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

[huskies90]

Looks like i'm back for a long drive Xmas week. We drove Pres week 2009 for the first time ever -- had flown many times before and once since, but now my oldest daughter has a big event during the second week in January and is conviced that if we fly during Xmas week "something" will happen so she is refusing to get on a plane despite all my pleading and reasoning (she is in HS btw). And if I postpone the trip, my youngest will be crushed, so the only fair option is to drive. ugh!

The big difference this time, is I am now the only driver so there is no way I can do the straight through overnight thing again. I will have to stop. Our check in date at AKV is 12/26 and we were orignially going to stay through NYE and check out 1/1 but I just cancled the last night and we will now check out 12/31 giving me more time to drive back to CT.

So, my question: We hope to drive as much as possible during the daylight hours. We are going to leave Xmas AM as early as possible ~ 7:00AMish. That should put us through NYC at 8:30AMish, Phily 10:00ish, Baltimore around 12:30ish and DC around 1:30ish. My goal is to get to North Savannah, GA for late dinner and stop over (around 9:30ish). How will traffic be through those cities at those times on Xmas day?

 

[disneyfan55]

Looks like i'm back for a long drive Xmas week. We drove Pres week 2009 for the first time ever -- had flown many times before and once since, but now my oldest daughter has a big event during the second week in January and is conviced that if we fly during Xmas week "something" will happen so she is refusing to get on a plane despite all my pleading and reasoning (she is in HS btw). And if I postpone the trip, my youngest will be crushed, so the only fair option is to drive. ugh!

The big difference this time, is I am now the only driver so there is no way I can do the straight through overnight thing again. I will have to stop. Our check in date at AKV is 12/26 and we were orignially going to stay through NYE and check out 1/1 but I just cancled the last night and we will now check out 12/31 giving me more time to drive back to CT.

So, my question: We hope to drive as much as possible during the daylight hours. We are going to leave Xmas AM as early as possible ~ 7:00AMish. That should put us through NYC at 8:30AMish, Phily 10:00ish, Baltimore around 12:30ish and DC around 1:30ish. My goal is to get to North Savannah, GA for late dinner and stop over (around 9:30ish). How will traffic be through those cities at those times on Xmas day?

maybe your daughter heard about the searches etc. Not a nice thing. Has she ever flown? Maybe she has just a flying fear. Driving is not bad. I have done it myself a few times and driven right through back in the 90s when my kids were in high school and didn't drive. Probably not much traffic during actual day of Christmas in my opinion. Everyone is pretty much where they want to be for Christmas. We have and are stopping Fri night at exit 109 just outside Savannah, GA. I cannot drive through anymore due to a back injury and that's where we have been stopping. It's a Days Inn in Port Wentworth, GA and there is a great inexpensive Mexican place there as well. The first time we drove we went down into Savannah-really neat place since it was summer and we got there around 7 pm. In Feb it was rainy so we just ate there. On the way back in Feb it snowed there, stopped the same place due to bad weather!

 

[dvczerfs]

We're not rushing out Saturday morning. I'd guess we'll head out around 10 or 11 that morning.

Wondering what the weather will be like by then back up this way...

keep your eye on the weather while your there. the one year we headed for home a day early because they were calling for an ice storm in the northeast. we got home and the storm started about 6 hours later. (another good reason to drive and not fly)

 

[sharadoc]

We're not rushing out Saturday morning. I'd guess we'll head out around 10 or 11 that morning.

Wondering what the weather will be like by then back up this way...

Us too! Where do you stop? We like Wilson NC on the way home.

 

[huskies90]

maybe your daughter heard about the searches etc. Not a nice thing. Has she ever flown? Maybe she has just a flying fear. Driving is not bad. I have done it myself a few times and driven right through back in the 90s when my kids were in high school and didn't drive. Probably not much traffic during actual day of Christmas in my opinion. Everyone is pretty much where they want to be for Christmas. We have and are stopping Fri night at exit 109 just outside Savannah, GA. I cannot drive through anymore due to a back injury and that's where we have been stopping. It's a Days Inn in Port Wentworth, GA and there is a great inexpensive Mexican place there as well. The first time we drove we went down into Savannah-really neat place since it was summer and we got there around 7 pm. In Feb it was rainy so we just ate there. On the way back in Feb it snowed there, stopped the same place due to bad weather!

No not the searches or fear of flying. She has flown before and as recently as August. She said she would be fine to fly any other time. Just not that week. The problem is not the trip, it is anxiety for what she is doing in January and for some reason thinks something will happen if we fly Xmas week. Again, I have given up trying to understand, figure it out or reason. It is done, we are driving. I also booked the Days Inn in Port Wentworth for Saturday 12/25 thanks to the recomendation from my earlier post...

 

[dawz1026]

Im in! We are 1090 one way...who hoo! (I think) lolol....I have not flown since 2002 and yes I have anxiety..dh..has anxiety. I may try it again when my youngest is older but for now as long and dh enjoys putting his petal to the metal we are I95 veterans! We are going Feb. and are excited..we are hoping the weather holds out as last March it did not . The noreaster hit us the day before our trip so we had to make some car rental changes and prepare for a getaway..we did and we made it and it was cold at Disney..hoping for a warmer clearer roadt this trip!

 

[disneyfan55]

No not the searches or fear of flying. She has flown before and as recently as August. She said she would be fine to fly any other time. Just not that week. The problem is not the trip, it is anxiety for what she is doing in January and for some reason thinks something will happen if we fly Xmas week. Again, I have given up trying to understand, figure it out or reason. It is done, we are driving. I also booked the Days Inn in Port Wentworth for Saturday 12/25 thanks to the recomendation from my earlier post...

Yes, the Days in in Port Wentworth will be where we are tomorrow night! It really is a nice place and if you want to go to Savannah not that far. Also, good very inexpensive Mexican place close but Christmas might be more of a problem, some of those are closed. Anyway, as far as your daughter, sometimes we have feelings that are very meaningful. We really should listen to our inner feelings when we have them. So many times they keep us safe! Have a wonderful trip to WDW for Christmas.

 

[disneyfan55]

Anything on the DE road repairs and exactly where they are. On 95 following the NJ turnpike or 95 from PA. Just wondering or past that? THANKS and Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[BC1836]

Anything on the DE road repairs and exactly where they are. On 95 following the NJ turnpike or 95 from PA. Just wondering or past that? THANKS and Happy Thanksgiving.

Ah, Delaware.
Because the drive through DE is so short via I-95 that it's fair to say that road repairs are nearly "everywhere."
However, the big DE news was yesterday: I-95 south-bound was at a standstill for three hours due to an overturned tractor trailer (just before noon the driver drifted off the road and hit a guardrail and then turned to get back into the right lane which caused the trailer to overturn with its load of rocks).
According to a newspaper report: Northbound was diverted onto I-495 near Claymont but southbound was stuck. Period.
That's one of the great potential liabilities of the 2,000+ mile round-trip drive.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All the best.

 

[jerlove]

I have one conference call left for 12:30 and then I hit the road to WDW.



So excited but it seems like the clock is stuck and not moving.

 

[disneyfan55]

Ah, Delaware.
Because the drive through DE is so short via I-95 that it's fair to say that road repairs are nearly "everywhere."
However, the big DE news was yesterday: I-95 south-bound was at a standstill for three hours due to an overturned tractor trailer (just before noon the driver drifted off the road and hit a guardrail and then turned to get back into the right lane which caused the trailer to overturn with its load of rocks).
According to a newspaper report: Northbound was diverted onto I-495 near Claymont but southbound was stuck. Period.
That's one of the great potential liabilities of the 2,000+ mile round-trip drive.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All the best.

Thanks Happy Thanksgiving to you too! I just don't know which is the better route, from NJ TPike or PA. We are leaving central NJ at 4 hopefully. 5 in a minivan! one is only 2 though but probably more room for him. Hopefully not that much that early and a holiday. those out will be shopping for the mostpart! which do you think is the better route My daughter wants to pick up 95 by trenton and go that way. It is a little shorter for us.

 

[dvczerfs]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

 

[BC1836]

Thanks Happy Thanksgiving to you too! I just don't know which is the better route, from NJ TPike or PA. We are leaving central NJ at 4 hopefully. 5 in a minivan! one is only 2 though but probably more room for him. Hopefully not that much that early and a holiday. those out will be shopping for the mostpart! which do you think is the better route My daughter wants to pick up 95 by trenton and go that way. It is a little shorter for us.

Alas, too late to respond to your question.
Now then...you probably faced some traffic problems along the way but, right now, you're much closer to WDW than the rest of us 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers.
All the best.

 

[jerlove]

We have just arrived at a hotel in Jacksonville Florida after a long day of driving. Only a couple of more hours tomorrow to go.

Left North Bay Ontario at 3m Thursday drove to Washington PA spent the night then left from Washington PA and went straight thru to Jacksonville where we are tonight.

Almost there.

It has been a great trip. No traffic and other than a bit of rain it has been good weather.

 

[BC1836]

We just acquired a new vehicle a few weeks ago and we're wondering where we can go to take it on an initial long drive. Hmm.

 

[dvczerfs]

We just acquired a new vehicle a few weeks ago and we're wondering where we can go to take it on an initial long drive. Hmm.

jersey shore? cape may? new mexico? alabama? am i getting close yet?

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

jersey shore? cape may? new mexico? alabama? am i getting close yet?

what are you asking exactly?

 

[BC1836]

what are you asking exactly?

My2CrazyGirls: Thank you for your thoughtful concern. But don't fret, because this is merely a fun-filled conversation between two veteran 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers who will soon be driving to WDW at about the same time!

[See post #1 on page 1]

All the best!

 

[diseverestfan]

Us too! Where do you stop? We like Wilson NC on the way home.

It really depends on when we want to leave down there and how soon we feel we need to be home. This trip, I believe we'll go as far as we can on Saturday and see where we end up. We're hoping to be home around noonish on Sunday.

Can't wait...93 hours and we'll be on our way!

 

[dcv2002]

OK, just would like to give a post-mortem about our trip. 3,085 total miles driven. Me + wife, 2 kids (8, 5) and wife's mom (only to Greenville, NC).

Left 515pm, Friday 11/19 to go to Greenville, NC (wife's aunt/uncle) from Nassau/Suffolk border on Long Island. I wouldn't recommend this as a good start time. Took us 2 hours to get to Veranzanno Bridge, but after that no traffic at all from Staten Island to Greenville, NC. Arrived 255am. So about 550 miles in 9:40, thanks to early traffic.

Had a nice relaxing day in quiet Greenville, NC. Left at 748pm for the 670 mile trip to Orlando, FL. Arrived at Yacht Club parking lot ~445am. So 670 miles in 8:57. The park was rather quiet and it was an uneventful entry for first visit to Disney. But we had luck on our side. We were able to check-in and our room was ready! So we technically got 4 nights for 3 nights. Got a quick 3 hours of sleep and then proceed to stay out @ MK until well past 2AM. In bed @ 3AM. No EMH @ AK for us last Monday...

We left Disney on Wed 1245pm (would have rather stayed, but alas) for the trip to Hallandale Beach, FL ~220 miles in 3:20. Man the tolls in Florida south of Orlando are $$$. Spent Wed-Sat noon in southern FL. And that meant, yes we had about 1400+ miles to get home. We actually went down to Homestead, FL on Friday so we were actually well south of Miami then.

Left Fort Lauderdale, FL after lunch @ 110pm on Saturday. Arrived 870+ miles later in Greenville, NC @ 1235am. So 11:25 for 870 miles. That included a 15-20 minute stop to grab a bite to eat. Got some more sleep, breakfast and then on Sunday the dreaded end of Thanksgiving weekend from Greenville, NC to Eastern Long Island. With the Redskins, Ravens both having football games and hearing horror stories about I-95 we decided to go the scenic route over the Chesapeake Bridge, etc. Managed to get home 570+ miles in about 10 hours which I will take since we left NC @ 1045am. The Bing Map application on my iPhone helped us avoid the NJ Turnpike backup between exits 6-8A. The "eastern" route was nice, scenic, but there are a lot of lights, but traffic moved rather well except for one accident.

So things I've learned on this trip:

1. I will NOT drive south of Orlando. The 870+ mile trip back to Greenville, NC from FLL was way to long. About 200 miles too long.
2. Driving at night is great (if you can stay awake). It didn't seem like we lost any days driving down. Kids sleep so they don't bug you. Absolutely no traffic.
3. The Bing Map iPhone application is pretty handy in getting you around traffic.
4. Though Greenville NC is about 50 miles off of I-95, it was nice to get some rest and visit relatives along the way.
5. My wife's Honda Odyssey doesn't get the gas mileage I think it should. Maybe it was because I was driving 80-83 most of the way.
6. The trip went way better than expected. Actually I don't know how the drive from Greenville, NC to Orlando, FL went so well. Maybe it was just the excitement of getting there?
7. 3 days are not enough to see all of the parks @ WDW.
8. Damn, the tickets are expensive to WDW.
9. The boats between Epcot, YC and DHS are slow as molasses. My 5-year old DD can walk faster than those boats.

So, I would do the trip to WDW from LI by car again. However, I probably wouldn't go to WDW during a peak week. I'll wait until the family start pushing to go again. I don't expect that to happen for a couple of years.