Calling all recent drivers to WDW

[NALA 24]

We will be driving to WDW for the first time at the end of this week. Can anyone tell me if they encountered any major construction slow downs on I-81, I-95 and I-4? Our trip to WDW will be about 1100 miles. We will stop overnight on the way. About how many miles should we try to drive on day 1 and what time should we leave in the AM? Thanks for all your help!

 

[Uncleromulus]

We drove down in May, via I-95. Not much construction until about the ara of Savannah, Ga. Then almost all of Florida I-95 and I-4 seemed under construction, but suprisingly, no one seemed to be working the days we drove (Friday and Saturday).
AS for the timing--we live just S. of York. WE leave on Friday morning at 4:00 AM so as to get around DC prior to rush hour. We do, but it's really cutting it close. Another 15-20 minutes and we'd be in a horrible swarm of traffic.
We travel (with stops for breakfast, gas, etc) until about 4:30-5:00. By then we're in Brunswick, Ga. which then leaves only about 4 hours or so to WDW.

 

[NALA 24]

Thanks for the quick reply. We are about 2 1/2 hours north of York. We are also trying leave at about 3:30/4:00 am. We avoid DC by driving 81 to 66 to 17 and getting on 95 in Fredricksburg.
I am hoping to get as far as Savannah by dinner time. Do you think this is possible?

 

[RweTHEREyet]

When we make a long road trip, we prefer to get as much road behind us the first day as possible. Then the second day isn't so bad.

 

[ctjtexan]

Uncleromulus,

What hotel in Brunswick? We are in a Philly suburb and would like to stop 1st night in Rocky Mount. I'm looking for a 2nd night stop somewhere in GA, so that our 3rd day is about 4 hours. We have relatives in Orlando that we'll visit first thing before we hit the parks the next day.

Also, using mapquest, I've come up with a place that works mileage-wise, just don't know much about it. So, does anybody know anything about Hinesville/Richmond Hill GA? Thanks. We leave in a week and I've got to get this nailed down!

 

[Mickey Fan in PA]

We live in the Phila area and stayed in a Fairfield Inn in Savannah, GA which was very nice. On the way back we stayed in a Hampton Inn in Brunswick, GA which was very dirty. Even my 3 yr old was saying "ewwwwww".

Savannah and Brunswick are only 20 to 30 mins apart from eachother. My advice-stay in Savannah!

 

[DianeV]

We got a Baymont Inn in Brunswick on Priceline for a one night stay on the way down for $31 plus tax and fees. It seems to get decent reviews and since its only one night..

 

[Uncleromulus]

Nala24--I think you can make it to Savannah by dinner. We stop on the way down more often than I normally would, as Mrs. U has a blood clot in her leg, and we need to stop for her to get out and walk around.

ctjtexan:
We use the Hampton Inn in Brunswick. Neat , clean, safe, walk easily to Cracker Barrell or Shoney's.

 

[MulanMom]

NALA 24...my folks live in the Scranton area and travel to the FL keys each winter. I think they leave about 5am and often they seem to stop at Florence, SC.

If you are unsure about where you will be stopping, you may want to make reservations at a few places along the way where you may potentially stop. when you are on the road, you could have a better idea how close/far you are and begin cancelling the ones you don't need about 5pm. I'm not saying make reservations at every exit, but two or three within a particular range should not be too bad. I try to stick with the same hotel chain so they are a bit more understanding of a last minute cancellation. Be sure you have a pad of paper and pen to write down the cancellation number. My parents like to go without a reservation, or trying to call for a ressie while on the road, but they have been burned a few times due to special events taking place...like Daytona races.

Have a safe trip! If you can, when you return, let us know how the drive went!

 

[joeokw]

Nala... What kind of road is route 17. Is it a divided highway? Any lights? Can you drive staight throught it in the late morning? I can use 81 to 77.. but this route 17 looks promising... thanks.

 

[Mskanga]

We did the drive in February , and no we didn't encounter traffic or construction, then again , we found.....SNOW!! both ways, going and coming back!

 

[JudithM]

On our last trip to WDW at the end of May, we skipped most of I95 & I4 in FL. Our alternate route was so much more pleasant than the interstates. In early April when we drove to Orlando, I4 was a mess especially around Sanford.

I don't have a map near me, so let's see what I remember . We stopped at the FL Welcome Center to pick up a Disney time schedule & get a drink of juice. We got off I95 at the next exit - the one for A1A. We took A1A west/south to 301. We continued on 301 to I75. We stopped along the way to buy fresh produce, get gas at a reasonable (for FL) price. We took I75 to US 27 to 192. We stopped at a Publix on the way to WDW for groceries, etc.

This route was maybe 30-45 minutes longer than I95 & I4 under "normal" conditions.

 

[ZPT1022]

We drove from CT to FL in May. We drove straight through, so no help on the stops, sorry. I just wanted to say one thing that was a problem we had. We had brought our Mobil Speedpass to pay for gas. We don't use any other credit cards, and we hadn't really brought along extra cash for gas. We had a VERY hard time finding gas stations down south that had the mobil speedpass. We wasted so much time getting off exits that didn't have the speedpass. Luckily on the way down I wrote down which exits we stopped at so if you would like this info I can find my notebook and post it. I was so shocked, some of the gas stations were reeeeeeaaaaaaaaallllllllly old, not even credit cards or anything set up. A few of them, they looked at me like I had a 3rd eye in the middle of my head or something when I asked if they had speedpass. Just a word of caution Let me know if you want me to post those stops that have the speedpass

Becky

 

[MulanMom]

Joeokw,

A majority of Rt. 17 in the part of VA you are referring to is a four lane, divided highway with at-grade crossings. You will hit some lights in areas. The directness of the route and the lack of the voume of traffic like you would get on I95 is what makes it advantageous.

HTH!

 

[papopup]

Nala24, This may be of no use to you but I will offer it anyway.We left central PA 6/7/03 at 2:00AM took 522 to 70 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95 to 4 ,we were at the entrance to Fort Wilderness at 9:00PM,we made rest stops to walk around and eat.I didn't mind the drive at all.The trip home we took 4 to 95 to 17 to 66 to 81 etc. I will not drive this route ever again unless I have to,from the time we got on 295 around Richmond untill we were back on 81 traffic was bad.17 I felt was one red light after the other and you really have to pay attention to road signs.We entered Virginia around 11:30 AM ,West Virginia around 3:15 PM timing might be everything and maybe ours was bad but I have never had a good time driving this stretch of 95.

 

[NALA 24]

Thanks for all the advice. We returned from WDW last night. We did make it to Savannah on Day 1. We stayed at a Country Inns and Suites at exit 94. On the way home we stopped at a Country Inns and Suites in Florence, SC at exit 164. The only heavy traffic we hit, was on the way home on 295 in Richmond until we got off 95 in Fredricksburg. Good Luck to all the drivers!

P.S.--Check out the I-95 exit information posted.

 

[Mickey Mom]

We just got back from driving to Disney (from Pgh, PA) on Father's Day. We noticed construction, but it did not delay us at all. We left on a Satruday morning and drove to Savannah GA (around 12 hours driving not including stops), and then we finished the trip on Sunday morning (around 5 +1/2 hours driving not including stops). We drove in BAD rains most of our trip south. But, what was a wonderful tip that I received on this board was avoiding I-4 around Sandord. Traveling I-4 South take exit 101B onto a toll road which is 417 South. Take this road all the way until you get to exit 6 which takes you to route 536 (International Drive). International drive takes you directly to Epcot Center Drive (after you cross the interchange at I-4). As I mentioned, this is a toll road, but it avoids a ton of traffic through Orlando. The road is practically deserted and well worth the toll (which I think was around $4 total----make sure that you have lots of quarters----every so many miles you have to pay 50cents or $1) This road was well worth the toll. On our way south we were able to bypass another storm that was hitting Orlando by taking this route. Believe me, after 12 hours of driving in downpours, we were so happy to miss another lightening storm! Good luck with your trip!