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

[BC1836]

Thanks!

We will take rt. 18 to 195 to the Turnpike. We plan to leave on Thursday (8/25) after dinner - around 5:30 - 6:00 and drive straight through! Does this sound like a good idea to you?

We will stop for a bathroom break hopefully around 9:30 - 10:00 and put our DD into her PJ's. we are thinking she will sleep through most of the drive! DH will drive for the bulk of the trip (it's a guy thing!), we will stop again around 4:00 am so I can drive till its time for breakfast. Then DH will take over again!

We are planning to take it easy the day we arrive - relax (and nap) at the pool, with maybe a quick trip to DTD, we will watch Illuminations from the bridge and go to sleep! We have an early ADR at the Crystal Palace for Saturday morning to start the trip off on the right foot!

Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated!

Although we only have initiated our straight-drive-through journeys in the wee hours of the early morning, we can't provide any additional suggestions to you other than: be fully rested, make your gas stops at large gas stations (the solo, tiny, off-the-beaten-path gas stations can be somewhat dangerous late at night/early in the pre-dawn) and stay alert.

The DTD stop on your first day of arrival may not be the best thing to do since you will have to do some additional driving and added walking. Rest up at your hotel and then enjoy WDW 24/7 the following day.

All the best.

 

[patclairesmom]

Thanks!

We will take rt. 18 to 195 to the Turnpike. We plan to leave on Thursday (8/25) after dinner - around 5:30 - 6:00 and drive straight through! Does this sound like a good idea to you?

We will stop for a bathroom break hopefully around 9:30 - 10:00 and put our DD into her PJ's. we are thinking she will sleep through most of the drive! DH will drive for the bulk of the trip (it's a guy thing!), we will stop again around 4:00 am so I can drive till its time for breakfast. Then DH will take over again!

We are planning to take it easy the day we arrive - relax (and nap) at the pool, with maybe a quick trip to DTD, we will watch Illuminations from the bridge and go to sleep! We have an early ADR at the Crystal Palace for Saturday morning to start the trip off on the right foot!

Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated!

Will you hit traffic on 18 at that hour? I'm not sure how close or where you are coming from. Also I think you should skip Illuminations the first night. Even though it's at 9, by the time you get back to your room, unwind and get to bed, it could be later than you wanted.

 

[ThreeKMom]

Although we only have initiated our straight-drive-through journeys in the wee hours of the early morning, we can't provide any additional suggestions to you other than: be fully rested, make your gas stops at large gas stations (the solo, tiny, off-the-beaten-path gas stations can be somewhat dangerous late at night/early in the pre-dawn) and stay alert.

The DTD stop on your first day of arrival may not be the best thing to do since you will have to do some additional driving and added walking. Rest up at your hotel and then enjoy WDW 24/7 the following day.

All the best.

DH plans to sleep most of the day on Thursday, I have to work untill 2:00pm, so he will be fully rested. He is also used to driving all night as he snow plows in the winter so it won't be a big deal to him.

As for DTD, that would only be if we were feeling like we needed to do something more than sit by the pool or walk around the boardwalk. We would probably take the bus and just grab something to eat.

Thanks for the advise about the gas stops, I assume the stops on 95 are all OK??

Will you hit traffic on 18 at that hour? I'm not sure how close or where you are coming from. Also I think you should skip Illuminations the first night. Even though it's at 9, by the time you get back to your room, unwind and get to bed, it could be later than you wanted.

We live about two minutes from 18, the traffic going south isn't usually too bad after dinner. I think we get on 18 at exit 13 (or is it 15?), it's very close!

As for illuminations, we would watch it from the bridge on the boardwalk so it's not really an travel at all, we are staying at the boardwalk. If we get lucky, maybe we will be able to watch them from our room!

 

[honeymo78]

And now another reason to be excited about our trip in September. DH just got a new Lincoln MKT. No more compromise between cargo space in our Mariner (which I just traded in for an MKS after DH got the new car) and the comfort of the Milan. Now we have it all!

 

[BC1836]

DH plans to sleep most of the day on Thursday, I have to work untill 2:00pm, so he will be fully rested. He is also used to driving all night as he snow plows in the winter so it won't be a big deal to him.

As for DTD, that would only be if we were feeling like we needed to do something more than sit by the pool or walk around the boardwalk. We would probably take the bus and just grab something to eat.

Thanks for the advise about the gas stops, I assume the stops on 95 are all OK??




We live about two minutes from 18, the traffic going south isn't usually too bad after dinner. I think we get on 18 at exit 13 (or is it 15?), it's very close!

As for illuminations, we would watch it from the bridge on the boardwalk so it's not really an travel at all, we are staying at the boardwalk. If we get lucky, maybe we will be able to watch them from our room!

As Fess Parker, Walt Disney's Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, would suggest: "Be sure you're right, then go ahead!" Have a great time at WDW and pay special attenttion to all of the music: it's the key to WDW's magic.

All the best.

 

[stasijane]

My dreams of having a fast easy trip in Oct were dashed down when my DB finally said he didnt want to fly down for the Wine and Dine..... I wish he would have said that a few months ago when I asked several times and then bought my plane ticket. Owell looks like I'm driving once again, on a positive note though I now have a plane tiket to make that solo trip I have been dreaming about

 

[julluvsdisney]

I would leave sooner rather than later if you were to take I95 the whole route. By leaving at either 1AM or 3AM, you'll be putting yourself in a major metro area for rush hour. Now if you're avoiding the Megalopolis, then you could leave at 3AM and be fine.

Just my thoughts.

Cheers,
Indy

SOLD!!! Im gonna take that advice!!! I told me DH and he says what every good DH says "Yes dear"! He thinks Im insane (not debating that lol) but loves me anyways! He takes my disney insanity with a grin!!! Lol! Thank you everyone here for the great advice!!!! Im now leaving wednesday around 9pm!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

And now another reason to be excited about our trip in September. DH just got a new Lincoln MKT. No more compromise between cargo space in our Mariner (which I just traded in for an MKS after DH got the new car) and the comfort of the Milan. Now we have it all!

looks like we maybe down at the same!

 

[IndyDisney]

Ok, a route question of my own -

Any western PA'ers/North Va'ers (or anyone for that matter) have any input on whether to take I81/I77/I26 to get to I95, or is the Google Maps shortcut of I81/I64/US29/US220/I74 to I95 a better route? My business partner swears by the second one, but since it's not all highway, I'm a bit concerned about local traffic/lack of hotels since we'll be traveling well into the night before stopping. Plus I'd have no clue where to bunk for the night. I was settled on Blytheville, SC until I started thinking about cutting an hour off of our drive.

Any input would be grand. TIA.

Cheers,
Indy

 

[PrincessMom4]

I think the first route myself. Don't know much about the second one. There are lots of places to rest/sleep as there are hotels along this route.

 

[blondietink]

So, what's up with the price of gas? It has gone up here 5 cents per gallon in the last 2 days here.

 

[Cdnmommy]

We're planning on driving for the first time and are travelling from Kingston, ON to WDW. It will be the 4 of us, (me, DH, DS(14) and DD(8)) and will likely stop once to sleep on the way there (as it's about 24 hours).

I'm looking for any advice on when/where to stop en route. I would prefer to do a longer day the first one (start super early and drive for may 17-18 hours), stop to sleep and then have a shorter trip for the 2nd day. According to Mapquest 17-18 hours puts us around Pooler, GA. Anyone stayed in that area (or vicinity) that has a suggestion?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[tazdev3225]

So, what's up with the price of gas? It has gone up here 5 cents per gallon in the last 2 days here.

Only 5 cents. It has gone up as much as 20 cents at some of the bigger name brand stations around me. Saturday I passed a station, too fast to stop, and it was 3.49. I went back on sunday and it was 3.61.

I thought I would save a little more on the drive dolwn. I guess I am back to budgeting the cost of gas at a higher rate.

 

[Colleen27]

Only 5 cents. It has gone up as much as 20 cents at some of the bigger name brand stations around me. Saturday I passed a station, too fast to stop, and it was 3.49. I went back on sunday and it was 3.61.

Yeah, here it jumped 40 cents going into the holiday weekend and has only come back down by 5 cents. I paid 3.59 when I filled up to avoid the usual 4th of July gouging, it shot up to 3.94 for the holiday weekend, and has been steady at 3.89 since the 5th.

 

[luharvey77]

I read this post and thought to myself, "Man, over 2,000 miles - that stinks!" Then I realized that it is about 2,200 miles for us, lol!

 

[blondietink]

Oh, it went up 20 cents overnight at the local marina when I drove by a few minutes ago. YIKES!

 

[Jaime4004]

Just returned from our first family drive, about 1450 miles one way. Left MA Sat June 25th at 2pm. Thanks to this board, took 81/77/26 and it was fabulous! Ended up taking 25.5 hours, but that included an 1.5 hr dinner (wanted to get the kids out of the car for a while but that was a mistake, next time will find a mcdonald's playplace to get their energy out), and many many restroom breaks. Sometimes stopping an hour after we just stopped. And I couldn't always blame this on a child, sometimes DH would need to stop sooner than planned thanks to extra large coffees. We drove straight through on the way down. On the way home, we did three 8hr days, stopping to visit family in SC for a few days, then again in MD. The last day actually ended up being about 10 hours, thanks to 95 and NY/NJ. Thought it wouldn't be too bad because it was Saturday. I'd hate to see it at rush hour. Won't do that again, the 81/77 deal was much better. Also would rather drive straight through. DH and I both liked driving at night without many cars on the road. Audiobooks kept me entertained in the wee hours...
So, thanks! We had a great trip and plan on driving again in Dec!

 

[dvczerfs]

Ok, a route question of my own -

Any western PA'ers/North Va'ers (or anyone for that matter) have any input on whether to take I81/I77/I26 to get to I95, or is the Google Maps shortcut of I81/I64/US29/US220/I74 to I95 a better route? My business partner swears by the second one, but since it's not all highway, I'm a bit concerned about local traffic/lack of hotels since we'll be traveling well into the night before stopping. Plus I'd have no clue where to bunk for the night. I was settled on Blytheville, SC until I started thinking about cutting an hour off of our drive.

Any input would be grand. TIA.

Cheers,
Indy

hay dave! i just went the first way. i did it in 16hous on the way down. it maybe a few miles longer, but the speeds are greater. not that i speed or anything. but im all ways reminded of this song for some reason on thae stretch between harrisburg and i95.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHZJej98_T0

 

[minnie mum]

We're planning on driving for the first time and are travelling from Kingston, ON to WDW. It will be the 4 of us, (me, DH, DS(14) and DD(8)) and will likely stop once to sleep on the way there (as it's about 24 hours).

I'm looking for any advice on when/where to stop en route. I would prefer to do a longer day the first one (start super early and drive for may 17-18 hours), stop to sleep and then have a shorter trip for the 2nd day. According to Mapquest 17-18 hours puts us around Pooler, GA. Anyone stayed in that area (or vicinity) that has a suggestion?

Thanks in advance!!!

Hi! We're just a little bit down the 401 from you (near Trenton). What route do you plan to take? Seems like the default route for Mapquest and AAA is I95 most of the way. Since it takes you thru so many mega cities, the traffic can be a bear, so we avoid it like the plague.

We cross the border at Gananoque (1000Islands/Hill Island), then take I81, I77,I26, I95. Adds less than an hour, but is SOOO much easier to drive. We usually overnight in Columbia SC. Pooler GA would put you a fair distance south of there. It's only a few miles from Savannah, so I'm guessing you'll find lots of chain hotels right off the exit. A quick look at exit info on AAA showed a Best Western, Travelodge, Microtel and La Quinta.

If you have any other questions about the drive, let me know. We're planning our next drive for this Sept.

 

[IndyDisney]

hay dave! i just went the first way. i did it in 16hous on the way down. it maybe a few miles longer, but the speeds are greater. not that i speed or anything. but im all ways reminded of this song for some reason on thae stretch between harrisburg and i95.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHZJej98_T0

Done and done. Thanks for the reassurance. I'd rather drive interstates the entire way. Set the cruise and roll. Eastbound and down on Thursday!! I think I need to download that right now.... I'm pretty sure I sang that for about 20 minutes on I26 last year on the way to HHI. We were rollin' along at 70 mph in what amounted to bumper to bumper beach traffic. It was insane.

Just a quick question....how did you make it from Lehigh to WDW in 16 hours? I'm assuming you didn't stop - at all - and potentially peed in bottles. DW and I are sitting here debating on rolling straight through if we can manage. I'm shooting for 19 hours.

Cheers,
Indy