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

[DSLRuser]

Troane522, here is summary of the latest drive times. I typically leave early AM (2:30 or so) and here the time reaching various spots:

Leave 2:30 am
DE 3:40 am
MD 3:55 am
VA 5:25 am
NC 8:15 am
SC 11:15 am
GA 3:35 PM
FL 5:05 pm
Orlando area 7:45 pm

This included about 2.5 hours in stops too, an hour and a half of which were in SC so that is why I didn't get to GA till 3:35 pm. I have made the Orlando area in anywhere from 6:30 pm to 8:45 pm, depending on stops, traffic/accidents and weather.

Whay not leave at 7:00pm so you can get to the world mid afternoon instead of so late

 

[troane522]

Troane522, here is summary of the latest drive times. I typically leave early AM (2:30 or so) and here the time reaching various spots:

Leave 2:30 am
DE 3:40 am
MD 3:55 am
VA 5:25 am
NC 8:15 am
SC 11:15 am
GA 3:35 PM
FL 5:05 pm
Orlando area 7:45 pm

This included about 2.5 hours in stops too, an hour and a half of which were in
SC so that is why I didn't get to GA till 3:35 pm. I have made the Orlando
area in anywhere from 6:30 pm to 8:45 pm, depending on stops,
traffic/accidents and weather.

Thx! This gives me a good idea of timing and makes the planning a little easier!

 

[cruisingkat]

Got home from Disney 8 days ago. Didn't have a chance to wash clothes as we had a family function and houseguests. So am washing clothes now. Guess I will just put them back in the suitcase as we leave for Disney again a couple of weeks. Love these short times between trips! And glad hubby loves to drive so we can do them!

 

[Beth921]

We're in the suburbs of St Louis. It's 2192 miles from our door to WDW round trip. Our mini van is 9 years old and doesn't get great gas mileage so we're renting a car for our road trip We got an awesome rate and the money we're saving on gas will more than pay for the rental.
Not to mention not having to worry about any sort of breakdown issues, which is awesome because our vacation to Chicago last fall ended up costing us over $250 when the van broke down at the gas station filling up on the way out of town

 

[dvczerfs]

You should be past DC by 3 pm, and June 10 is early in the month. But I wonder if any DC experts out there can tell you how Friday afternoon traffic patterns are then. Is June 10 part of the "summer weekends", and does the traffic thus start earlier?

friday afternoons on 95 from philly to n.carolina boarder is alot of shore traffic. sat. mornings can be just as bad.

 

[Disneyholic]

Looked at the 10 day forcast on weather.com and from what I am seeing we will have scattered thundershowers every state from Pa through GA. FL looks dry right now. I hate driving in the rain. Hopefully things change before we leave on Friday night.

 

[kidd_freeper]

friday afternoons on 95 from philly to n.carolina boarder is alot of shore traffic. sat. mornings can be just as bad.

I can confirm the Sat. morning heavy traffic.

I95, from DC to the NC/SC border, has very heavy traffic from 7am until mid-afternoon.

 

[amcnj]

DSLRuser: (sorry, don't now how to add quoted past entries) If I could stay awake overnight and drive that would be ideal traffic wise and arrival time wise. However, I don't have that night driving gene. I know I could never stay up all night. I am up 4:30-5 every morning, and thus get tired in the 9-10 pm range. Starting to feel sleepy while driving is too scary! Getting up a couple hours earlier than normal seems to work for me. I used to stay one night (or more if visiting areas other than WDW) in the Altamonte Springs/Winter Park area, but now usually pick the Orlando/Lake Buena Vista area.

 

[BC1836]

DSLRuser: (sorry, don't now how to add quoted past entries) If I could stay awake overnight and drive that would be ideal traffic wise and arrival time wise. However, I don't have that night driving gene. I know I could never stay up all night. I am up 4:30-5 every morning, and thus get tired in the 9-10 pm range. Starting to feel sleepy while driving is too scary! Getting up a couple hours earlier than normal seems to work for me. I used to stay one night (or more if visiting areas other than WDW) in the Altamonte Springs/Winter Park area, but now usually pick the Orlando/Lake Buena Vista area.

While driving at night or in the very early morning seems to be the choice of many 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers, including us, the safety factor must be considered first. Let your body dictate what works best for you behind the wheel. Getting to WDW (even in a lot of traffic) is better than taking costly risks.

All the best.

 

[Laurabearz]

We're in the suburbs of St Louis. It's 2192 miles from our door to WDW round trip. Our mini van is 9 years old and doesn't get great gas mileage so we're renting a car for our road trip We got an awesome rate and the money we're saving on gas will more than pay for the rental.
Not to mention not having to worry about any sort of breakdown issues, which is awesome because our vacation to Chicago last fall ended up costing us over $250 when the van broke down at the gas station filling up on the way out of town

We are in the same boat... older van, so we are renting one for the drive. Got a great deal too!

DSLRuser: (sorry, don't now how to add quoted past entries) If I could stay awake overnight and drive that would be ideal traffic wise and arrival time wise. However, I don't have that night driving gene. I know I could never stay up all night. I am up 4:30-5 every morning, and thus get tired in the 9-10 pm range. Starting to feel sleepy while driving is too scary! Getting up a couple hours earlier than normal seems to work for me. I used to stay one night (or more if visiting areas other than WDW) in the Altamonte Springs/Winter Park area, but now usually pick the Orlando/Lake Buena Vista area.

I know exactly how you feel... You can only do what you can do. I had a poster here suggest I leave during the peak of Chicago Rush hour to avoid Atlanta rush hour, so not all 'timing' advice is solid... lol Better safe than sorry!!

 

[C&G'sMama]

One week from today at this time.... We should be on the road for at least 10 minutes.

Our goal is leave by 10am. We'll see how close we are, how much I have packed, how much picking up we have to do so our friend and cat sitter doesn't break a leg getting to the cat dish etc....

 

[ThreeKMom]

You guys are awesome, you give the best travel advice!

So, help me plan our drive, please!

Our reservation is 8/26 - 9/2, we live in Tinton Falls NJ, we are traveling with myself, DH, DD21, DD20 and DD8. I'm thinking we will leave sometime on Thursday 8/25 and stop somewhere for the night. We would like to arrive at the Boardwalk around lunchtime on Friday 8/26. What time should we plan to leave our house?

Also for the return trip, we are not really in a rush to get home, but would like to avoid as much holiday traffic as possible. Should we leave Disney early Friday morning or late Friday? Should we plan to stop for a night on the way home or just drive straight through?

Thank you all in advance, I know you will come to my rescue!

 

[sharadoc]

You guys are awesome, you give the best travel advice!

So, help me plan our drive, please!

Our reservation is 8/26 - 9/2, we live in Tinton Falls NJ, we are traveling with myself, DH, DD21, DD20 and DD8. I'm thinking we will leave sometime on Thursday 8/25 and stop somewhere for the night. We would like to arrive at the Boardwalk around lunchtime on Friday 8/26. What time should we plan to leave our house?

Also for the return trip, we are not really in a rush to get home, but would like to avoid as much holiday traffic as possible. Should we leave Disney early Friday morning or late Friday? Should we plan to stop for a night on the way home or just drive straight through?

Thank you all in advance, I know you will come to my rescue!

Well, the best part is that you're driving on Thursday. I don't know where Tinton Falls is. Have you done a Google Maps trip or Mapquest? How does it send you and how long will it take?

I can tell you that we love the SC/GA border - usually Walterboro SC, which takes us 11-12 hours. That gets us to Disney in 5-6 hours the second day.

Going home, I'd probably say later on Friday, do a short drive on Friday so you can get some park or resort time, then do a longer drive on Saturday. I think the weekend traffic should be done by Saturday.

We will drive straight through on our next trip on the way down. We will most likely stop on the way home since we'll be more tired. Safety is our primary concern, especially with kids in the car. I won't drive if I have the least bit of eye fatigue, or feel myself drifting off mentally. We're going to play that by ear, we have the time to stop if we want to.

 

[ThreeKMom]

Well, the best part is that you're driving on Thursday. I don't know where Tinton Falls is. Have you done a Google Maps trip or Mapquest? How does it send you and how long will it take?

I can tell you that we love the SC/GA border - usually Walterboro SC, which takes us 11-12 hours. That gets us to Disney in 5-6 hours the second day.

Going home, I'd probably say later on Friday, do a short drive on Friday so you can get some park or resort time, then do a longer drive on Saturday. I think the weekend traffic should be done by Saturday.

We will drive straight through on our next trip on the way down. We will most likely stop on the way home since we'll be more tired. Safety is our primary concern, especially with kids in the car. I won't drive if I have the least bit of eye fatigue, or feel myself drifting off mentally. We're going to play that by ear, we have the time to stop if we want to.

Thanks!
Tinton Falls is in Monmouth Co. near the beach. Map quest says to take 95 and that it will take about 17 hours.

I'm thinking we would like to be about 4 hours away from Disney when we stop, where would that be approximately?

We will be comming home over Labor Day weekend, should we expect delays?
I know that Friday the traffic at home will be aweful especially if you are going south - will traffic be bad going north from Disney?

 

[BC1836]

Thanks!
Tinton Falls is in Monmouth Co. near the beach. Map quest says to take 95 and that it will take about 17 hours.

I'm thinking we would like to be about 4 hours away from Disney when we stop, where would that be approximately?

We will be comming home over Labor Day weekend, should we expect delays?
I know that Friday the traffic at home will be aweful especially if you are going south - will traffic be bad going north from Disney?

Howdy!

First: Add an extra hour to your previously estimated drive time.

Four hours from WDW? Anywhere between Darien and Brunswick, GA.

Traffic coming home on Labor Day? Don't even ask!

All the best.

 

[pamjb]

no dc,balt beltways and no tolls.

Yippee. Thanx for the help. So now I can stop stressing about the time we are leaving versus the time we get into Maryland.
Next problem.....fitting six peoples luggage into a minivan.....

 

[dvczerfs]

Yippee. Thanx for the help. So now I can stop stressing about the time we are leaving versus the time we get into Maryland.
Next problem.....fitting six peoples luggage into a minivan.....

duffle bags!!! duffle bags "schmush" together and take up alot less room than a hard suit case. we are dvc members so we have a full size washer and dryer in our room but what we do when we stay at the contemp. in the tower is only pack for half your vacation. half way through,just do xthe laundry and your good for the second half.

 

[BC1836]

duffle bags!!! duffle bags "schmush" together and take up alot less room than a hard suit case. we are dvc members so we have a full size washer and dryer in our room but what we do when we stay at the contemp. in the tower is only pack for half your vacation. half way through,just do xthe laundry and your good for the second half.

Let your less-than-one-month countdown begin! Can sharadoc be far behind?

All the best.

 

[Wadecool]

For all those traveling north or south on I75, the Georgia State Patrol is putting out a LOT of speed traps. How do I know? Let's just say I received a driving award in Catoosa County, just south of Chattanooga.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Another caution for those traveling on I-75 this weekend.

For those going northbound through Cincinnati, there is only one lane northbound for the last couple of miles in Kentucky, right before the bridge. Construction up until early Monday morning.

Best way is to either take I-275 around, or you could take I-275 east to I-471, then go up to downtown Cincinnati that way.