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

[Tanooki]

Leaving in 16 days for our 4th drive down from waaaaaay up North (close to Montreal)
First drive in the summer, which shouldn't end in a snowstorm this time...
We're going down the 87-88-81-77-26-95 way and we can't wait!

Got my Virgin Mobile Mifi (thanks for the review Sharadoc!), adresses are in the GPS, Triptik should arrive any day, snacks are ready, I'm all set!

 

[cemeb4dk]

If you don't mind me asking, about where in IL are you leaving from? In the chicago area? What route are you taking down?

We are leaving on the 12th in the evening or morning of the 13th (cant decided yet)...from the NW suburbs of Chicago.

Hi we are pretty close to you, and have done this drive many times. We have done it 2 ways, the key is to avoid rush hour in ATL. We always drive straight thru.

1) leave at 9:30 pm, gets you to ATL late morning after the rush hour and you get to Orlando early evening, stay at a hotel off site like by DTD and sleep and the next day you are there and ready to go.
* This last trip we stopped at Ruby Falls Chatanooga area for breakfast and to break up the driving, hit ATL at lunchtime got to WDW at 7:30pm

2) Leave about 2:30pm and you hit ATL about 1 AM or so and then get to WDW late morning.

We have preferred leaving later at night as we get there in the evening, kids can sleep most of the night during the drive. We also prefer to go straight thru rather than stopping a few hours from the parks, as the last thing we want to do is load back up in the car for more driving.

As far as route, I would take 355 South to 80 East, then 80 East to 65 South, then 65 to 24, then to 75. Then 75 to the FL turnpike.

Feel free to pm me with any other questions.

 

[Goofygirl17]

So I used Google maps to figure out my inland route. This is what it says...any opinions.

95 S
Exit 21 to Tappan Zee bridge/white plains
merge onto 287 West
Exit 15 onto 287
Exit 21B onto 78 West
Merge onto 81 south
Exit 81 merge onto 77 south
keep left at fork- 26 east
exit 169A onto 95 south

Does that look right? It says it should take 21 hours 56 minutes and 1304 miles.

Thanks!!

 

[dvczerfs]

So I used Google maps to figure out my inland route. This is what it says...any opinions.

95 S
Exit 21 to Tappan Zee bridge/white plains
merge onto 287 West
Exit 15 onto 287
Exit 21B onto 78 West
Merge onto 81 south
Exit 81 merge onto 77 south
keep left at fork- 26 east
exit 169A onto 95 south

Does that look right? It says it should take 21 hours 56 minutes and 1304 miles.

Thanks!!

thats it!

 

[Goofygirl17]

thats it!

Thanks. I think I'll go to AAA and get a triptik with that route. We were planning on driving as far as possible and then finding a place to stay, hopefully in NC.

Now I have no idea how far I'll get and if I should still leave at 4 a.m., earlier or later? And where to stop. I don't know what route I'll be on.

Thanks!

 

[dvczerfs]

Thanks. I think I'll go to AAA and get a triptik with that route. We were planning on driving as far as possible and then finding a place to stay, hopefully in NC.

Now I have no idea how far I'll get and if I should still leave at 4 a.m., earlier or later? And where to stop. I don't know what route I'll be on.

Thanks!

well, let see, when you cross into pa. the exit i get on i78 is only a few miles in to pa. it will be rt33 interchange. i think its the second one when you cross the nj pa state line. now, from there, all goes well, you have a 2hour 45 min. ride to the ma state line. from there through west vir. to the virginia state line is anouther 45-50 min. or so. when i hit the i78 on ramp, i made it to harrisonburg virginia in 5 hours. we stayed in a very nice and clean hampton inn in harrisonburg. (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH HARRISBURG PA) the following morning we hit the road at 3am, it was a sat. so i didnt hit any charlotte traffic but anyway, we pulled into walt disney world at 2pm.all that being said, we dont stop for sit down meals. we have a cooler with sandwhiches etc... we stop about every two- three hours for a quick rest stop and or a gas stop. we hit the welcoming centers in virginia, both carolinas, gorgia and of course florida. i tend to lean on the heavier side of the speed limit.

 

[dvczerfs]

Thanks. I think I'll go to AAA and get a triptik with that route. We were planning on driving as far as possible and then finding a place to stay, hopefully in NC.

Now I have no idea how far I'll get and if I should still leave at 4 a.m., earlier or later? And where to stop. I don't know what route I'll be on.

Thanks!

from 287 to wdw, there are no fast lane changes, eveything is well marked and very easy to get on and off the interstates. its not the old, oh boy, i should be in the right lane. evrything is wide open and very, very easy. unlike the northeast!!

 

[Goofygirl17]

That's good to know. Last summer we got off the wrong exit (in Jacksonville maybe?) because I was in the right lane and kind of got forced off. Had to go further, get off, find a way back on and head back in the right direction. I think it was a section that everyone mentioned making sure you were in the left lane.

So is the time estimate correct do you think? Almost 22 hours?

 

[dvczerfs]

That's good to know. Last summer we got off the wrong exit (in Jacksonville maybe?) because I was in the right lane and kind of got forced off. Had to go further, get off, find a way back on and head back in the right direction. I think it was a section that everyone mentioned making sure you were in the left lane.

So is the time estimate correct do you think? Almost 22 hours?

i dont know how long it will take you to get to i78 , rt33 exchange. if you want to figure an est. time, from i78 rt33 interchange, normal traffic, leaning on the high side of speed limit, its about 17 1/2 hours.
sorry i cant help you to you get to that point.

 

[Goofygirl17]

What town, State is the rt 78 rt 33 interchange. Maybe I can figure it out that way.

 

[dvczerfs]

That's good to know. Last summer we got off the wrong exit (in Jacksonville maybe?) because I was in the right lane and kind of got forced off. Had to go further, get off, find a way back on and head back in the right direction. I think it was a section that everyone mentioned making sure you were in the left lane.

So is the time estimate correct do you think? Almost 22 hours?

time is hard to figure. traffic, how fast you drive, how often you stop, how long you stop for all plays a big part in your driving time. what i do in 16 hours take some people 21 hours. with todays speed limits if you figure 60 mph into how many miles, that will give you a real good idea. i average 70mph in cluding stops (16 hours 1100 miles) but like i said, im an outside salesmen and i spend alot of time on the road. im use to sitting behind the wheel a long time. dw has donr this trip 32 times and dd has done it 24 times. we dont mind being in the van on the road for a long period of time.

 

[dvczerfs]

What town, State is the rt 78 rt 33 interchange. Maybe I can figure it out that way.

i 78 is in pa.rt33 is the first or second exit into pa from nj.

 

[Goofygirl17]

Thanks! I have a friend from PA and she said she takes 78 to 33 home and it takes her 3 1/2 hours to get home. She's not sure how long it takes from the exit to her house and she lives about 30 minutes farther north than us I'm thinking this route might work for us!

We don't stop much- just to use the bathrooms, move a little bit and get back on the road. I also like to find a "runner" to set the pace for me and follow along behind

 

[dvczerfs]

Thanks! I have a friend from PA and she said she takes 78 to 33 home and it takes her 3 1/2 hours to get home. She's not sure how long it takes from the exit to her house and she lives about 30 minutes farther north than us I'm thinking this route might work for us!

We don't stop much- just to use the bathrooms, move a little bit and get back on the road. I also like to find a "runner" to set the pace for me and follow along behind

you will be fine. its an easy way to go. have a good trip!!

 

[cruisingkat]

Hey Everyone....I have been reading the thread off and on as we are driving from the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago in 17 days

This is our first trip and we are driving down (yeah I know).

Anyhow! I have read some threads on the board that it is best to take:

I355 - I80 - I57 - I24 - I75 - FL Turnpike..and make our way from there.

Is this the best route? Has anyone taken this lately to know roads & conditions etc since all the crazy weather (tornados, rain, etc) that all the midwest and southern states have gotten the last couple of months?

Also, we are debating between leaving on Friday night between 6-7pm or leaving around 6am in the morning saturday... thoughts?

(information to help with suggestions: we have two boys ages 7 & 9, dh and I are night owls so we tend to stay up late (around 1-2 in the am); we do take roadtrips downstate approximately 3-4 hours about once a month or every other month.)

Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated...

We drive to Disney and FL 4-5 times a year. We have taken several routes and found the 355-80-57-24-75-FL Turnpike to be the best route. We drove the 57 route in May and June and did find some road construction. In TN, they seem do a lot of the road work at night - we did see signs that said lane closed at night.
We have tried taking 65 through IN both going and coming back and weren't happy with that routing. Although it was a little shorter, it wasn't any faster because of the heavy truck traffic.

 

[Disneyholic]

We will be driving down to WDW leaving New Years Eve around 6pm. We took the 81-77-26-95 route in May over Memorial Day weekend and had a nice smooth trip, but I am wondering how it will be going that way if the weather is getting bad. I am thinking that at that time of year we might be better off doing the 95 route & maybe even taking the turnpike through Philly instead of going out to Harrisburg and 83 to 95. Any ideas about route for that time of year would be helpful. TIA.

 

[HeatherC]

Hi Everyone! Well we are not heading to Disney, but driving TODAY from Mass. to Hilton Head, SC....1000 miles each way.

I wonder if anyone could help me out? We are now driving 95 and would like to get past Richmond and stop. But..when we leave depends on when DH gets home. So...we may not make it that far.

If we stop between Dc and Richmond and wait to leave in the morning till like 9, how bad is the traffic heading south then? We will probably take the 295 loop if necessary, but just curious.

We are going to try and "suck it up" and push ourselves to get past there, but we are so NOT night people....and dh left for work at 5am today so he will be tired.

Any advice is really appreciated.

PS...I did start another thread, but know how helpful everyone is on this one so figured I would ask here too.

 

[sharadoc]

Hi Everyone! Well we are not heading to Disney, but driving TODAY from Mass. to Hilton Head, SC....1000 miles each way.

I wonder if anyone could help me out? We are now driving 95 and would like to get past Richmond and stop. But..when we leave depends on when DH gets home. So...we may not make it that far.

If we stop between Dc and Richmond and wait to leave in the morning till like 9, how bad is the traffic heading south then? We will probably take the 295 loop if necessary, but just curious.

We are going to try and "suck it up" and push ourselves to get past there, but we are so NOT night people....and dh left for work at 5am today so he will be tired.

Any advice is really appreciated.

PS...I did start another thread, but know how helpful everyone is on this one so figured I would ask here too.

I heard Friday night is bad around there too. Not sure what time you would hit it.

If you do stay, please get on the road at DC by 7 or 8. Don't wait until 9 or you could hit the traffic by then.

 

[Pigletsmom1998]

If you don't mind me asking, about where in IL are you leaving from? In the chicago area? What route are you taking down?

We are leaving on the 12th in the evening or morning of the 13th (cant decided yet)...from the NW suburbs of Chicago.

Hi-We're leaving from Huntley this Saturday and planning on taking I65 down to Goodlettsville, Tn and staying the nite there.

 

[dvczerfs]

We will be driving down to WDW leaving New Years Eve around 6pm. We took the 81-77-26-95 route in May over Memorial Day weekend and had a nice smooth trip, but I am wondering how it will be going that way if the weather is getting bad. I am thinking that at that time of year we might be better off doing the 95 route & maybe even taking the turnpike through Philly instead of going out to Harrisburg and 83 to 95. Any ideas about route for that time of year would be helpful. TIA.

winter time i use 81-66-17-95. when it gets snowing up in those mtns, it can pile up fast. 20 years ago, we spent the night in the car at whites truck stop. it was like white out conditions.