Driving from Texas

[TuxedoMask]

First post! I'm going to be driving from Austin Tx in December to DisneyWorld. Question, where is a good place to stop for the night between Texas and Orlando?

We'll be staying at the Port Orleans Riverside the week before Christmas.

Thanks.

 

[scraptoons]

We're driving from the Dallas area. Always looking for answers to this question.

It really depends on what time you want to arrive, and how much driving you can stand.

There is some Katrina aftermath that can effect the I-10 route, that I hear.

Between Baton Rouge and Slidell, the hotels are booked with construction workers.

Not all the 24 hour places on the interstate may be open 24 hours.

There is a thread from a couple months ago. I'll try to post the link.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1237912

 

[Grog]

We drove from Houston last year and ended up stopping for the night around Biloxi. We had wanted to get farther but got a late start on the day we left. If we drive again I would probably try for Pensacola or a bit farther.

The trip back we did all in one day. It was either that or give up a park day. I wouldn't recommend the "all in one day" drive unless you've had plenty of rest the day before. I went to bed early and got about ten hours sleep before we left and it still wiped me out.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

If you can make it to the Pensacola area then you're about 7-8 hours away from Orlando, plus the one hour time change. If you can make it to Tallahassee, then you'd only have about 4 more hours to go with the time change already completed the first day.

In Pensacola, most of the decent chain hotels are at Exit 13, SR291. In Tallahassee you'll find a lot of hotels at Exit 199 (US27) and Exit 203 (SR61 & US319).

Rates are often cheaper by staying in smaller towns; Holiday Inn & Holiday Inn Express have a number of motels along I-10 between Pensacola and Tallahassee in places like Milton, Crestview, Chipley, Marianna & Quincy.

One nice thing is when you leave Louisiana and enter Mississippi you feel like you're making great progress because Mississippi and Alabama pass by quickly and then suddenly in you're in Florida! What a great feeling when that sign welcomes you to the Sunshine State. Unfortunately the Florida panhandle lasts forever before you make the big turn at Lake City and onto I-75.

BobK/Orlando

 

[slimplaw]

When we have driven from Dallas, we stop at Mobile. IThere are many nice inexpensive hotels there. I think we have stayed at a Drury Inn and Hampton Inn. It is just about 1/2 way for us.

 

[TuxedoMask]

Fantastic information! Thanks All.

 

[scraptoons]

When we have driven from Dallas, we stop at Mobile. IThere are many nice inexpensive hotels there. I think we have stayed at a Drury Inn and Hampton Inn. It is just about 1/2 way for us.

Which roads do you take and how many hours?

We're wanting to stop at Mobile, but as late as we have to start off in the day, I'm worried about how late it will be.

Another question....

Does anyone call ahead for reservations for your hotel stop? Or do you just try to find one when you are ready to turn in for the night?

 

[lyeag]

We always make reservations for the trip down via the internet. We usually stay at Holiday Inn or Hampton Inn.

We are driving from Lawton, OK. We did in 04 also.

We obviously drive different routes, but I would say Mobile is doable if you don't leave too late in the morning.

We left last time around 8:30 a.m. (thanks to dh's last minute stops ) and made our hotel in Hattiesburg, MS around 6:30 p.m. We do two stops on the way down so that we aren't wiped out when we arrive. We stop for a second night in Gainesville, FL and that leaves only 2 hours or so to drive in the morning. We stop at store along the way and arrive around noon.

On the way home we make one overnight stop.

 

[JodyTG]

I guess that my family is the only one that drives straight through. We leave home at about 3PM to beat the rush hour traffic and usually get to Disney about 10AM the next morning.

 

[scraptoons]

I guess that my family is the only one that drives straight through. We leave home at about 3PM to beat the rush hour traffic and usually get to Disney about 10AM the next morning.

How old are the kids?

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

We used to drive on to Destin and spend the night on the beach.

We liked it so much that I eventually moved there, but unforunately, I had to move back three years ago.

ETA: We almost always drive back straight through on the return trip. This past March, we left WL at 7am and got back into Houston at around 7-8pm.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

We're driving from the Dallas area. Always looking for answers to this question.

It really depends on what time you want to arrive, and how much driving you can stand.

There is some Katrina aftermath that can effect the I-10 route, that I hear.

Between Baton Rouge and Slidell, the hotels are booked with construction workers.

Not all the 24 hour places on the interstate may be open 24 hours.

There is a thread from a couple months ago. I'll try to post the link.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1237912

Do you take I-12 from baton rouge to slidell or do you ride through new orleans on I-10? The quickest way from point A (Baton Rouge) to point B (Slidell) is a straight line (I-12). Best of Luck!

From sept. 05 to jan. 06 I have been driving back and forth between Houston (MD Anderson) and Picayune (my little bity town is 30 mins from slidell heading north on 59) it is a 6 hr drive both ways for me. It was 2hrs to the state line from houston. It was 3.5-4 hrs driving through on I-10 to I-12 to I-10 in LA from state line to Slidell. Actually I found it hard to get through TX due to all of the road work between the state line and beaumont. I don't know if he road work is still going on I haven't been there since may but coming and going both ways around that area in TX always had thick sometimes stopped traffic depending on the time of the day. I like to try to get as far as I possiblely can before stopping (pensacola or tallahassee) but for you that time might put you somewhere between Slidell and Baton Rouge and so I would suggest stopping at the Covington/Mandeville exit. You don't have to travel off of the interstate far and its a well lite area with a Walmart at that exit as well as a variety of gas and fast food places. Best of Luck hope this helps some.

 

[dbarker]

When we drive from Waco, we stop in Mobile, AL. We stay at the Holiday Inn Express. I do not make ressies before hand--too many variables. I pick up one of those Highway Flyers that have discounts in them and use that.

The route we take is: TX Hwy 6 to Houston, then I-10 to Florida. (I don't remember the rest, but it is standard. There are no variables on which way to go once you are in FL). It has been a couple of years since we drove. I'm not sure of the road conditions since the Hurricanes.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

When we drive from Waco, we stop in Mobile, AL. We stay at the Holiday Inn Express. I do not make ressies before hand--too many variables. I pick up one of those Highway Flyers that have discounts in them and use that.

The route we take is: TX Hwy 6 to Houston, then I-10 to Florida. (I don't remember the rest, but it is standard. There are no variables on which way to go once you are in FL). It has been a couple of years since we drove. I'm not sure of the road conditions since the Hurricanes.

We ran into no road problems whatsoever, on our March '06 trip. All was good!

 

[dbarker]

We ran into no road problems whatsoever, on our March '06 trip. All was good!

That is good to know. I've had people from work ask about driving to WDW. We fly now, so I didn't know what to expect. Thanks for the info.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

That is good to know. I've had people from work ask about driving to WDW. We fly now, so I didn't know what to expect. Thanks for the info.

It was eerie though.

As you're approaching Mississippi (we take I-12 around New Orleans, so we didn't notice much there), you start seeing trees leaning in one direction.

The closer you got to Gulfport, the more damage you start seeing. Billboards gone; blue tarps on roofs, etc.

We took a detour to Biloxi to try to find my grandparent's graves (They were buried less than a block from US 90 - we never did find them) and were absolutely amazed at the destruction. It's indescribable. Even so, US 90, was fine.

I was even more amazed to still see tarps on roofs in Pensacola from Hurricane Ivan! Those poor people have (or had) been dealing with damage for so long!