Drivers from N. Texas - which route do you use?

[dturner]

I'm planning on driving to Orlando from Dallas and haven't done so since the late 80's, and am wondering which route do you take? All the online map sites do the same directions - Dallas to Shreveport then south through Louisianna to the coast and I10 the rest of the way. I remember driving through to Mississippi then going south to Hattiesburg and then to Mobile and then to I10.

Just wondering if there are any drivers out there from N. Texas, what route do you drive??

 

[rascalmom]

We're not from Texas, but we do follow that route driving down from OKC. We have found the Dallas-Shreveport-I10 to be the best & quickest plan. We have mapped it out on Rand McNally TripMaker & this comes out the shortest. If you want to do Vicksburg, take the other route. Good luck!

 

[megrod74]

just out of curiosity, how long will it take?
We may in the future find ourselves driving there.
thanks!

 

[dturner]

Originally posted by megrod74
just out of curiosity, how long will it take?
We may in the future find ourselves driving there.
thanks!

Well, when I use to drive it back in the mid 80's it would take about 18 hours, we would stop in Pensacola Beach (11-12 hours) for the night and take two days to drive it and that's going I20 to Shreveport all the way through Louisiana and Mississippi to Vicksburg, then south to Hattiesburgh, some little road from Hattiesburgh to Mobile then we would get on I10 in Mobile, Alabama.

I've mapped it on Rand McNally - they say it's 1,161 miles (from our doorstep to Downtown Disney) and would take 21 hours to drive but if you figure that out that's going 55 miles an hour which no one does - I figured it going 70 (which my DH would at LEAST GO) and it's 16 hours but their route is different - I20 to Shreveport then south through Louisiana and pick up I10 in south Louisiana and straight across I10 - I've never driven that route but think we are going to since we have DS whose 7 and has never seen the ocean in person, think that route will be more scenic.

Either way it's a long drive but cheaper than what airfare is this year. I'm really bummed that we never get any good airfare from Dallas to Orlando, all the specials are from the Northeast.

 

[dturner]

Originally posted by rascalmom
We're not from Texas, but we do follow that route driving down from OKC. We have found the Dallas-Shreveport-I10 to be the best & quickest plan. We have mapped it out on Rand McNally TripMaker & this comes out the shortest. If you want to do Vicksburg, take the other route. Good luck!

Just curious, how long does it take you from OKC? Do you drive straight through or stop for one night?

 

[prncess674]

There is nothing scenic about i-10. You can stop and take the coast road but it would take a LONG time.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We live in Shreveport. It takes us about 14 hours either way. And if you take I-49 down to I-10, you still won't see the ocean. The closest you get is Mobile Bay or Pensacola and that's only the Gulf of Mexico. I-49 really is kinda boring, but the road is good. You do cross the Swamp in south Louisiana between Lafayette and Baton Rouge.

 

[missypie]

You're right about no good fares from Dallas: Repeal the Wright Amendment! Contact your congressman!

 

[rascalmom]

From OKC (north suburbs) it takes about 22 hours. We usually leave late afternoon & make it to Shreveport. Next day we drive the rest of the way. Makes for a long day, but the destination is worth it!

 

[HunnyPots]

We drove I20 from Dallas to Shreveport, then I49 down through LA to meet up with I10. We drove as far as New Orleans, where we stayed the first night. It was about 7.5 hours from Dallas to N.O. and then another 9.5 hours to Disney. Plus you lose an hour when you cross into Eastern time in Florida.

Next time, we will drive further the first day, like maybe as far as Pensacola, to make arrival at Disney come a little quicker.

One tip: make sure you don't need to gas up or take bathroom breaks before you get on 49. It is a very long road with few, if any, stopping places.

All in all, the drive wasn't bad. We left at 4:00 am the first day and around 6:00 am the second day.

 

[dturner]

Originally posted by HunnyPots
We drove I20 from Dallas to Shreveport, then I49 down through LA to meet up with I10. We drove as far as New Orleans, where we stayed the first night. It was about 7.5 hours from Dallas to N.O. and then another 9.5 hours to Disney. Plus you lose an hour when you cross into Eastern time in Florida.

Next time, we will drive further the first day, like maybe as far as Pensacola, to make arrival at Disney come a little quicker.

One tip: make sure you don't need to gas up or take bathroom breaks before you get on 49. It is a very long road with few, if any, stopping places.

All in all, the drive wasn't bad. We left at 4:00 am the first day and around 6:00 am the second day.

Thanks for the info, I really apprecite it especially concerning gas/bathroom breaks on 49 through Louisiana, I'll make sure we gas up and take our breaks in Shreveport. In the past I've always stayed in Pensacola the first night but DH says he can drive straight through (he is one of these people who just loves to drive).