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

[alenushka]

Question for those who make a one-night stayover in Savannah: If you are not doing anything other than securing a room for an overnight sleep on the way to WDW, why are you stopping in Savannah? Doesn't it add about a hour to your total drive? Wouldn't it be better to reserve a hotel/motel room a few hundred yards off an I-95 exit? Savanah's a great place to spend some time in but it appears to be a bit off the path when considering time.

Please advise. [We're actually planning an extended stay in Savannah.]

All the best.

I don't know why they call hotels right off I-95 "Savannah"; it is very confusing When we book a hotel on I-95 near Savannah, I always ask/check directions to make sure it is right off the highway. Thank you for your previous comments to my questions.

I think when people are saying they are stopping in Savannah they mean right off of I95, not going into the city. There are tons of hotels on I95 that are in "Savannah".

Agree!

 

[disneymarie]

Any suggestions on how to keep the car as clutter free as possible? We are driving my Expedition and are planning on having all the luggage in a roof rack bag. There is not much room behind the third row so it will consist of an umbrella stroller, and food that we are carrying down for our family suite along with any thing else we can cram back there!!

So looking forward to reading this thread and see how all you "professional" road trippers handle the drives!

For our recent drive down I had the guys pick up a tail gate hitch cargo carrier. It was at Harbor Freight for under $100. For a few dollars picked up a set of working lights not to have a problem with visibility or laws for them. I had the stroller, largest luggage bag in a plastic cover, and cooler. It will hold 500 lbs. this was a great way without the cargo carrier on top to travel. The harder part was deciding to stow it in our room instead of leaving it in the back of the Van. Not for everyone but it really worked out well for us.

 

[dvczerfs]

For our recent drive down I had the guys pick up a tail gate hitch cargo carrier. It was at Harbor Freight for under $100. For a few dollars picked up a set of working lights not to have a problem with visibility or laws for them. I had the stroller, largest luggage bag in a plastic cover, and cooler. It will hold 500 lbs. this was a great way without the cargo carrier on top to travel. The harder part was deciding to stow it in our room instead of leaving it in the back of the Van. Not for everyone but it really worked out well for us.

what are the dates for your next trip?

 

[pwdebbie]

I'm glad to join this great thread! We are planning our 1st trip driving down in April 2012. We have only been to Disney once (in 2009) but we flew down.

We are excited to drive this time. Anyone out there from Michigan, have advice on driving down I 75?

We are planning to leave on a Sunday around 5:00 am and try to drive as far as possible but at least 12-14 hours. Any advice on where to stop for the night? It will be me, DH, DD8 and DD6.

Glad to see you decided to join us over here. I know someone will have answers for you.

 

[pwdebbie]

Plus, isn't it part of the fun? Who doesn't love a good road trip?

We drive because dh refuses to fly. I am not a good road-tripper. I have to admit that I don't trust dh to be as alert as I think he needs to be nor do I trust the others on the road around us, I'm constantly watching. I am a small-town girl that likes country roads. I would love to enjoy the trip but I just don't.

 

[BC1836]

Hmm, let's see: it's November 10. Wish it were December 10.

All the best.

 

[LadyBeBop]

We are excited to drive this time. Anyone out there from Michigan, have advice on driving down I 75?

We are planning to leave on a Sunday around 5:00 am and try to drive as far as possible but at least 12-14 hours. Any advice on where to stop for the night? It will be me, DH, DD8 and DD6.

What part of Michigan?

My rule of thumb...always stop south of Atlanta going down and north of Atlanta coming home. That way, you won't run into morning rush hour.

There are a number of good communities to stop between the south Atlanta suburbs (where we stayed going down) to Lake City, FL, a couple of hundred miles south. If you can make it to Valdosta GA, or Lake City, great. That leaves you with only a three hour drive to WDW. But if you are coming from the UP and can only get as far as the southern Atlanta suburbs, you won't have a bad second day.

 

[minniefamily13]

What part of Michigan?

My rule of thumb...always stop south of Atlanta going down and north of Atlanta coming home. That way, you won't run into morning rush hour.

There are a number of good communities to stop between the south Atlanta suburbs (where we stayed going down) to Lake City, FL, a couple of hundred miles south. If you can make it to Valdosta GA, or Lake City, great. That leaves you with only a three hour drive to WDW. But if you are coming from the UP and can only get as far as the southern Atlanta suburbs, you won't have a bad second day.

We are in south east Michigan, the northern suburbs of Detroit.

 

[alenushka]

Hello,
we tried a few different ways around DC: looks like 295 is the best way. Just wondering: How is everyone going around it? Is 495 a better way?

 

[dvczerfs]

Hello,
we tried a few different ways around DC: looks like 295 is the best way. Just wondering: How is everyone going around it? Is 495 a better way?

i go one of two ways, i81 / i66 / 17 / i95 or i81 / i77 / i26 / i95. pending on where you live, the way i go maybe out of your way. i can get from the lehigh valley to okw in 16 hours using the second option. if you live closer to the east coast or south of i81, it maybe longer.

 

[annabelle125]

Originally Posted by BC1836
Question for those who make a one-night stayover in Savannah: If you are not doing anything other than securing a room for an overnight sleep on the way to WDW, why are you stopping in Savannah? Doesn't it add about a hour to your total drive? Wouldn't it be better to reserve a hotel/motel room a few hundred yards off an I-95 exit? Savanah's a great place to spend some time in but it appears to be a bit off the path when considering time.

Please advise. [We're actually planning an extended stay in Savannah.]

All the best.
I think when people are saying they are stopping in Savannah they mean right off of I95, not going into the city. There are tons of hotels on I95 that are in "Savannah".

Yep--we are staying our hotel is actually called Fairfield Inn, I-95 South. The rates were not too bad. With the AAA discount it will be $90 for the night.

Anne -- packing and counting hours

 

[BC1836]

Yep--we are staying our hotel is actually called Fairfield Inn, I-95 South. The rates were not too bad. With the AAA discount it will be $90 for the night.

Anne -- packing and counting hours

Indeed, it appears that all those who seek an overnight stay in Savannah actually don't get to the city. Thanks for your clarification. It makes sense to stay at one of the just-off-I-95 hotels/motels.

And let your countdown continue!

All the best.

 

[alenushka]

i go one of two ways, i81 / i66 / 17 / i95 or i81 / i77 / i26 / i95. pending on where you live, the way i go maybe out of your way. i can get from the lehigh valley to okw in 16 hours using the second option. if you live closer to the east coast or south of i81, it maybe longer.

Thank you! We are driving from NYC via NJ turnpike - I-95....

 

[BC1836]

Thank you! We are driving from NYC via NJ turnpike - I-95....

We used to live in North Jersey and now we're "down the shore." However, our rule has been and will be: leave very, very early on a weekend for WDW. In that way you'll miss all the major traffic headaches on I-95.

All the best.

 

[alenushka]

We used to live in North Jersey and now we're "down the shore." However, our rule has been and will be: leave very, very early on a weekend for WDW. In that way you'll miss all the major traffic headaches on I-95.

All the best.

We will aim for 6 am, NEXT Thursday So, which way do you go around DC?

 

[BC1836]

We will aim for 6 am, NEXT Thursday So, which way do you go around DC?

"Around" DC? Never.

Once we cross the DE Memorial Bridge it's I-95 all the way to Exit #260-B in FL: I-4.

Since we departed early last month (at 12:35 a.m.) we reached DC at 3:53 a.m. No problem with traffic and no need to go around DC.

[BTW: When driving on I-95 you actually drive through a tiny corner of DC as you cross the Wilson Bridge!]

If you leave home at 6:00 a.m. on a workday, you will confront some big-time rush hour traffic in NYC and NJ. We are sure you are well aware of that. Be patient.

Have a great I-95 journey.

All the best.

 

[nono]

We will aim for 6 am, NEXT Thursday So, which way do you go around DC?

Do you sleep well the night before? If not, you might want to get e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g ready the evening before and have yourselves showered before bedtime. If you are too excited to sleep and wake at say, 2 a.m., you can rally the troops and hop in the car to get a jump on things. Not that I have personal experience with this or anything.

The roads are open 24 hrs a day, and nothing wrong with taking advantage of a little insomnia if it comes your way.

 

[BC1836]

Do you sleep well the night before? If not, you might want to get e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g ready the evening before and have yourselves showered before bedtime. If you are too excited to sleep and wake at say, 2 a.m., you can rally the troops and hop in the car to get a jump on things. Not that I have personal experience with this or anything.

The roads are open 24 hrs a day, and nothing wrong with taking advantage of a little insomnia if it comes your way.

Ah, so true about the inability to sleep the night before the first half of a 2,000+ mile round-trip drive.

We have seemingly solved our similar problem: we depart within an hour after midnight! A short nap, however, is inevitable for us by the time we cross into NC.

We'll give it another try next month.

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

Ah, so true about the inability to sleep the night before the first half of a 2,000+ mile round-trip drive.

We have seemingly solved our similar problem: we depart within an hour after midnight! A short nap, however, is inevitable for us by the time we cross into NC.

We'll give it another try next month.

All the best.

a nap???

 

[BC1836]

a nap???

Indeed! By that time I would have been awake 24+ hours.

Besides, I'm carrying precious cargo that is impossible to replace. So that 20-30 minute nap is essential.

All the best.