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

[BC1836]

for some reason, i burn 100 gallons of gas round trip everytime. i generaly am a bit over the speed limit , we have a chrysler town and country touring and its 1086 miles from my drive way to old key west. we just came back 2 weeks ago and my gas bill was $268. for some reason gas is 10 cents higher in pa than it is below the masion dixon. have a safe trip!!

We spent $207.41 during our 2,223 mile round trip drive (including 80 miles of driving while in WDW) in our new Honda CRV while we were there several weeks ago.

All the best.

 

[sharadoc]

for some reason, i burn 100 gallons of gas round trip everytime. i generaly am a bit over the speed limit , we have a chrysler town and country touring and its 1086 miles from my drive way to old key west. we just came back 2 weeks ago and my gas bill was $268. for some reason gas is 10 cents higher in pa than it is below the masion dixon. have a safe trip!!

We spent $207.41 during our 2,223 mile round trip drive (including 80 miles of driving while in WDW) in our new Honda CRV while we were there several weeks ago.

All the best.

We use 100 gallons, too. We have a Grand Caravan, so same thing!

BC - I'm jealous. What is that - 40 MPG???

 

[LadyBeBop]

And I am hoping that you will let me post here even though I will technically only be driving a little over 1800 miles round trip.

I'm also a little over 1,800 miles RT. However, last time we went, we took a roundabout way to Orlando (through Tampa). We probably also traveled about 200 miles inside Orlando. So I'm sure you'll get to your 2,000 miles RT.

Looking at your nickname, I would guess you're from Indy. However, I think Indy is more than 1,000 miles away. So I'm thinking you're somewhere north of Louisville?

I'd go 65-24-75 to Disney. Try to time it so you don't hit Atlanta during rush hour. Stay in the far left lane (I hope you'll have a companion so you can use the carpool lane). And make sure you take I-475 around Macon. That is actually more of a straight shot than I-75 through Macon.

 

[BC1836]

We use 100 gallons, too. We have a Grand Caravan, so same thing!

BC - I'm jealous. What is that - 40 MPG???

Alas, we never count the gas that's already in the tank when we depart, only the gas we put in on the drive. [Thank you for your diplomatic reply.] Still, according to the gas gauge indicator, the best mpg we averaged was 31.6. And despite the fact that we departed from home with a full tank we still had about a 1/4 of a tank upon arriving home. Forty miles to the gallon? Hardly. But almost 32 mpg was quite satisfactory in the new 2011.

All the best.

 

[Butler_chic07]

I'm also a little over 1,800 miles RT. However, last time we went, we took a roundabout way to Orlando (through Tampa). We probably also traveled about 200 miles inside Orlando. So I'm sure you'll get to your 2,000 miles RT.

Looking at your nickname, I would guess you're from Indy. However, I think Indy is more than 1,000 miles away. So I'm thinking you're somewhere north of Louisville?

I'd go 65-24-75 to Disney. Try to time it so you don't hit Atlanta during rush hour. Stay in the far left lane (I hope you'll have a companion so you can use the carpool lane). And make sure you take I-475 around Macon. That is actually more of a straight shot than I-75 through Macon.

You are right, we are from Indy - and obviously huge Butler people

However we will be coming from our hometown which is pretty much smack dab in between Indy and Lousiville, so you called that right. We live right on I65 so it is basically the best and only option for us. Although I can definitely understand why some people would avoid it!

Thanks for the tips. We will definitely try our best to follow them!

 

[delmar411]

can anyone suggest a hotel or city to stop in about 2-3hrs outside of WDW? We're leaving home around 5-6am on Saturday and I don't really want to drive straight through but I also want to get to WDW in enough time to make rope drop on Sunday.

 

[BC1836]

can anyone suggest a hotel or city to stop in about 2-3hrs outside of WDW? We're leaving home around 5-6am on Saturday and I don't really want to drive straight through but I also want to get to WDW in enough time to make rope drop on Sunday.

If you eventually end up on I-95 heading south in FL nearly every major hotel/motel chain is available every few exits. Lots of choices from Jacksonville and Palm Coast to Daytona and Deltona. Saturday evening reservations should be secured somewhat early because it's a busy night for travelers. Rope drop on Sunday requires you to be a lot closer than "2-3 hours outside WDW."

All the best.

 

[delmar411]

If you eventually end up on I-95 heading south in FL nearly every major hotel/motel chain is available every few exits. Lots of choices from Jacksonville and Palm Coast to Daytona and Deltona. Saturday evening reservations should be secured somewhat early because it's a busy night for travelers. Rope drop on Sunday requires you to be a lot closer than "2-3 hours outside WDW."

All the best.

thanks for the info! I didn't realize I'd need to be closer than 2hrs away to make 9am RD but I can see how that makes sense.

 

[LadyBeBop]

thanks for the info! I didn't realize I'd need to be closer than 2hrs away to make 9am RD but I can see how that makes sense.

Are you coming in from Indianapolis? Then you'd be coming in from I-75 and the Florida Turnpike.

Gainesville is about two hours away from the world. If you leave early enough (say 5:30-6:00 AM), you would probably be able to make rope drop. I mention Gainesville, because we once drove from Cincinnati to Gainesville non-stop. Left at midnight; got there at 3 PM. And that's with a hour traffic jam in Lexington due to a wreck, and also liberal stops.
Mapquest shows it as 12.5 hours from Cincinnati and 13.75 hours from Indianapolis. Leave at 5 AM; allow a couple of hours for stops and get to Gainesville about 9 PM. You can still have a full nights sleep and wake up early in time for rope drop.

If you want to go a little farther, Ocala is about a half hour further down the road.

 

[cruisingkat]

So, we are getting ready to take our first trip to WDW driving - and I am a little confused and worried about it. I am hoping some of you wonderful people might be able to give me some advice. I have looked through this post and the for drivers post. However, I don't have all the time to read every post, although I wish I could. Most of what I have read here has to do with I95, which is not the route we would be taking. And I am hoping that you will let me post here even though I will technically only be driving a little over 1800 miles round trip.

Here is my problem, we plan on using our GPS, but I also want something as a backup, so I have looked at Google maps and used AAA TripTik. The AAA route was about 2 hours shorter than google maps, so I was rather confused, because for the most part they seem to take about the same route... Does anyone have any experience driving from IN or somewhere that requires them to take I65 to I75 I believe.

Would appreciate any ideas/suggestions etc.

Look forward to hearing the experts ideas or points of view.

I didn't want to start a whole thread for this, so hoped you all might be able to point me in the right direction.

I65 and I75 are parallel and don't meet up- we drive several times a year from Chicago to FL and our GPS keeps wanting to take us through IN on I65 (which we do ignore because we prefer I57 over I65 - we tried the I65 route but there were way too many trucks on I65 - we did find a fix for the GPS by putting the intersection of I57 and I74 around Champaign as a via point). The route the GPS wants us to take is I65 through IN, KY, and into Nashville, TN where you pick up I24 to Chattanooga, TN where you pick up I75. You take I75 straight through to south of Ocala, FL where you pick up the Florida Turnpike- exit is on the left. The Turnpike is a toll so be sure to have money ready! If you are using GPS or any other mapping method - make sure that you DON'T have "Avoid Tollroads" checked - otherwise it will avoid the turnpike and take you the long way (I75 to Tampa and then to I4).

 

[delmar411]

Are you coming in from Indianapolis? Then you'd be coming in from I-75 and the Florida Turnpike.

Gainesville is about two hours away from the world. If you leave early enough (say 5:30-6:00 AM), you would probably be able to make rope drop. I mention Gainesville, because we once drove from Cincinnati to Gainesville non-stop. Left at midnight; got there at 3 PM. And that's with a hour traffic jam in Lexington due to a wreck, and also liberal stops.
Mapquest shows it as 12.5 hours from Cincinnati and 13.75 hours from Indianapolis. Leave at 5 AM; allow a couple of hours for stops and get to Gainesville about 9 PM. You can still have a full nights sleep and wake up early in time for rope drop.

If you want to go a little farther, Ocala is about a half hour further down the road.

We are coming from Indy. Thanks for the info about Gainsville. I'll keep that in mind if I can't go any farther or the kids are ready to be free from the car. I was planning on getting up at the crack of dawn to get down to SSR and check in and head to the parks so that would work, timewise.

 

[BC1836]

Happy New Year to those who drive at least 2,000+ round-trip miles to and from Walt Disney World!

And Happy New Year to everyone else! [That should cover just about everyone.]

All the best!

 

[mousebymarriage]

Happy New Year to those who drive at least 2,000+ round-trip miles to and from Walt Disney World!

And Happy New Year to everyone else! [That should cover just about everyone.]

All the best!

Happy New Year to you too!

 

[njmom47]

Happy New Year to you as well...from a fellow Jersey Shore resident!

 

[dvczerfs]

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVEYONE!!!
SHARON, we met with the other couple new years eve, the nights i gave you are open. we are not having any other adrs. im already eating at germany. i cant eat mex. food. (sorry) you gave me some ideas that were hotel rest. that you have eaten at. we havnt done to many hotels. any ideas, let me know. (you can text me if it would be easier.

 

[marcikira]

We are heading out in April for our second visit! It will be our first time driving. We're heading from Wisconsin with 2 kiddos, 8 and 14. We do 12 hour road trips about 2x a year to visit family, but this will be our first trip of this length. Our kids are pretty decent travelers.

I can't wait!!!

 

[sharadoc]

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVEYONE!!!
SHARON, we met with the other couple new years eve, the nights i gave you are open. we are not having any other adrs. im already eating at germany. i cant eat mex. food. (sorry) you gave me some ideas that were hotel rest. that you have eaten at. we havnt done to many hotels. any ideas, let me know. (you can text me if it would be easier.

Okay, sounds good. I guess it depends on what we plan to do - are we having dinner and hanging out? Or are we going to a park after?

We like Cape May Cafe at Beach Club, Trail's End at Fort Wilderness, Kona Cafe at Poly. We thought Whispering Canyon was okay at Wilderness Lodge. Only have eaten breakfast at Boma but lots of folks love it. Other places we'd be willing to try would be the Wave at the Contemporary, Grand Floridian Cafe, Captain's Grill at Yacht Club. There's lots of stuff at Downtown Disney - we haven't eaten there since the Fireworks Factory closed (except Earl of Sandwich). In parks, we like the 50's Primetime at DHS. We'd be willing to try the Moroccan or Japanese or new Italian pizza restaurant in Epcot.

Hope this is okay - it would take forever to text everything!

Or send me your e-mail and we could do it that way.

 

[nytimez]

We use 100 gallons, too. We have a Grand Caravan, so same thing!

In my Prius, I usually just have to stop for gas twice -- leaving NY on a full tank, I stop in Virginia and South Carolina. I think round-trip takes about 40-45 gallons.

I know there are some Prius haters out there, but it makes the trips to WDW very economical. On the other hand, it's usually just two or three of us. It would be a real tight (maybe impossible) fit for four.

 

[sharadoc]

In my Prius, I usually just have to stop for gas twice -- leaving NY on a full tank, I stop in Virginia and South Carolina. I think round-trip takes about 40-45 gallons.

I know there are some Prius haters out there, but it makes the trips to WDW very economical. On the other hand, it's usually just two or three of us. It would be a real tight (maybe impossible) fit for four.

That's awesome. So I guess you can go 3-4 times a year, right??

 

[nytimez]

That's awesome. So I guess you can go 3-4 times a year, right??

LOL... not quite, but I have spent a ton of time in Florida these past few years. Knocking on wood now that I'll be lucky enough to keep doing it.