Driving from Atlanta to Orlando...

[quirkymom]

That's an excellent idea...staying in Gainesville. We've made the ATL to MCO drive several times...as I work for an airline and have got stuck doing stand-by plenty of times flying to Disney! It's worth it!

 

[gamomof2]

We live in Atlanta and have made the drive to Orlando twice a year for the past several years. It's really not a bad drive. The only really long stretch is between Macon and the Florida line. Also, for what it's worth, we purchased a Sunpass to use at the tolls and that worked very well for us. It's a source of ribbing that we (Georgia residents) own a Florida Sunpass, but, hey, what can I say?!?

Funny. We live right below Macon and go several times a year (DVC) and also purchased a SunPass. I love the looks we get when we zip on over to the SunPass lane and have the Georgia tag.

 

[TOONMADLAD]

Thanks everybody for your replies, sounds like there shouldn't be too many problems around Atlanta, apart from a British driver on your roads causing chaos

Pete.

 

[Crystal_27]

Thanks everybody for your replies, sounds like there shouldn't be too many problems around Atlanta, apart from a British driver on your roads causing chaos

Pete.

- - in terms of what time to leave on Saturday to avoid traffic, I think that you'll be okay leaving any time on Saturday, although I would recommend finding out if there is going to be any scheduled construction...which would certainly impede your travels, in a huge and unfortunate way. The good news, though, is that if there is construction scheduled, all the available alternates will be open to you. Safe travels!

 

[dvc_john]

I love the looks we get when we zip on over to the SunPass lane and have the Georgia tag.

I'm from Iowa and also have a SunPass. I winter in Florida, and the SunPass saves a lot of time and money. I just wish they had a national version that would work in multiple states.

 

[Dean]

I know this thread is old but it's relevant to my question and saves on opening new threads

I am due to fly into Atlanta International Airport on a Friday in July, stay in a near-by hotel for the night and then drive down to Orlando on the Saturday morning, my route would be on the 407 to the I-75, can somebody please advise what would be the best time on the Saturday morning to set off to avoid any major traffic problems around Atlanta.

Thanks.

Pete.

As noted, for Saturday you really should not worry about timing. However, you may want to reconsider the specifics of your plan depending on your arrival time. Assuming you're not getting in too late and that you'll get your car on arrival, I'd likely get something closer to Macon. Assuming no construction or traffic delays you're looking at a MIN of 6 hours driving time from the airport area. Even knocking an hour off the trip on arrival day will improve your chances of getting in to the Disney area in time for lunch and saving likely having to stop for lunch en-route. The Macon area also tends to be much cheaper for hotels that around the airport, esp if looking at priceline. IF you're getting the DDP, that will add further value to my suggestions. Have a great trip.

 

[TOONMADLAD]

As noted, for Saturday you really should not worry about timing. However, you may want to reconsider the specifics of your plan depending on your arrival time. Assuming you're not getting in too late and that you'll get your car on arrival, I'd likely get something closer to Macon. Assuming no construction or traffic delays you're looking at a MIN of 6 hours driving time from the airport area. Even knocking an hour off the trip on arrival day will improve your chances of getting in to the Disney area in time for lunch and saving likely having to stop for lunch en-route. The Macon area also tends to be much cheaper for hotels that around the airport, esp if looking at priceline. IF you're getting the DDP, that will add further value to my suggestions. Have a great trip.

Hi Dean, thanks for the suggestion, by the time we get the hire car and away from the airport it will be around 1900hrs, given the time difference in the UK and the travelling already done I think the wife and the little lad would kill me if I sudgested driving to Macon that night

Pete.

 

[JulieWent]

WDW DIRECTIONS

NEW ROUTE-

TO WDW:
I-75
I-475 @ exit 177
I-75
Florida Turnpike @ exit 328
FL-429 (Western Beltway) @ exit 267A
right toward Tampa
exit WDW & Hartzog Road
Western Way leads to Coronado Springs Resort area (Buena Vista Drive)

BACK HOME:
Coronado Springs Resort area (Buena Vista Drive)
turn @ Western Way
FL-429 NORTH
Florida Turnpike NORTH
I-75
I-475 @ exit 156
I-75



OLD ROUTE-

TO WDW:
I-75
I-475 @ exit 177
I-75
Florida Turnpike @ exit 328
US-27 @ exit 289
US-192

BACK HOME:
US-192
US-27
Florida Turnpike
I-75
I-475 @ exit 156
I-75

Why the new route? (We've always used the old route. What has changed?)

Julie

 

[tiggercrew]

I can't speak for everyone else, but we use the new route because the old route continued to get longer and longer every time we drove it. US 27 has been very heavily developed over the past few years and the number of traffic lights has increased as well as the traffic itself.

We drove the new route for the first time last year and my GPS did not recognize it yet...in fact, it showed that we were driving in a completely unpaved area...now we joke that we go "off roading" just to get to Disney.

 

[Dean]

Why the new route? (We've always used the old route. What has changed?)

Julie

I think what has changed is that the new Toll road is now open. It's actually further due to the way the road is routed but less traffic. The way we go depends on large part of where we start. I often still go 192 & 27, esp if I start at AKL/AKV and still go I 4 if we start or end the route at OKW/SSR/DD. For the EPCOT area and CSR (Pepper Market) we clearly use the toll road.

 

[Tinks "SS"]

Crystal, how did you get the sunpass?? That would save us alot this year also. As i will go 4 times this year but has already made one trip. Did you just go to the Fla highway patrol web site? Thanks. Have a trip coming up in 30 days and wondering.

 

[Dean]

Crystal, how did you get the sunpass?? That would save us alot this year also. As i will go 4 times this year but has already made one trip. Did you just go to the Fla highway patrol web site? Thanks. Have a trip coming up in 30 days and wondering.

You can order directly. They have a special on the small CC type where you get the price back in credit to the account to be used for tolls. You can order from their website at sunpass.com

 

[Tinks "SS"]

Thank you Dean!! I will check it out as soon as i am finished with all of my dis'ing.

 

[Dean]

Thank you Dean!! I will check it out as soon as i am finished with all of my dis'ing.

The $$ savings is very little as MOST tolls are the same. The real savings is in time and aggravation. I had been looking at getting a similar pass for HH. It sounds like the transponders are all free for them but you have a min of $25 to start the account and $1 per month fee. Not bad if you live there but certainly more than I want to pay for a week a year.