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

[momtobrynncess]

amount of gas is easy to fiqure. take what your car gets per mile. divide that into the total miles and that will tell you how much gas you will use. or close to it. i for some reason use 100 gallon from pa to florida and back. we have a town and country and i aver. about 23 mpg. (its not driven the speed limit to often on our trips) there are sites on the internet that will also give you an idea. which are ok but you can drive your car and i can drive your car and get two dif. mpg. i just came back in june and my total gas was $358.
we drive straight through. its all how you hold up on the road, how many drivers etc.... some people do two days from our area, some do three days. must of us have a cooler in the car with food and drinks and snack boxs. for us, i hit the road at 3am,(im up for work by 4am si its no biggie) and i hit the okw parking lot around 7:30- 8:00pm.

Really??? You get there in the same day??? That's great!! We would have 3 drivers, and I am one who can drive for probably 6 to 8 hours at a time at least! So if I added correctly, you make it in about 17 hours? Is that right? Google maps says it would take us 21 hours (but we don't do the speed limit either), and we are up on Lake Ontario in NY. That's fantastic!

 

[cruisingkat]

Finalized our Oct trip to Disney including FL & TX. Food & Wine Fest here we come! Booked the 3D Dessert Discovery in Epcot and the MNSSHP - which means we only get to see Elliot Dyson at POFQ Scat Cat's Club only 2 of the nights we are there. We are going to TX first to see family, then stopping at Disney for a few days, then heading on to Ft. Myers before returning home. Wonder if I can convince hubby to stop back up on the way home?
But we are returning in late Nov/early Dec for the Christmas decorations, MVMCP, and the Candlelight Processional dinner package (which was booked back in July). Still waiting to see about a room for that trip. May just book a value and then hopefully Dolphin will come out with their special Christmas pricing again.

 

[sharadoc]

Really??? You get there in the same day??? That's great!! We would have 3 drivers, and I am one who can drive for probably 6 to 8 hours at a time at least! So if I added correctly, you make it in about 17 hours? Is that right? Google maps says it would take us 21 hours (but we don't do the speed limit either), and we are up on Lake Ontario in NY. That's fantastic!

We plan to switch drivers every 3 hours or so. That keeps you fresh and alert. If you have 3 drivers you'll each need to drive 2 shifts of 3 hours each, plus 1/2 hour here and there. Driving for 8 hours straight can lead to more fatigue, not sleepiness but loss of alertness.

Just my advice after 6 trips in 2 1/2 years!

 

[sharadoc]

hi sharon, did you start to dry out yet? we got a total of about 7 inches of rain here. i hope you guys made it through ok. i was watching the radar and it looked like your area was getting hit hard.

We did okay actually. It was closer to Philadelphia.

Lauren had her play this weekend - she was an awesome Oompa Loompa. Mom cried a LOT!

 

[Disneyholic]

We plan to switch drivers every 3 hours or so. That keeps you fresh and alert. If you have 3 drivers you'll each need to drive 2 shifts of 3 hours each, plus 1/2 hour here and there. Driving for 8 hours straight can lead to more fatigue, not sleepiness but loss of alertness.

Just my advice after 6 trips in 2 1/2 years!

Very good advice. We did longer shifts on our 1st few trips, but the last 2 we started doing 2-3 hour shifts and we also found that we were better after a short nap while the other drove. The eyes recover a lot faster after a short drive & nap than they do after a long time driving.

 

[disneymarie]

Finalized our Oct trip to Disney including FL & TX. Food & Wine Fest here we come! Booked the 3D Dessert Discovery in Epcot and the MNSSHP - which means we only get to see Elliot Dyson at POFQ Scat Cat's Club only 2 of the nights we are there. We are going to TX first to see family, then stopping at Disney for a few days, then heading on to Ft. Myers before returning home. Wonder if I can convince hubby to stop back up on the way home?
But we are returning in late Nov/early Dec for the Christmas decorations, MVMCP, and the Candlelight Processional dinner package (which was booked back in July). Still waiting to see about a room for that trip. May just book a value and then hopefully Dolphin will come out with their special Christmas pricing again.

We are almost a mirror to your trip. Have the trip in Oct for Food and Wine fest and birthday ADR's made. I dearly want to return in Dec. I am worried about the kindergartener dgs missing a second week,and hate to leave them behind.

Could pm me if you receive a Dolphin special pricing. I would like around Dec. 7th.
TIA
Di

 

[dvczerfs]

Really??? You get there in the same day??? That's great!! We would have 3 drivers, and I am one who can drive for probably 6 to 8 hours at a time at least! So if I added correctly, you make it in about 17 hours? Is that right? Google maps says it would take us 21 hours (but we don't do the speed limit either), and we are up on Lake Ontario in NY. That's fantastic!

i did it in 16 going down in june.but that was moving. you are about 6 hours north of me. my travel times are between 16 1/2 to 17 hours. pending if i hit a slow up. on the way home, we stop at a few more rest stops and if i leave okw at 3am, im in my driveway 7:30- 8:00pm.

 

[WI_DisneyFan]

We will be going on our second trip to Disney this coming March. Checking the price for airfare for that time is ridiculous. Because of that we have decided to drive from Milwaukee, WI to Disney.

Has anyone from Wisconsin done this trip? How was it and where did you stop for the night?

Hi there! I'm about an hour north of you, in the Sheboygan area. I haven't made this drive yet (as an adult - I did it quite a few times as a kid; two adults, three kids, and luggage straight through in a 1982 two door Honda hatch back -- those were the days); but I'm planning on it next year so I've done a lot of thinking about how to tackle it. This is my tentative plan right now...

Leave home at 3:00 am on Saturday. My goal is to make it past Atlanta on the first day, which should be around 12-14 hours, depending on number of stops along the way and where I ultimately end up staying over Saturday night. I've checked out a few hotels south of Atlanta; one in Morrow (which looks to be JUST south of Atlanta) and two about an hour further south in Perry. Not sure if these areas are good or not, but I was figuring the great folks on this thread would give me some advice when I get to that point. This would leave me with about 8 or so hours to go on the second day. Then my plan was to stay somewhere in Orlando Sunday night before checking into my Disney resort Monday morning.

If I'm doing my math right, based on your trip ticker you'll be making the trip in February. Obviously, you'll want to take the winter weather into account when making your plans. I'm not sure if you'll be going through the mountains on your drive, but this could be a little iffy based on the winter road conditions. I'm planning on September of next year, so thankfully I don't have to worry about that. Good luck and happy planning!

 

[momtobrynncess]

i did it in 16 going down in june.but that was moving. you are about 6 hours north of me. my travel times are between 16 1/2 to 17 hours. pending if i hit a slow up. on the way home, we stop at a few more rest stops and if i leave okw at 3am, im in my driveway 7:30- 8:00pm.

Wow....I definitely want to try next year. I am not a huge fan of flying. I'll do it, because it's Disney, but I am not really comfortable with it. Not a neurotic or anything, just not my favorite thing to do. I haven't seen too many other states, so I think the drive would be enjoyable.

 

[disneymam]

I am getting really excited now. Will be packing the van in about 48hrs. Leaving in less than 72hours and my kids have NO clue.

So funny! DH and I are doing the same thing in a week. I cannot wait to see the looks on my kids' faces when we tell them after spending the night in SC

 

[donnaf516]

So funny! DH and I are doing the same thing in a week. I cannot wait to see the looks on my kids' faces when we tell them after spending the night in SC

We're doing the same thing too! Leaving a week from tomorrow. Not telling the kids until we stop for breakfast in SC. They think we're going to Myrtle Beach!

 

[disneymam]

We're doing the same thing too! Leaving a week from tomorrow. Not telling the kids until we stop for breakfast in SC. They think we're going to Myrtle Beach!

Awesome! Our kids think we are driving to a "ball game" out of town. Thing is...they don't really like baseball and will be totally shocked. My ds was saying today that he really didn't want to take a car ride to see a stupid ball game when we could go to the Little League World Series instead (in our area).

Are you video taping the surprise? We are going to video it with the video camera and my phone so we can send it to all of our family and friends that know about the trip.

 

[BC1836]

Wow....I definitely want to try next year. I am not a huge fan of flying. I'll do it, because it's Disney, but I am not really comfortable with it. Not a neurotic or anything, just not my favorite thing to do. I haven't seen too many other states, so I think the drive would be enjoyable.

The drive down will be a new experience for you, to be sure. When you finally reach I-95, let the highway's descending mile markers increase your WDW anticipation (however, those markers do tend to s-l-o-w down the ride back home).

In any event, the journey will be part of the WDW experience.

Get ready.

All the best.

 

[pwdebbie]

Should have posted this yesterday but the new computer was still being set up. I-81 might not be a good choice on Friday midday (tomorrow) Aug. 19.

http://your4state.com/fulltext?nxd_id=203407

With over 2,000 bikers on the route, drivers in Western Maryland can expect back-ups, especially heading eastbound on interstates 68 and 70.

"To put that in context, riding two abreast, the way they explained it to me, that's about five miles of motorcycles," says Chief Smith with Hagerstown Police.

The pack may stretch as long as 15 miles and police are closing the ramps on and off the interstates when the bikers pass through.

They will be riding through Cumberland on Interstate 68 on Friday morning, then taking 70 east to stop at the Hagerstown Premium Outlets for lunch and fuel.

"Don't plan midday Friday getting anywhere quick, but if you can find somewhere to watch these motorcycles for a while, it might be quite a spectacle," says Chief Smith.

Drivers could see back-ups even on surrounding roads like interstate 81 and routes 40 and 11 in Washington County.

"So traffic is going to back up for a period of time," says Lt. Woodward. "It could be stopped for as much as an hour or so along the interstate roadways."

Police encourage drivers to use alternate routes if possible or be prepared for delays.

 

[amcnj]

I am about 1070 miles from WDW and an hour and 10 minutes from the Del Memorial Bridge (after crossing I am on 95). I have found that leaving around 2:30 am, it takes around 15 hours of actual driving time to reach WDW. Now of course you will need gas and bathroom stops, and any other stops you choose for food or to stretch your legs. And then there are the unknowns such as weather (rain, snow, hurricanes), traffic issues or accidents, and the temperments of traveling mates. But overall, even with stops/delays reach the orlando area 6:30 - 8:30 pm. With minimal stops and clear sailing, the trip has even been under 16 hours.

 

[BC1836]

I am about 1070 miles from WDW and an hour and 10 minutes from the Del Memorial Bridge (after crossing I am on 95). I have found that leaving around 2:30 am, it takes around 15 hours of actual driving time to reach WDW. Now of course you will need gas and bathroom stops, and any other stops you choose for food or to stretch your legs. And then there are the unknowns such as weather (rain, snow, hurricanes), traffic issues or accidents, and the temperments of traveling mates. But overall, even with stops/delays reach the orlando area 6:30 - 8:30 pm. With minimal stops and clear sailing, the trip has even been under 16 hours.

We approximately share the same mileage. And we agree with all of your comments about departure time (though, we've been leaving a bit earlier than that of late) and drive-time estimates.

We'll be comparing and contrasting notes once again in October.

All the best.

 

[ThreeKMom]

I am about 1070 miles from WDW and an hour and 10 minutes from the Del Memorial Bridge (after crossing I am on 95). I have found that leaving around 2:30 am, it takes around 15 hours of actual driving time to reach WDW. Now of course you will need gas and bathroom stops, and any other stops you choose for food or to stretch your legs. And then there are the unknowns such as weather (rain, snow, hurricanes), traffic issues or accidents, and the temperments of traveling mates. But overall, even with stops/delays reach the orlando area 6:30 - 8:30 pm. With minimal stops and clear sailing, the trip has even been under 16 hours.

We are very close to you. It will take us about an hour and 45 min. to get to the bridge. My question for you is, what rt. do you take near DC? I've gotten several different recommendations about the inner loop and the outer loop and avoiding DC altogether, What do you do?

We plan to leave next Thursday at 5:00 pm and drive straight through, hopefully we will arrive in Disney around lunchtime. Does this sound right to you?

TIA
Patty

 

[amcnj]

Hi ThreeKMom. Leaving early AM I stay on 95 and am on the drawbridge/entering VA in 3 hours, or about 5:30 AM. I have wondered about taking 295 instead, but so far have never tried it. Anyone else ever try 295? The last time coming home I was in that area about 9 pm (which is around when you would be there I assume) on a weeknight (Wednesday) and had some decent volume, but no traffic delays. Though once I was north of DC the traffic heading south may have been a little heavier than I experienced heading northward. Has anyone else been in the DC area in that 8-9 PM range on a weeknight? If so, what was your experience? Incidentally, that return trip was about 16 hours, including 1.5 hours of stops. What have the recommendations you mentioned been, and what rationale/concerns did the recommenders state?

 

[sharadoc]

LOL, here's an effect from being a regular Disney driver:

We are working on budgets for next year at work. There is a major conference in Chicago that I may want to attend. First thing I say is, "I'll drive if anyone wants to come with me. We can save on airfare." They all looked at me like I had 2 heads. I on the other hand thought -it will be less time than a Disney drive.

I can't imagine flying at this point!

 

[dvczerfs]

The drive down will be a new experience for you, to be sure. When you finally reach I-95, let the highway's descending mile markers increase your WDW anticipation (however, those markers do tend to s-l-o-w down the ride back home).

In any event, the journey will be part of the WDW experience.

Get ready.

All the best.

hi bc!!! i stopped at b&n book store tonight and they didnt have it on the shelf. i just got done ordering a copy on line. ill let you know when i get it. looking forward to reading it.