Driving from Texas - which route is shorter?

[Jfsag123]

We will be driving to WDW from Dallas,TX with about a 16.5 hour total drive time. Planning on doing the bulk of the drive in one day in order to have more time in the World on arrival day. I booked a hotel in Crestview, FL for the drive down. I was planning on taking I-20 as far as Shreveport, then taking 49 down, getting on 10, and taking 10 all the way across to Crestview. However, both Google Maps and Mapquest are showing the route through LA and MS on I-20, and going south after hitting Jackson, MS, as being about an hour shorter in drive time (10.5 vs. 11.5 hours). I knew the mileage was a bit further with the first route, but thought that was made up for in time by being able to take the interstate down to 10 rather than a small state hwy like in MS. For those who have made this drive, would we really be setting ourselves back an hour by taking the 1st option?

 

[sjams]

We did this drive summer 2013. We live in Arlington. We had to leave a bit later than we had originally planned. So we took 20 to 10 and then to Biloxi for our stop. On our way home we stopped in Fort Walton Beach for a night then thru Mississippi up to 20 and home. So our second days were longer than our first.
My friend goes to Tampa each summer and she stops in Crestview but goes 20 most of the way to Crestview.
Hope that helps!!

 

[mek17]

The route through Jackson will save you an hour. I've driven both routes multiple times. The road south out of Jackson is not bad at all. Definitely go that way.

 

[Jfsag123]

Thanks for the responses! We took the Jackson route last time, but were planning to switch it up this time due to info I had seen (I think here on the disboards) saying the other route was faster. I guess we will just stick to what we know.