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

[sharadoc]

sharon, are you in the tower, mk view room? if you are, call back and request an odd number room number.

Yes I am - thanks for the tip. What will the odd room number get me?

 

[sharadoc]

i still bring the atlas with us. the gps is on maps, i like watching the mph on it instead of the dash. the way i sit in the van, i have duck to see under the steering wheel to see how fast im going so its easier to look at the gps.

We need the maps for security. Our stupid GPS is always trying to get us to turn around and go back where we came from whenever we try a different way from what is programmed. We learned summer 09 when we got stuck in the DC-VA summer madness. We ended up backtracking for over an hour following the stupid GPS!!!! We didn't have our detail maps, only the exit guide. So now we always have our handy dandy AAA maps. Haven't really needed them since but won't leave home without them.

 

[Becky2005]

UGH...now we are in a quandry....we found airfare for $122/person each way...I'm sure it's still cheaper to drive with 6 people but that's pretty cheap. I just don't know.

I just am not sure what the break-even point is. We usually just drive everywhere and don't think about it but I looked just for giggles & grins (if I left on a Tuesday or Wed. it would be $92/person and I'm pretty sure that is "never mind we are flying").

Decisions, decisions, decisions...I hate making decisions. LOL!

 

[irish dancer]

UGH...now we are in a quandry....we found airfare for $122/person each way...I'm sure it's still cheaper to drive with 6 people but that's pretty cheap. I just don't know.

I just am not sure what the break-even point is. We usually just drive everywhere and don't think about it but I looked just for giggles & grins (if I left on a Tuesday or Wed. it would be $92/person and I'm pretty sure that is "never mind we are flying").

Decisions, decisions, decisions...I hate making decisions. LOL!

Is this on Southwest?? I saw that they had $92 fares on Tu/Wed. Wish we could work with those dates but we're already booked into our DVC and if we bump it back we don't have enough points plus we have to be back for DD9s recital (required for her dance team) and I'm not losing 4 days of vaca to fly! Guess we'll still be driving.......

 

[Becky2005]

Is this on Southwest?? I saw that they had $92 fares on Tu/Wed. Wish we could work with those dates but we're already booked into our DVC and if we bump it back we don't have enough points plus we have to be back for DD9s recital (required for her dance team) and I'm not losing 4 days of vaca to fly! Guess we'll still be driving.......

Yes, it's on Southwest...in our case we would end up adding days to our vacation and it would be one of those the cheap airfare would cost us way more due to having to add the hotel days. Trust me I was using every convulated way to try to make it work... I wasn't even attempting to try to fly but saw a post here about good airfares so thought *hmm...I'll check it out" and I usually see airfare that is about oh, $400/$500 PER PERSON for one way and that isn't going to happen so when I saw $122 thought that was pretty cheap and then my mom went "I hear usually Tuesday or Wednesday is the cheapest time to travel" so for giggles & grins I looked up that and saw the $92 fare. UGH...

 

[Laurabearz]

If you fly, you will either have to rent a car or use Disney Transportation, so there is that trade off/expense too...

 

[BC1836]

Gettin' ready.

We just placed our first Mickey antenna figure on the end of our satellite radio antenna. Of course, it's designed only for conventional antennas but with a little adjusting it's on. For how long? We have no idea. But our countdown is in its final stage.

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

Yes I am - thanks for the tip. What will the odd room number get me?

odd number rooms, the beds face the magic kingdom. you can lay in bed, look out the sliding glass door and see the castle.

 

[dvczerfs]

Gettin' ready.

We just placed our first Mickey antenna figure on the end of our satellite radio antenna. Of course, it's designed only for conventional antennas but with a little adjusting it's on. For how long? We have no idea. But our countdown is in its final stage.

All the best.

keep in touch!!

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

I saw on AAA yesterday that there is also construction the whole way through TN for those coming from the northwest.

I am assuming that means interstate 24....summer travel without construction, now that would be a good dream. Well hopefully its not bad, we are on countdown mode.

 

[angwill]

I am assuming that means interstate 24....summer travel without construction, now that would be a good dream. Well hopefully its not bad, we are on countdown mode.

Yep, that is all the way from Nashville to the Georgia border with little stretches without. I have never driven through that much construction in TN in years past. Ironically there is no traffic on I-57 in IL or in GA shown on AAA. I am hoping that is correct and it doesn't change.

Let me know what construction you drive though when you get back. We are driving down the end of May.

 

[BC1836]

It's just about that time for drive #22 (since 2002) to WDW! We should be departing no later than 3:00 a.m.

Looks like some rain from greater D.C. to Richmond in the hours ahead.

All the best.

 

[cruisingkat]

We need the maps for security. Our stupid GPS is always trying to get us to turn around and go back where we came from whenever we try a different way from what is programmed. We learned summer 09 when we got stuck in the DC-VA summer madness. We ended up backtracking for over an hour following the stupid GPS!!!! We didn't have our detail maps, only the exit guide. So now we always have our handy dandy AAA maps. Haven't really needed them since but won't leave home without them.

I know what you mean about the GPS being stubborn. We found that our GPS always tries to route us through IN instead of straight through IL. We finally figured out how to fool it - we insert a via point on I57 near Champaign-Urbana, and it finally sends us the right way. We use the intersection of two interstates as the via point.

 

[dvczerfs]

It's just about that time for drive #22 (since 2002) to WDW! We should be departing no later than 3:00 a.m.

Looks like some rain from greater D.C. to Richmond in the hours ahead.

All the best.

well its 7:15, bc should be in virginia.

 

[sharadoc]

well its 7:15, bc should be in virginia.

South of the Border yet? 11 AM?

 

[pamkev]

I have a question about tolls will I be paying once I get off 95 to Disney and if so how much are they? I'm sure they don't use ezpass in Florida do they

 

[sharadoc]

I have a question about tolls will I be paying once I get off 95 to Disney and if so how much are they? I'm sure they don't use ezpass in Florida do they

No tolls if you plan to stay on I-4 to Disney. There are tolls on 417, about $7.00. You are right, you can't use EZPass. You have to get a SunPass. We just bring a roll of quarters.

 

[mousegear]

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?

 

[pamkev]

No tolls if you plan to stay on I-4 to Disney. There are tolls on 417, about $7.00. You are right, you can't use EZPass. You have to get a SunPass. We just bring a roll of quarters.

Thanks which is easier I4 or 417

 

[BC1836]

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.