For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (II)

[dvczerfs]

I leave Wednesday morning for my 3rd road trip down to Disney world.. Cannot wait!!!!!

have a great trip.

Has anyone done 81 south from NY or PA to WDW recently, was wondering how the traffic has been with the construction that has been reported on the board

sorry guzzi, the only place that anyone so far is the work in the mtn. of virginia. i know, once you hit the pa line through the poconos theres no construction to speak of. from the poconos to harrisburg pa there is not much but little towns and fields so you should be fine.

 

[klmrph]

We are on the road now, left NW Indiana a little after 8pm CST.

Made it to
Indy about 10pm
Louisville about midnight
stopped for gas near Elizabethtown, KY - $3.71 a gallon ($4.25 back home)
Nashville about 3am
Chattanooga about 5:15am
then into Georgia, stopped for a bathroom break, fed & changed the baby and refueled even though we were at 1/2 tank still - $3.68 a gallon here.

Heading down 75 right now towards Atlanta, so far the trip is smooth sailing with one tiny piece of construction.

 

[dvczerfs]

We are on the road now, left NW Indiana a little after 8pm CST.

Made it to
Indy about 10pm
Louisville about midnight
stopped for gas near Elizabethtown, KY - $3.71 a gallon ($4.25 back home)
Nashville about 3am
Chattanooga about 5:15am
then into Georgia, stopped for a bathroom break, fed & changed the baby and refueled even though we were at 1/2 tank still - $3.68 a gallon here.

Heading down 75 right now towards Atlanta, so far the trip is smooth sailing with one tiny piece of construction.

still wide awake???? for me its when the sun comes up wakes me up. have a safe trip.

 

[klmrph]

still wide awake???? for me its when the sun comes up wakes me up. have a safe trip.

Yep, wide awake now as the sun is coming up, on only about 2 hours of sleep.

 

[dvczerfs]

Yep, wide awake now as the sun is coming up, on only about 2 hours of sleep.

commando!!!! now, try doing that on the way home. i could never do it.

 

[PrincessMom4]

Has anyone done 81 south from NY or PA to WDW recently, was wondering how the traffic has been with the construction that has been reported on the board

Guzzi, here is a website that I use to check on construction and such when we travel. I find that PA always seems to have some sort of construction project on the go...LOL

http://www.pahighways.com/exits/I81exits.html#NY

Once you get to the bottom of the page click on "STATE OF NEW YORK" it will bring you to NY's weather and construction/traffic information.

Hope this helps.

 

[BC1836]

Ugh. In between two drives to WDW (one last month and one next month) we have a flight to San Antonio next week. Ugh.

All the best.

 

[pwdebbie]

Has anyone done 81 south from NY or PA to WDW recently, was wondering how the traffic has been with the construction that has been reported on the board

Crossed under I-81 on Rt. 30 yesterday and I can tell you that I still see cones and construction signs on I-81 (Exit 16). We live in the area but avoid traveling on the interstate because of the construction.

 

[dvczerfs]

Guzzi, here is a website that I use to check on construction and such when we travel. I find that PA always seems to have some sort of construction project on the go...LOL

http://www.pahighways.com/exits/I81exits.html#NY

Once you get to the bottom of the page click on "STATE OF NEW YORK" it will bring you to NY's weather and construction/traffic information.

Hope this helps.

it just seems like our roads are under construction all the time, it takes pendot some time to put all those bumps,potholes and ridges in. they should change the sign to welcome to pa, the pot hole state!!!

 

[BC1836]

A new thread asks the question, "Fly vs. Drive." On this thread, the question becomes "Drive straight through or stay overnight?"

All the best.

 

[4my_girls]

Hello, I am pretty new to this site. I need all the advice and helpful tips on driving from Wichita, Kansas. We will be leaving on Saturday, June 4th and we are scheduled to check into WDW on Monday June 6th.

Our daughters are ages 7 and 9; they are pretty good travelers. We are planning on leaving around 5 AM and driving for 12 hours on day 1; I want to arrive to Orlando on Day 2, this way all we have to do is check out of a hotel on Monday AM and check into Disney.

I am not sure what route to take------google map has us going down through Memphis and Bermingham. However, with the current flooding and the recent tornados I am curious if our route needs to change.

THANKS in advance for your input!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

A new thread asks the question, "Fly vs. Drive." On this thread, the question the question becomes "Drive straight through or stay overnight?"

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

Hello, I am pretty new to this site. I need all the advice and helpful tips on driving from Wichita, Kansas. We will be leaving on Saturday, June 4th and we are scheduled to check into WDW on Monday June 6th.

Our daughters are ages 7 and 9; they are pretty good travelers. We are planning on leaving around 5 AM and driving for 12 hours on day 1; I want to arrive to Orlando on Day 2, this way all we have to do is check out of a hotel on Monday AM and check into Disney.

I am not sure what route to take------google map has us going down through Memphis and Bermingham. However, with the current flooding and the recent tornados I am curious if our route needs to change.

THANKS in advance for your input!!!

im sorry 4mygirls, i dont come down from your area but hang in there, someone from your neck of the woods will be along soon to help you out.

 

[ImTheMama]

Hello, I am pretty new to this site. I need all the advice and helpful tips on driving from Wichita, Kansas. We will be leaving on Saturday, June 4th and we are scheduled to check into WDW on Monday June 6th.

Our daughters are ages 7 and 9; they are pretty good travelers. We are planning on leaving around 5 AM and driving for 12 hours on day 1; I want to arrive to Orlando on Day 2, this way all we have to do is check out of a hotel on Monday AM and check into Disney.

I am not sure what route to take------google map has us going down through Memphis and Bermingham. However, with the current flooding and the recent tornados I am curious if our route needs to change.

THANKS in advance for your input!!!

Hello fellow Kansas resident

We live outside of Kansas city (on the Kansas side) and we drove in 2009 with our three kids and went through St. Louis, Chattanooga and Atlanta on the way down. Not sure which way we will go this time but I am thinking a reverse drive through Arkansas and then across the southern states. I have been wondering the same thing as you. We are leaving June 3. Also arriving June 6 and staying until June 11. Wish I had more info for you but have a safe trip and a great vacation.

 

[4my_girls]

Hello fellow Kansas resident

We live outside of Kansas city (on the Kansas side) and we drove in 2009 with our three kids and went through St. Louis, Chattanooga and Atlanta on the way down. Not sure which way we will go this time but I am thinking a reverse drive through Arkansas and then across the southern states. I have been wondering the same thing as you. We are leaving June 3. Also arriving June 6 and staying until June 11. Wish I had more info for you but have a safe trip and a great vacation.

Thanks for responding!!! How long did it take you to get there in 2009? I am starting to get into a panic mode. I am trying HARD not to, but as the time gets closer I am realizing that this is one part of our trip that I have not planned out too well. I know it will all work out, I just wish I knew more about what Mother Nature's plans are - LOL!!! We are arriving on June 6th as well staying until the 12th and then going to Daytona Beach for a few days before heading home. Fingers crossed that gas prices stay less than $4 per gallon!!!!

 

[ImTheMama]

Thanks for responding!!! How long did it take you to get there in 2009? I am starting to get into a panic mode. I am trying HARD not to, but as the time gets closer I am realizing that this is one part of our trip that I have not planned out too well. I know it will all work out, I just wish I knew more about what Mother Nature's plans are - LOL!!! We are arriving on June 6th as well staying until the 12th and then going to Daytona Beach for a few days before heading home. Fingers crossed that gas prices stay less than $4 per gallon!!!!

We took our time going down but if I remember correctly we left on a Thursday afternoon and arrived one day early on Saturday. We stopped for a bit in St Louis and did the Arch then drove on to somewhere in Illinois and stopped for the night. Then on the second day we stopped in Chattanooga and did some sight seeing there. Friday night I made my DH stop in Georgia just north of the Florida line. When then spent Saturday afternoon in St Augustine FL then drove over to Orlando that night and stayed at a hotel across the street from the entrance to WDW.

This time we are not telling the two younger kids (the oldest we had to tell because of softball schedules and such) so we are going to take a different route on the way down so they do not figure out where we are going. We are still leaving either Thursday or Friday (depending on how much pre trip packing I can get done). I think the plan is to go through Springfield, Mo into Arkansas. I am hoping I can talk my husband in to taking us to New Orleans but I don't think it will happen. Then we are going to drive over and stay along the gulf coast for a day before heading on into WDW. I know I am getting my hopes up for nothing but I think it would be so cool if they delayed the Shuttle lunch a little longer and we could drive over there as well.

 

[C&G'sMama]

A new thread asks the question, "Fly vs. Drive." On this thread, the question becomes "Drive straight through or stay overnight?"

All the best.

I know. We feel like old ladies by staying overnight Well we are

18 days, but who's counting? Pretty soon it'll be by hours and minutes

I am soooo... looking forward to this vacation and our course our obligatory stop at Dairy Queen somewhere along the way!

 

[sharadoc]

I know. We feel like old ladies by staying overnight Well we are

18 days, but who's counting? Pretty soon it'll be by hours and minutes

I am soooo... looking forward to this vacation and our course our obligatory stop at Dairy Queen somewhere along the way!

Not at all! There's no honor in driving straight-through if you arrive exhausted and miserable. That's why you should do what works for you, and not what anybody else think!!!

We are on our 6th trip driving with our kids since January 09 and this is the first one where we will drive straight through. You have to decide AFTER you try it at least once or twice, get familiar with the roads you drive and then decide if you can handle it.

Take care and for 18 days!

 

[C&G'sMama]

Not at all! There's no honor in driving straight-through if you arrive exhausted and miserable. That's why you should do what works for you, and not what anybody else think!!!

We are on our 6th trip driving with our kids since January 09 and this is the first one where we will drive straight through. You have to decide AFTER you try it at least once or twice, get familiar with the roads you drive and then decide if you can handle it.

Take care and for 18 days!

Neither of us are comfortable driving at night while traveling. And DP does all the driving, though she may let me take a couple of hour stint this trip. It's a control thing and I'm perfectly happy being navigator, food passer out etc. I'm also like a baby in the car, it starts moving and I fall asleep. DP can't sleep in the car.

This will be our 13th drive since 1999. We flew 3 times before that (and before kids, DD was born in 2000) and we flew once in 2001 with DD. We've driven ever since. And we've taken other road trips to places like Boston and Charlotte and one time to Miami (of course we overnighted at WDW on the way down)

We did it one time with just staying 1 night going down but we've settled into 2 nights. On the way down it's nice because we arrive at Disney late morning early afternoon after driving just anywhere from 2 to 8 hours and on the way back we usually stop within a couple of hours of home to extend the vacation. We find a hotel with a pool, sleep in and head home. The last couple of trips we've stopped at the Country Cupboard on 15 on the way home. I remember stopping there when I was a kid and there was nothing else around there at the time. The kids like the wooden nickles they get and I remember getting.

Ahh memories, can't wait to make more.

 

[ospopo5]

I love reading all the wonderful stories and memories people have from their driving trips. We are taking our first driving trip down to Florida from Chicago with two very young children. We are planning on stopping overnight each way. I travel all the time for business so am used to the hustle and bustle. We even took our daughter on a flight to California when she was 5 months old and flew down in October. Both times she was awesome.

But the fact is we want to make this a vacation out of it more than just Disney. I want to have the pictures of them swimming in the hotel pool in Georgia or wherever we stay overnight. I want to be able to tell them the stories and create the memories with them. My daughter this will be the 3rd trip to Disney. Disneyland when she was 5 months. Disneyworld when she was 13 months and now Disneyworld again at 2 years. Yes, she is young but for us who like going as well, we are about the family time spent together than the make sure we check everything off our list during our vacations.

I cant wait to start our driving adventure. I wish it was here already!