fall festivals we should worry about during the last weekend of October or the first weekend in November?

We're going south through Atlanta around noon on Saturday, October 26. I know the Braves could be playing Game 3 of the World Series on that day; however, I'm hoping that will be a night game. You wouldn't think traffic would be too terribly day about 6-7 hours before game time, would you?

We're going north through Atlanta around 3 PM on Sunday, November 3. The Falcons play out of town that weekend.

As always, we intend on taking the carpool lane, both ways, through Atlanta. And we'll probably listen to Atlanta radio for traffic updates. Do you think that will be enough?

 

[grimley1968]

I would be careful going through Atlanta during the next few months. There are a lot of fall festivals, Braves Games and Falcons Games that can mess up your travels through town. I live in Duluth which is North of the city and even to go to the airport we always use the I-285 bypass. One little wreck or one convention can mess up I-75/85 and turn it into a parking lot.

I drove right through the heart of Atlanta on I-75 during the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics. I don't think I slowed below 45 MPH the whole way through. I've also driven through during numerous Braves games.

The worst traffic jams I've ever encountered in Atlanta are on that bypass, and not on I-75.

 

[willowsnn3]

Thanks for the heads-up.

Any fall festivals we should worry about during the last weekend of October or the first weekend in November?

We're going south through Atlanta around noon on Saturday, October 26. I know the Braves could be playing Game 3 of the World Series on that day; however, I'm hoping that will be a night game. You wouldn't think traffic would be too terribly day about 6-7 hours before game time, would you?

We're going north through Atlanta around 3 PM on Sunday, November 3. The Falcons play out of town that weekend.

As always, we intend on taking the carpool lane, both ways, through Atlanta. And we'll probably listen to Atlanta radio for traffic updates. Do you think that will be enough?

The Georgia State Fair starts Friday Oct 25th thru Sunday Nov 3rd at Atlanta Motor Speedway off I75 just south of Atlanta. Not sure if that will affect traffic much but at least its not a major race which would definitely affect south I75 traffic.

 

[JanB]

When planning to come through Atlanta on Saturdays in the Fall, you should check the Georgia Tech football schedule. Game times are not generally announced until a couple of weeks before game day. On your particular travel day ---- October 26 ---- Tech has an away game, so it won't be a concern for you.

Large sporting events can bring a lot of traffic for a good portion of the day. 6 hours before game time? Yes, could possibly be bad traffic. Particularly for something as big as the World Series, I recommend that you keep eyes and ears open for traffic reports. Once the actual game begins, then traffic will probably die down a bit until the event is over ---- like the previous poster mentioned concerning the Olympics.


I always recommend that people listen to AM750 radio. Particularly for weekend travel, you should check the Georgia Navigator website (ga511.org) for planned road construction. I would check that site no earlier than a few days before travel since construction plans can change. That same website can give you real-time traffic conditions (traffic accidents, general congestion, etc.). So, if you have a smart phone, I recommend that you check it several miles before you get to I285. That will give you one final opportunity to make a determination concerning driving around the city on I285 (and which direction to take) or driving through the city.

We have lived here a long time and, in general, prefer to drive through the city rather than around the perimeter. It's fewer miles. But some people prefer I285 around. I just suggest that you keep your options open so that you can make a final decision as you are approaching Atlanta.

 

[PEC]

If traveling while a sporting event is in town is try to time it when the event is happening or early morning. ie if Georgia Tech is playing at 1 O'Clock you will have no problem at 2 O'Clock. Weekends are generally "OK" early morning.

 

[lylone]

I drove right through the heart of Atlanta on I-75 during the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics. I don't think I slowed below 45 MPH the whole way through. I've also driven through during numerous Braves games.

The worst traffic jams I've ever encountered in Atlanta are on that bypass, and not on I-75.

Okay.. sure.. You have been lucky. I have only lived in Atlanta for 36 years and YES traffic has increased since 1996. Take your chances as you like and maybe you will get stuck some day sitting in the car not moving on the interstate when your bladder is full!

 

[crazelion]

On October 5 the Atlanta Football Classic is at the Georgia Dome at 3:30 p.m.

 

[disneynanacat]

I'd like to subscribe and jump in here too. Grimley we're in Lexington and making the journey same as you. 10/4 (leaving late and driving all night) through 10/13.