I wasn't getting a response from the transportation section so i thought i would post over here. Thinking of doing a last minute Disney vacation during the Christmas holiday since we have annuals. The airfares are really up there in price unless we fly into Atlanta. What is the approximate time from the airport to Disney? The best route? Thanks.
Driving from the Atlanta airport....
- Thread starter karyn
- Start date
RaySharpton
Retired and going to Disney.
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- 6,974
Hi, Karyn.
It takes about seven to 7-1/2 hours depending on your speed and stops.
Take I 75 all the way down, except at Macon, Ga; use the by-pass around Macon.(a little shorter distance).
And I can't remember that toll road name that goes to I-4, between Orlando and Disney. I take that road.
Have a great trip.
Ray
It takes about seven to 7-1/2 hours depending on your speed and stops.
Take I 75 all the way down, except at Macon, Ga; use the by-pass around Macon.(a little shorter distance).
And I can't remember that toll road name that goes to I-4, between Orlando and Disney. I take that road.
Have a great trip.
Ray
It should take you around 7 hours. South of Ocala, you will get on the Florida turnpike and take it to Orlando. I don't know if the name of the toll road is maybe the Beeline Expressway. You can stay on the turnpike all the way to I-4 also. There are plenty of signs from the turnpike. You will definitely find your way there. Remember to stop to eat/get gas/restroom especially in Valdosta, GA. It is about half way, before the state line. There is not a whole lot in northern Florida, except for Gainesville and Ocala.
Robinrs
DIS Legend
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I drive from Atlanta to Orlando quite often, it's basically a straight shot down I-75 to the Florida Turnpike.
I've done it from 5 1/2 to 8 hours, depending on stops and traffic.
FYI, Mapquest gives a HORRIBLE route from I-75 to I-10 to I-95, NOT A GOOD ROUTE AT ALL!! It added about an hour to my trip!
I've done it from 5 1/2 to 8 hours, depending on stops and traffic.
FYI, Mapquest gives a HORRIBLE route from I-75 to I-10 to I-95, NOT A GOOD ROUTE AT ALL!! It added about an hour to my trip!
Ditto what everyone else said--if you don't stop much it's 7-8 hours. Just wanted to add, make sure you eat and/or get gas before you get on the FL turnpike. Anywhere you stop on the turnpike is outrageously overpriced and the food selection is very limited (we paid $17 for lunch for 2 at Popeye's on that turnpike, and Popeye's is a fast food restaurant! I felt like we were already at a counter service restaurant in Disney 
)
)
disneyatl
DIS Veteran
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- 1,011
WOW, we must drive fast. It takes us 6 1/2 hours to get to Disney - 7 hours at the most. Of course, we don't stop....only for gas at the last exit in Georgia - I think it's Lakeland (or maybe that's the first one in FL). Anyway, like everyone else stated - buy your gas in GA before you cross over the FL line. Definitely cheaper. We usually leave really early in the morning and stop for breakfast at McD's. Sometimes we eat in on the way and sometimes we might stop for a bit of a break (30 minutes max). It's definitely not a bad drive from Atlanta to WDW.
Not sure about driving through Atlanta, but I just checked tickets for us, (inspired by your post) and its only $53 more for two adults to fly into Orlando from St Louis. Just throwing it out there because it might be the same or more to fly into Atlanta and drive when you count rental car, gas, time, extra meals and hassle, etc.
Good luck whatever you decide!
Good luck whatever you decide!
I don't know what time you will be arriving in Atlanta but traffic can be horrendous in the metro area. We live about 30-45 minutes north of the airport. We always try to go through Atlanta at an off time (even though there's always traffic) and we definitely stop! We can go in about 8 hours while pulling a camper, without the camper we can do it in 7 - 7.5 hours.
Blondiex46
Stayin in the park next time 2010
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I drove it coming home in April and it tool 7 1/2 hours (stopping for gas and food. Don't know what the weather is like either when you are going, but at least there is no snow that you should be driving throught, right?
andrabell
Property of Walt Disney (BPAL RULES) !PATA PATA!
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I just got my triptik from my AAA office. Here are the directions according to AAA:
I-75 South (easy to access from the airport, just follow the signs)
you'll be on 75 for close to 400 miles, merge onto the Florida Turnpike and continue approx. 50 miles then merge onto I-4 and follow the signs to your destination.
On your drive, be VERY careful to obey all speeding laws through the Valdosta, GA area. There is lots of roadwork going on and the police are very visible and very hard on speeders. They can and will hold you up for hours.
Good luck and safe driving!
---Andra
Two more weeks!!!!!!!
I-75 South (easy to access from the airport, just follow the signs)
you'll be on 75 for close to 400 miles, merge onto the Florida Turnpike and continue approx. 50 miles then merge onto I-4 and follow the signs to your destination.
On your drive, be VERY careful to obey all speeding laws through the Valdosta, GA area. There is lots of roadwork going on and the police are very visible and very hard on speeders. They can and will hold you up for hours.
Good luck and safe driving!
---Andra
Two more weeks!!!!!!!
DaddyDon
<font color=blue>My oldest daughter said i was a h
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Please make sure you slow down south of macon!!!when you get close to cordele, there is a small town before it vianna? And please slow down when you hit lownes county!!!! you will buy yourself a ticket there!!! Also slow down on the other side of gainsville fla ..when you dirve thru the protected area i have allways seen several people pulled over there!Have a great drive down!!!!From the airport to WDW will be about 6-6.25 hours. We drive right past there every trip we make. It takes us about 7 hours and 45 minutes to get to WDW and we are 2 hours from the airport. Go straight down 75, to the Florida turnpike. Then take 27 till you get onto 192 and go about 15 minutes and voila, you are there!!! We never cross over and go through Jacksonville anymore, seems like a waste of time. And this way you don't even have to touch I-4.
Julie
Julie
Definitely slow down in Macon, we were pulled over there. It drops down to 55 mph and it is a surprise, because it certainly does not look like you are in a big city area. You should not have to worry about traffice from the airport unless you are leaving there between 4:30 and 6:30-7:00 pm. It really is a pretty easy drive.
Strapped-4-Cache
Earning My Ears
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- Nov 6, 2003
- Messages
- 33
Sorry for the long post, but I couldn't resist.
If you're planning on coming to or through Atlanta, heres some local information that you'll need to make yourself familiar with. Many people read this and laugh, but those of us that live here see the truth in every statement.
****************
Atlanta is composed mostly of one way streets. The only way to get out of downtown Atlanta is to turn around and start over when you reach Greenville, South Carolina.
All directions start with, "Go down Peachtree..." and include the phrase, "When you see the Waffle House...". The only exception is Cobb County where all directions begin with, "Go to the Big Chicken...".
Peachtree street has no beginning and no end and is not to be confused with Peachtree Circle, Peachtree Place, Peachtree Lane, Peachtree Road, Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Run, Peachtree Trace, Peachtree Avenue, Peachtree Commons, Peachtree Battle, Peachtree Corners, Old Peachtree, or Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
Atlantans do not believe in turn signals. You will never see a native signal at a stoplight, to change lanes, or to merge. Never!
Atlanta is home of Coca-Cola. That's all we drink here, so don't ask for any other soft drink... unless it's made by Coca Cola. And even then, it's still "Coke".
Atlantans only know their way to work and their way home. If you ask anyone for directions they will always send you down Peachtree.
Gate One at the Airport is 32 miles away from the Main Concourse so wear sneakers and pack a lunch. The doors on the trains in the Airport do not reopen like an elevator, if you stick your hand out. And they hurt.
It's impossible to go around a block and wind up on the street you started on. The Chamber of Commerce calls it a "scenic drive" and has posted signs to that effect so that out-of-towners don't feel lost... they're just on a "scenic drive".
The 8am rush hour is from 6:30 to 10:30am. The 5pm rush hour is from 3:30 to 7:30pm. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning and lasts through 2:00am Saturday.
Reversible lanes are not understood by anybody...especially those of us who live here. Stay out of them unless you are looking for a head-on collision.
"Sir" and "Madam" are used by the person speaking to you if there's a remote possibility that you're at least 30 minutes older than they are.
"Sugar" is a more common form of address than "Miss". So is "Sweetpea". "Honey" is always used by Waffle House waitresses.
Ponce de Leon Avenue can only be pronounced by a native, so do not attempt the Spanish pronunciation. People will simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you. (The Atlanta pronunciation is "pahnss duh LEE-on.)
The falling of one rain drop causes all drivers to immediately forget all traffic rules; so will daylight savings time, a girl applying eye shadow in the next car, or a flat tire three lanes over.
If a single snowflake falls the city is paralyzed for three days and it's on all the channels as a news flash every 15 minutes for a month. All the grocery stores will be sold out of milk, bread, bottled water, toilet paper, and beer if there is a remote chance of snow, and if it does snow, people will be on the corner selling "I survived the blizzard" T-shirts.
If you're standing on a corner and a MARTA Bus stops, you're expected to get on and go somewhere.
It is always Smog Alert Day.
Construction on Peachtree Street is a way of life, and a permanent form of entertainment, especially when a water line is tapped and Atlanta's version of Old Faithful erupts. Construction crews aren't doing their job properly unless they close down all lanes except one during rush hour.
Atlanta's traffic is the friendliest around. The commuters spend hours mingling with each other twice a day. In fact, Atlanta's traffic is rated number one in the country. You will often see people parked beside the road and engaged in lively discussion.
Atlantans are very proud of our racetrack, known as Road Atlanta. It winds through the city on the Interstates, hence the name.
Actually, I-285, the loop that encircles Atlanta and has a posted speed limit of 55 mph (but you have to maintain 80 mph just to keep from getting run over) is known to truckers as "The Watermelon 500".
Georgia 400 is the southern equivalent of the Autobahn. You will rarely see a semi-truck on GA400, because even the truck drivers are intimidated by the oversized-SUV-wielding housewives racing home after a grueling day at the salon or the tennis match to meet their children at the school bus coming home from the college prep preschool.
The pollen count is off the national scale for unhealthy which starts at 120. Atlanta is usually in the 2,000 to 4,000 range. All roads, vehicles, houses, etc., are yellow from March 28th to July 15th. If you have any allergies, you will die.
*******************
Hope this helps as you come through our fair city. I'll be fighting the other NASCAR drivers on the Watermelon 500 the day before Thanksgiving, so I'm already bracing myself for a rather tense time for the first 3-4 hours of the trip. In that amount of time we'll probably make it from our house to the outskirts of town.
Seriously, I hope you have an uneventful trip as you head from here to the World. As long as you don't try to travel during the morning and evening rush you should have an easy time of it.
Regards,
- Mark
If you're planning on coming to or through Atlanta, heres some local information that you'll need to make yourself familiar with. Many people read this and laugh, but those of us that live here see the truth in every statement.
****************
Atlanta is composed mostly of one way streets. The only way to get out of downtown Atlanta is to turn around and start over when you reach Greenville, South Carolina.
All directions start with, "Go down Peachtree..." and include the phrase, "When you see the Waffle House...". The only exception is Cobb County where all directions begin with, "Go to the Big Chicken...".
Peachtree street has no beginning and no end and is not to be confused with Peachtree Circle, Peachtree Place, Peachtree Lane, Peachtree Road, Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Run, Peachtree Trace, Peachtree Avenue, Peachtree Commons, Peachtree Battle, Peachtree Corners, Old Peachtree, or Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
Atlantans do not believe in turn signals. You will never see a native signal at a stoplight, to change lanes, or to merge. Never!
Atlanta is home of Coca-Cola. That's all we drink here, so don't ask for any other soft drink... unless it's made by Coca Cola. And even then, it's still "Coke".
Atlantans only know their way to work and their way home. If you ask anyone for directions they will always send you down Peachtree.
Gate One at the Airport is 32 miles away from the Main Concourse so wear sneakers and pack a lunch. The doors on the trains in the Airport do not reopen like an elevator, if you stick your hand out. And they hurt.
It's impossible to go around a block and wind up on the street you started on. The Chamber of Commerce calls it a "scenic drive" and has posted signs to that effect so that out-of-towners don't feel lost... they're just on a "scenic drive".
The 8am rush hour is from 6:30 to 10:30am. The 5pm rush hour is from 3:30 to 7:30pm. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning and lasts through 2:00am Saturday.
Reversible lanes are not understood by anybody...especially those of us who live here. Stay out of them unless you are looking for a head-on collision.
"Sir" and "Madam" are used by the person speaking to you if there's a remote possibility that you're at least 30 minutes older than they are.
"Sugar" is a more common form of address than "Miss". So is "Sweetpea". "Honey" is always used by Waffle House waitresses.
Ponce de Leon Avenue can only be pronounced by a native, so do not attempt the Spanish pronunciation. People will simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you. (The Atlanta pronunciation is "pahnss duh LEE-on.)
The falling of one rain drop causes all drivers to immediately forget all traffic rules; so will daylight savings time, a girl applying eye shadow in the next car, or a flat tire three lanes over.
If a single snowflake falls the city is paralyzed for three days and it's on all the channels as a news flash every 15 minutes for a month. All the grocery stores will be sold out of milk, bread, bottled water, toilet paper, and beer if there is a remote chance of snow, and if it does snow, people will be on the corner selling "I survived the blizzard" T-shirts.
If you're standing on a corner and a MARTA Bus stops, you're expected to get on and go somewhere.
It is always Smog Alert Day.
Construction on Peachtree Street is a way of life, and a permanent form of entertainment, especially when a water line is tapped and Atlanta's version of Old Faithful erupts. Construction crews aren't doing their job properly unless they close down all lanes except one during rush hour.
Atlanta's traffic is the friendliest around. The commuters spend hours mingling with each other twice a day. In fact, Atlanta's traffic is rated number one in the country. You will often see people parked beside the road and engaged in lively discussion.
Atlantans are very proud of our racetrack, known as Road Atlanta. It winds through the city on the Interstates, hence the name.
Actually, I-285, the loop that encircles Atlanta and has a posted speed limit of 55 mph (but you have to maintain 80 mph just to keep from getting run over) is known to truckers as "The Watermelon 500".
Georgia 400 is the southern equivalent of the Autobahn. You will rarely see a semi-truck on GA400, because even the truck drivers are intimidated by the oversized-SUV-wielding housewives racing home after a grueling day at the salon or the tennis match to meet their children at the school bus coming home from the college prep preschool.
The pollen count is off the national scale for unhealthy which starts at 120. Atlanta is usually in the 2,000 to 4,000 range. All roads, vehicles, houses, etc., are yellow from March 28th to July 15th. If you have any allergies, you will die.
*******************
Hope this helps as you come through our fair city. I'll be fighting the other NASCAR drivers on the Watermelon 500 the day before Thanksgiving, so I'm already bracing myself for a rather tense time for the first 3-4 hours of the trip. In that amount of time we'll probably make it from our house to the outskirts of town.
Seriously, I hope you have an uneventful trip as you head from here to the World. As long as you don't try to travel during the morning and evening rush you should have an easy time of it.
Regards,
- Mark
Yzma and Kronk
<font color=darkcoral>I survived the Pie-fest<br><
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2002
- Messages
- 3,367
OMG Mark - that's sooooooo funny (and true!!!)
Thanks for sharing.
On our recent trip from North Atlanta to WDW, my MIL kept telling me on our trip down I-85/I-75 that the speed limit was only 55mph and be careful. I smiled politely and thought in my head, ''ya, right - I go 55 here and we'll be grits"
Watermelon 500 here I come........
I have one to add: If anyone driving through ATL happens to get off the interstate beware most roads have at least three names and the signs change often. The street/road names are almost always two and three part names which really is easy to remember.....not
The one mile stretch of road to The Mall of Georgia changes names 4 times (that I know of) It's SR20, Buford Road, Nelson Brogden Road and Cumming Highway......whew!
The airport has just been renamed Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Someday it'll probably be Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson-Franklin-Carter-Turner-Clinton-Bush-Disney-Whoever International Airport. We love our hyphenated names!!!
Worst Job: Atlanta Map Quest designer
Have a great drive through our city.......and if all else fails......Have a coke and a smile and STAY IN THE HOV lane
Thanks for sharing.
On our recent trip from North Atlanta to WDW, my MIL kept telling me on our trip down I-85/I-75 that the speed limit was only 55mph and be careful. I smiled politely and thought in my head, ''ya, right - I go 55 here and we'll be grits"
Watermelon 500 here I come........
I have one to add: If anyone driving through ATL happens to get off the interstate beware most roads have at least three names and the signs change often. The street/road names are almost always two and three part names which really is easy to remember.....not
The one mile stretch of road to The Mall of Georgia changes names 4 times (that I know of) It's SR20, Buford Road, Nelson Brogden Road and Cumming Highway......whew!
The airport has just been renamed Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Someday it'll probably be Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson-Franklin-Carter-Turner-Clinton-Bush-Disney-Whoever International Airport. We love our hyphenated names!!!
Worst Job: Atlanta Map Quest designer
Have a great drive through our city.......and if all else fails......Have a coke and a smile and STAY IN THE HOV lane
perdidobay
<font color=green>Will work for travel ;-)<br><fon
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2001
- Messages
- 6,216
I don't live in Atlanta (I have friends there and go often) but every word of Mark's post is so true!!
But he left out the daily joy of seeing what Salvation Army Store reject furniture and/or appliances will be lying on the side of 1-285
But he left out the daily joy of seeing what Salvation Army Store reject furniture and/or appliances will be lying on the side of 1-285
andrabell
Property of Walt Disney (BPAL RULES) !PATA PATA!
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2003
- Messages
- 457
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! I took the liberty of copying and pasting that spot-on Atlanta driving guide to an e-mail to all my friends who are locals. I'm still laughing. DH and I will be driving to WDW in less than two weeks. We won't have the pleasure of challenging the 285, but we will be hiding out in the HOV lane on the 75 (or as I refer to it, the chicken run) as far as it will take us!
---Andra
never applies mascara while driving (only lipstick)
---Andra
never applies mascara while driving (only lipstick)
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