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

[sharadoc]

Please tell me that's a typo and I didn't just lose a month somewhere.

Again.

Yay! My next trip is closer than I thought!!!

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

I also have been lurking on this thread for a few weeks now. We took off a couple of years going to Disney to explore other vacations. Well, now our two children have major Disney withdrawals and we are planning on going the last two weeks of next August.

This will be our first time driving---it is something that I have always wanted to do. I think I am the only one in my family looking foward to it. Anyway, this thread has provided so much information and I would like to thank everyone.

Our plans are to leave Saturday, August 20th at 2:00 a.m. We will be leaving from Exit 53 on the Long Island Expressway which is out in Suffolk County. Will this time work? I am now concerned about Virginia beach traffic that I have read about. We plan on stopping over in Savanah, Georgia (which I learned from this thread) for that Saturday night and then leave early the next morning to arrive at a decent time and refreshed. Does this sound like a sound plan? My children will be DD12 and DS11 so they should be able to go with the flow.

 

[disneyfan55]

I also have been lurking on this thread for a few weeks now. We took off a couple of years going to Disney to explore other vacations. Well, now our two children have major Disney withdrawals and we are planning on going the last two weeks of next August.

This will be our first time driving---it is something that I have always wanted to do. I think I am the only one in my family looking foward to it. Anyway, this thread has provided so much information and I would like to thank everyone.

Our plans are to leave Saturday, August 20th at 2:00 a.m. We will be leaving from Exit 53 on the Long Island Expressway which is out in Suffolk County. Will this time work? I am now concerned about Virginia beach traffic that I have read about. We plan on stopping over in Savanah, Georgia (which I learned from this thread) for that Saturday night and then leave early the next morning to arrive at a decent time and refreshed. Does this sound like a sound plan? My children will be DD12 and DS11 so they should be able to go with the flow.

You should be fine. we leave about 5 am from central NJ and never have had a problem. Washington DC is probably the worst place to be. Once you are past there usually not much traffic. Up until 2003, we always drove straight through except 3 times when we stopped outside Atlanta to visit family and the 2 times we flew.

We drove from when I was pregnant with my first child in 1977 to now when we've driven with the children and one grandchild! We never had any problems driving with kids of any age. (we also drove cross country 3 times when the kids were 6-12 yr ages!!) Our last trips have had the stop off just outside Atlanta. It's a pretty neat place to visit as well. We were on exit 109 in GA.

 

[crzy4dsny]

I also have been lurking on this thread for a few weeks now. We took off a couple of years going to Disney to explore other vacations. Well, now our two children have major Disney withdrawals and we are planning on going the last two weeks of next August.

This will be our first time driving---it is something that I have always wanted to do. I think I am the only one in my family looking foward to it. Anyway, this thread has provided so much information and I would like to thank everyone.

Our plans are to leave Saturday, August 20th at 2:00 a.m. We will be leaving from Exit 53 on the Long Island Expressway which is out in Suffolk County. Will this time work? I am now concerned about Virginia beach traffic that I have read about. We plan on stopping over in Savanah, Georgia (which I learned from this thread) for that Saturday night and then leave early the next morning to arrive at a decent time and refreshed. Does this sound like a sound plan? My children will be DD12 and DS11 so they should be able to go with the flow.

Done the trip 4 times from exit 63, were almost neighbors. 2am is a perfect time to leave. Three of our trips we left on a Saturday at 2am, just like you have planned. The last one on 8/23 we left at midnight because it was a Monday morning drove straight thru and got there at 4:30. One trip leaving at 2, we drove straight thru got to Disney at 8:25pm. The other two we stopped in Kingsland GA. Kingsland is right on the Florida border. It's 2.5 hours from there to Disney. VA Beach traffic was never an issue with us. You should be in NC around 9:15-9:45 so you are passing thru there early. If you need any more info let me know.

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

Done the trip 4 times from exit 63, were almost neighbors. 2am is a perfect time to leave. Three of our trips we left on a Saturday at 2am, just like you have planned. The last one on 8/23 we left at midnight because it was a Monday morning drove straight thru and got there at 4:30. One trip leaving at 2, we drove straight thru got to Disney at 8:25pm. The other two we stopped in Kingsland GA. Kingsland is right on the Florida border. It's 2.5 hours from there to Disney. VA Beach traffic was never an issue with us. You should be in NC around 9:15-9:45 so you are passing thru there early. If you need any more info let me know.

Thanks so much for posting. I was hoping you would reply since I have read all of your posts on this thread and knew you were a fellow Long Islander. I do not know what I was thinking before, because we are actually also at Exit 63. Today was such a bad traffic day on the LIE that I think I totally lost my mind when I typed Exit 53. We live in Holtsville.

I think I am going to make hotel reservations in both Savanah and Kingsland and see how far we can go. I am glad that you think we will be fine at 2:00 a.m. I really did not want to leave any earlier than that and was getting a little concerned about the beach traffic. I am sure I will have lots more questions. Thanks again.

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

You should be fine. we leave about 5 am from central NJ and never have had a problem. Washington DC is probably the worst place to be. Once you are past there usually not much traffic. Up until 2003, we always drove straight through except 3 times when we stopped outside Atlanta to visit family and the 2 times we flew.

We drove from when I was pregnant with my first child in 1977 to now when we've driven with the children and one grandchild! We never had any problems driving with kids of any age. (we also drove cross country 3 times when the kids were 6-12 yr ages!!) Our last trips have had the stop off just outside Atlanta. It's a pretty neat place to visit as well. We were on exit 109 in GA.

Thanks for your input. My guess is that we would be around 3 hours away from central NJ. I am really looking foward to the drive---I have always wanted to do it as a child, but we always flew to Florida. My kids think I am crazy, but I think they will enjoy it also.

 

[nytimez]

Typo! "Haste Makes Waste!"

{and I'm an editor, no less!}

I'm a proofreader -- always got in trouble for fixing the editor's mistakes.

And I'm a writer. I keep editors and proofreaders employed.

 

[crzy4dsny]

Thanks so much for posting. I was hoping you would reply since I have read all of your posts on this thread and knew you were a fellow Long Islander. I do not know what I was thinking before, because we are actually also at Exit 63. Today was such a bad traffic day on the LIE that I think I totally lost my mind when I typed Exit 53. We live in Holtsville.

I think I am going to make hotel reservations in both Savanah and Kingsland and see how far we can go. I am glad that you think we will be fine at 2:00 a.m. I really did not want to leave any earlier than that and was getting a little concerned about the beach traffic. I am sure I will have lots more questions. Thanks again.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Kingsland. There are about 8 hotels there all right off of 95. There are several places to eat and a Walmart about 10 minutes away. I think the beach traffic starts a little later, you will be thru before it starts.

 

[blondietink]

Next month we will be catching the Auto-train on a Saturday afternoon. We will be picking up the interstate system in Harrisburg, PA. and expect to be near Baltimore around 11 am. Which way should I go around/through Baltimore and DC to get to Lorton, VA? TIA!

Anybody? We can either catch I83 or I81, it really doesn't matter to us.

 

[Tina]

Anybody? We can either catch I83 or I81, it really doesn't matter to us.

Due to construction on the west side of the beltway, I recommend heading around the east side of the loop. It may be slightly longer in distance, but worth it in avoiding the traffic through construction zones.

 

[patclairesmom]

We are driving down in April and probably stopping somewhere past Jacksonville, maybe Palm Coast. We really want to stop at the Florida Welcome Center and get some of that OJ. Last year we stayed in Kingsland and got to the Welcome Center too early.

 

[honeymo78]

We just booked a stay at the Comfort Inn in Kingsland for Friday night - king room for $50. We probably won't get there until 10pm-12am but a few hours rest before the short drive through Fl will be nice. And we won't be groggy on Sat and will be able to enjoy Epcot for the afternoon/evening.

I'm so excited. Our first drive is less than a week away. And we switched which car we will be driving. Instead of the Mariner, which we will use in Dec, we're taking the Fusion. Less driving for me, and more for DH - the rule is whoever's car we take has to be primary driver based on comfort level with the vehicle. I secretly think DH just wanted a more active role in the trip and/or he knows he barely puts any mileage on his car (50 a week) and I use mine much more (200 a week).

 

[michael's mom]

Hi all you driving experts! I've lurked on this thread but this is my first post here. We drove once in 2004 (we live in southern Maine) but we usually fly. Up until now we've been able to pull the kids out of school and go during the slower times, and when flights are reasonble. Now our oldest has started high school as we can't do that. We had pretty much resigned ourselves that school year vacations are out of the question, as flights are outrageously priced over school vacation weeks.

Now I'm itching to plan a trip! How crazy would it be to drive from Maine to Disney over February vacation? We could leave about midday on Friday, and then leave to come back the following Friday. It's tough to time a trip from here without hitting rush hour somewhere in the northeast. Any suggestions or tips, or should I just forget the whole thing?

Thanks in advance!

Would you be taking 95 straight down? How far away from Boston are you? We are planning on leaving sometime between 4pm and 7pm (haven't decided yet) for our drive down in April and from what I've read here and reports from friends who have driven, we'll miss all of the traffic. If we leave around 4, we may have a bit of traffic a little south of boston trying to jump on 95 but it shouldn't be too bad. That's why we haven't decided when we're leaving. On the one hand, I'd like to just get going and deal with whatever we hit in the Braintree/Dedham areas of MA traffic. On the other hand, if we eat dinner first and leave maybe at 6 or 7, DS will probably fall asleep in the car pretty soon after starting the drive down.

But, back to your trip, if you hit the Dedham MA area around 7pm you should miss all of the traffic in MA, and be through NYC and DC before rush hour. If we leave at 4, we figure we'll hit NYC between 8 and 9 and DC between midnight and 1am. I haven't heard anyone report tough traffic anywhere else on 95 south of DC.

Best of luck!

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

How far in advance should you book your hotel room? We plan on staying overnight in either Savanah or Kingsland. Do the hotel rates change or do they basically stay the same? Any hotel suggesions? Thanks.

 

[pwdebbie]

And I'm a writer. I keep editors and proofreaders employed.

Alright -- You write a book about Disney, BC1836 can edit and I'll proof. Now all we need is a publisher and some up front money . . .

 

[pwdebbie]

Any suggestions or warnings for lodging in the Florence, SC, area? We are splitting the drive down for two nights on the road -- first night in the Florence area, second night at Ormond Beach -- a shuttle launch is scheduled late that afternoon so hopefully we will get to see it, already have that room reserved. Just need to make a decision (or wing it?) for Florence hotel.

 

[blondietink]

There are many different hotels at the Florence exit, along with very cheap gas ... it was the cheapest gas we encountered on our way down to Florida in August. We like to drive over to Darlington Speedway as a diversion to look at the track.

 

[thumbalyna]

How far in advance should you book your hotel room? We plan on staying overnight in either Savanah or Kingsland. Do the hotel rates change or do they basically stay the same? Any hotel suggesions? Thanks.

I booked the red roof inn in kingsland for october 8th - i signed up to be a member of their rewards program and got the room for 46 for the night.

 

[Hankshouse]

Too funny but husband and I are trying to plan a trip down during February break and with the high cost of flying, I'm trying to convince him to drive. We're also at Exit 63 off the LIE...LOL!! We've driven to FL once before when kids were tiny and this past summer did a road trip to NC. Although there were a few moments when I doubted my sanity, I think I'm actually starting to look forward to a drive down. Saw your comments on departure times and overnights to FL (Kingsland, GA?) but was wondering what you guys recommend for the trip home? I'm pretty sure that straight through won't work for us and considering the hotel has an 11am checkout, I was wondering what time you usually hit the road and where you recommend staying? Thanks for the help

 

[pwdebbie]

There are many different hotels at the Florence exit, along with very cheap gas ... it was the cheapest gas we encountered on our way down to Florida in August. We like to drive over to Darlington Speedway as a diversion to look at the track.

I didn't know that was in the area. I hope there aren't any races planned Oct. 31! Thanks for the reply, I'll tell dh to push it to get gas there.