Dallas, GA to WDW

[goofy4mykids]

Need Help!!! Is their a faster way to get to WDW, my DH keeps telling me it will take 7 hrs!! We are new to the Atlanta Metro area. TIA

 

[taylor3297]

The estimate of time that your dh gave you is about right. I would have 7 and a half hours.

 

[carlamouse]

Depending on how fast you drive and how many stops you make, I'd say 7 hrs is minimum from Dallas, GA (Paulding Co.). You have to remember that even Atlanta is considered north GA, and Dallas is above Atlanta. We used to drive, but for the last 2 trips, we flew. An hour in the air vs. 7.5 hrs on the road is a no-brainer. However, flying is a budget buster. We usually fly if we can get fares under $60 each way. Airtran usually runs this fare about a month before departure from Atlanta to Orlando. We flew once on Spirit Airlines, but they no longer offer direct flights from Atlanta to Orlando.

 

[themousetrap]

If DH got his info from a mapping website (MapQuest, Google, Yahoo), then they can be quite deceptive. They told me it takes 10 hours to get from Southern Miss to Disney, but we got there in 9 - and that's stopping about six times. I think it assumes that you're going the speed limit and will never run into heavy traffic. But, those who have traveled the road can tell you much better than I can.

I have family that lives in Valdosta (Southern GA) and they got there in less than 3 (or so they tell me).

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

If DH got his info from a mapping website (MapQuest, Google, Yahoo), then they can be quite deceptive. They told me it takes 10 hours to get from Southern Miss to Disney, but we got there in 9 - and that's stopping about six times. I think it assumes that you're going the speed limit and will never run into heavy traffic. But, those who have traveled the road can tell you much better than I can.

I have family that lives in Valdosta (Southern GA) and they got there in less than 3 (or so they tell me).

Yeah, they are pulling you leg. it takes us 2 to 2.5 hours to drive from Phenix City, AL to Tifton, GA to get on I-75, then I think 1hr 15 mins to get to the Welcome Center on the FL state line and we go through Valdosta, but I am usually asleep then. It is probably 4 hours or a little more to WDW and we take that shortcut off 429 to the back of Disney property.

OP, we are about 100 miles south of Union City, GA and it takes us 6.5 to 7 hours to drive to Disney. We do have the 2 to 2.5 hour drive to I-75. I bet it will take you longer than 7 hours to drive from Dallas, Ga and I am not 100% sure of where you are. Sometimes the traffic on I-75 in Valdosta can be horrible, that is why we are leaving at midnight Friday night, so we can miss it. We are almost 400 miles from WDW.

Suzanne

 

[CarolA]

Personal experience, Plan on at LEAST 7 hours. Plus you have to get through ATL!

 

[goofy4mykids]

. we take that shortcut off 429 to the back of Disney property

Suzanne

Thanks fot all the replys We plan on leaving around 7-8am to be at WDW around 3ish. No park that day just Ranglan road for some heaven on earth ribs and a cold beer for DH. and Lego store for DS it is a must do for every trip.. he picks out some small kits that we take to TS with us.... CANT WAIT!!!!

 

[wdwgypsy]

Don't forget FL-91 from 75 (Wildwood) to I-4 is a toll road.

 

[themousetrap]

All in all, if you count the hours while driving, it will feel like forever and you'll find you asking yourself "Are we there yet". Enjoy the road, enjoy the company of family, enjoy the scenery, make positive conversation about the bad stuff (traffic jams), and since you're not doing parks when you get there (neither are we), don't watch the clock and you'll be fine. Make the drive part of the trip. Seven hours will definitely feel like 4. Our vacation begins when we leave the driveway, not when we pull up to the resort.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Thanks fot all the replys We plan on leaving around 7-8am to be at WDW around 3ish. No park that day just Ranglan road for some heaven on earth ribs and a cold beer for DH. and Lego store for DS it is a must do for every trip.. he picks out some small kits that we take to TS with us.... CANT WAIT!!!!

Ok, from the Florida Turnpike go approx 40 miles (I don't think it is that far), take exit 267A, SR 429 Toll S/Daniel Webster Western Beltway (toll is $1.25) and follow to the right for approx 15 miles to exit 8 come around the ramp and under the underpass and you will see the back entrance. There are signs at the end that will send you in the right direction to your resort. We always take that way, it cuts out an hour and all the I-4 traffic and we hardly see more than a handful of cars back there.

Once you get off exit 267A, you can't go wrong or get lost, it is a straight shot back there and there are signs, also lots and lots of orange trees, be sure to open your window and smell. Also, as you are driving along, watch off to your left and in the distance you can see the CR and BLT, that is really cool. Also the back entrance comes in near where the foliage and food for the animals at AK are grown and you can see some of the greenhouses.

Suzanne

 

[goofy4mykids]

Thanks for the great tip Suzanne !! I am sooo excited to be entering WDW from the other side.

 

[AUPr8Hd]

The "back entrance" is also nice because there are usually a LOT LESS cars to deal with on the road. As a matter of fact, when my wife and I went in May, we finally saw more than 4 or 5 cars going in the same direction as us

As far as the time from Valdosta to WDW, it is a little over a 3 hour drive in bad weather. I timed the trip from Boardwalk to Tifton on our drive home this past trip. It took us 3 hours and 45 minutes. We had to deal with wind and rain for the majority of the drive since this was around the time of the low pressure system that brought all of the rain.

We have done the drive from Auburn, AL to WDW in about 6 hours before. However, we are a family of 2 (wife and I) and we didn't really stop on that trip. We routinely make the drive in 6 1/2 hours.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

The "back entrance" is also nice because there are usually a LOT LESS cars to deal with on the road. As a matter of fact, when my wife and I went in May, we finally saw more than 4 or 5 cars going in the same direction as us

As far as the time from Valdosta to WDW, it is a little over a 3 hour drive in bad weather. I timed the trip from Boardwalk to Tifton on our drive home this past trip. It took us 3 hours and 45 minutes. We had to deal with wind and rain for the majority of the drive since this was around the time of the low pressure system that brought all of the rain.

We have done the drive from Auburn, AL to WDW in about 6 hours before. However, we are a family of 2 (wife and I) and we didn't really stop on that trip. We routinely make the drive in 6 1/2 hours.

Howdy neighbor, I am just 30 minutes south of you. Which route do you take? Do you come through Phenix City?

You must have been driving really fast, because there is no way you made it from WDW to Tifton in 3 hours and 45 minutes unless you were speeding. It is 1 hr and 15 to 30 minutes from Tifton to the state line and at least 3 more hours to the back gate. It is just Dh and I and this doesn't include stops, which we make few of, only to take a potty break. It is 205 miles from I-75 in Tifton to the turnpike and once we turn off the turnpike, it is almost an hour to POFQ.

I want your secrets if you can make it in 6.5 hours, because we are stretching it at 6.5 hours and we live 30 minutes closer

Suzanne

 

[AUPr8Hd]

Howdy neighbor, I am just 30 minutes south of you. Which route do you take? Do you come through Phenix City?

You must have been driving really fast, because there is no way you made it from WDW to Tifton in 3 hours and 45 minutes unless you were speeding. It is 1 hr and 15 to 30 minutes from Tifton to the state line and at least 3 more hours to the back gate. It is just Dh and I and this doesn't include stops, which we make few of, only to take a potty break. It is 205 miles from I-75 in Tifton to the turnpike and once we turn off the turnpike, it is almost an hour to POFQ.

I want your secrets if you can make it in 6.5 hours, because we are stretching it at 6.5 hours and we live 30 minutes closer

Suzanne

We take 280 through PC/Columbus and head down 520 (?) through Albany to Tifton. And of course, 75 to turnpike.

I was a little surprised at how quickly we made it to Tifton. With the rain, I expected it to take longer than it did.

I typically go about 8 to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. So, I probably go faster than some. It usually takes us an hour from Ocala to WDW. So, we definitely have different driving styles I plan a pretty good bit in regards to making sure we don't hit the bigger cities when traffic levels would be higher. You have to avoid the rush hours!

As an example from our last trip, we left Opelika about 8:15/8:20 and checked in at our off-site resort, down from DtD at 4pm. This included a stop in Tifton for gas/bathroom a stop at the Florida welcome center to put the top up on the convertible, and a stop around Ocala to put the top down. At no time, that I remember, was I doing more than 10 mph over the speed limits.

 

[dogodisney]

goofy4mykids, Hi Neighbor! I too live in Paulding County. I can tell you from experience that it will take you longer than 7 hours. You probably could make it down there in that amount of time if you didn't make any stops. There is always construction somewhere on 75.

Have a great trip.

 

[AUPr8Hd]

Need Help!!! Is their a faster way to get to WDW, my DH keeps telling me it will take 7 hrs!! We are new to the Atlanta Metro area. TIA

Your DH's estimate is probably close. Your trip would be mostly interstate driving and speed limits of 70 mph, for the most part. If you averaged 70 mph for the trip, it would be just under the 7 hour mark. However, throw a couple of stops in there for gas and/or bathroom breaks, you'll add a little time.

If you're leaving Dallas around 7/8 am, then expect to hit some traffic in ATL. You should be okay for traffic once you get south of ATL.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We take 280 through PC/Columbus and head down 520 (?) through Albany to Tifton. And of course, 75 to turnpike.

I was a little surprised at how quickly we made it to Tifton. With the rain, I expected it to take longer than it did.

I typically go about 8 to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. So, I probably go faster than some. It usually takes us an hour from Ocala to WDW. So, we definitely have different driving styles I plan a pretty good bit in regards to making sure we don't hit the bigger cities when traffic levels would be higher. You have to avoid the rush hours!

As an example from our last trip, we left Opelika about 8:15/8:20 and checked in at our off-site resort, down from DtD at 4pm. This included a stop in Tifton for gas/bathroom a stop at the Florida welcome center to put the top up on the convertible, and a stop around Ocala to put the top down. At no time, that I remember, was I doing more than 10 mph over the speed limits.

Ah, that explains it. But from your example thta is still 7 hours even with the time difference. We go the same way. Dh is very diligent about his driving as he is a truck driver and knows all too well about the speed traps between here and Tifton (TyTy is a big one and Ft Benning). He also does the lower speed through the construction on I-75. DH may go 1 to 2 miles over, but no more than that.

We leave at different times of the night or day, depending on mood and when we are ready. If we go in the morning we stop in Albany for potty and breakfast then at the Welcome Center for OJ and times guides, then sometimes between Gainesville and Ocala, but not always. This time we are going to leave at midnight and there will be no traffic out. We should arrive about 8 or 8:30 Saturday morning.

We headed out at 9pm in Sept and arrived at 4:30am at CBR, but we stopped in town to get gas and food first, so we really didn't get out of town until after 9:30pm, we stopped at the WC for a potty break and then again at that gas/info center on the turnpike.

With my van we don't have to stop for gas until we arrive on property, that is nice, because we used to have to stop in Ocala.

Suzanne

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

For anyone traveling I-75 south of Tifton, be very careful of the construction, especially during the day, especially on the weekend, the speed limit is 50 right now, I believe, but no more than 60 and with the way it is blocked off, the 2 lanes available are very narrow and alot of big rigs travel that road. It can get very scary at times. It can also be hard to see some of the exit ramps for those thta may be ahead of you that are getting off the highway. There is no way I would speed in that area.

Suzanne