For those folks driving!

[Goofygirl17]

Originally Posted by capegirl

This is a tough one. We have no choice but to head out on a Friday morning from Southeastern, Mass. The earliest we can leave is 3am, which means we will hit the wall of NY traffic at the worst possible time. We have always traveled on a weekend, and had no problem with I 95 over the GWB. We know this route will be a nightmare on a weekday, so with that said will the Tappan Zee Bridge route really be the the lesser of 2 evils? Is this the only alternative?

I only go over the Tappan Zee. I hate the GWB.

[TinaElmerRh]

Originally Posted by csharpwv

I would suggest 95 - but leave at night! We drove from Hazleton, PA last year on Thanksgiving day. We left around 10pm - we had zero traffic, the DC Beltway was abandoned, and we made it to Hilton Head Island around 1:00 the next day. We are DVC members - so we spent the night at Hilton Head Island, took a walk on the beach, cooked dinner in our Villa, washed clothes, and used the jacuzzi - and woke up well rested and ready to go the next morning! We also stopped at the outlet mall on our way out of town for a quick black friday shopping adventure HAHA

It was a great trip!

I would definitely suggest I-95 after hours!

How far off your direct route was the hotel? I would love to stay by the beach on our way down.

[PrincessMom4]

Won't be making that trek until 2013 again, BUT we are still excited.

[prlady13]

Hi all! This thread has been very beneficial in planning our first drive down to WDW from Long Island, NY but I'm still unsure about time. I've read to leave either very early or very late, so my first plan was to leave around 3am and make an overnight stop in Savannah, GA. BUt, theres been some mixed reviews about leaving at that time. Will it put me at the start of morning traffic in DC?. Our vacation dates are 9/12-9/20 which makes our check in at POR on a Wednesday. Which time is best to leave from NY on a weekday?
Thanks!

[StuffedwFluff]

Call us crazy, but we are making the trek from Utah! My husband and I are excited to drive with our three kids, 5, 4 and 2 next year! Any suggestions on which route, North or South?

[DJFan88]

Originally Posted by prlady13

Hi all! This thread has been very beneficial in planning our first drive down to WDW from Long Island, NY but I'm still unsure about time. I've read to leave either very early or very late, so my first plan was to leave around 3am and make an overnight stop in Savannah, GA. BUt, theres been some mixed reviews about leaving at that time. Will it put me at the start of morning traffic in DC?. Our vacation dates are 9/12-9/20 which makes our check in at POR on a Wednesday. Which time is best to leave from NY on a weekday?
Thanks!

We come from the MA/CT border and if we leave at 7 pm we totally clear everything busy and can hit Disney by 4:30 pm straight thru. So, the dilemma begins - We think we can stop overnight in Savannah, but when we are hitting there at 11:30 am, guess we'll just keep going -- for the lousiest 5 hrs. ever!
So, putting you maybe 3 hours closer than us? just guessing - by our theory we could leave at 10 pm. But you're much better off staying over 1 night - so don't do that. So, the question becomes, how early must you leave to clear the traffic ---- and you must clear the traffic. I think you probably need a solid 5 hours to clear. So, I think I'd knock that 3 am guess to an earlier 1:30 am. That would probably get you into Savannah by 5:30 which is a great time. The Best Western there also has a Denny's attached which will give you a free breakfast, which you can then turn in for supper (24 hr. breakfast) -- then, may I suggest what we do, when we have stayed there is leave very early (I'm talking 2-3 am here----remember, you got there early enough to turn in around 7:30 or so), that way you can get into Orlando around 7:30 before it gets crazy in Jacksonville and then Orlando -- although that will already be getting crazy!

Good luck -- we are trying the auto train for our first time this time.

[prlady13]

Thanks DJFan! I appreciate your help!

[ctl]

I'm trying to decide whether to drive or to fly (chiefly because a rental car for 10 days over the Christmas period is crazy expensive) and flights are really expensive at that time too. I was wondering if anyone has driven this and what is the realistic cost of gas (I'm thinking about $370 R/T) and time to drive ,2 and 1/2 days. Considering leaving on a Friday night after work (8pm) stopping in Shreveport, LA around 12pm. (Motel).Starting out next morning leaving by 9.30am getting into Tallahasse,FL about 10.30pm (with stops to eat, bathroom etc). Stay over Saturday night in a motel then leave around 9am Sunday morning, hit WDW around 4pm. Is this even realistic? My DH and I will split the driving (I don't drive at night, poor night vision) and I have lead-foot syndrome, so he won't let me drive unless I completely adhere to the speed limit in every little town etc. So I will only drive maybe 1/3 of the time and he will have to do the rest. (He gets grumpy driving too). Also, have 2 teenagers who will absolutely not want to drive (spoiled them too much with flying every time). Am I going to save money this way,and is the time driving just extra torture, or will I just think I'm saving money and drive my family nuts? Thoughts?

[ctl]

Well, I started to run the numbers and I may end up flying, depending on how airfares pan out. Gas and motel room would cost me upwards of $900, so the rental car would pretty much be a wash, if I can use miles for flights. If I can't use miles for flights then it's back to the original drive plan. I have a long time to figure it out.

[Q-man]

Driving from Houston what is a realistic amount of actual behind the wheel driving time? 13-14 hours? I'm not familiar with those Interstates. Is the speed limit 75mph all the way there or just the TX and LA part? Stopping in Mobile on the return trip with the family but driving out solo as the kids had school obligations come up and are flying out with mom. Can I do it in a 15 hour day solo?

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

Originally Posted by Q-man

Driving from Houston what is a realistic amount of actual behind the wheel driving time? 13-14 hours? I'm not familiar with those Interstates. Is the speed limit 75mph all the way there or just the TX and LA part? Stopping in Mobile on the return trip with the family but driving out solo as the kids had school obligations come up and are flying out with mom. Can I do it in a 15 hour day solo?

Hey, how's it going? I honestly know nothing about the road(s) you will be taking.

Here is an interesting map that shows maximum possible speed limits of interstates. http://www.iihs.org/laws/mapmaxspeed...terstates.aspx

It is possible to drive there in a day. According to the map I pulled up you are looking at 950ish miles and 13.5 hours of driving (also allow time for gas ups, bathroom breaks and food).
Do you WANT to do all that driving in one day? It will be one long day if you do, but it can be done.

[Q-man]

Originally Posted by BelleBeautyandtheBeast

It is possible to drive there in a day. According to the map I pulled up you are looking at 950ish miles and 13.5 hours of driving (also allow time for gas ups, bathroom breaks and food).
Do you WANT to do all that driving in one day? It will be one long day if you do, but it can be done.

For 950 miles I'll only need one gas stop if I start on full. I'll have plenty of food in the car and some audio books too.

As for the second part, I'm making no room ressies for that night but have a few hotels along the way's numbers plugged in my phone in case I get road dazed and need to stop but energy usually isn't an issue for me.

DW is wondering why she never thought to send me a couple days early before so I can get my pace, and the things I like, out of my system w/o the family so she doesn't have to watch me start crawling the walls with the family's pace.

[Luvamouse]

950 miles in 13 hours is an average of 70 . I know we routinely get about 830 miles in 13 hours, avoiding 99% of traffic by our route out of the Northeast. Couple of bathroom breaks and inevitable slowdowns in traffic. We bring sandwiches, make more from the cooler at rest stops and average no more than 10 minute stops. We still cover a lot of ground efficiently, but unless you are on faster highways, you'll probably be looking at 15 hours at least. Depends on a lot, but I'd say that is a fair guess.

[Q-man]

Originally Posted by Luvamouse

950 miles in 13 hours is an average of 70 . I know we routinely get about 830 miles in 13 hours, avoiding 99% of traffic by our route out of the Northeast. Couple of bathroom breaks and inevitable slowdowns in traffic. We bring sandwiches, make more from the cooler at rest stops and average no more than 10 minute stops. We still cover a lot of ground efficiently, but unless you are on faster highways, you'll probably be looking at 15 hours at least. Depends on a lot, but I'd say that is a fair guess.

Good to know. I'm a set the cruise control at 80mph person as that is what traffic moves at here on Texas' highways(75 is the speed limit here). The first 350 miles of the trip are 75mph limits.

[Luvamouse]

Originally Posted by Q-man

Good to know. I'm a set the cruise control at 80mph person as that is what traffic moves at here on Texas' highways(75 is the speed limit here). The first 350 miles of the trip are 75mph limits.

I find that I am running 75 or better through much of VA south to FL-- some is 75 (I think?) and some is 65-70. No matter what I do I am never the fastest car, I think it is the angle my ankle prefers, lol... Even heading through the cities keeps us over 60 unless it is really crowded. We take 81 rather than 95 and avoid a ton of traffic. I do enjoy driving, but I have to say, I can't manage anything over 10 hours or so as the sole driver any longer! 14 when we swap off is great. I am way too ADD and need to get my fix of snooping at the scenery or adjacent vehicles...