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

[BC1836]

After 50+ WDW visits (including 27 drives since 2002), we finally took a drive on the Tomorrowland Speedway last night. The ten-minute posted wait was inviting. What a fun ride, but you really have to love exhaust fumes!

All the best!

 

[amcnj]

BC, just be thankful you don't have to drive those speedway vehicles back to NJ! Thanks for the details on your drive down, and enjoy the remainder of your visit!

 

[sharadoc]

I'm pretty sure our tolls added up to around $11.00. Of course, we made a big mistake when Miss Gwendolyn (GPS) told us to keep right and then as soon as we were in the right lane said, "Keep left." Well, now we know how she thinks -- she meant keep left after we kept right.

But at the time we were frustrated with the rain, the dark, the tolls, the traffic so we immediately switched from that right lane across four lanes of traffic to the left lane which then put us going in the opposite direction, with no U-turns in spite of Miss Gwendolyn's insistence and then back on the 417 going back the way we had just come, back off at another exit, back on to get in the right direction again.

Then we once again got in the right lane and stayed there until we made the turn and then we got in the left lane and there in front of us was the beautiful welcome arch which I totally missed because I was at that point close to having a nervous breakdown.

Oh, and dh managed to blow through a red light with that whole right lane / left lane fiasco and we could have been killed, really. Horns blaring, brakes squealing. And me jumping out of the car spitting fire in a gas station.

We'll never get on the 417 again.

I wonder if you were pulling off and on again and paying the tolls for exiting each time. There are plenty of tolls that are quick exit ramps, you may have gone too far over and actually kept leaving the road.

When we get on 417, our GPS tries for at least a half hour to get us to exit and get back in the opposite direction to get back onto I-4. I bet that's what happened to you. You listened to the GPS and it was insisting that you didn't want to be on 417. Once we get past a certain point, our GPS will finally admit that we are going to stay on 417 and will give us the correct directions. But as soon as we get on, we turn down the sound LOL.

 

[vicki_c]

I wonder if you were pulling off and on again and paying the tolls for exiting each time. There are plenty of tolls that are quick exit ramps, you may have gone too far over and actually kept leaving the road.

When we get on 417, our GPS tries for at least a half hour to get us to exit and get back in the opposite direction to get back onto I-4. I bet that's what happened to you. You listened to the GPS and it was insisting that you didn't want to be on 417. Once we get past a certain point, our GPS will finally admit that we are going to stay on 417 and will give us the correct directions. But as soon as we get on, we turn down the sound LOL.

I agree. Our GPS often does that when she's made up her mind about the best way to go. For a few routes we take, we have to ignore her for miles and miles until she finally decides to go the way we re going.

 

[pwdebbie]

I wonder if you were pulling off and on again and paying the tolls for exiting each time. There are plenty of tolls that are quick exit ramps, you may have gone too far over and actually kept leaving the road.

When we get on 417, our GPS tries for at least a half hour to get us to exit and get back in the opposite direction to get back onto I-4. I bet that's what happened to you. You listened to the GPS and it was insisting that you didn't want to be on 417. Once we get past a certain point, our GPS will finally admit that we are going to stay on 417 and will give us the correct directions. But as soon as we get on, we turn down the sound LOL.

I have a feeling that is what we did.

I'm not a big fan of the GPS. I know the roads around her and she is always wrong about them. So how do I trust her for unfamiliar areas? I usually map out our trips ahead of time and then overrule her while my dh says, "Why do we even have this thing since you never listen to her."

 

[sharadoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharadoc

I wonder if you were pulling off and on again and paying the tolls for exiting each time. There are plenty of tolls that are quick exit ramps, you may have gone too far over and actually kept leaving the road.

When we get on 417, our GPS tries for at least a half hour to get us to exit and get back in the opposite direction to get back onto I-4. I bet that's what happened to you. You listened to the GPS and it was insisting that you didn't want to be on 417. Once we get past a certain point, our GPS will finally admit that we are going to stay on 417 and will give us the correct directions. But as soon as we get on, we turn down the sound LOL.

I have a feeling that is what we did.

I'm not a big fan of the GPS. I know the roads around her and she is always wrong about them. So how do I trust her for unfamiliar areas? I usually map out our trips ahead of time and then overrule her while my dh says, "Why do we even have this thing since you never listen to her."

we use it for current speed limit, time travelled and time remaining, and directions to restaurants off 95. It seems better to plan and map trips via computer or AAA triptik. My trip binder has detail maps that I printin advance for specific stops along the way.


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[BC1836]

BC, just be thankful you don't have to drive those speedway vehicles back to NJ! Thanks for the details on your drive down, and enjoy the remainder of your visit!

All the best.

 

[Gowahoowa]

This is great! Our "Lola" treats us the same way. We've gone 20 miles waiting for her to accept our route! "Recalculating, recalculating" until I turn the volume off! Why I still plug her in for long trips is beyond me. Probably should just go back to the old fashioned way with trip tix and he trusty road atlas stuck in between the seat and the center console!! I'm laughing as I write....

BC- thanks for the trip report. We are debating driving overnight in December, as I posted last month or so. The times are helpful. Enjoy your trip!

 

[cruisingkat]

Our GPS was being rather snippy one trip. We like to take 57 and 24 but our GPS keeps wanting us to take 65 and 24. We were on our way home on I24 near the I65 exit. It kept telling us to take I65 - when we passed the exit, it kept recalculating and telling us to get off at each successive exit we went by. Finally - it told us "You can't get there from here" and we were on I24. Now, I24 begins(ends depending on which way you are going) at I57 and I57 takes you up to Chicago and home. We learned to put in a via point at the intersection of I57 and I24 to override the GPS directions.

 

[BC1836]

A teenage girl was texting in her car on Tomorrowland's Speedway as she approached the end of the ride. Looking down, she failed to notice her speed as she closed in on the stopped vehicle in front of her. A CM rushed to her car and alerted her before she slammed into the other vehicle. Even though her vehicle was going at less than ten miles per hour, it wasn't a good indicator about her future behind the wheel of a car on an actual road.

Scary.

All the best.

 

[amcnj]

A teenage girl was texting in her car on Tomorrowland's Speedway as she approached the end of the ride. Looking down, she failed to notice her speed as she closed in on the stopped vehicle in front of her. A CM rushed to her car and alerted her before she slammed into the other vehicle. Even though her vehicle was going at less than ten miles per hour, it wasn't a good indicator about her future behind the wheel of a car on an actual road.

Scary.

All the best.

Maybe she was driving that vehicle you encountered in the Jacksonville area on your way down!

 

[BC1836]

Maybe she was driving that vehicle you encountered in the Jacksonville area on your way down!

Could be!

We're driving to AK in a few minutes.

All the best.

 

[MOQu]

As much as I dislike driving straight through and starting off the vacation tired, this time we have no choice.

We will have 3 drivers (myself, DS 22, DD 20) plus DS 8 leaving from SE Michigan. We can't leave until my daughter gets out of her college class @ 2pm on the Friday before Thanksgiving. But....we have to check into AoA Saturday to get her Cast Member rate of 60% instead of only 50% off. (I know....rough )

I've driven straight through before, but we left at 9am on that trip. This time we will be leaving after a morning of packing (cause i know myself well enough to be sure I will still be packing right up to when we leave).

Here is where I need the expert help: I have looked on the internet for tips about where the best areas are to stop if we need to rest. And perhaps that is somewhere in this very long thread, but I can't find it!!

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

(And my lucky husband is flying down since he has to work)

-Merrilyn

 

[BC1836]

As much as I dislike driving straight through and starting off the vacation tired, this time we have no choice.

\Here is where I need the expert help: I have looked on the internet for tips about where the best areas are to stop if we need to rest. And perhaps that is somewhere in this very long thread, but I can't find it!!

Any tips would be greatly appreciated

-Merrilyn

Although we take a much different route because of our east coast location, just remember to fill your tank whenever possible during daylight or early evening hours, check out major highway info sites which provide rest stop locations (we occasionally refer to the I-95 site) and look for places along the way during the night that are well lighted.

Hopefully, some other folks near you will provide better info.

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

hello everyone!!! just stopped in to wish you east coaster good luck! we are expecting the storm to come through with sustained winds of 50-60 mph and 8-10 plus inches of rain. i have picked up everything including the rugs in our finished basement. got the generator and pumps ready. my inlaws left this morning for florida for three weeks today so i now have two houses to worry about. there house has no basement and they dont get water but they live in the woods. hopefully the power stays on but its not looking to good. i know alot of you live closer to the shore then i do so good luck and we will be praying for everyone. see you when its over!!

 

[BC1836]

hello everyone!!! just stopped in to wish you east coaster good luck! i know alot of you live closer to the shore then i do so good luck and we will be praying for everyone. see you when its over!!

Thanks.

It's our last night in WDW. Two pre-booked nights in Savannah follow, and then it's home to see what happened. To be sure, we are very concerned to say the least.

All the best.

 

[disneymarie]

hello everyone!!! just stopped in to wish you east coaster good luck! we are expecting the storm to come through with sustained winds of 50-60 mph and 8-10 plus inches of rain. i have picked up everything including the rugs in our finished basement. got the generator and pumps ready. my inlaws left this morning for florida for three weeks today so i now have two houses to worry about. there house has no basement and they dont get water but they live in the woods. hopefully the power stays on but its not looking to good. i know alot of you live closer to the shore then i do so good luck and we will be praying for everyone. see you when its over!!

Just signed in to see if you checked, and to see if we have any DISers traveling to the mouse house this weekend.
It does look like we are going to get the brunt of Sandy after she hits the coast. With the system coming from he west joking it, all we need is the temperature to drop and ten inches of rain would be ten feet of snow

Hope the homes are okay, I guess not a matter of if we lose power, but when and how long. The insurance claims for this field agent will be a challenge again. I have not heard anything about the flood gates or an evacuation for Wyoming Valley yet?

I have a generator, will fill the tub with water if it gets bad, ..see on the news a store in East Stroudsburg "survival of the fittest" for emergencies. They were going to open in two weeks, decided to open for the storm.
Ummm ore MRA's or those ready to eat meals ny good? I have sooo mnay from the storm of 1993

 

[LadyBeBop]

As much as I dislike driving straight through and starting off the vacation tired, this time we have no choice.

We will have 3 drivers (myself, DS 22, DD 20) plus DS 8 leaving from SE Michigan. We can't leave until my daughter gets out of her college class @ 2pm on the Friday before Thanksgiving. But....we have to check into AoA Saturday to get her Cast Member rate of 60% instead of only 50% off. (I know....rough )

Do you have a deadline to check in? Like midnight?

I'm assuming you're taking I-75 down. You should be able to make it down in about 18-20 hours. In fact, I think you'd have enough time to get a cheap motel room for about 6-8 hours if you need it. Worst case, that would put you at AoA about 10 pm.

However, with three drivers, you should be fine going straight through. I'd rest at the welcome centers entering each state. They're well lit. Only problem is that it's 360 miles from the Georgia center to the Florida center. Since you'll travel that in the middle of the night, I can see you wanting to rest in the middle of the state. Look for a well lit truck stop. There are enough of them around.

I'd seriously try to pack the night before. And be ready to leave no later than 2. Remember, your daughter's instructor wants to start Thanksgiving vacation too. He may just let his students out by 1:30...if he even shows up.

 

[disneymarie]

I'm pretty sure our tolls added up to around $11.00. Of course, we made a big mistake when Miss Gwendolyn (GPS) told us to keep right and then as soon as we were in the right lane said, "Keep left." Well, now we know how she thinks -- she meant keep left after we kept right.

But at the time we were frustrated with the rain, the dark, the tolls, the traffic so we immediately switched from that right lane across four lanes of traffic to the left lane which then put us going in the opposite direction, with no U-turns in spite of Miss Gwendolyn's insistence and then back on the 417 going back the way we had just come, back off at another exit, back on to get in the right direction again.

Then we once again got in the right lane and stayed there until we made the turn and then we got in the left lane and there in front of us was the beautiful welcome arch which I totally missed because I was at that point close to having a nervous breakdown.

Oh, and dh managed to blow through a red light with that whole right lane / left lane fiasco and we could have been killed, really. Horns blaring, brakes squealing. And me jumping out of the car spitting fire in a gas station.

We'll never get on the 417 again.

think our gps are related...oh, no that may have been the men that didn't listen to me leaving Sandford airport with directions from the rental car agent...and why???? would they ever think to turn on the GPS?
Men then when they finally put it on, they are headed the wrong way,
Recalculating! Lol

 

[pwdebbie]

My parents (in their 80s) are evacuating from Fenwick Island, DE, this morning and heading to Dover. I hope that is far enough inland.

As for us, we live in the woods also. Our concern (besides power) is trees. Fortunately, most of the leaves came down earlier than usual this year, so that helps a little. But soggy ground and high wind are not a good combination for us. A little further west they are expecting snow. Please, Lord, not here!

Friends of ours hit the road yesterday morning from Greencastle, PA, to WDW. They will probably have a great week weather-wise. It's always best after a hurricane, they say.