Anyone driving from Central/Northern Alabama?

[sthnbell19]

Not really suprising. All of us here believe that all roads lead to Oak Grove or some other town on the Warrior River. Does your grandmother love it here? Most of us do, in spite of the distance required to get to "town".

Darla

Nanny has lived there her entire life. She can't imagine living anywhere else.

 

[RmrJmrGrl]

Great info. We are driving from Bham in November.

BA

 

[MommaTinkerbell]

Great info. We are driving from Bham in November.

BA

Which way are ya'll traveling and are you going to stop and split your trip?

 

[bamanole]

We live in Helena (just south of Birmingham) and always drive down through Dothan and Tallahassee. We have to stop to see the family along the way! We're also not big fans of Atlanta traffic and always seem to hit it at the wrong time! We usually stay the night in Tallahassee and stay in a hotel at the Thomasville Road exit off I-10. Be sure to check FSU's football schedule though if you are traveling in the fall. If it is a football game weekend, everything sells out. Have a great trip!

 

[I Believe n Fairies]

Hey Y'all!! I'm from Bama, too. We're in Alabaster. We flew last year with just dd. This trip, it will be just me and dh and we will fly again. As soon as we return, we will be planning another trip with both kids. I really don't want to spend the extra money on all four of us flying, so I'm trying to talk dh into driving. Please tell me it's not that bad. Do you break up the trip? Both ways? Are you exhausted when you ge there? Are all of your kids still alive when you get to WDW?

I love to see all of the Bama Dissers on here!

 

[Otter49]

I had the occasion 2 years ago to commute from Orlando to N Ala about once a month. At first I simply followed routine and went through the mind numbing drive to and thru Atlanta. (Hate this drive)

But I have a suggestion if you're not in a huge hurry and want less hassle.

Go thru Montgomery and Dothan (the only unpleasant part of the trip), and pick up I 10 at Chipley, FL. 10 or so miles east of Tally, exit at Monticello on Hwy 19. Stay on 19\Alt 27 thru Perry to Chiefland.

From Chiefland you can take Alt 27 over to pick up I75 at Ocala.

Or better yet, IMHO, stay on 19 all the way south to Crystal River, then Hwy 44 over to the Turnpike at Wildwood.

It's virtually all deserted 4 lane highway, and mile after mile is so straight it's like it was shot on a string.

The extra 45 minutes or so is more than offset by eliminating the stress of I75 and Atlanta.

The bonus is that you'll see Florida as it was 30 years ago. Scenic countryside and some charming little towns.

I won't make the drive any other way, even when I'm in a hurry.

 

[mm_ja]

We live in Helena (just south of Birmingham) and always drive down through Dothan and Tallahassee. We have to stop to see the family along the way! We're also not big fans of Atlanta traffic and always seem to hit it at the wrong time! We usually stay the night in Tallahassee and stay in a hotel at the Thomasville Road exit off I-10. Be sure to check FSU's football schedule though if you are traveling in the fall. If it is a football game weekend, everything sells out. Have a great trip!

I can't believe there is another DISer here from 35080, and then one from Alabaster as well! We are in Helena and love it here. To I Believe n Faries, I have driven to Orlando countless times (mother and stepfather used to live 5 minutes from the disney gate). Last year we made the drive with two kids ages 3 and 6, and everything went well. We drove down in one day, leaving Helena about 11am and arrived about 11 pm. That included an hour for lunch in Prattville and a 2 hour dinner in Lake City. We did the drive like this based on a variety of unforseen events the 24 hours before our scheduled departure (that alone is a fun story, but save it for another thread). Driving back we stayed the night in Lake City, which worked well. It allowed us to get almost another full day in the last day, and got a good head start on the drive back.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We are driving down from North Alabama also(small town..Hamilton,Al about 30 min.east of al/ms line). My DH has planned to stop in Tallahassee,Fl on the way there and back? Anyone have a good,reasonable hotel suggestion? What about the another town(lake city,fl?) to spend the night? First time trip with the family and I will do anything to avoid a tired,grumpy husband.

We stayed in a really nice, newly renovated Motel 6 (I know, but this one was really, really, really nice) for a $49.00 internet special. It is right off I-10, I believe it was exit 192, it is the Motel 6 Tallahassee West#1191, 2738 N Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL, PH. 850-386-7878. When you get off the exit go right and it is about 1 block from the Interstate, very close to eating and shopping. It is about 2 hours to I-75 from this exit.

Suzanne

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

But it is still better than interstate! What about that new Western Beltway?
Tell me more

The Western Beltway is a great little highway Disney opened about 1 year ago. It runs North/South just west of Disney Property. Take I-75 to the Fl Turnpike to Exit 267. It runs back of Disney property and the toll booth attendants are very helpful, if you have any question , like we did. It is a little weird being on a highway by yourself. There are signs after you go through the tollbooth that let you know which exit to get off on (SR192) and you enter near the Animal Kingdom/Coronado Springs Resorts. Then of course follow Disney signs to your destination. Tolls were about $2.00

Suzanne

 

[luvgoing2disney]

Hi guys,

We live in Tuscaloosa but don't drive down. Just wanted to say hello to fellow Alabamians.

RTR

 

[spiceycat]

done both I20 to I75

and I65 to I85 (exit 9) to US 231 - then I10 then I75 - then florida turnpike and exit 267. florida turnpike is $2.50, the new western is $1.00 toll.

also gone down us 27 (second exit on turnpike - $1.25) and then US 192.

I really hate I75 - too much traffic - Florida isn't so bad. but when it goes from 3 lanes to 2 lanes in Ga (it does this twice) - I hate it!!!!

I 10 has less traffic.

 

[MommaTinkerbell]

We stayed in a really nice, newly renovated Motel 6 (I know, but this one was really, really, really nice) for a $49.00 internet special. It is right off I-10, I believe it was exit 192, it is the Motel 6 Tallahassee West#1191, 2738 N Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL, PH. 850-386-7878. When you get off the exit go right and it is about 1 block from the Interstate, very close to eating and shopping. It is about 2 hours to I-75 from this exit.

Suzanne

Thanks!! I would have never even looked at Motel 6 but I will check it out. When did you stay?Recently?

 

[spiceycat]

Tallahassee has a ton of hotels.

stop at your first Florida rest stop - and check the hotel discount books.

best western is not too bad either.

I drive the whole way these days. but have stopped at Tallahassee and Lake City -

Lake city - stayed at Holiday Inn, HoJo (it was nice then), Best Western and a real cheap one - don't remember will look for you.

 

[Cassy & Shaun]

Hi,

We are travelling to USA in September 07. For the first time.
We are driving from Orlando to Oxford Al stayin 1 night, Huntsville stayin 1 night, Memphis stayin 3 nights, Nashville stayin 2 nights, Atlanta stayin 2 nights and back to Orlando 10 nights at WDW. If you know of any towns that we should stop at on the way and which ways to go that would be great. If you know how long it might take to get from each place we are staying that would be great also. please PM me.... thanks for your help

 

[disneymoon_0307]

I live in Summerdale, AL that's about 15 mins north of Gulf Shores. We drive over every year. Not northern/central alabama, but it's still alabama.

 

[Bondfan531]

We're driving from the Jackson area in Mississippi in June. We usually take 49S to Hattiesburg, then get off there and go to I-10 and follow I-10 all the way to I-75. It's a long boring drive.

 

[spiceycat]

Hi,

We are travelling to USA in September 07. For the first time.
We are driving from Orlando to Oxford Al stayin 1 night, Huntsville stayin 1 night, Memphis stayin 3 nights, Nashville stayin 2 nights, Atlanta stayin 2 nights and back to Orlando 10 nights at WDW. If you know of any towns that we should stop at on the way and which ways to go that would be great. If you know how long it might take to get from each place we are staying that would be great also. please PM me.... thanks for your help

boy you are going to be tired.

what are you going to in Oxford, al?

Huntsville has the Space Museum not to mention the School.

Memphis and Nashville been too - but don't remember alot. there was the grand old opery and then Heritage (Jackson's house).

Atlanta has several things to see and do.

when I go back to work I can find more stuff for your. Home has a much, much, much slower computer.

 

[MaleificentMoma]

Hello, I'm from the Florence, Alabama area-actually Killen. and actually smaller than that Greenhill.........small town life is the life for me!
I just wanted to say hey to my fellow "Bamaians" LOL We are flying out of Huntsville for our first trip to Disney ever. I went... oh well it's all in the signature line.
I would never drive down again. I was tortured with that journey once as a child & once was enough for me.

 

[Poohsmom]

DH wants to avoid Atlanta all together. We will be traveling B'ham, Montgomery,Troy, Bambraige GA,Tallahassee. Thanks for the advice Poohsmom! I guess its Tallahassee for us.

We do avoid Atlanta. We go Opelika, Columbus, Albany, Tifton, then I 75 to Lake City.

 

[djblu883]

Hi guys,

We live in Tuscaloosa but don't drive down. Just wanted to say hello to fellow Alabamians.

RTR

Glad to see so many fellow Alabama people! I've traveled both the Atlanta route and the Dothan route from Tuscalosa and must say I much prefer the Dothan route myself.!