Driving from NJ .... what time should we leave?

[autismgoesdisney]

We leave on Friday to head to WDW and can't be more excited. The problem is that we don't know when to leave. We hate waiting around just to leave at 7:00 pm like our original plan. Hubby will be home at 1:00 pm, yet we are petrified of Washington DC traffic. We heard we could take Route 301 around Washington and not hit the traffic, anyone ever do this? We really want to leave as soon as we can to enjoy the day on Saturday at WDW!

 

[kacaju]

my brother and sil left last Friday (from Central Jersey) at 7:15am stopped at Florence SC for the night at 6:30pm They were out the hotel at 7am and got to Disney area at 2:30 Saturday.

 

[msmayor]

Honestly, I'd get in the car by 2 and get on the road.

We drive to Savannah twice a year and in the fall run we have to wait until our son gets out of school around 2 to leave. We hit the DC area around 5:30-6pm and have not really been delayed very long at all because of traffic. Yes, speeds slow some but for the most part we are through the area with little hassle.

We took the 301 route just once and vowed never again. Too many traffic lights, too much two-lane road and slower trucks. Drove me nuts.

 

[mikehn]

To tell you the truth, if you leave NJ around 2pm, you are going to hit DC smack dab in the middle of Friday rush hour and that isnt pretty. I dont know what to tell you other than take it in stride.

 

[GranddadTom]

I would say no to Rt 301 for the same reasons already mentioned. I also would say no to getting to Northern Virginia before 8:00 pm at the earliest. It's not the Washington Beltway that's the problem - it's the 30 miles of Rt. 95 south of Washington. I don't think you have to wait until 7:00 pm to leave. Are you 2 hours from Baltimore? If so, leaving around 5:00 should make for a much easier drive. That would get you to the bad stretch in Norther Virginia after 8:00 so you would probably only see the tail end of the Friday exodus from Washington. Believe me, you do not want to be there at 5:00 pm on a Friday - bad way to start a vacation!

 

[sseem76]

I would make it my goal to leave after morning rush hour and try to be past dc by afternoon rush. Depending on where in Jersey you are it should not take you more then four hours to be past DC... Good luck

 

[shame711]

We have left at all different times from Philadelphia and the DC beltway is just always bad.

 

[garris3404]

I live outside the DC Beltway, near 301. When I head south I always use 301. I avoid the DC Beltway and that stretch of 95 south of it like the plague! Yes there are a lot of lights on 301. [But it is far better that being stuck on the GSP during rush hour (I lived in NJ for 2 years, and have driven north through NJ too many times).] And there is a realy cheap place (Sheetz on the right) to get gas shortly after you cross the 301 bridge into VA. So I would suggest NJ turnpike, 95, 895, 97, MD 3, 301 all the way to 295, 95, 4, WDW. Just go ahead and leave as early as possible knowing you might hit a little traffic. If it gets too bad, stop and have bite to eat, and then keep driving. Just focus on your final destination!

 

[autismgoesdisney]

Arrgh now I'm even more confused!!!!! Some say to avoid 301 and some say don't. The problem also is if we leave early, we don't want to get into WDW at 3 am either. So many options!

 

[Tybug]

My best friend lives in MD and we use 301 all the time! After sitting in so much traffic on 95 south of DC, I would never consider using anything but 301. Yes there are lights, but I'd rather be moving than sitting on 95.

 

[mlbeaver]

We are driving in October from S Jersey planing on leaving after dinner (6:30 ish) driving straight throught hoping the kids will fall asleep by 10 pm then have breakfast around 7-8am and get to Disney no later that 2pm.

 

[artesian]

I make this this run once a year and fight myself over the route choice all them time and yes time to leave is a big factor. Given the parameters of 2pm ish start I would be taking the western route. It going to add an hour to two to over all drive time but it will avoid DC and Richmond totally. Western route is 81-77-26 and back to 95. Depending of where you start in NJ would depend if you take route 78 to get to 81. If not you take 95 to Baltimore then 40 I believe to get back to 81. That loop back is where you lose most of the time but at least this way you avoid the heaviest possible traffic areas. Good luck

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I would say no to Rt 301 for the same reasons already mentioned. I also would say no to getting to Northern Virginia before 8:00 pm at the earliest. It's not the Washington Beltway that's the problem - it's the 30 miles of Rt. 95 south of Washington. I don't think you have to wait until 7:00 pm to leave. Are you 2 hours from Baltimore? If so, leaving around 5:00 should make for a much easier drive. That would get you to the bad stretch in Norther Virginia after 8:00 so you would probably only see the tail end of the Friday exodus from Washington. Believe me, you do not want to be there at 5:00 pm on a Friday - bad way to start a vacation!

Well, you also don't want to hit all the Fri night shore traffic in SJ. Regular rush hour from Philly is bad enough. 295, 42, NJTP, will be very full.

I don't think there's ever a good time to drive in the Northeast.

 

[autismgoesdisney]

We are driving in October from S Jersey planing on leaving after dinner (6:30 ish) driving straight throught hoping the kids will fall asleep by 10 pm then have breakfast around 7-8am and get to Disney no later that 2pm.

This was exactly our plan until my husband stated he wanted to leave earlier! Maybe we'll go back to it. We'll see.

 

[amcnj]

Everyone has different driving time tolerances, but I have found that leaving NJ around 2:30 am avoids the traffic along the route to WDW. We take 95 and are past DC by 5:30 am. We are in the Orlando area 6:30 - 8:30 pm, depending on stops made, accidents encountered/other traffic issues, or weather issues (heavy rain slowdowns).

 

[Silver Queen]

We have family in Virginia and have traveled down a lot (as recently as last week). Timing is the most important factor. If you can avoid the DC rush hour do so. We have taken 301 several times and yes, there are lights and you go through commercial areas, but you are generally still moving. There's nothing worse than being gridlocked on 95. When we take 301 we get back on 95 at Carmel Church. Concerning Rt. 81, it should be less congested, but as mentioned, more time. If you did take 81 I would get off of it at Winchester and take Rt. 17 where you will connect with 95 just north of Fredericksburg. By then 95 should have calmed down. Rt. 17 is mostly two lane, but it's lovely, rolling countryside. You'd be better off being on 17 when it's still daylight, so that route would call for an earlier departure than 6:30 pm.