Driving During the Winter from PA to WDW

[escapetodisney]

DH wants to go down to WDW the end of Dec/first week of Jan. We've only driven once during the summer. I am nervous about the winter driving (Having grown up in HI - winter driving is a foreign concept to me.) Does anyone have winter driving experiences they can share? Is it significantly safer for us to wait till August? We have two kids who would be riding in the van with us.
TIA.

 

[lovethattink]

When we lived in Pa, we drove to WDW during every season. If there is a big snow storm in the south, they do not have the equipment to remove the snow properly. We never had any trouble driving here. (We live in central Fl now). My parents had trouble last winter driving back home after the holidays, in South Carolina.

 

[kylara]

I drive every year in Dec from FL to MA and back again for the Christmas holiday. I have only had trouble once and that was when I decided to take I-81 since it is up in the Mtns. I have never had a problem on I-95.

 

[Steffy]

We drove down in December 2002... there was ice on the back roads up in PA, but as soon as we crossed over to MD, it was smooth sailing. I-95 was fine. I'll never forget the looks of the trees in Georgia, covered in ice. There was no power in Georgia and some parts of the Carolinas, but the roads were fine. It was a wonderful trip as Disney in December was worth it.

However, this time we're flying. Both SW and Airtran have RT from Philly or BWI for $136.70 or so.

 

[escapetodisney]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

We would drive I-95 so it's good know that it's taken care of in the winter. I hadn't thought about the southern states and drivers having trouble with the ice and snow though. It seems to me that to go in the winter you have to have a buffer of days before and after your planned days so you can delay your travel or leave earlier if the weather will be a problem. Maybe that's a justification to get an extra day at Disney.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well-it's taken care of in Md. (sort of) and part of Va. (somewhat).
But get into the Carolinas in snow/ice and it's another story altogether. I don't believe they have ANY snowplows in SC--

Driving in winter on I-95 is always a bit of a risk--we're just driving down to Williamsburg on 12/3 for the Grand Illumination (we use I-95) and I am already hoping for good weather.

I do agree tho it's better than I-81 in the hills. That's a real mess in Winter.

 

[Steffy]

Originally posted by Uncleromulus
Well-it's taken care of in Md. (sort of) and part of Va. (somewhat).
But get into the Carolinas in snow/ice and it's another story altogether. I don't believe they have ANY snowplows in SC--

Driving in winter on I-95 is always a bit of a risk--we're just driving down to Williamsburg on 12/3 for the Grand Illumination (we use I-95) and I am already hoping for good weather.

I do agree tho it's better than I-81 in the hills. That's a real mess in Winter.

I do not miss I-81 in the winter one bit. I-95 is much better in the winter than I-81 hands down.

And you're so right about the snow plows in the Carolinas. I think they just closed everything and waited for the sun..