Christmas Eve I-4 Traffic?

[D3sdoll]

We will be arriving on Christmas Eve and I would like to pull into POR between 12:00p.m. and 1:00p.m. We are staying over night on the 23rd in Forsythe, GA (about 6 hours away).

What time would you recommend us leaving on the 24th? I am very concerned about the traffic the closer we get to WDW.

Thanks!
~Telia~

 

[Edd]

Usually Christmas Eve is fairly quiet around here. You might consider this. Get off I-75 and the turnpike at Winter Garden and pick up the 429 south to the new west exit to Disney. I believe the Disney exit is #8.

 

[D3sdoll]

Thanks for your response. My husband and I have heard about this alternate route. We may just try it.

Anyone else know about the amount of traffic for Christmas eve around WDW?

Thanks to everyone for your help!!!

~Telia~

 

[Edd]

You will love it compared to I-4.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Christmas Eve itself will probably be kind of quiet. But earlier in the day I think you can expect heavy traffic on I-75 in Georgia and Florida and then again on Florida's Turnpike. That's a Sunday this year which means anyone from the midwest that is coming down for Christmas week probably hit the road on Saturday, spent the night somewhere enroute Saturday evening and plans to finish the journey on Sunday. My guess is it's going to be crowded out there.

But if you plan to be at Disney by 12 noon or 1pm then you'll be ahead of most of the traffic as the afternoon is usually the worst.

One of the biggest backups (usually) is the mainline toll plaza on the Turnpike. That can back up for 2 miles on holiday weekends. Check the map and you'll see that there is a junction for US27 on both sides of this toll plaza. So if there is a bad backup and you can get yourself off, exit at US27 and proceed south and in a few miles you'll come to the other junction with the Turnpike where you can get back on southbound. Going around the mainline toll plaza does not save any money. The mainline toll is $2.50 and if you get off they'll charge you $1.25 getting off and another $1.25 getting back on. But you do save a lot of time versus remaining in the back up. And US27 runs parallel to the Turnpike so you're not far from it.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Edd]

BobK

You need to update yourself on the new route 429.

 

[safetymom]

429 is great with hardly anyone on the road.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

BobK

You need to update yourself on the new route 429.

Edd, not sure what you mean. I live 500 yards from the 429 and am completely familiar with it.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Edd]

So!!!