Driving from St. Louis! Need advice on where to stop!

[Mcqueen Fans]

We are going to drive for the first time from St. Louis and we hope to make it to Macon GA. Any advice on a good place to stop in Macon would be great! Or another great place to stop. We want to try and get passed Atlanta so we were thinking Macon would work good. We do not know this area at all and have never drove to WDW world so any help would me great!!! Thanks!

 

[JanB]

Macon would be a fine place to stop. There are lots of hotels and restaurants right close to the interstate.

Rather than taking I75 directly through Macon, you will want to take the I475 bypass. There are quite a few hotels at the Eisenhower Parkway (U.S. Hwy 80) exit off of I475. I believe that is Exit #3.

Or you can continue just a few miles further south. After you're back on I75, at Byron GA, there are several hotels at exit #149. This is the exit where the Peach Factory Stores are located.

From Macon, you should be about 5 hours from WDW.

If you'd like any advice on getting through Atlanta with minimal headaches, feel free to ask. Time of day and weekday vs. weekend can make a difference.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

If you want to stay in Macon I would recommend going on the I-475 bypass and staying at the Hampton Inn location of exit 3, because there is a lot going around there and good number of places to eat at.

However if you want to drive a little farther I would also recommend staying in Valdosta, Georgia and getting off at exit 18 or 16, because they also have a lot of places to stay and to eat at. Personally that's the city where my family and I stay the day before we would arrive at WDW and we stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites off exit 16. Plus staying there means you're only 3-4 hours away from arriving at WDW.

 

[WizardLarz]

Drove down last year. I camped so stopped in Cordelle, south of Macon on the way down. I did get gas in Macon at 475 & Eisnhower and saw plenty of nice hotels. On the way back, left after Noon stopped in Chattanooga.

 

[Mcqueen Fans]

Thanks for all your advice. This will be our first time driving and I am a little nervous!

 

[Mcqueen Fans]

Macon would be a fine place to stop. There are lots of hotels and restaurants right close to the interstate.

Rather than taking I75 directly through Macon, you will want to take the I475 bypass. There are quite a few hotels at the Eisenhower Parkway (U.S. Hwy 80) exit off of I475. I believe that is Exit #3.

Or you can continue just a few miles further south. After you're back on I75, at Byron GA, there are several hotels at exit #149. This is the exit where the Peach Factory Stores are located.

From Macon, you should be about 5 hours from WDW.

If you'd like any advice on getting through Atlanta with minimal headaches, feel free to ask. Time of day and weekday vs. weekend can make a difference.

Any advice on going through Atlanta would be great!! We will be coming through at on a Thursday night. So I am hoping it will not be bad that time of the time.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I am also driving from StL this summer. I have been trying to decide our stopping point. Here is a list of Hampton Inn hotels I am considering:

Hampton Inn Macon GA
5010 Eisenhower Parkway
Macon GA 31206
647 miles for StL

Hampton Inn Valdosta GA
exit 16
799 miles

Hampton Inn Lake City FL
Gateway Dr
Lake City FL 32024 Exit 427
860 miles

Hampton Inn Ocala FL
3434 College
Ocala FL 34474
937 miles

I don't know how far we can make it the first day. I would LOVE to make it to Ocala as it is only about 1 1/2 hours to Disney.

What time will you leave home? We are planning to leave at like 5 am so that we can be through Atlanta before rush hour. We are traveling on a Thursday.

 

[Mcqueen Fans]

I am also driving from StL this summer. I have been trying to decide our stopping point. Here is a list of Hampton Inn hotels I am considering:

Hampton Inn Macon GA
5010 Eisenhower Parkway
Macon GA 31206
647 miles for StL

Hampton Inn Valdosta GA
exit 16
799 miles

Hampton Inn Lake City FL
Gateway Dr
Lake City FL 32024 Exit 427
860 miles

Hampton Inn Ocala FL
3434 College
Ocala FL 34474
937 miles

I don't know how far we can make it the first day. I would LOVE to make it to Ocala as it is only about 1 1/2 hours to Disney.

What time will you leave home? We are planning to leave at like 5 am so that we can be through Atlanta before rush hour. We are traveling on a Thursday.

We are not leaving until the afternoon on thursday. I don't think we will be able to make it much past Macon. Our boys will go to school that day. Thanks for the miles to each of those places, that helps a lot!!

 

[allisonswonderland]

Hi I am in southern illinois. And several years ago we drove for our Disney wedding. The advice I got on this board was to stay in Perry. We stayed at a hampton. My inlaws stayed in cordelle one way and Valdosta the other. Happy travels!

 

[spfldfan]

We drove from Springfield, IL 2 years ago and stopped in Macon. Lots of hotels and places to eat. This year we are leaving from Marion, Il and plan to stop in Valdosta. Trying for the short trip the next day. Other than construction and timing Atlanta, it is an easy trip.

 

[Mcqueen Fans]

Does anyone know anythin about the Macon Travellodge off of I475. It is off of Eisenhower pky. The address in 5000 Harrison Rd. It is really cheap but I want it to be Safe and Clean! We will only be there to sleep a few hours so I don't want to pay a lot for a hotel but I want it to be in a good area. Thanks!!

 

[jinia]

Driving from St. louis too! My sister is leaving in a few weeks and I am driving down in Oct. so are yall back? How was the drive - anything new?

 

[JB2K]

We are going to drive for the first time from St. Louis and we hope to make it to Macon GA. Any advice on a good place to stop in Macon would be great! Or another great place to stop. We want to try and get passed Atlanta so we were thinking Macon would work good. We do not know this area at all and have never drove to WDW world so any help would me great!!! Thanks!

Another St. Louisan, here...

While Macon would be (IMO) an "ideal" place to overnight, I will be doing mine in Tullahoma, TN. My reasoning is that I will be leaving the STL area around early afternoon and I will be able to get plenty of rest for the remainder of the ride. Plus, I will be staying with family, so the price is right

It's a pretty easy trip once you get past Atlanta, which has traffic patterns comnparable to STL (think Poplar St. & Blanchette Bridges) -- continue on I-75 South until you are in Florida, then the tollways will get you all the way to Disney property.

 

[nswift]

Also leaving from the St. Louis area on a Wednesday, between 2 and 3 in the afternoon. I would like to drive until about 11 pm. Any suggestions? I will check out Macon ~ Also, looking for Waffle House's for the following day's drive...strong coffee, fast service, but can still stretch our legs.

 

[JanB]

A tip for driving through, or possibly around, Atlanta ---

If you have internet access on your cellphone, I recommend that you keep an eye on the Georgia Navigator website ---
http://www.georgia-navigator.com/

If you check it out in time, then you will find out whether you should take I285 around Atlanta rather than taking I75 straight through the city. It will tell you about any "incidents" and their severity (anywhere in the state). It will also inform you of any construction, again, anywhere in the state.

Sometimes you'll see information, and you can't really avoid the problem. But at least you know.

In general, if you are driving through Atlanta on a weekday, I'd suggest that you avoid downtown (i.e., take I285 around) between 7AM and 9AM and between 3:30PM and 6PM. There are no guarantees of clear traffic at any time of day, or on any particular day, though.

 

[JB2K]

Also leaving from the St. Louis area on a Wednesday, between 2 and 3 in the afternoon. I would like to drive until about 11 pm. Any suggestions? I will check out Macon ~ Also, looking for Waffle House's for the following day's drive...strong coffee, fast service, but can still stretch our legs.

No worries, as once you hit Tennessee, you'll find a Waffle House at nearly every exit all the way to WDW...

 

[dogodisney]

A tip for driving through, or possibly around, Atlanta ---

If you have internet access on your cellphone, I recommend that you keep an eye on the Georgia Navigator website ---
http://www.georgia-navigator.com/

If you check it out in time, then you will find out whether you should take I285 around Atlanta rather than taking I75 straight through the city. It will tell you about any "incidents" and their severity (anywhere in the state). It will also inform you of any construction, again, anywhere in the state.

Sometimes you'll see information, and you can't really avoid the problem. But at least you know.

In general, if you are driving through Atlanta on a weekday, I'd suggest that you avoid downtown (i.e., take I285 around) between 7AM and 9AM and between 3:30PM and 6PM. There are no guarantees of clear traffic at any time of day, or on any particular day, though.

I would suggest you avoid the area altogether during those times. Even 285 gets backed up really bad during those times and I'd even lengthen the afternoon hours from 3 -7.

 

[nswift]

No worries, as once you hit Tennessee, you'll find a Waffle House at nearly every exit all the way to WDW...

Thanks, JB2K!