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

[Vickis3js]

Wow, there is a lot of good information on this thread! This is my first time posting here, as I usually fly, but this time the higher costs of airfare and car rental, combined with the fact we're planning a longer than usual trip make driving worth considering.

BUT, there are so many possible scenarios as far as the time of day, the day of week, the time of year and route selected. It’s pretty overwhelming!

I’m from the Philly suburbs, so I’m looking for recommendations from those who live nearby (I noticed that Sharadoc is very close ).

We want to arrive in WDW by mid-day on August 20th (a Saturday).

I have a couple of different scenarios. Any thoughts on what might be a better strategy and if these are realistic:

1. I am thinking about leaving around 3:00-3:30 am on Friday morning and driving to a hotel near the SC/GA border, but am worried about traffic in VA by 7:00 am. Ideally we would leave the hotel by 8 am on Saturday, and hopefully get to WDW by 2:00 pm. Downsides with this are the 3:00 wake-up time and potential traffic in DC/VA.
   
2. The other thought is driving about 5-6 hours on Thursday after work (leaving home 6:30-7 pm) to get past Richmond, and then trying to get to Orlando by Saturday night, but making a hotel reservation about 3 hours out in the event of unforeseen circumstances (traffic, weather, etc). We can always cancel the reservation if it’s not needed. Downside there, of course, is an extra night’s hotel cost.
   
3. The other option is taking the 81/77/26 route, but that does seem to put me about 100 miles out of my way. Do people often take this way from the Philly area?

Also, how much driving time is typical for the Philly-WDW trek?

We'll be leaving Orlando on August 30th (a Tuesday), but right now I'm more concerned with getting there than going back home...

Thanks!

We are from South Jersey, way south Cape May county. We just did our 3rd drive last month. We typically leave around 2-3am. This year DH goofed and set his alarm for pm instead of am. Thankfully he woke a little before 4am and we had the car packed. We got the kids up and in the car and we were on the road at 4:10. We some how made it through DC with NO traffic. We've stopped in Savannah, GA for the night the last 2 trips but since we had always checked in around 4pm we figured we would shoot for Brunswick, Ga. We got there around 6pm. We left there around 8am and we were in WDW around noon I guess it was.

We have talked about driving straight through but I just can't see us doing it until the kids are a bit older. Right now they are 10,9, and 8. We do like to get the bulk of the trip out of the way the first day. We really liked driving 29 miles and being in Fl. this year. I always hate the drive once we get into FL. I am way too antsy.

 

[Ksquared]

We live in South Jersey, Cherry Hill, so about 15 min from bridges into Philly. On our last trip (last January) we left about 2:00 a.m. but had to go back home after forgetting our bag with all our tickets to the parks. So let's say by the time we got back to the Philly airport it was 3:00 a.m. We ended up driving straight through with brief stops along the way....we ate all our meals in the car and got into Orlando around 8:30/9:00 that night. We think that's generally a good time to leave from this area. You def. want to get passed the DC area before rush hour. Our next trip is in April and we are thinking about leaving around 2:00 a.m. again....and hopefully this time we don't forget anything!

 

[Camno's Mama]

Can anyone recommend a hotel in the Macon/Marietta area? And, while I'm at it, the Chatanooga area. I want to be prepared, and I figured you all are the best ones to ask!

 

[TheDisneyWorldFan]

Rode in a vehicle multiple round trips from New York(not the city) down to Disney.

 

[nono]

We are from South Jersey, way south Cape May county. We just did our 3rd drive last month. We typically leave around 2-3am. This year DH goofed and set his alarm for pm instead of am. Thankfully he woke a little before 4am and we had the car packed. We got the kids up and in the car and we were on the road at 4:10. We some how made it through DC with NO traffic. We've stopped in Savannah, GA for the night the last 2 trips but since we had always checked in around 4pm we figured we would shoot for Brunswick, Ga. We got there around 6pm. We left there around 8am and we were in WDW around noon I guess it was.

We have talked about driving straight through but I just can't see us doing it until the kids are a bit older. Right now they are 10,9, and 8. We do like to get the bulk of the trip out of the way the first day. We really liked driving 29 miles and being in Fl. this year. I always hate the drive once we get into FL. I am way too antsy.

Oh gee, so you go up and around every time? That just drives me crazy! (Also in southern Cape May county). We've done the 6 pm ferry and driven through the night (that was good). Since our kids (7 & 4) are actually enjoying the long trips in the car, we're thinking next time to take a mid-morning ferry and get down around Chesapeake, VA - Emporia, VA (anywhere along there) and crash early. From there, it should be about 12 hrs. So whatever time I get us going, we'll be there that time in the afternoon. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[HeatherC]

Just booked the Comfort Inn in Lumberton, Nc for one night in February. Anyone stayed here before? Needed a room that has two queens and sleeper. Paying $95 plus tax.

Thought the taxes are crazy though. They charge about 20 percent! Anyone else notice this?

If anyone has any other suggestions on where to stay, I am open to them. I checked the Holiday Inn Express in Fayetteville but they wanted like $140 plust tax.

Best to all!

 

[dvczerfs]

Just booked the Comfort Inn in Lumberton, Nc for one night in February. Anyone stayed here before? Needed a room that has two queens and sleeper. Paying $95 plus tax.

Thought the taxes are crazy though. They charge about 20 percent! Anyone else notice this?

If anyone has any other suggestions on where to stay, I am open to them. I checked the Holiday Inn Express in Fayetteville but they wanted like $140 plust tax.

Best to all!

ive stayed in the hampton inn in lumberton a few years ago. anytime you can get under $100 i think your doing good.

 

[ThreeKMom]

This thread is awesome! We are currently trying to plan a trip for August 2011 Our last 2 trips we had to leave our older two DD's home because of school. This time we are planning when they can come too, and airfare for 5 people plus park tickets, dining plan and a larger room is just too much.

We are thinking about driving from Monmouth Co. NJ, how long does it usually take to drive from this area? Does everyone book a stop over hotel somewhere, or would we get lucky and be able to get a room where ever we get tired?

 

[sharadoc]

Just booked the Comfort Inn in Lumberton, Nc for one night in February. Anyone stayed here before? Needed a room that has two queens and sleeper. Paying $95 plus tax.

Thought the taxes are crazy though. They charge about 20 percent! Anyone else notice this?

If anyone has any other suggestions on where to stay, I am open to them. I checked the Holiday Inn Express in Fayetteville but they wanted like $140 plust tax.

Best to all!

I KNOW - it's getting crazy with the pricing and taxes on the 95 hotels. That's why we're going to go straight through next time. We spend over $200 round trip on semi-crappy hotels!

 

[Vickis3js]

Oh gee, so you go up and around every time? That just drives me crazy! (Also in southern Cape May county). We've done the 6 pm ferry and driven through the night (that was good). Since our kids (7 & 4) are actually enjoying the long trips in the car, we're thinking next time to take a mid-morning ferry and get down around Chesapeake, VA - Emporia, VA (anywhere along there) and crash early. From there, it should be about 12 hrs. So whatever time I get us going, we'll be there that time in the afternoon. I'll let you know how it goes!

Yeah we go up and around. I missed a comma in my first post LOL we are actually in the upper portion of Cape May co. We had talked about going the Ferry route one day but it actually ends up taking a little longer that way plus the extra cost of the ferry. My DH likes to leave in the middle of the night as well. But it does annoy me that we are so close yet so far away.

 

[dvczerfs]

I KNOW - it's getting crazy with the pricing and taxes on the 95 hotels. That's why we're going to go straight through next time. We spend over $200 round trip on semi-crappy hotels!

comeing over to the dark side!!!

 

[sharadoc]

comeing over to the dark side!!!

YES! Plus one more day at Disney World!

 

[dvczerfs]

YES! Plus one more day at Disney World!

 

[Becky2005]

Can anyone recommend a hotel in the Macon/Marietta area? And, while I'm at it, the Chatanooga area. I want to be prepared, and I figured you all are the best ones to ask!

I would be interested too.

I am looking at Ringgold, TN as it was the one place I could find a suite that holds 6 (that wasn't already booked!). I'm nervous though because it has gotten so-so reviews on TripAdvisor.

I figure if we stay one night and it's awful we can cancel the reservation we have for the same place on the way home but opinions here would be appreciated.

I know we stayed at a Holiday Inn in Chattanooga on the way home last time and it was perfectly fine. I think it's now a Holiday Inn Express though (so doesn't hold our family of 6), there seems to be one right off of I-24 that is not having to drive all over creation to find it (I hate having to find hotels in the dark not familiar with the area and they are farther down off the Interstate). I almost ended up on the Airforce base in TN when doing that in Marietta -- I knew THAT was a problem and we went too far off the exit.

I have on my old planning sheets it was the Holiday Inn & Suites in Marietta, GA we stayed at. Nice but definitely hard to find late at night. I don't think it's a Holiday Inn anymore or it might have changed to an Express (so no suites). OH MY -- I actually found my OLD confirmation e-mails so here is the one hotel we stayed at on the way down in 2005!!! It took us way longer than I thought though to get there. The pool was closed by the time we got there and I had specifically picked it because it had a pool!!!

ATLANTA-I-75 NW (MARIETTA)
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
2265 KINGSTON CT (FORMERLY DELK RD)
MARIETTA, GA 30067
UNITED STATES

Here is the one stayed at coming back in 2005

CHATTANOOGA-LOOKOUT MTN
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
3710 MODERN INDUSTRIES PKWY
CHATTANOOGA, TN 37419
UNITED STATES
1-423-4240125

I have no idea if either of these still exist or ?

OK the one in Chattanoga definitely exists, just says my family of 6 is too big. I knew that was the one when I was looking at it to book again this year!

I just attempted Marietta and the Holiday Inn site says it doesn't exist so I'm thinking it changed hands or something.

 

[HARVEYSGIRL]

We just got back on Jan 2nd. We left at 1am and drove straight through. We got to Orlando about 8:30pm.

I have a big truck. A Dodge 3500 Megacab. It has a ton of room in it. Even the rear seats recline. My three kids slept alot of the way. The only downside is the price of diesel fuel. Ouch!!!

It is right at 1200 miles from our door to Disneyworld. On the way home we went and saw my Grandma. So total milage for our last trip was around 2900 miles.

Did I mention I am doing it again in March

 

[hibricc]

Just back on Sunday.... Up front let me say we don't like to drive at night AND we prefer to arrive at WDW refreshed rather than exhausted, so two overnights is our MO. We stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites for no reason other than our son thought it looked nice on their website last year - AND they offer free hot breakfast.

Left home on Cape Cod 12/28 (two days late due to the east coast blizzard), made it to Fredericksburg VA on day 1, then Brunswick GA day 2. Arrived at Pop at 11:30am 12/30, with time to check in and hit MK. Around 1350 miles.

Left WDW at noon on 1/7 (one day late to avoid yet another east coast snowstorm), made it to Florence SC on day 1. On day 2, we were watching the New Jersey snowstorm and decided to break north at Baltimore via I83 to Harrisburg PA, stopping for the night in Bethlehem PA (there was room at the inn, thankfully ). Day 3 across the TappanZee to I95 and home by 3pm. Probably 1450 miles, or so. Strong possibility we'll take that western route next time (or the 81/77/26 alternative that others have mentioned), as the northern portion was much less stressful than the NJ turnpike could ever be.

Our itinerary probably sounds like torture to most of the all-night road warriors on here, but we've found that staying fresh and well-rested makes us all better travelers (less crankiness), and the trip home gives us time to stop missing WDW as much and focus on getting home instead. YMMV.

 

[OhdahLolly]

Hello fellow drivers!


DH and I are planning on driving down to FL from IL, likely non stop again.

My question to you is..

Would you rather rent a car or take your own?

What are your must-haves for your road trip that you can not do without?

 

[hibricc]

Hello fellow drivers!


DH and I are planning on driving down to FL from IL, likely non stop again.

My question to you is..

Would you rather rent a car or take your own?

What are your must-haves for your road trip that you can not do without?

We like having our own car. It's big enough for our family, so we save a ton of dough vs. renting.

Must haves are a portable DVD player for DS8 and DS10, and as I've noted elsewhere, my new iPad. When paired with my wife's Droid X and its mobile WiFi hotspot, it made our trip this year much more enjoyable.

 

[Becky2005]

Would you rather rent a car or take your own?

What are your must-haves for your road trip that you can not do without?

I'd rather take my own because I'm familiar with it but I was TOLD we are renting one because my parents don't think there is enough room.

That's OK, they are paying for it. They also are of the mindset that way if something goes wrong, you are stuck waiting around for it to be repaired.

Really, there isn't much in way of "must have" for us as my kids have never had the portable DVD type of thing. They have gameboys and coloring books, etc... Mostly they sleep. We did have a laptop last time around and will hopefully have one this time.

My only required thing would be a GPS -- I tell you I would have loved one last time on the way home! We got lost thanks to being directed off our route by the police. It was something like Midnight and we had no idea where we were nor were there any signs telling you what the cross streets were so you couldn't even look it up on the map!!! We were driving in cornfields for an hour. AND we weren't that far from home!!!! I just had never had to drive THROUGH a cornfield before and had no idea they had paved roads back there.

 

[PrincessMom4]

Hello fellow drivers!


DH and I are planning on driving down to FL from IL, likely non stop again.

My question to you is..

Would you rather rent a car or take your own?

What are your must-haves for your road trip that you can not do without?

DVD player is a must for 4 kids under 12. My kids also have a gameboy or DS plus they have an activity pack when boarding our "Minnie" van. They have reading or colouring stuff plus some hot wheels for the younger kids. We usually all play family travel games on the way like Disney alphabet.

A GPS is a MUST and plenty of snacks and drinks.