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

[kidd_freeper]

hello

i was just wondering if anyone could tell me how much do you put aside for the driving part of your vacation??

i like to section out my money, tips, spending, mousekeeping, ect, ect.
And having never driven before i have no clue how much money do i need to put a side for gas, meals, one night hotel stop, TOLLS ugh no clue how much tolls are, and fun little trinkets along the way.

If anyone could give me any tips or ideas on what they put aside it would be great OHHH Duh we will be driving from MA lol

Thank Guys

Tolls are about $40 one way if you take I-95 from NJ-FL. Get an EZPass!
Tolls are only a couple of bucks if you take the 87/81/77/26/95 route from NJ-FL

Our total driving distance (round trip Hartford-WDW plus about 250 miles at WDW) was 2960 miles. Our minivan got 20 mpg. Gas averaged about $3.50/gallon. $2.50 x 2960 / 20 = $518. You will need an oil change after your trip is done (~$30 at a Jiffy Lube).

A NICE Holiday Inn in Wilson, NC was $93/nite/room (including taxes). Cheaper rooms are available, but I was able to spend some points to get a free room.

Eating at McDonalds (or similar) works out to about $5.50/person. Its about $12/person for Applebees (or similar) and $15/person for Olive Garden (or similar).

A GPS is recommended (~$100). A portable DVD player is also recommended for kids (~$100). Bring your own trinkets from home.

 

[dvczerfs]

Tolls are about $40 one way if you take I-95 from NJ-FL. Get an EZPass!
Tolls are only a couple of bucks if you take the 87/81/77/26/95 route from NJ-FL

Our total driving distance (round trip Hartford-WDW plus about 250 miles at WDW) was 2960 miles. Our minivan got 20 mpg. Gas averaged about $3.50/gallon. $2.50 x 2960 / 20 = $518. You will need an oil change after your trip is done (~$30 at a Jiffy Lube).

A NICE Holiday Inn in Wilson, NC was $93/nite/room (including taxes). Cheaper rooms are available, but I was able to spend some points to get a free room.

Eating at McDonalds (or similar) works out to about $5.50/person. Its about $12/person for Applebees (or similar) and $15/person for Olive Garden (or similar).

A GPS is recommended (~$100). A portable DVD player is also recommended for kids (~$100). Bring your own trinkets from home.

very nice wrap-up!

 

[magsmom]

If you are coming from MA, 84/81/64/US17 (gorgeous country) to 95 in Fredericksburg is no tolls. And no tolls from Fredericksburg to Daytona. No tolls on 4 to Orlando.

We live in Western MA, so our route is 90 (.25 toll) to 287 (couple dollars) to 84 to 81. 81 is free.

After we found this route (granted it is longer, but we always ran into traffic along 95) we stay far away from the megalopolis. We have done it 3 times over the past year to get south - It's just an easier drive.

 

[Curious & Curiouser]

Thanx guys ! Awesome info !!!

 

[sharadoc]

SHAAARRROOOONNNNN!!!! where have you been hiding!!! tammys has to go to the dentist today at 4:30, she has a problem. hope eveything worked out ok. were down to 67 days hopefully. were praying everything works out with her mri in september. .... tammys looking for a macaroni grill, is there one down by you? if so maybe we can get together next month sometime? keep in touch!

I hope hers was okay, I have to go back for a root canal and heavy duty cleaning. I swear I brush, floss and use ProHealth rinse. Dentist says I will need to come every 3 months. There was a lot of poking and prodding and scraping and my whole mouth was killing me. I hope you had a great day and we're really sorry we missed it. We had the cooler packed with our fave Yuenglings

Tell Tammy that we know she'll be great. If the Dr. says it's common, I'm sure it is and nothing to worry about. They have no reason to lie to you.

There's one of every restaurant in the world down here. I'll see if there's a good place to meet. August may be a little crazy busy for us. Lauren is playing an Ooompah Loompah in a Willy Wonka play the weekend of Aug. 13. She rehearses every Monday-Thursday so we're busy playing taxi.

Also had to go to the ortho since my legs were killing me after this trip. Got cortison in both knees, then agreed that I need to replace the knees Both at the same time, they're both "severe". I'm motivated by the fact that I'll be able to walk around Disney without pain. Probably getting it done in January.

Whew - pretty crazy eh? We're so jealous of you guys - it's really a second honeymoon Seriously, are you even getting park tickets???

 

[sharadoc]

Nevermind, I see it's the one in Walterboro..who knew there were so many???
http://dukesbarbq.com/about/about.html

I don't know if my Duke's is part of the chain, though. Any websites/reviews don't reference the website you posted. I think they're totally independent. Here's some info:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...uke_s_Barbeque-Walterboro_South_Carolina.html

great photos here:

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/f1gwlZz_2qTeiofdRZl3Ww?select=H0eW0M-rrViL9DqjO4VTlQ

 

[dvczerfs]

If you are coming from MA, 84/81/64/US17 (gorgeous country) to 95 in Fredericksburg is no tolls. And no tolls from Fredericksburg to Daytona. No tolls on 4 to Orlando.

We live in Western MA, so our route is 90 (.25 toll) to 287 (couple dollars) to 84 to 81. 81 is free.

After we found this route (granted it is longer, but we always ran into traffic along 95) we stay far away from the megalopolis. We have done it 3 times over the past year to get south - It's just an easier drive.

i use that way and also 81-66-17. they maybe longer mile wise but time wise there faster than messing around on 95. for us 81-6617-95-4 is a 161/2 hour trip. if i take 81-77-26-95-4 its a 161/2 hour trip (did it in 16 for some reason last month )

I hope hers was okay, I have to go back for a root canal and heavy duty cleaning. I swear I brush, floss and use ProHealth rinse. Dentist says I will need to come every 3 months. There was a lot of poking and prodding and scraping and my whole mouth was killing me. I hope you had a great day and we're really sorry we missed it. We had the cooler packed with our fave Yuenglings

Tell Tammy that we know she'll be great. If the Dr. says it's common, I'm sure it is and nothing to worry about. They have no reason to lie to you.

There's one of every restaurant in the world down here. I'll see if there's a good place to meet. August may be a little crazy busy for us. Lauren is playing an Ooompah Loompah in a Willy Wonka play the weekend of Aug. 13. She rehearses every Monday-Thursday so we're busy playing taxi.

Also had to go to the ortho since my legs were killing me after this trip. Got cortison in both knees, then agreed that I need to replace the knees Both at the same time, they're both "severe". I'm motivated by the fact that I'll be able to walk around Disney without pain. Probably getting it done in January.

Whew - pretty crazy eh? We're so jealous of you guys - it's really a second honeymoon Seriously, are you even getting park tickets???

i forgot she got that part!! let us know, now that graduation, dance, wdw grad trip and grad party is over, we good till late sept. as far as a second honeymoon and park tickets, we have aps that are good till dec 1st. we cant wait, we have adrs at germany,japan,italy,canada,2 breakfast at chrystal palace and also a breakfast at the castle. yes, me and tammy and eveyone elses kids at the castle for breakfast. we have 2 days we are eating in the room at okw, its become a tradition. keep in touch! stay cool today!!

 

[onebighappyfamily]

Hi! So we are 8 weeks away from taking the six kiddos (and one on the way) to Disney!! So excited!! We are stopping on the way down at Kingsland, Ga and have a hotel booked for the way back at Fredericksburg, Va. I am now rethinking the hotel on the way back and by not leaving till 10 or so in the morning that we might not make it that far.

What are some good Exits in Va that are safe and have nice hotels? Thanks!!

 

[BC1836]

We are stopping on the way down at Kingsland, Ga and have a hotel booked for the way back at Fredericksburg, Va. I am now rethinking the hotel on the way back and by not leaving till 10 or so in the morning that we might not make it that far.

You probably are correct.

We usually depart from WDW around 9 a.m. and make it either to Emporia, VA (exit #11 on I-95) or Petersburg, VA (exit #45 on I-95) by around 9:30 or 10 p.m. Your 10 a.m. start with a Fredericksburg goal will be difficult.

All the best.

 

[onebighappyfamily]

Which stop is nicer, Emporia or Petersburg? What hotel did you use? Thanks!

 

[BC1836]

Which stop is nicer, Emporia or Petersburg? What hotel did you use? Thanks!

Both places are satisfactory. We don't go anywhere else in the respective towns but the hotel (execpt for a gas stop the following morning).

We stay at the Holiday Inn Express.

All the best.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Alrighty...looking for a hotel for less than $100 near Columbia SC off of Rte 77. There are so many to choose from I'm going crazy reading reviews on tripadvisor!

 

[2002Disneybride]

Just a little more than 6 weeks until our first drive down to Disney World! We decided to play it safe and not try and drive straight through for our first time.

We plan to leave on a Thursday evening after work (around 6:30 PM) from the Philly suburbs, and drive 6 hours or so to Southern VA where we’ll stop for the night. Then, on Friday we should have a reasonable drive to Florida, with most of the congested areas behind us.

Can anyone recommend good, safe places to stay in Southern VA? Right now we’re looking at Emporia due to the large number of chain hotels there.

Also, if anyone has recommendations on where not to stay, that’s good information too!

Thanks!

I am thinking of doing this same thing...Leaving from Jersey Shore around 4-5 on Wednesday...driving about 6 hrs to Emporia...did you get anymore recommendations? I am still reading through the thread...

 

[ksc37]

I am thinking of doing this same thing...Leaving from Jersey Shore around 4-5 on Wednesday...driving about 6 hrs to Emporia...did you get anymore recommendations? I am still reading through the thread...

We're going to stay in Emporia. The Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Country Inn & Suites all get good reviews on Trip Advisor and in threads here, so I'll make a reservation at one of those.

 

[2002Disneybride]

Thanks! I think that is what we are leaning towards...safe travels!

 

[Shir Kahn]

Only 2 days to go now before we leave on our 32 hour drive to WDW! Monday after I'm done work, we're on our way!

 

[dvczerfs]

Only 2 days to go now before we leave on our 32 hour drive to WDW! Monday after I'm done work, we're on our way!

have a safe and a nice drive!!!

 

[ThreeKMom]

We are getting closer, 1 month from tomorrow we start our first ever drive to Disney!

I got directions from Bing maps, one set has us taking 295 south to 495 (inner loop) to 95. The other set has us taking 95 to exit 27 and getting on 495 west to exit 57 (back onto 95 south) then take exit 84A to 295 south and then back onto 95. The time difference they have listed is only 6 minutes, so which route is better?

I expect that we will hit the DC area around 9:00 - 9:30 on thursday night, will that area have traffic at that time? If the traffic won't be a problem is one route more senic that the other? DD has never been to DC and might be excited to see the Capitol or other monuments, (not sure if you can actually see them?).

Thank you for your opinions!

 

[BC1836]

Only 2 days to go now before we leave on our 32 hour drive to WDW! Monday after I'm done work, we're on our way!

Remember to note your mileage from home to WDW (and your round-trip mileage) since you will be establishing a 2,000+ Mile Round-trip Drivers record.
[See the current records on page 186; #2788; posted 6/29/11]

All the best.

 

[justakrazymom]

3 weeks from today I pack the van.. 3 weeks from tomorrow we drive!