Drive From Chicago To WDW

[Wiggs]

Will be driving down in July and want to know if anyone has made the drive from Chicago to WDW recently and have any tips.

 

[Butterbunkins]

We drive from Chicago everytime we go. What kind of tips are you looking for?

The first time we drove down we drove straight through. We'll never do that again so I advise stopping. We usually make the drive down part of our vacation now so we take a few days and make a few stops. On our way home we just stop overnight and our favorite place is the Best Western in Mufreesboro, TN.

On the way home we also take I-24 to I-57 and come up through IL instead of IN. We find it a much more pleasant drive and you avoid Indianapolis.

Let me know what other tips you're looking for and I'll be happy to help!

 

[polyqueen]

We also often drive for our summer trip, because we do WDW and the beach. We don't drive straight through, either--it's really not worth it because it takes two days to recuperate. We leave early in the morning @4:00 am and drive throught to Valdosta, GA. We usually stay at the Courtyard or Hampton Inn depending on where we might have more points. We take 57-24-75 because we hate I-65--a death trap. The only heavy traffic we seem to get stuck in is around Atlanta and, on occasion, Nashville. It's really not a bad drive and it gets us to WDW a little before noon the next day.

 

[cruisingkat]

We drive down to FL about 4 times a year. We also take 57-24-75-FL Turnpike. We do the trip in two days stopping about 1 and half hours south of Atlanta on the way down, and about an hour or so northwest of Chattanooga on the way home. We like to get the majority of the drive done on the first day.
The only tricky part is Nashville as you have to keep switching lanes in a short distance as several interstates merge and de-merge.

 

[marius97]

The only tricky part is Nashville as you have to keep switching lanes in a short distance as several interstates merge and de-merge.

My wife HATES Nashville. We've driven that route from Southwest Michigan four times. We plan the schedule so I hit all the big cities, but each time it has worked out that the only one she has to drive is Nashville. I think the first year she about stopped the car in the middle of the highway and got out. It is the changing lanes several times that gets her. Other than Nashville, it is an "easy" drive.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

We always leave around 2:00 AM, can usually make it to Ocala for a little later dinner, and then either spend the night there or an off site hotel near WDW...also take 57/24, really a pretty easy drive.

 

[ChiGrl112]

I will be making the drive from the Chicagoland area in June. We usually go through Indianapolis. Is the 57-24-75-FL route longer or shorter? Is this the better route only because you avoid Indianapolis? Any tips or other information would be greatly appreciated

 

[cruisingkat]

I will be making the drive from the Chicagoland area in June. We usually go through Indianapolis. Is the 57-24-75-FL route longer or shorter? Is this the better route only because you avoid Indianapolis? Any tips or other information would be greatly appreciated

We avoid 65 not because of Indianapolis but because of the truck traffic on 65. They have more than double the amount of truck traffic than 57 through IL. I think part of the reason is the lower gas (diesel) prices in IN than IL. To us driving sandwiched inbetween trucks can be very stressful and not worth the 20-30 minutes driving time saved by taking 65 instead of 57.
We have tried both routes - especially since our GPS always directs to 65 because it is a little shorter - just to see what the difference is and still keep going back to 57.

 

[cruisingkat]

My wife HATES Nashville. We've driven that route from Southwest Michigan four times. We plan the schedule so I hit all the big cities, but each time it has worked out that the only one she has to drive is Nashville. I think the first year she about stopped the car in the middle of the highway and got out. It is the changing lanes several times that gets her. Other than Nashville, it is an "easy" drive.

I actually have a small notebook in the car where I wrote down the lanes we need to be in and the exit numbers for both the way down and the way back. That way I am able to let hubby know what lane he needs to be in next before the GPS tells us - really helps out if there is heavy traffic making switching lanes difficult.

 

[Suzanne033]

We drive down from NW Indiana (exactly btw Merrillville and South Bend). We have searched all the directions programs and every one tells us there is no difference for us btw taking I94 to I65 and taking SR2 to US31. Last year we took I65 and while it is quick (and accomodates my lead foot) is it also VERY boring. This year I think we are going to take SR2 to US31. At least we will have something to look at until we get to Indianapolis.

This year we are also planning on stopping instead of driving straight through because it's just DD13 and I. (DH is flying down later.) So we are planning on leaving around 8:00am with the goal to be in Morrow, GA (just south of Atlanta) by 8:00pm. We have ressies at a Hampton Inn in Morrow. The next morning we are planning on leaving btw 6:00a-8:00a (depending on how tired we are and what their breakfast hours are). Depending on when we leave we hope to be at our condo in Kissimmee btw 2:30p-4:30p.

 

[ChiGrl112]

We avoid 65 not because of Indianapolis but because of the truck traffic on 65. They have more than double the amount of truck traffic than 57 through IL. I think part of the reason is the lower gas (diesel) prices in IN than IL. To us driving sandwiched inbetween trucks can be very stressful and not worth the 20-30 minutes driving time saved by taking 65 instead of 57.
We have tried both routes - especially since our GPS always directs to 65 because it is a little shorter - just to see what the difference is and still keep going back to 57.

Thanks for the input. My DH was concerned that it would make the drive longer. It's good to know that it doesn't add much time to the trip

 

[Butterbunkins]

I will be making the drive from the Chicagoland area in June. We usually go through Indianapolis. Is the 57-24-75-FL route longer or shorter? Is this the better route only because you avoid Indianapolis? Any tips or other information would be greatly appreciated

It's about 1/2 hour longer to take I-57, but you avoid Indianapolis and Louisville. That can even out the time if you hit traffic.

One of the reasons we did that on one trip home was Northern IN got about 10 inches of snow (this was Nov.) and IL did not. We were able to avoid that.

Plus we avoid all the heavy traffic near the IL/IN border. But that also depends on where you live. We live next to Downers Grove (and now thankfully for the 355 extension) we take 355 to 80 to 57 and avoid the city.

We also get to stop at one of our favorite restaurants, Dollys, in Vienna IL. It's about 1/2 hour north of the KY stateline.

 

[Wiggs]

Thanks for the tips. I live in western Suburbs of Chicago. What do you think is the total time it should take to drive there? I plan on leaving at 8 pm and drive thru the night.

 

[ChiGrl112]

It's about 1/2 hour longer to take I-57, but you avoid Indianapolis and Louisville. That can even out the time if you hit traffic.

One of the reasons we did that on one trip home was Northern IN got about 10 inches of snow (this was Nov.) and IL did not. We were able to avoid that.

Plus we avoid all the heavy traffic near the IL/IN border. But that also depends on where you live. We live next to Downers Grove (and now thankfully for the 355 extension) we take 355 to 80 to 57 and avoid the city.

We also get to stop at one of our favorite restaurants, Dollys, in Vienna IL. It's about 1/2 hour north of the KY stateline.

We are also near 355 in Bloomimgdale so we would take the same route of 355 to 80 to 57. We are going to try and drive straight through because we will have at least 3 drivers.

My DH was concerned about the transfer from 57 to 24. Is it as simple as going from one highway to the next or do you have to exit the highway and take the street to get to the next highway. Mapquest won't give me this route for some strange reason

 

[marius97]

This year I think we are going to take SR2 to US31. At least we will have something to look at until we get to Indianapolis.

Hey neighbor...we're just across the border from South Bend. Hate to break it to you, but you will have NOTHING to look at on the US 31. It is basically three hours of two lane (each way) local access highway. The absolute most boring drive in all the world...and I promise that I am not exaggerating. In three hours, you go through one town of any size. The worst is on the drive home. I get off the highway in Indy and still have three hours of slow driving until I'm home. I drive it every time though because for us, there is no other way.

 

[nilseks]

You've gotten some great suggestions so I won't bother going into which roads to take. Just have to agree with the others who said break it into 2 days. The first time we did it, we drove straight through. Left Naperville at about 3 p.m. on a weekday. The point where exhaustion was starting to hit us was also the most treacherous part of the drive--going through the mountains/hills of Tennessee. You do NOT want to be driving through there at night when you're tired and there are only semis around you. Not fun!

Have a great trip!

 

[Butterbunkins]

We are also near 355 in Bloomimgdale so we would take the same route of 355 to 80 to 57. We are going to try and drive straight through because we will have at least 3 drivers.

My DH was concerned about the transfer from 57 to 24. Is it as simple as going from one highway to the next or do you have to exit the highway and take the street to get to the next highway. Mapquest won't give me this route for some strange reason

We drove straight through once and it took us 19 hours. That included one stop to eat fast food, one stop to eat in a restaurant, however many gas stops and hitting Atlanta during morning rush hour. We left at about 7:00 PM so we had a lot of night driving which we love because there are so many less cars on the road.

57 to 24 is as simple as can be. You don't have to exit the highway and you don't even have to pay attention to picking the right direction on 24 since it starts at 57. We go camping (and were married) down there so I know that route like the back of my hand. You will split off shortly after passing Marion.

 

[Butterbunkins]

Thanks for the tips. I live in western Suburbs of Chicago. What do you think is the total time it should take to drive there? I plan on leaving at 8 pm and drive thru the night.

We drove straight through from Downers Grove once and it took about 19 hours. We left about 7:00pm. We made a fast food stop, a restaurant stop, and a few gas stops. The hardest part was we hit Atlanta for their morning rush hour and it sucked! The rest of the drive was fine though. We did get tired around the GA/FL stateline but pushed on. We did it that one time and that was enough. No more straight throughs for us.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

57 to 24 is as simple as can be. You don't have to exit the highway and you don't even have to pay attention to picking the right direction on 24 since it starts at 57. We go camping (and were married) down there so I know that route like the back of my hand. You will split off shortly after passing Marion.

Yup, that 57/24 exchange couldn't be easier.

 

[irish dancer]

We will also be making this drive from the Chicago area in early June. Anyone know about construction along the route?

Also we are driving both to/from on Saturdays. The way down through Atlanta should be OK because of when we're hitting it. However on our return there is a home game for the Braves at 4pm. Any recommendation on when to try and get through with the least amount of traffic?