Drive From Chicago To WDW

[Butterbunkins]

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?

Don't go through Atlanta. Take I-285 aound the west side (towards Birmingham). It's like taking 294 instead of 94 around here.

 

[marius97]

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?

I wouldn't worry about Atlanta on a Saturday. That is when we go through too. If you stay on 75, there are like five lanes in each direction. We just hop in the HOV lane and never leave it. We went through at rush hour once...main lanes were stop and go while the HOV never went slower than 50 mph. That being said. If you are worried about the Braves game, just take 285 West (Not East) around the town. We went that way one time and were shocked to learn that it is only five miles longer than staying on 75. Our #1 tip for Atlanta? Listen to a traffic update as you get into town. I don't know if radio stations still do it on a Saturday afternoon, but we have Sirius satellite radio and they have a station dedicated to Atlanta traffic. One night as we got into town they said that they had closed four lanes of our direction for overnight construction. We just hopped on 285 west and never missed a beat.

 

[irish dancer]

Don't go through Atlanta. Take I-285 aound the west side (towards Birmingham). It's like taking 294 instead of 94 around here.

I wouldn't worry about Atlanta on a Saturday. That is when we go through too. If you stay on 75, there are like five lanes in each direction. We just hop in the HOV lane and never leave it. We went through at rush hour once...main lanes were stop and go while the HOV never went slower than 50 mph. That being said. If you are worried about the Braves game, just take 285 West (Not East) around the town. We went that way one time and were shocked to learn that it is only five miles longer than staying on 75. Our #1 tip for Atlanta? Listen to a traffic update as you get into town. I don't know if radio stations still do it on a Saturday afternoon, but we have Sirius satellite radio and they have a station dedicated to Atlanta traffic. One night as we got into town they said that they had closed four lanes of our direction for overnight construction. We just hopped on 285 west and never missed a beat.

Thanks for the heads up on 285, will make note of it.

 

[mjmartin01]

We are leaving from a southwest burb of Chicago and stopping in Chattanooga, TN (On Friday). Then leaving Sat morning to get to Orlando around 3pm. This is the first time we are driving and I'm a nervous wreck. There are 7 of us going with 3 kids (10,7,3).

 

[Suzanne033]

We are leaving from a southwest burb of Chicago and stopping in Chattanooga, TN (On Friday). Then leaving Sat morning to get to Orlando around 3pm. This is the first time we are driving and I'm a nervous wreck. There are 7 of us going with 3 kids (10,7,3).

I would try to get past Atlanta of I were you. It leaves a shorter trip for Saturday but only adds a couple hours the first day. Plus you are already past Atlanta so if there is any traffic on Saturday morning in the metro area you are already past it.

 

[marius97]

I would try to get past Atlanta of I were you. It leaves a shorter trip for Saturday but only adds a couple hours the first day. Plus you are already past Atlanta so if there is any traffic on Saturday morning in the metro area you are already past it.

I wouldn't worry about Atlanta traffic on a Saturday morning. Either 75 or the bypass around should be wide open at that point. I do agree though with the idea of getting further down on the first day. It seems like it is the consensus here that people like to drive further the first day so that they a shorter drive the second day. Few like equal lengths on both days. To each his own though.

 

[cruisingkat]

When we first started driving to FL we stopped in Chattanooga, but we were stopping so early and it was still a long drive ahead. Each consecutive trip down (we drive down at least 4 times a year), we stretched that first day drive a little further - until now we end up stopping in Forsyth, GA south of Atlanta. We only have one driver so that is perfect for us - any further would be too much strain on the driver. We leave around 9:30 am Chicago time and stop the first night around 9pm (Eastern time). The next morning we do not rush to get up - we have a leisurely breakfast and leave the hotel around 11am. We make it Disney around 3pm. By doing the larger part of our drive on the first day, getting a good nights sleep and relaxing, we found that we are not tired when we arrive at Disney.