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

[DSLRuser]

For someone who isn't used to crazy traffic, me, which lane is better when going through ATL?

Depends on what time you will be there.

If, you are between 2:00pm and 7:00pm and or 6:00am to 9:00am any day of the week, you may consider taking 285 south and thus avoid down town all together.

If you are driving though and decide to stay on 75, and there is any traffic, hit the HOV lane. simply because you wont have to worry about people switching lanes in front or behind you (in theory) (its a double white line when you are there you are stuck except in a few places)

I use it because I cant stand it when people switch lanes in front of me. pick a lane and stay there.

 

[myheartlivesatwdw]

I can't wait! I am driving my teenage boys from Boston to WDW in Oct. Leaving at 9 pm and driving til I'm tired.( get a hotel whenever that may be)This thread is the best!

 

[Laurabearz]

I need some serious help... I have a major over planning gene or something

So........ I broke down our route into the major landmarks as follows and the drive time in between...

Chicago
(3.5)
Indy
(2.5)
Louisville
(3)
Nashville
(2.5)
Chattanooga
(2)
Atlanta
(3.5)
Valdosta
(2)
Gainesville
(2.5)
Orlando

They range from 2-4 hours apart and I can't but help but wonder if they are like 2/3 days on horseback apart and that's why they are where they are? (if that makes sense)

Do they seem about right? We will be leaving Chicago around 7 or 8 pm, and will stop for breakfast on this side of Atlanta to give the morning rush time to settle down, before pushing off for the final stretch....

We dont really stop much, trying to fit bathroom/gas/food/stretch into one stop (one pee all pee!!) I keep teasing the kids that I am going to buy Depends and we will only stop for gas!!!

I will be the over night driver... driving from 7 or 8ish until around 4 am... But I control the option to pull over for a snooze if needed. If all goes well we should arrive before 6 pm, swim/relax, and since we have Front of the Line at Universal, we can sleep in the next day and tour at our leisure...

My plan is to get a 3-4 hour nap in, right before leaving. No last minute packing for me!! I'll just wake up super early for a few days and napping will not be an issue!

Last night I bought a few comedy albums to listen too... might pick up a few more. Thinking about some podcasts...

Any Comedy records and or podcast you recommend?

26 days and counting!!!

 

[DSLRuser]

Chicago is only 4 hours longer than st. louis. We leave at 5opm central... if you can, leave at that same time, you will hit atlanta about 4:00am, well before rush hour. And you can stop in the valdosta area for breakfast. this will put you in wdw around 3:00pm instead of 6:00pm

Chicago
(3.5)
Indy
(2.5)
Louisville
(3)
Nashville
(2.5)
Chattanooga
(2)
Atlanta
(3.5)
Valdosta
(2)
Gainesville
(2.5)
Orlando

Close. comming from st. louis it breaks down like this for me.

stl - nashville = 4 hours
nashville - chatanooga = 3 hours
chatanooga to atlanta = 2 hours
atlanta - valdosta = 2 hours
valdosta - ocala = 3 hours
ocala to wdw = 3 hours

 

[budafam]

Depends on what time you will be there.

If, you are between 2:00pm and 7:00pm and or 6:00am to 9:00am any day of the week, you may consider taking 285 south and thus avoid down town all together.

If you are driving though and decide to stay on 75, and there is any traffic, hit the HOV lane. simply because you wont have to worry about people switching lanes in front or behind you (in theory) (its a double white line when you are there you are stuck except in a few places)

I use it because I cant stand it when people switch lanes in front of me. pick a lane and stay there.

Thank you for this info. We'll be going through on Saturday morning around 9am-ish and I am terrified of traffic. DH has a heavy foot and loves to change lanes (drives me NUTS!) I'm going to make a deal with him to take that HOV lane and I'll be quiet for the whole ride... lol...

 

[ospopo5]

I need some serious help... I have a major over planning gene or something

So........ I broke down our route into the major landmarks as follows and the drive time in between...

Chicago
(3.5)
Indy
(2.5)
Louisville
(3)
Nashville
(2.5)
Chattanooga
(2)
Atlanta
(3.5)
Valdosta
(2)
Gainesville
(2.5)
Orlando

They range from 2-4 hours apart and I can't but help but wonder if they are like 2/3 days on horseback apart and that's why they are where they are? (if that makes sense)

Do they seem about right? We will be leaving Chicago around 7 or 8 pm, and will stop for breakfast on this side of Atlanta to give the morning rush time to settle down, before pushing off for the final stretch....

We dont really stop much, trying to fit bathroom/gas/food/stretch into one stop (one pee all pee!!) I keep teasing the kids that I am going to buy Depends and we will only stop for gas!!!

I will be the over night driver... driving from 7 or 8ish until around 4 am... But I control the option to pull over for a snooze if needed. If all goes well we should arrive before 6 pm, swim/relax, and since we have Front of the Line at Universal, we can sleep in the next day and tour at our leisure...

My plan is to get a 3-4 hour nap in, right before leaving. No last minute packing for me!! I'll just wake up super early for a few days and napping will not be an issue!

Last night I bought a few comedy albums to listen too... might pick up a few more. Thinking about some podcasts...

Any Comedy records and or podcast you recommend?

26 days and counting!!!

You'll have to let me know how it goes. We are driving down in August. Although we are taking the 57 route. But yes I broke everything down into time and distance quadrants to help with planning.

 

[Laurabearz]

Chicago is only 4 hours longer than st. louis. We leave at 5opm central... if you can, leave at that same time, you will hit atlanta about 4:00am, well before rush hour. And you can stop in the valdosta area for breakfast. this will put you in wdw around 3:00pm instead of 6:00pm

No can do... can't physically do that... I will need a solid nap before driving over night in the dark.... And honestly... Morning rush hour in Atlanta doesnt bother us... we will just stay in the HOV lanes on 75 and enjoy the different architecture/sights. Also getting out of Chicago at 5pm is worse than anything Atlanta can throw at us...

Plus if we arrive too early, the kids will want to do something, and all mom and dad are going to want to do is chill in the pool for a bit and sleep.

Leaving at 7/8 gives us a good cushion if we are delayed, which is what we wanted. Our original plan to leave around 4am putting us in at midnight IF nothing we wrong.

 

[marius97]

I need some serious help... I have a major over planning gene or something

So........ I broke down our route into the major landmarks as follows and the drive time in between...

Chicago
(3.5)
Indy
(2.5)
Louisville
(3)
Nashville
(2.5)
Chattanooga
(2)
Atlanta
(3.5)
Valdosta
(2)
Gainesville
(2.5)
Orlando

They range from 2-4 hours apart and I can't but help but wonder if they are like 2/3 days on horseback apart and that's why they are where they are? (if that makes sense)

I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case. Growing up in Detroit, I learned how Novi got it's name. It was stop number six (No. VI) along the trail from Detroit to Lansing or Chicago...I forget which one. Going back many years I can see people setting up trading posts every so many days ride across the frontier.

 

[dvczerfs]

dont look now but gas is down again. it fell 25 cents per gallon today and is trading for $3.12. lets hope it keeps going that way.

gas fell again today another 6 cents. its down to $3.06! lets hope it keeps falling.

 

[DSLRuser]

Also getting out of Chicago at 5pm is worse than anything Atlanta can throw at us...

makes perfect sense... good luck

 

[blondietink]

gas fell again today another 6 cents. its down to $3.06! lets hope it keeps falling.

Why does it take so long for the gas price to fall? It's still $4.09 here and hasn't budged at all. When the price goes up, the price at the pump will go up immediately and sometimes several times in one day. But, decrease? We probably won't see a decline until after Memorial Day, if at all.

 

[macraven]

and it's still $4.29 where i am

 

[irish dancer]

and it's still $4.29 where i am

Ditto for us too! Gotta love Chicago gas prices.

Luckily I was able to find $4.06 in Algonquin on Monday but when I got home to Elmhurst it was $4.69!

 

[pamjb]

We have been doing the 22-78-81-83-695-95-495-95-4 route the past few times. 695 & 495 take you around Baltimore & DC. (I hate the tolls and Philly.) There are no tolls on this route either. (unless you go too far on 95 (and miss 4) in Florida and end up taking the turnpike across to Orlando)

So there aren't any tolls on the 22-78-81-83-95-495-4 route??? Just trying to figure out a budget. We have at two drivers, so we could drive straight thru. We still aren't exactly sure what time we would leave. Who knew driving was so complicated. I just remember getting in the car and going when I was a kid.

 

[dvczerfs]

5 weeks from today at this time i should be hitting the junction of i78 and i81 south!!!!

 

[sharadoc]

5 weeks from today at this time i should be hitting the junction of i78 and i81 south!!!!

And we'll be packing up the van

 

[PrincessMom4]

96 days and I will be packing.

 

[GoofyTraci]

we have 20 days left and it is killing me

 

[pwdebbie]

Chambersburg, PA area -- Bought gas at the Exxon station at I-81 and Rt. 316 / Wayne Avenue today for $3.95!

 

[C&G'sMama]

5 weeks from today at this time i should be hitting the junction of i78 and i81 south!!!!

Two weeks from today at this time we should be closing in on Fredericksburg.

Five weeks from today at this time I'll be living vicarously through you waiting for the next trip.