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

[dvczerfs]

Hey all, guess I will have to post pictures of our interesting van. Our van has the standard Mickey soccer ball antenna, bumper plate cover, DVC member sticker and last but certainly not least our family in Mickey heads...LOL

Great idea! I'll work on photos by next weekend.

that would be cool to see eveyones ride!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

Hey Everyone!

I am trying it for the first time. We are road trippin it to WDW in July. We are a family of 4 driving from boston. I am the over night drive (I work the 7pm-7 am shift at a hospital so I am used to being up for 24 hrs at a time). DH is the day driver. We plan on leaving at 7pm thursday night and hopefully arriving in orlando by friday 10pm. We plan on driving straight through if my 3 yr old DS can handle it. I need some helpful hints from you guys! I wanna try to avoid tolls ($65 round trip CRAZY!!) What way do you guys recommend? I wanna get there as quickly as possible! Im thinking my DS will be fine from 7pm to about 10am then we will need to take an hour break so he can stretch his legs! Im thinking thatll get me to NC. Hopefully Im not totally crazy lol!

well, the best way and fastest (if thats a word i cant spell) would be 95. there would be no traffic at night and you would get through pretty fast. but, there are the tolls. the only way around the tolls is going west of 95 and from mass., and gas being $4 a gallon, you would probably spend more in gas driving out and around than if you just came down the coast and paid the tolls. you would have to get over to i81 than there are several ways from there. what interstate are you close to?

 

[HeatherC]

JUlluvsdisney...we drive from the Sturbridge area. In the summer, I honestly think the best route is the 81 to 77 to 26 to 95 route. It is a gorgeous ride with far less hassle and no tolls than 95.

Last July we drove from MA to Hilton Head via ths route and were so glad we did. We kept checking the traffic updates on our phone via google live traffic and 95 was "red" almost the whole way from Richmond home. Heading down was the same story.
Even at 3am you can get stuck in a major traffic jam on95.
We just sailed along and had the best drive. In the winter, however, 95 is the best.

From MA you would go 84 to 684 to 287 over the Tappan Zee. Then you go 287 to 78 through Harrisburg where you get on 81. Just follow it south till 77 through Charlotte which will turn into 26? and run into 95 near Charleston, SC.

On mapquest it is 45 min. longer than 95' but with traffic on 95 it is actually much faster at that time of year.

Hope this helps! Have a wonderful trip!

 

[RutgersAlum]

Excited to have found this thread! We're driving again (3rd time) in August, from Jersey outside NYC. I ***love*** driving, the rest of the family, not as much. HeatherC, we take the way you mention--we call it "the inland route," so civil (after 78) and scenic, we love it.

We leave North Jersey around 5 am, arrive to Savannah probably around 8ish, and stay just off 95. We have to make a bunch of stops since we have two ds's and I drink a lot of coffee. But I'm the morning driver, so I get a good 2-3 hours of sleeping children & dh to get some miles under our belt...

Last August, I wasn't thinking (wasn't fully awake yet?) and took NJ Turnpike (95), when my dh woke up a few hrs later at the bottom of NJ, he freaked that I had forgotten to take 287-->78-->81. I do not like 95 near Wash, DC or Richmond! I will be more awake this summer at 5 am to avoid 95 & take the right route!

Can't wait for August!! Happy travels, everyone!

 

[PrincessMom4]

what does everyone think of the route 81-83-15-270-495-95?? We are coming from Syracuse area.

 

[Guzzi]

we will be making the 81 -77 - 26.... 95 route for our first drive from Syracuse NY to AKL for our first DVC vacation

Looking for traffic/construction reports for this route from any June travelers

 

[pmdeve]

we will be making the 81 -77 - 26.... 95 route for our first drive from Syracuse NY to AKL for our first DVC vacation

Looking for traffic/construction reports for this route from any June travelers

Us too!!!! Heard the construction in Jacksonville is complete.

 

[tick221]

Just to repost for those coming down 81 towards 77

http://http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=40704555&postcount=1923

 

[pamjb]

that would be cool to see eveyones ride!!!

My van looks almost like yours....Same color, same year, Dodge Caravan, instead of the Chrysler. The MM frame that you have on the back is around my front DVC license plate. DVC sticker, Stitch sticker, and a non-Disney Kutztown Univ Mom sticker. I already purchased window markers to write on the windows "Disney or Bust".

 

[dvczerfs]

honestly not sure.. ttying to figure this all out..lol.. we can get on i 90 easy..

ok, here ya go. i talked to one of our drivers this morning. without going through the east coast citys, and not knowing exactly were you are, here is two options: 90/84/81/77/26/95/4. or, 90/87/84/81/77/26/95/4. it all depends which is closer to you.

 

[dvczerfs]

My van looks almost like yours....Same color, same year, Dodge Caravan, instead of the Chrysler. The MM frame that you have on the back is around my front DVC license plate. DVC sticker, Stitch sticker, and a non-Disney Kutztown Univ Mom sticker. I already purchased window markers to write on the windows "Disney or Bust".

you will be down the same time i will be!!! ill be at the contemp., look for my van in the parking lot!

 

[dvczerfs]

Just to repost for those coming down 81 towards 77

http://http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=40704555&postcount=1923

i cant bring your link up but if its the construction, ill be hitting that area in the middle of the night so i shouldnt have a problem.

 

[pamjb]

you will be down the same time i will be!!! ill be at the contemp., look for my van in the parking lot!

So you have your van that ready all ready???? Mine is still cluttered with baseball equipment and will be till the day before we leave. We are at Old Key West, this trip.
I was talking to some friends yesterday who drive to FL once a year (but to Pensacola). They swear that I should go down 95. But they also normally leave at the "butt-crack" of dawn. Since we are leaving around 3 PM-ish, I think I will stick with your directions for the way down, and maybe come home 95.

 

[tick221]

i cant bring your link up but if its the construction, ill be hitting that area in the middle of the night so i shouldnt have a problem.

Lets try this again. couple of you had posted about 81 to 77 and they are doing construction along 81 hear roanoke. Just wanted to make sure everyone was aware

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=40704555&highlight=roanoke#post40704555

 

[dvczerfs]

Lets try this again. couple of you had posted about 81 to 77 and they are doing construction along 81 hear roanoke. Just wanted to make sure everyone was aware

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=40704555&highlight=roanoke#post40704555

 

[dvczerfs]

So you have your van that ready all ready???? Mine is still cluttered with baseball equipment and will be till the day before we leave. We are at Old Key West, this trip.
I was talking to some friends yesterday who drive to FL once a year (but to Pensacola). They swear that I should go down 95. But they also normally leave at the "butt-crack" of dawn. Since we are leaving around 3 PM-ish, I think I will stick with your directions for the way down, and maybe come home 95.

i dont know,even leaving 3am. did you ever watch channel 3 kyw from philly in the morning? i take my dw to wills eye on walnut street in philly and we leave nazareth at 3:30am. the northeast extension has traffic on it, not a jam but there are cars on it. you get towards philly around 5:30-6am, your gonna start hitting rush hour. than if you get through that, you have balt. and washington to deal with. pensacola, sounds like a retiree. retirees have all day, if they sit in traffic for 2-3 hours, its no big deal. they also travel in the late fall and early spring. not as much traffic. but i have never talked to anyone that can hop on i95 near philly and go straight through to richmond without hitting some kind of traffic. maybe in the middle of the night.12-2am. but if it was me, i wouldnt try it. the summer is a nightmare on 95 along the east coast. friday - sundays is alot of shore traffic.

 

[sharadoc]

We kept checking the traffic updates on our phone via google live traffic and 95 was "red" almost the whole way from Richmond home.

Oh, I didn't think of that. Is that an app or just on the Google Maps page? This is the first drive with the Droid phone so I need to learn all the good things to use.

Any other suggestions for traffic or is the Google Live Traffic the best?

Thanks for the info.

 

[sharadoc]

My van looks almost like yours....Same color, same year, Dodge Caravan, instead of the Chrysler. The MM frame that you have on the back is around my front DVC license plate. DVC sticker, Stitch sticker, and a non-Disney Kutztown Univ Mom sticker. I already purchased window markers to write on the windows "Disney or Bust".

you will be down the same time i will be!!! ill be at the contemp., look for my van in the parking lot!

Sounds like a DIS meet!! Our van will be in the Contemporary valet lot from 6/18 - 21, then driving over to OKW until the 30th! I still haven't broken down and told the kids - they're thinking OKW the whole time. DD is going to freak out!!!

Pam, we requested South Pointe. Maybe we'll see you at the main pool or somewhere!

 

[matosfam]

IndyDisney - we'll be driving from Pittsburgh in less than 2 weeks.

We're planning on taking the 79-19-77 trip through WV.

I searched this thread and wasn't able to find much about that route but I'll be sure to post here either during or after our trip to let you know how it worked for us.

We will be going the same route one day after you!
The only info I have read about this specific route is to WATCH OUT for the speed limit change as you pass into West Virginia -- apparently it is a HUGE speed trap...

Have a great trip!

 

[PrincessMom4]

tried to upload some pictures. They were so big you see sweating rolling off a window...LOL....Will get my hubby to help upload