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

[C&G'sMama]

Arrived safe and sound (and very tired) in Lake Buena Vista at 9 p.m. after departing NJ shore at 2:55 a.m.
All the best.

Yayyy, have a blast.

 

[pit303]

Arrived safe and sound (and very tired) in Lake Buena Vista at 9 p.m. after departing NJ shore at 2:55 a.m.

DE: 4:23 a.m.
MD: 4:39 a.m.
VA: 6:30 a.m.
NC: 9:20 a.m. (nap at first rest stop until 10:10)
SC: 12:53 p.m.
GA: 3:53 p.m.
FL: 5:36 p.m.
I-4: 7:26 p.m.
Lake Beuna Vista: 9:00 p.m. (huge, 5-mile long traffic jam on I-4).

No delays on the 1,064 mile journey except final five miles). No active construction work anywhere on I-95.
Regular gas prices: $3.58 and $3.59!

Time to collapse.

All the best.

We were in that I-4 mess also yesterday coming back from Sea World took us almost an hour to get back to SSR.

Arrived back home tonight left SSR at 6:30 AM arrived home 11:00 PM. The only downside to our vacation was all the rain we had this past week.

We also had a long trip down I-4 on Monday due to the start of the raining week in central FL took us almost 2 hours Monday to crawl to SSR

 

[pamkev]

Arrived safe and sound (and very tired) in Lake Buena Vista at 9 p.m. after departing NJ shore at 2:55 a.m.

DE: 4:23 a.m.
MD: 4:39 a.m.
VA: 6:30 a.m.
NC: 9:20 a.m. (nap at first rest stop until 10:10)
SC: 12:53 p.m.
GA: 3:53 p.m.
FL: 5:36 p.m.
I-4: 7:26 p.m.
Lake Beuna Vista: 9:00 p.m. (huge, 5-mile long traffic jam on I-4).

No delays on the 1,064 mile journey except final five miles). No active construction work anywhere on I-95.
Regular gas prices: $3.58 and $3.59!

Time to collapse.

All the best.

Have a great trip

 

[pwdebbie]

I'm a newbie here but have been lurking for years.
After many trip to WDW over last 10 years, I'm considering driving this September. We did the driving many years ago just once. I remember driving straight thru. We live in South Jersey (Exit 4 from NJ Turnpike/95). Back then we started around 7PM drove all night and got to our resort around lunch time.
Anyway, any advice and what time should I start? I was thinking 3~4am and that would be Saturday morning so no rush hour traffic in DC area and no shore traffic since it's late September.
Any nice motel to stay south of Atlanta or northern Fl? We don't need anything fancy, just clean and clean.... Nice restaurants?

I think you must mean Savannah, not Atlanta, right? I don't have any suggestions for lodging. I can tell you where NOT to stay in Ormond Beach, though I would have to do it via a PM as the owners have harassed me about my negative review on Trip Advisor.

 

[dvczerfs]

Arrived safe and sound (and very tired) in Lake Buena Vista at 9 p.m. after departing NJ shore at 2:55 a.m.

DE: 4:23 a.m.
MD: 4:39 a.m.
VA: 6:30 a.m.
NC: 9:20 a.m. (nap at first rest stop until 10:10)
SC: 12:53 p.m.
GA: 3:53 p.m.
FL: 5:36 p.m.
I-4: 7:26 p.m.
Lake Beuna Vista: 9:00 p.m. (huge, 5-mile long traffic jam on I-4).

No delays on the 1,064 mile journey except final five miles). No active construction work anywhere on I-95.
Regular gas prices: $3.58 and $3.59!

Time to collapse.

All the best.

great trip bc!! have a good time, keep in touch!

 

[dvczerfs]

I'm a newbie here but have been lurking for years.
After many trip to WDW over last 10 years, I'm considering driving this September. We did the driving many years ago just once. I remember driving straight thru. We live in South Jersey (Exit 4 from NJ Turnpike/95). Back then we started around 7PM drove all night and got to our resort around lunch time.
Anyway, any advice and what time should I start? I was thinking 3~4am and that would be Saturday morning so no rush hour traffic in DC area and no shore traffic since it's late September.
Any nice motel to stay south of Atlanta or northern Fl? We don't need anything fancy, just clean and clean.... Nice restaurants?

leaving 3 am is the best thing to do, you will miss alot of traffic.

 

[blondietink]

Our GPS has a traffic alert on it, so when there is a backup we know enough ahead of time to choose another route. We know enough about Orlando and the major streets that if I-4 is backed up, we can re-route. Even though I lothe the GPS, it does come in handy sometimes.

 

[mousegear]

At this point, I'm really praying that either price for our airfare come down or I'll move our vacations days plus/minus couple days, so I could get a decent fare. If not we are driving down. Last year, we only paid little over $350 for three of us. And this year, just for two round trip, I can only find low $500. I still have few months left so I'm hoping.

 

[pharmer]

Hi all, I'm looking for advice and recommendations regarding a rooftop cargo carrier for my Chrysler Aspen Suv(similar to Dodge Durango) We have a family of 6, so I need something large and durable, water resistant would be nice as well. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[Donald is #1]

Arrived safe and sound (and very tired) in Lake Buena Vista at 9 p.m. after departing NJ shore at 2:55 a.m.

DE: 4:23 a.m.
MD: 4:39 a.m.
VA: 6:30 a.m.
NC: 9:20 a.m. (nap at first rest stop until 10:10)
SC: 12:53 p.m.
GA: 3:53 p.m.
FL: 5:36 p.m.
I-4: 7:26 p.m.
Lake Beuna Vista: 9:00 p.m. (huge, 5-mile long traffic jam on I-4).

No delays on the 1,064 mile journey except final five miles). No active construction work anywhere on I-95.
Regular gas prices: $3.58 and $3.59!

Time to collapse.

All the best.

Have a great time!

 

[sharadoc]

Thanks which is easier I4 or 417

Well ... we absolutely prefer 417 and would never drive I-4 again. If you are comfortable driving through the center of a city, and can handle 6-7 lanes, converging into 3, with lots of exits and people cutting in front of each other, and back-ups for accidents, then I-4 is more direct. We have never found I-4 to be a comfortable drive, but more like having to be on high alert. But, we've never hit it really early in the morning or late at night. There's always traffic going to Disney world, and it's also a main road for work traffic during the week. If you watch the local news in Florida, you'll see accidents and back-ups every day at all times of the day. Mileage, I think I-4 is less total miles.

417 is much more relaxed, but it has 6 or 7 toll booths to go through. It's a new road, so not a lot of potholes. You have to stop every 10-15 miles and drop quarters in a basket or pay money to a toll taker. The exact change lanes are separate, so you can get through a little quicker. We have found that 417 is never really busy, is a smoother ride, and is calmer. It's definitely worth the toll money for us. We always hit the Orlando area between eleven am and 6 pm, so for us, 417 is best.

Folks have disagreed with our assessment and have said it's stupid to pay tolls but I think it's personal preference of the type of traffic you want to drive in. We'll take less traffic and less stress every time.

If you decide to take 417, don't take the first Disney exit 536/535 Downtown Disney entrance. That area totally backs up with tons of lights, people who don't know what lane to be in and generally lots of cars. If you take the second Disney exit, you'll go pretty much off the highway to the Disney entrance without so many lights and stops.

 

[sharadoc]

Arrived safe and sound (and very tired) in Lake Buena Vista at 9 p.m. after departing NJ shore at 2:55 a.m.

DE: 4:23 a.m.
MD: 4:39 a.m.
VA: 6:30 a.m.
NC: 9:20 a.m. (nap at first rest stop until 10:10)
SC: 12:53 p.m.
GA: 3:53 p.m.
FL: 5:36 p.m.
I-4: 7:26 p.m.
Lake Beuna Vista: 9:00 p.m. (huge, 5-mile long traffic jam on I-4).

No delays on the 1,064 mile journey except final five miles). No active construction work anywhere on I-95.
Regular gas prices: $3.58 and $3.59!

Time to collapse.

All the best.

Have a great time! Keep in touch.

 

[pamkev]

Well ... we absolutely prefer 417 and would never drive I-4 again. If you are comfortable driving through the center of a city, and can handle 6-7 lanes, converging into 3, with lots of exits and people cutting in front of each other, and back-ups for accidents, then I-4 is more direct. We have never found I-4 to be a comfortable drive, but more like having to be on high alert. But, we've never hit it really early in the morning or late at night. There's always traffic going to Disney world, and it's also a main road for work traffic during the week. If you watch the local news in Florida, you'll see accidents and back-ups every day at all times of the day. Mileage, I think I-4 is less total miles.

417 is much more relaxed, but it has 6 or 7 toll booths to go through. It's a new road, so not a lot of potholes. You have to stop every 10-15 miles and drop quarters in a basket or pay money to a toll taker. The exact change lanes are separate, so you can get through a little quicker. We have found that 417 is never really busy, is a smoother ride, and is calmer. It's definitely worth the toll money for us. We always hit the Orlando area between eleven am and 6 pm, so for us, 417 is best.

Folks have disagreed with our assessment and have said it's stupid to pay tolls but I think it's personal preference of the type of traffic you want to drive in. We'll take less traffic and less stress every time.

If you decide to take 417, don't take the first Disney exit 536/535 Downtown Disney entrance. That area totally backs up with tons of lights, people who don't know what lane to be in and generally lots of cars. If you take the second Disney exit, you'll go pretty much off the highway to the Disney entrance without so many lights and stops.

Thanks you for the info and it sounds like 417 might be the way to go

 

[dvczerfs]

Hi all, I'm looking for advice and recommendations regarding a rooftop cargo carrier for my Chrysler Aspen Suv(similar to Dodge Durango) We have a family of 6, so I need something large and durable, water resistant would be nice as well. Any thoughts? Thanks.

i used one only one time. it killed the gas mileage and when a truck would pass or you pass a truck, you can feel the car sway.

 

[dvczerfs]

Well ... we absolutely prefer 417 and would never drive I-4 again. If you are comfortable driving through the center of a city, and can handle 6-7 lanes, converging into 3, with lots of exits and people cutting in front of each other, and back-ups for accidents, then I-4 is more direct. We have never found I-4 to be a comfortable drive, but more like having to be on high alert. But, we've never hit it really early in the morning or late at night. There's always traffic going to Disney world, and it's also a main road for work traffic during the week. If you watch the local news in Florida, you'll see accidents and back-ups every day at all times of the day. Mileage, I think I-4 is less total miles.

417 is much more relaxed, but it has 6 or 7 toll booths to go through. It's a new road, so not a lot of potholes. You have to stop every 10-15 miles and drop quarters in a basket or pay money to a toll taker. The exact change lanes are separate, so you can get through a little quicker. We have found that 417 is never really busy, is a smoother ride, and is calmer. It's definitely worth the toll money for us. We always hit the Orlando area between eleven am and 6 pm, so for us, 417 is best.

Folks have disagreed with our assessment and have said it's stupid to pay tolls but I think it's personal preference of the type of traffic you want to drive in. We'll take less traffic and less stress every time.

If you decide to take 417, don't take the first Disney exit 536/535 Downtown Disney entrance. That area totally backs up with tons of lights, people who don't know what lane to be in and generally lots of cars. If you take the second Disney exit, you'll go pretty much off the highway to the Disney entrance without so many lights and stops.

stop talkin about me again! i never took any other way but i4. (knock on wood) never had to sit in traffic on it and im the guy in the left lane, shall i say, driving offensively. just stay to the right and no one will get hurt!

 

[BC1836]

Let's see...1,073 (original drive mileage + distance from Holiday Inn Express to Grand Floridian) mile ride complete. Time for a ride on the monorail!

All the best.

 

[onebighappyfamily]

Hi everyone,

Subbing to this thread. Husband and I are taking our blended family to Disney this September. We are a family of eight with the six kiddos ranging from 8 to 17. My three have been to Disney twice having driven once...hubby's kiddos have never been. We are driving from Central Maine which puts us at a grand total of 3040 miles round trip. When I drove last, my kiddos were 3, 7, and 9 back in 2004 and we left at midnight, making it to Kingsland, GA at midnight with just a short trip to Disney the next morning. It was ideal and the kids were great save for the last hour or so to Kingsland. I think we will do the same this year but leave before midnight as we live an hour north of where we lived the last time. I can't remember the route we took but it was mostly 95 and we didn't encounter much traffic at all. I'm looking forward to the planning as it's part of the fun for me!

E.

 

[dvczerfs]

Hi everyone,

Subbing to this thread. Husband and I are taking our blended family to Disney this September. We are a family of eight with the six kiddos ranging from 8 to 17. My three have been to Disney twice having driven once...hubby's kiddos have never been. We are driving from Central Maine which puts us at a grand total of 3040 miles round trip. When I drove last, my kiddos were 3, 7, and 9 back in 2004 and we left at midnight, making it to Kingsland, GA at midnight with just a short trip to Disney the next morning. It was ideal and the kids were great save for the last hour or so to Kingsland. I think we will do the same this year but leave before midnight as we live an hour north of where we lived the last time. I can't remember the route we took but it was mostly 95 and we didn't encounter much traffic at all. I'm looking forward to the planning as it's part of the fun for me!

E.

no traffic on 95 in the middle of the night.

 

[Guzzi]

We will be making a 2600 m round trip starting on July 9th, in Camillus NY, hopefully getting to southern GA before stopping for the nite, a nice 14 + hour drive ( not counting lunch or dinner or potty breaks) then about 4.25 NON STOP hour drive to AKL Villas on the 10th

 

[amcnj]

Hi Mousegear. I am near AC, NJ and leave about 2:30 am, usually on a weekend. I am about an hour and 10 minutes to the Del Mem Bridge. From there I am usually in NC around 8 am, SC 11 am, GA around 2-3 pm, FL 4-5 pm, and the Orlando area 6:30- 7:30 pm. The variablilty in time is due to traffic, weather, and stops. We usally do about 2 hours in stops along the way. As you can see the whole trip typically takes around 17 hours, 15 hours driving time, depending also on how heavy my foot is that day!

Hope this helps and if you have any questions, let me know.