Advice on driving from Birmingham AL

[abt426]

We are leaving this weekend and driving from NE Mississippi.
I am considering two general routes.
1. We drive to birmingham and then head south to montgomery then to dothan to I10 to I75 to wdw
2. Birmingham to atlanta down 75 to WDW.

We will be traveling at night so I don't think traffic will be much of a porblem. I am leaning towards atlanta because as I remember the road between montgomery and dothan and dothan and I10 is not interstate and goes through a lot of little towns. I don't mind a few extra miles I just want to get there ASAP. Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks
Alena

 

[BamaBaloo]

IMHO, the drive from Montgomery down to I-10 is much nicer than the drive down I-75 from Atlanta. I get sick of the interstate just taking the I-10 to I-75 route....I can't imagine adding more interstate time on top of that.

 

[CarolA]

The BIG race at Talledaga (or something like that) is this weekend. From what I am hearing you DO NOT want to take I-20 from Birmingham to Atlanta at ALL this weekend. Expect BIG delays.... (Remember racing takes place at night!!!)

 

[clkelley]

If the Talladega 500 is going on, then absolutely avoid I-20!!!! To make it even worse, Earnhardt, Jr is giving some type of tribute to the Late Earnhardt, Sr before the race, so the crowds will be even more intense!!

Even though I hate the Montgomery/Dothan route, I wouldn't want to go NEAR the race track during that time.

 

[CarolA]

If the Talladega 500 is going on, then absolutely avoid I-20!!!! To make it even worse, Earnhardt, Jr is giving some type of tribute to the Late Earnhardt, Sr before the race, so the crowds will be even more intense!!

Even though I hate the Montgomery/Dothan route, I wouldn't want to go NEAR the race track during that time.

That's the race. I drove over to B'ham yesterday and the field was already filling up with motor homes. I expect the drive back to Atlanta tomorrow to take about 2 to 3 times as long as normal.

 

[abt426]

Thanks for the heads up. I am not a race fan, so I had no idea that lots of people would be traveling that way this weekend.
I also hate interstate driving but we are trying to drive while the kids (5 and 2) sleep so saving time is more improtant at this age.
I guess we will head down through Dothan. Does everybody take hwy 1 to I10 or is there a better way? Although I have made this drive a houndred times as a child to my grandmothers at Mexico Beach I have never driven this way to WDW.

Also is this talladega thing a one weekend deal? We might try the atlanta drive on the way home and compare times.

Thanks again
Alena