Driving to Walt Disney World?

[Meagansmom]

We are thinking about drving to WDW. How is it driving thru Nashville and Atlanta? I remember reading something about the mountains after Nashville. Are they treacherous? Any tips? I know that it is recommended avoiding Atlanta at rush hours, any recommended routes around the area? Thanks for any information you can offer.

 

[sammielynn]

If you take I-40 east from Nashville to hit I-75 south you will go through the plateau area of Tennessee. At mile marker 340 the road was built with the wrong pitch at some of the curves. If you just go the speed limit and stay away from large trucks for about 6 miles you will be fine. Also if you exit at 347 off of I- 40 you can go down Hwy 27 south and save some time.. 27 turns into I 24 that runs right into I-75 around Chattanooga. If you would rather have all interstate, take 40 all the way 75 south. Most of Hwy 27 is 4 lane but you go through some small towns. I live just off exit 347 of I-40.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

FYI.............it about 7.5 hours from ATL to WDW. Once you are just south of the city, it is a pretty easy drive. Over 3/4's of it is downright boring unless you are doing it during an intense holiday period like Thanksgiving.

 

[hearts8701]

we drive from chicago a few times a year it really depends on what time you will be driving thru nashville & atlanta rush hour o'course is hectic a weekday makes a difference too Tip drive at night when there is less traffic
the mountains are hard at night or early morning if there is fog
Use planning sites like TravMatix.com to plan out your trip in advance, and show you which restaurants are available at each exit along your route and which gas station exit has the cheapest gas.

 

[JanB]

If you are driving through Atlanta on a non-holiday weekday, you should consider morning rush hour to be 6AM until 9:00 or 9:30AM; afternoon rush hour can begin as early as 3:00PM and last until 6:30 or 7:00PM. Saturdays and Sundays can be very good days to drive through, but you need to check out some sports schedules

Driving straight through downtown Atlanta on I75 saves quite a few miles over going around the city on I285. If there are no traffic problems, downtown is no more difficult to drive than going around the city. But you need to strategize the day and time of day. Alternatively, you can bypass Atlanta by taking I285 around the west side, and then pick up I75 again on the south side.

Maybe your GPS will give you all the info you need (I don't know?), but if you have a Smartphone, you should check the Georgia Navigator website well before you get to I285 on the north side. It will tell you about any traffic accidents/incidents as well as congested areas. You can also listen to traffic reports on AM750 or FM95.5. I'd suggest that you start looking at and listening to this info probably around Cartersville. That will give you sufficient time to choose your route --- I75 through the city or I285 around the city.

Also --- depending on the time of year that you are coming --- you should check the schedules for Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, and Georgia Tech football and basketball. Driving through town DURING a game is just fine. Hitting town when fans are arriving or departing is not.

See, I don't believe that I285 is automatically a better route than going through the city. Even it can be problematic if there is an accident. I'd suggest that you decide ahead of time which route you "think" you want to take --- but you may want to be prepared to go the other way, depending on traffic reports as you approach the city.

Although traffic can be unpredictable, and you may need some patience, driving through Atlanta doesn't have to be a horrible experience. Just make use of good sources of information ahead of time.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

When driving South on I-75 my family and I usually arrive in Atlanta between 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM because our drive that day would start from Cleveland, Tennessee which is where we would have stayed the night before. Anyway during that time we have never run into any major traffic problems.

Now when driving North on I-75 we usually arrive in Atlanta sometime during the early to mid afternoon and most of the time we were lucky that there was no problems, however the odd time we did get caught in some traffic that slowed us down for a short period of time.

 

[Meagansmom]

Thanks everyone!

 

[champ5601]

We have traveled down from the Quad City area (Davenport/Moline) many times and have gone thru Nashville/Atlanta. Another option would be to take I-65 south out of Nashville thru Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama. From Montgomery, take US-281 South thru Troy and Dothan, ending up west of Marianna, FL. Jump on I-10 east to I-75 South to WDW. Time difference isnt much, you do go thru some hills in North Alabama, but nothing too bad.

Just another option......

 

[smidgy]

coming from Iowa, you would not be taking 40. you would either take 57 south through Ill. or 65 south through Ind.. either way, when you get to Nashville, take the 155 Briley parway around nashvilee to the east. (you do have a short period with a couple stoplights... no biggie.)

you will end up on 24 east. take this, and go through cahatanooga until 75 south.
(we drive form 40 miles nw of chgo, often)

we once did what champ said, stayred on 65 through alabam, to that state route.. took forever!!

 

[smidgy]

stop at the welcome centers/rest stops to get motel copon books. you never know how far you will make it and where you want to pull over. we ussually make it to south GA from 40 miles nw of chgo. but not always. you can call these motles from the car when you decide where you will stop.

 

[Echo queen]

we drive from chicago a few times a year it really depends on what time you will be driving thru nashville & atlanta rush hour o'course is hectic a weekday makes a difference too Tip drive at night when there is less traffic
the mountains are hard at night or early morning if there is fog
Use planning sites like TravMatix.com to plan out your trip in advance, and show you which restaurants are available at each exit along your route and which gas station exit has the cheapest gas.

Can you post a link to travmatix, typing this in did not work.

TIA

 

[hearts8701]

Can you post a link to travmatix, typing this in did not work.

TIA

http://travmatix.com/