Driving from Wisconsin

[Diane D]

We are trying to make a trip to WDW work for next summer. To save a few bucks, we're considering driving instead of flying. We live about an hour north of Milwaukee. Can any other Wisconsinites who have made the drive give any insight into this trip? We've always flown in the past. We got some directions off Mapquest. Says it takes about 22-1/2 hours. We'd probably make a stop overnight on the way.....but where would be a good spot?? Thanks!

 

[We4mickey]

We usually drive when we go to WDW. We try to drive about 12 to 14 hours on the first day, stopping around Chattanooga or over the Georgia border. This gives you a shorter day the second day and if you leave early like we do (around 4am) you can be to WDW early afternoon and have time to kick back and unwind. Hope that helps.

 

[eeyorecollector]

me and dh have driven 5 times and flown 5 times.
We prefer to fly, i get to excited to wait the long drive.
We have stopped in memphis to see graceland 3 out of the 5 times.
I think anyone would enjoy the tour,but i am a elvis freak so i may
be biased. but its pretty close to half way.

P.s.I highly recommend you avoid driving straight thru IL .... it is the most
boring and non senic state EVER...It takes several hours too.

hope that helps
we leave in 10 days!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[WedWay72]

Drive as far as you can the first day, as your scenery will be prettier in TN the next morning, since it'll be light out. We have done the return trip before where our first stop was southern IL, on the first day! But, yes, drive through IL all the way to Chatanooga and then on to Georgia and Florida. That's the only way to do it. From Rockford, Il our last trip took 22 hrs.

 

[Crissup]

I usually leave Chicago around 9am or so, and stop about an hour south of Atlanta. I run I-57 south to I-24 east (near Carbondale, IL). Then, I-24 east to I-75 south (Chattanooga, TN). I-57 is flat as a drag strip and not a lot of traffic, so the run through Illinois is easy.

Last year, and again this year, I'm leaving after work around 6pm and heading south to Paduca, KY. Then I'll spend the night and head for Atlanta the next morning, where I'll stop for a couple days and do some work in our Atlanta office. Then, I only need to make the run from Atlanta to Orlando when I actually start vacation.

Driving at a high rate of speed, I've done Venice, Florida in 17 hours of seat time (actual behind the wheel time. Not counting stopovers) a couple of times. So, your timing is probably about correct.