Driving WDW to PA - Leaving Friday Morning

[Minniemouse07]

Our original plan was to take the Auto Train on Saturday from Sanford but as was reported elsewhere...all trains were cancelled this weekend and Amtrak informed us that there was no available space on any train until 9/1 going northbound.

We discussed our options all day since receiving the call from Amtrak early in the afternoon and our original thought was to wait until Sunday and drive home after the storm, but after seeing the evening news reports from Philly (the internet is so efficient!) we are concerned about our house (some windows are open and nothing is secure outside) so have cancelled all our plans for the next two days and are leaving in the morning.

The current plan is to get on the road about 9am. We need to leave WDW and travel to ILs home nearby to pick up some items. Our thinking is that it will be better to take the inland route (81) than 95 to avoid the storm as well as all the evacuees filling the hotel rooms along the 95 corridor.

Realistically, how far can we expect to get after a full day of driving the inland route? Where should we be shooting for? Looking for hotel rooms for Friday night?.

I am a planner and have done little to no research on this route since we decided back in February to take the Auto Train. We weren't expecting to drive home!

Everything is packed up and we are ready to load up the van in the morning. I would appreciate any insight anyone w/ more driving experience can share.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Our original plan was to take the Auto Train on Saturday from Sanford but as was reported elsewhere...all trains were cancelled this weekend and Amtrak informed us that there was no available space on any train until 9/1 going northbound.

We discussed our options all day since receiving the call from Amtrak early in the afternoon and our original thought was to wait until Sunday and drive home after the storm, but after seeing the evening news reports from Philly (the internet is so efficient!) we are concerned about our house (some windows are open and nothing is secure outside) so have cancelled all our plans for the next two days and are leaving in the morning.The current plan is to get on the road about 9am. We need to leave WDW and travel to ILs home nearby to pick up some items. Our thinking is that it will be better to take the inland route (81) than 95 to avoid the storm as well as all the evacuees filling the hotel rooms along the 95 corridor.

Realistically, how far can we expect to get after a full day of driving the inland route? Where should we be shooting for? Looking for hotel rooms for Friday night?.

I am a planner and have done little to no research on this route since we decided back in February to take the Auto Train. We weren't expecting to drive home!

Everything is packed up and we are ready to load up the van in the morning. I would appreciate any insight anyone w/ more driving experience can share.

Do you have a neighbor who could go secure your house?

 

[Minniemouse07]

Do you have a neighbor who could go secure your house?

Nope, which is why we decided to leave early.

 

[kacaju]

good luck..my brother and family also are leaving this morning to NJ. I tried to get them to stay but he really wants to get home

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

here is a map for you


http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=D...w&vpsrc=6&mra=dme&mrsp=3&sz=7&via=1,2&t=h&z=7


As for where to stop I would shoot for the Carolina's. Maybe around Mt Airy.

 

[Robert P]

Our original plan was to take the Auto Train on Saturday from Sanford but as was reported elsewhere...all trains were cancelled this weekend and Amtrak informed us that there was no available space on any train until 9/1 going northbound.

We discussed our options all day since receiving the call from Amtrak early in the afternoon and our original thought was to wait until Sunday and drive home after the storm, but after seeing the evening news reports from Philly (the internet is so efficient!) we are concerned about our house (some windows are open and nothing is secure outside) so have cancelled all our plans for the next two days and are leaving in the morning.

The current plan is to get on the road about 9am. We need to leave WDW and travel to ILs home nearby to pick up some items. Our thinking is that it will be better to take the inland route (81) than 95 to avoid the storm as well as all the evacuees filling the hotel rooms along the 95 corridor.

Realistically, how far can we expect to get after a full day of driving the inland route? Where should we be shooting for? Looking for hotel rooms for Friday night?.

I am a planner and have done little to no research on this route since we decided back in February to take the Auto Train. We weren't expecting to drive home!

Everything is packed up and we are ready to load up the van in the morning. I would appreciate any insight anyone w/ more driving experience can share.

From WDW to the NC/VA line on the inland route (4-95-26-77) is 638 miles.
To the 77/81 exit in VA is 670.
To the VA/WV line, while staying on 81, is 925 miles.

How far you can get, I can't say, too many variables. But, those are the distances from WDW for major points along the inland route.
Hope that helps.
Travel Safe!!

 

[Missytara]

I live in DE, and as of last night, they closed Rt. 1 on the DE/MD line and closed off Ocean City, MD to everyone but residents needing to board up their vacation places.

So the farther inland you travel the better.

I hope you make it in time; I work for the govt. and they say it will be the likes of what we have never seen before. Too bad you missed the earthquake earlier this week; that had to be one of the most frightening ten seconds of my life......

 

[francie57]

The farther inland the better at this point. I live in CT but have been listening to the news conferences on TV from NY and NJ and the coastal routes are going to be a mess since there are major evacuations underway. Would imagine Philly and the area is doing the same. I think I would be running on such nervous energy to get home and get things secured that I would just keep driving if possible. Hopefully things won't be as bad and everyone is projecting them to be. Good luck with getting home. The one good thing about the 77/81 route is the speed limit is 65 most of the way so you will be able to make good time.

 

[minnie mum]

On the inland route you would be in Charlotte in 9-10 hours and around Harrisonburg in 14 hours or so. Whether you would want to push it any farther than this would depend on your driving endurance, traffic (a lot of people may be diverting to this route for the same reason as you), and of course the weather.

I know that you are anxious to get home, but safety comes first and if you aren't used to marathon driving in bad weather, then perhaps the wisest thing is just to break it into 2 days and reserve a hotel room before you leave WDW. Good luck on the drive. I hope you'll let us all know how everything went when you get home.

 

[grimley1968]

If all SC routes are too packed with evacuees, etc. you could possibly consider going up I-75. That's certainly more inland than you'd want to go, but it might well be largely free of evacuee traffic jams. You could then get on I-81 via I-40 in Knoxville, then go up I-77 from Virginia.

But I would only do this if you hear that all the SC/NC interstates are completely jammed up.

 

[LilyWDW]

If all SC routes are too packed with evacuees, etc. you could possibly consider going up I-75. That's certainly more inland than you'd want to go, but it might well be largely free of evacuee traffic jams. You could then get on I-81 via I-40 in Knoxville, then go up I-77 from Virginia.

But I would only do this if you hear that all the SC/NC interstates are completely jammed up.

I-81 to I-77 would take you through Bristol... BAD idea this weekend with the races. Traffic will most likely be very bad along I-81 both before and after the races unless you come through at a real off time. It may be fine when the OP would be coming in, but just a heads up!

 

[ironz]

I-81 to I-77 would take you through Bristol... BAD idea this weekend with the races. Traffic will most likely be very bad along I-81 both before and after the races unless you come through at a real off time. It may be fine when the OP would be coming in, but just a heads up!

Good point on the races in Bristol. I once was driving DC to Louisiana...the ONE time I have gone without having hotel reservations. I was just going to stop when I was tired. I first started looking for a hotel about 1-2 hours north of Bristol, in Virginia somewhere. Nothing. Nothing all along the way...tried again in Knoxville, where everything was booked for a basketball tournament. Ended up sleeping in ALABAMA...after driving until 4 am!

Mind you, that was before everyone had cell phones and mobile internet access, so I couldn't search out hotels...just had to keep stopping every so many exits and look for vacancy. It was mind-numbing to say the least.

 

[LilyWDW]

Good point on the races in Bristol. I once was driving DC to Louisiana...the ONE time I have gone without having hotel reservations. I was just going to stop when I was tired. I first started looking for a hotel about 1-2 hours north of Bristol, in Virginia somewhere. Nothing. Nothing all along the way...tried again in Knoxville, where everything was booked for a basketball tournament. Ended up sleeping in ALABAMA...after driving until 4 am!

Mind you, that was before everyone had cell phones and mobile internet access, so I couldn't search out hotels...just had to keep stopping every so many exits and look for vacancy. It was mind-numbing to say the least.

You would be lucky to find a hotel that has room anywhere in NE TN this time of year. Not only due to the races, but Johnson City will be booked up because the University thinks it is smart to have move in weekend the SAME weekend! So, yea... nothing in JC, Jonesborough, Kingsport, Bristol, ect.

 

[disneymarie]

Just saw you were leaving Fri. Be safe.