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

[budafam]

I really love this thread as well. I remember taking road trips with my family when I was younger (14 & 17)... we went to Vegas both times (from Wisconsin) and drove the whole way. I LOVED it. I went to Vegas again for my 21st birthday with my fiance (now DH) and we flew.. ugh, I hated it. I really missed the wayside stops and eating at different restaurants along the way.

I'm 27 now and this will be our first "big" family vacation ever. My daughter is 2 and my son is 4. I have wanted to go to Disney World since I was little but my mom had many health problems and could never walk far therefore, no Disney. We had booked our trip 1 1/2 years ago and my mom unexpectadly passed away a month later so we canceled. I rebooked in February and we leave in 4 days. I cannot wait. I think driving is the most fun a family can have together. I'm looking forward to that *almost* as much as just getting to Disney World. I did say *almost*.

Our vacation starts as soon as we pull out of our driveway Friday morning at 6am and I cannot wait!

 

[BC1836]

We have done seven straight-through drives; in fact, the last five of our drives have been straight-through efforts.

Our straight-through drives are not exactly from home-to-WDW journeys, although the first two were. At the end of our first-day drive we arrive at a Lake Buena Vista hotel just outside WDW. So the next morning, we wak up refreshed and have only a 10-minute drive to our WDW hotel. No good financial reason to book a first night at the Grand Floridian or Boardwalk Garden Suites to merely sleep. For example a recent one-night stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Lake Buena Vista cost $99. One night at the Grand Floridian? A bit more.

All the best.

 

[C&G'sMama]

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.

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

I think driving is the most fun a family can have together. I'm looking forward to that *almost* as much as just getting to Disney World. I did say *almost*.

Our vacation starts as soon as we pull out of our driveway Friday morning at 6am and I cannot wait!

Ditto and Ditto. And I've found a lot of kindred spirits on this thread.

We have rituals. We have a specific blue duffel bag that has the "new" toys in it. When the kids were younger it contained stuffed animals and Color Wonder Markers. Now we put in new books (well, we've always included books, it's just gone from picture Books to chapter bookds) DVDs and cartridges for the Didj and Leapster (and we're actually getting our almost 11yo a DS for her birthday) They expect that Blue Bag and look forward to the new things that come out of it.

We pack them a lunch box every day in the car with special treats that they usually don't get at home. We have our Dairy Queen Ritual. On our final leg we usually hit a convenience store and let them pick out any junk they want. It's these little things. And it has created some wonderful memories over the years.

Have fun and ejoy the ride.

 

[dvczerfs]

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!

no shame in stopping over night. pending when we leave, we stop over night. im an outside sales rep and spend alot of time behind the wheel so dont go by me. i get behind the wheel and i could drive along time with out a problem. my company car at the end of may will be two years old and i have over 90k on it. driving straight through is fun but its not worth risking your life for.

 

[C&G'sMama]

no shame in stopping over night. pending when we leave, we stop over night. im an outside sales rep and spend alot of time behind the wheel so dont go by me. i get behind the wheel and i could drive along time with out a problem. my company car at the end of may will be two years old and i have over 90k on it. driving straight through is fun but its not worth risking your life for.

Oh, I'm perfectly comfortable being slow (another reason DP doesn't like it when I drive)

Seriously, you veterans of this thread have made me feel very welcome. While I am veteran of many a long ride to WDW I just found this thread a few months ago and love the idea sharing and finding others like us who like to drive do Disney.

I can't wait 'til we actually hit the road. DP just got a Droid and since I'm passenger I'm looking forward to getting to play with it and posting from the road (when I'm not sleeping).

We've got the staying over night in a hotel to a science. We have one bag for the four of us with clothes for the 2 nights on the road. We have a bag with swim stuff and what ever other stuff the kids want to bring in with them for the night. I usually try to get up before everyone else and clean the car out (clean being a relative term) so we are ready for another day on the road.

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

sounds like you are making good time, hopefully we will to when we follow the route in 2 weeks. BTW your baby girl is just too cute.

 

[BC1836]

Despite the obvious limited drives of the late winter, the number of 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers who have just traveled, are traveling and are about to travel have increased significantly! Tis the season! The driving records on this thread will be updated (see post #1895). Alas, though, we're still a month away from our next drive.

All the best.

 

[Laurabearz]

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

All the best.

We are still asking ourselves this question... one minute driving straight through seems like the best plan, then I second guess it... and think gosh we should stay over night...

I am thankful for this thread where I can come and read and be even more wishy washy on our decision! lol

 

[DSLRuser]

We are still asking ourselves this question... one minute driving straight through seems like the best plan, lol

Our kids this year (in 3 weeks) will be 9 and 4. We have driven when we had 1 child at 18 months, 4 years, then 2 kids at 5 and 1, 6 and 2, 7 and 3...you get the point.

Our key is to plan on arriving at 11:00am in disney. This gives the best chance at our room being ready, any earlier and you are risking it.

so, it takes us 17 hours from st. louis. we count back from 11 and leave at 5 or 6 pm central time after dinner at home. My wifes drives the first 3-4 hours. Then I take over at around 10pm, and drive all night. the great part of this arrangement is, the kids SLEEP 85% of the trip. Around 7:00am, we reach ocala florida. We usually eat at the cracker barrel for breakfast. this lets us stretch and recharge from the long overnight drive.

Then my wife finishes the last 2.5 hours of the trip to the world.

 

[DSLRuser]

H

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!!!

due east on highway 70 to st louis, then 64 east, then 57 south, then 24 east, then 75 south to the turnpike.

 

[DSLRuser]

Which lane is the carpool lane?

Starting just north of Altanta in Marrietta, the far left lane is blocked off by a double white line and is designated HOV (high occupency vehicle). Only motorcycles and cars with 2 or more people are allowed to be in that lane.

Since you are driving straight through atlanta, you can enter the HOV lane at it's beginning, and stay in it for the entire 20+ mile run.

Just pay close attention to the signs to stay on 75 south. at times, the HOV lane may appear to be leaving the highway, but all it is doing is avoiding the congestion caused when multiple higways enter and exit the main 75 highway.

one other note, regardless of speed limit, keep up with the car in front of you. Or else you will find the guy behind you riding your bumper.

 

[Laurabearz]

Our kids this year (in 3 weeks) will be 9 and 4. We have driven when we had 1 child at 18 months, 4 years, then 2 kids at 5 and 1, 6 and 2, 7 and 3...you get the point.

Our key is to plan on arriving at 11:00am in disney. This gives the best chance at our room being ready, any earlier and you are risking it.

so, it takes us 17 hours from st. louis. we count back from 11 and leave at 5 or 6 pm central time after dinner at home. My wifes drives the first 3-4 hours. Then I take over at around 10pm, and drive all night. the great part of this arrangement is, the kids SLEEP 85% of the trip. Around 7:00am, we reach ocala florida. We usually eat at the cracker barrel for breakfast. this lets us stretch and recharge from the long overnight drive.

Then my wife finishes the last 2.5 hours of the trip to the world.

We prefer to do the majority of our driving during the day... we will leave around 4 am Chicago time and arrive hopefully before 1am Orlando time... check in and crash. Since we have front of the line at Universal the next day, it doesnt matter what time we get up and hit the parks, we will still be able to ride everything, and pretty much have a kick back recovery day... the second morning we attack HP an hour early and finish up what we didnt do the afternoon before.

And if it all plays out that way wonderful.....

But then I start thinking... what if we hit bad traffic somewhere? what if that means we dont arrive until 3 or 4 am .... That would totally suck....

 

[DSLRuser]

we will leave around 4 am Chicago time and arrive hopefully before 1am Orlando time... c

The bad thing about your strategy means you will hit Atlanta at 5pm, smack in the middle of rush hour.

Doing it like we do, we hit Atlanta at 2am. Smooth sailing.

And condolences on being from Chicago. Must be tough having such a failure of a baseball franchise

Go cardinals!

 

[cariann77]

We've finally decided on our departure time for our trip next week. We're about 20 mins north of Detroit and are planning on leaving at 10pm on Friday night. We are traveling with a 4&5 year old. Do you think we'll make it to Orlando on Saturday? We don't check into Disney until Sunday. Should I book a room in Orlando for Saturday night or should I just wing it and see where we end up on Saturday?

Also, any constructions alerts for I-75 S travel?

TIA!

 

[Riverhill]

We've finally decided on our departure time for our trip next week. We're about 20 mins north of Detroit and are planning on leaving at 10pm on Friday night. We are traveling with a 4&5 year old. Do you think we'll make it to Orlando on Saturday? We don't check into Disney until Sunday. Should I book a room in Orlando for Saturday night or should I just wing it and see where we end up on Saturday?

Also, any constructions alerts for I-75 S travel?

TIA!

A few years back we left from Brighton MI area about 12 midnight and were in Orlando by 8pm the next night. We were with a 3 and 5 year old. Lots of car snacks and only rest stops quick in and out. I did have the kids jump around while they were at the rest stops to get the wiggles out. They are great travelers.

Have a wonderful and safe trip

 

[Laurabearz]

Thoughts on snoozing at a rest stop??

 

[marius97]

Thoughts on snoozing at a rest stop??

Personally no problem with it. We've done two over night drives now with three under 10 kids. Both times we stopped for a bit of a rest. In every stop that we made, there were TONS of people there. Not a dozen cars, but dozens of cars. Some we even had difficulty finding a spot to park. If I was one of a handful of cars, I would feel unsafe. But with so many people there, I am not worried about something happening.

 

[pamjb]

I am considering driving for our upcoming trip in June. Leaving from the Allentown, PA area. AAA.com sends me thru Philly and Delaware, which is a little over 1000 miles one way. Mapquest.com sends me towards Harrisburg, at around 1200 miles one way.
Is there anyway to find out the tolls for each of the routes. Trying to determine the budget of flying versus driving.

 

[Disneyholic]

I am considering driving for our upcoming trip in June. Leaving from the Allentown, PA area. AAA.com sends me thru Philly and Delaware, which is a little over 1000 miles one way. Mapquest.com sends me towards Harrisburg, at around 1200 miles one way.
Is there anyway to find out the tolls for each of the routes. Trying to determine the budget of flying versus driving.

Though it is a little faster to go I95 through Philly & Delaware (if you aren't going through during rush hours) there are tolls on the turnpike, at the bridges in Delaware and at the tunnels in Maryland.

We have been doing the 22-78-81-83-695-95-495-95-4 route the past few times. 695 & 495 take you around Baltimore & DC. (I hate the tolls and Philly.) There are no tolls on this route either. (unless you go too far on 95 (and miss 4) in Florida and end up taking the turnpike across to Orlando)

 

[blondietink]

Just a note, now that 95 is done through Jacksonville, there is really no need to take the loop around it .... adds several miles and a lot of time. ACtually we have always gone through Jacksonville on 95 after doing the loop just once. Has always been better and faster than the loop, even during construction. Just to make sure there are no accidents, stop and ask about traffic at the Florida Welcome Center.