Best route to Disney from Birmingham

[Bens mom]

We will be heading to the fort in Febuary wondering which route to take.We took the 231 to I 10 last year.Dothan was a headache but other than that the trip went well in all it took about 12 1/2 hours.We will be pulling a 5th wheel so I think the atlanta route would be just to many miles.Has anyone drove the hwy 280 to I 75 route.

 

[AuburnJen92]

The 280 to 1-75 route is the best way in my opinion. We have taken that way to Auburn since it was 2 lane all the way. (I know, I am dating myself)

Since 280 is 4 lane all the way to Opelika and it is also 4 lane all the way to 1-75 at Tifton, you should have no problem at all and it cuts miles and hours off your time from going the way you did before. Watch out right outside of Fort Benning, there is a little town of Cusseta and they will ticket you for anything over 55. (trust me, I know from experience!)

Make sure you take the Albany bypass as well and follow the signs to Tifton. You will also need to watch your brakes since you are pulling a 5th wheel on the way back because they kept the original road for the westbound/northbound side and some of the parts before Columbus can be tricky pulling a trailer if you are not paying attention. You will see what I am talking about on your way down. The southbound/eastbound section is much straighter.

Finally, there is always construction on I75 in GA, but hopefully it won't hinder you. All in all, it is the best way to go and it will be all 4 lane driving for you.

My husband went to Birmingham twice in October using that route.

 

[Hpyhiker]

We regularly drive Birmingham to FW using I-65 to Montgomery, I-85 East to Taylor Road (Exit 9) to US231 South to Dothan Bypass then US231 South. In Florida about 11 miles afte Campbelton I take 73 (left) to Marianna then south at 1st light to I-10. At Lake City I-75 South to Florida Turnpike then Orlando. I've driven this in a MH countless times. Dothan can be a problem if you hit it at the wrong time of the day but it always seems to work out okay. Have a safe journey. We're presently in Fort Myers, FL for another week then back to Birmingham.

 

[Bens mom]

Thanks

 

[clkelley]

I'm from Huntsville, and always just go through Atlanta. I've tried all of the routes listed above, and going over to Atlanta on I-20 just seems easier to me.

One thing I do is leave Huntsville no earlier than 2pm, then that puts me through Atlanta no earlier than 7pm and it is easy going. Then I stop somewhere South of Atlanta for the night and continue the next day.

(FYI, 99% of the washboard that was I-20 has now been fixed).

 

[bama_ed]

I tow my pop-up from Hoover to the Fort about once a year and I choose to use either the Atlanta route or the Dothan route depending on the situation. I have not nor would I choose to use 280 in any fashion since that seems to include the worst points of my two primary alternatives.

First the Atlanta route: a little hilly between Leeds and Pell City but that is a short stretch. It's about 25 miles further going this way than the Dothan route but time-wise if you compare Mapquest routes it's actually quicker (if all is well). It's all interstate which means (hopefully) longer runs at high speeds and not having to brake and then burn more gas getting back to speed. Obviously you want to avoid Atlanta at high traffic periods. Coming home this year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving traffic was very heavy south of Atlanta and we sat and crawled along at idle speed for about an hour for no apparent reason that I could see.

The Dothan route is shorter and my preferred route if I'm leaving really early in the morning and can get to Montgomery before 7 a.m. It's not a bad route; it's a little more predictable. You'll have some red lights going through Troy and around Dothan (more braking). Don't plan on buying gas in Lake City, FL because the prices are so high compared to what they are in Tallahasse, Valdosta, or Ocala.

So you can probably tell I take the Atlanta route when I can as my first choice but Dothan way is okay. I'm not pulling a 5er like you are so maybe that changes things. Either way when you get down into Florida on the turnpike take the Daniel Webster by-pass (Hwy 429 South) and come into Disney from the west at the Western Way exit near Coronado Springs Resort. Much MUCH easier than taking the turnpike to I-4 or taking Hwy 27 down to 192.

Have a great trip!

Bama ED

PS-according to the mapping tools, the 280 route is the shortest distance in terms of miles but the longest in terms of time. Atlanta is quickest, then Dothan, then 280. 280 shows 30 minutes longer than Atlanta but that's for typical highway (not towing) speeds so your delta will probably be greater.

 

[clkelley]

I Coming home this year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving traffic was very heavy south of Atlanta and we sat and crawled along at idle speed for about an hour for no apparent reason that I could see.

Only an hour...... You were lucky. The one and only time we came home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we hit the Georgia line and never got faster than 35 MPH all the way to Atlanta till we got to I-20. Miserable!!! It took us 15 hours to get to Huntsville from Ocala (we had driven to Ocala the night before).

 

[bama_ed]

Only an hour...... You were lucky. The one and only time we came home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, we hit the Georgia line and never got faster than 35 MPH all the way to Atlanta till we got to I-20. Miserable!!! It took us 15 hours to get to Huntsville from Ocala (we had driven to Ocala the night before).

Carol, that's terrible!

I think I might choose the Dothan way on the homeward bound let a little more often now.

Bama ED

 

[Lesia]

We travel from arab (south of Huntsville) to Orlando a lot, for work and for vacation. We've tried all ways. Leaving from home, we go I65 to 231 to dothan, but take the left bypass in Dothan and go through Bainsbridge GA. Come out at exit 199 on I 10 just east of Tallahassee. The other way is to go to Auburn the night before to visit college boy, then continue to Tifton. That way seems longer, cause there are lots of stretches with speedlimit at only 55.

 

[vick]

We travel from arab (south of Huntsville) to Orlando a lot, for work and for vacation. We've tried all ways. Leaving from home, we go I65 to 231 to dothan, but take the left bypass in Dothan and go through Bainsbridge GA. Come out at exit 199 on I 10 just east of Tallahassee. The other way is to go to Auburn the night before to visit college boy, then continue to Tifton. That way seems longer, cause there are lots of stretches with speedlimit at only 55.

We're from Decatur and have only taken the Atlanta route once. We always take the Dothan route. It seems to be the quicker route for us. In 2008, we stayed overnight in Dothan and got up early and continued on to the fort. I think we'll do that from now on. So much better than driving straight through!

 

[Momof3Gr8kids]

I'm from Huntsville, and always just go through Atlanta. I've tried all of the routes listed above, and going over to Atlanta on I-20 just seems easier to me.

One thing I do is leave Huntsville no earlier than 2pm, then that puts me through Atlanta no earlier than 7pm and it is easy going. Then I stop somewhere South of Atlanta for the night and continue the next day.

(FYI, 99% of the washboard that was I-20 has now been fixed).

We will be making the trip down from Huntsville (Madison/Harvest) next Saturday 1/23. We won't be able to start our trip until at least noon because two of my children have places they need to be that morning. This is our first ever trip to DW as a family. Our reservations for our cabin are from 1/24-1/30. Since we will be spitting the drive do you have any recommendations for a good place to stop. We want to get most of the trip done on Saturday, but not get so exhausted driving that we're dragging out of bed Sunday to get to the Fort.

 

[clkelley]

We will be making the trip down from Huntsville (Madison/Harvest) next Saturday 1/23. We won't be able to start our trip until at least noon because two of my children have places they need to be that morning. This is our first ever trip to DW as a family. Our reservations for our cabin are from 1/24-1/30. Since we will be spitting the drive do you have any recommendations for a good place to stop. We want to get most of the trip done on Saturday, but not get so exhausted driving that we're dragging out of bed Sunday to get to the Fort.

Howdy neighbor!! I would suggest south of Macon, perhaps Cordel or Tifton.

Looking on Expedia, there are at least 12 hotels at Exit 101 on I-75 right at Cordel ranging from $42 - 99 per night.

There are another dozen hotels near Exit 62 on I-75 right at Tifton in the same price range.

Cordele is about 380 miles away and Tifton is about 420 miles away.

However, if you leave about noon, that will put you through Atlanta at the height of rush hour, so that may slow you down and get you to either of those destinations pretty late.

You might want to shoot for Macon which is about 320 miles. There are also at least a dozen hotels right off of I-75 or I-475. I-475, Exit 3 has several hotels that I have stayed at.

Leaving at 2pm, I usually get to Tifton about 11:00 pm Eastern. That is usually where I stop at a campground at Exit 60.

 

[Lesia]

We will be making the trip down from Huntsville (Madison/Harvest) next Saturday 1/23. We won't be able to start our trip until at least noon because two of my children have places they need to be that morning. This is our first ever trip to DW as a family. Our reservations for our cabin are from 1/24-1/30. Since we will be spitting the drive do you have any recommendations for a good place to stop. We want to get most of the trip done on Saturday, but not get so exhausted driving that we're dragging out of bed Sunday to get to the Fort.

Which route are you planning? Atlanta or Dothan? Dothan is right at 5 hours from Huntsville, and about 6 hours on to Disney. The route through Bainsbridge will then get you to Tallahassee, 3.5 to 4 hours to WDW.

 

[Momof3Gr8kids]

Which route are you planning? Atlanta or Dothan? Dothan is right at 5 hours from Huntsville, and about 6 hours on to Disney. The route through Bainsbridge will then get you to Tallahassee, 3.5 to 4 hours to WDW.

We're going to take the Atlanta route. My husband is familiar with Atlanta since he has to go there for work sometimes. After talking to people it seems like this will be our best option.