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

[emksmama]

She's the best...we've been BFF's for 30 years this Christmas!!! DH and I have done all the driving so they could sleep while our girls watch the DVD player.
20 miles to go!

 

[sharadoc]

She's the best...we've been BFF's for 30 years this Christmas!!! DH and I have done all the driving so they could sleep while our girls watch the DVD player.
20 miles to go!

So great for you! Sorry about the van, our 1999 Caravan has around the same miles so we would never fix it if anything went wrong. Not worth it.

Your friend is awesome, congratulations on having such a wonderful friend - you must deserve it!

 

[pwdebbie]

Wow, I can't believe you have friends that would go to that length for you. Rare indeed!

 

[monymony3471]

5 more sleeps and we are on our way!

I spent several HOURS cleaning the car the other day. Why do I torture myself so?

Oil changed and all the other important stuff checked and she is working fine.

emksmamma sorry to read about your car troubles and what a great ending to your story, great frinds ROCK!

 

[sharadoc]

Okay guys, don't be mad, but we are seriously considering the auto train on the way back this trip. The price of gas and hotel and food makes the train about $50 more than driving. The drive home is always worse, so we just may try it.

We'll see how much we spend on "stuff" during the trip and make the decision then!

 

[Disneyholic]

Okay guys, don't be mad, but we are seriously considering the auto train on the way back this trip. The price of gas and hotel and food makes the train about $50 more than driving. The drive home is always worse, so we just may try it.

We'll see how much we spend on "stuff" during the trip and make the decision then!

We may be taking the Auto-train back too. We will decide when we get off our cruise Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. We will go to Sanford before we head to WDW and see if they have anything available for the next Tuesday. If not we will be driving home. We have done this before by checking a few days before we come home to see if they have anything. We decided to stay an extra 3 days because I didn't want to drive home on Labor Day weekend.

And you are right about the trip home. For me that is the worst. Vacation is over and it seems to take forever to get home. The adreniline is working on us on the way down.

 

[rhughesdisney]

Anyone from the western Pennsylvania area who has driven down and the best place to stop on the way down? Hubby wants to drive straight thru but don't think I can handle it nor our 3 daughters. We are going in mid march. Thanks

 

[pwdebbie]

Okay guys, don't be mad, but we are seriously considering the auto train on the way back this trip. The price of gas and hotel and food makes the train about $50 more than driving. The drive home is always worse, so we just may try it.

We'll see how much we spend on "stuff" during the trip and make the decision then!

Doesn't the price on AT go up the closer you get to the booking date? Maybe right now it is $50 extra but when you are just days out from departure, I was under the impression that the numbers go up significantly. We haven't done AT but I've been watching prices for about three years now. Seems the best price is the first price that comes out eleven months prior to departure.

 

[pwdebbie]

Anyone from the western Pennsylvania area who has driven down and the best place to stop on the way down? Hubby wants to drive straight thru but don't think I can handle it nor our 3 daughters. We are going in mid march. Thanks

Looking at a map, I assume you would be picking up 77 eventually. If you can get past Charlotte, that would be good. If you can get past Columbia onto 26, that would be even better. We stayed at the Orangeburg St. Matthews Rd. exit and found a good choice of lodging there.

 

[capegirl]

Driving from Cape Cod to Disney, and this will be the first time we've had to head out on a weekday. UGH!!. The earliest we can head out is 3am on a Friday, which puts us in a very bad place when we hit NY. We know the GWB will be horrible, but will the traffic situation be any better on a weekday using Tappan Zee Bridge? Would we really save much time considering this route is a little longer?

 

[KodakFigment]

Anyone from the western Pennsylvania area who has driven down and the best place to stop on the way down? Hubby wants to drive straight thru but don't think I can handle it nor our 3 daughters. We are going in mid march. Thanks

We make the trip up from Orlando to Northern Pittsburgh and back at least 2X a year. Just two adults and we (I) still can't make it without stopping. Depending on traffic and weather we usually aim for hitting I95 in SC at about 12 hours trip time. There's a great 20-30 mile stretch of exits with hotels around Walterboro, SC. Most are reasonable and almost always have availability at the last minute. If you get a really good days driving in then Brunswick and Jekyll Island, GA are also a great stopping points.

Orlando is about 3.5 hours from Brunswick and less than 6 from Walterboro.

 

[sharadoc]

Doesn't the price on AT go up the closer you get to the booking date? Maybe right now it is $50 extra but when you are just days out from departure, I was under the impression that the numbers go up significantly. We haven't done AT but I've been watching prices for about three years now. Seems the best price is the first price that comes out eleven months prior to departure.

Yes, that's true. We probably won't do it this time because we need to pack differentlly if we do the train vs. just driving. We have an overhead DVD, but on the train, we'll have to bring all that stuff to entertain. Plus the parents will need to do something instead of driving, LOL.

 

[phoebesmommy]

Hi!
I apologize if this has been answered already, I tried going back through the other 99 pages but I may have missed it : ) haha!

We are driving to Disney for the first time in November from St. Louis, we plan on leaving around 8am and stopping in Macon, GA for the night. But since we leave the day after Thanksgiving, I'm concerned about traffic. Anyone have any info on this?

Thanks!

 

[cruisingkat]

Just extended our Oct. trip one day - didn't want to drive home the morning after the 3D Dessert party at F&W fest. Now hubby says to extend it one more day again - he likes resting at the resort the day before we leave - especially after doing MNSSHP, F&W fest, and seeing Elliot Dyson at POFQ for the week. Since he is the only driver (I only have a motorcycle license), I like playing by his rules - an extra day at Disney - now to call and change our reservation one more time. Then watch to see if AP rates come out for that time.
The only drawback is that it puts us two less days at home between the Oct. and Nov. trip.

 

[LadyBeBop]

We are driving to Disney for the first time in November from St. Louis, we plan on leaving around 8am and stopping in Macon, GA for the night. But since we leave the day after Thanksgiving, I'm concerned about traffic. Anyone have any info on this?

Only potentially bad traffic on the day after Thanksgiving is around the mall area. And that shouldn't affect interstate traffic.

When leaving St. Louis, if you'll be getting on the interstate by a major mall, you might want to take back roads to the next entrance ramp a few miles down the road. 8 AM is pretty busy on Black Friday around the malls.

Other than that, you should be fine. You'll reach WDW on Saturday?

 

[cruisingkat]

Finished the call to extend our Disney stay another night for our Oct. trip. We'll be driving back on Mon. now and arriving home on Tues. That gives us about 18 to 21 days at home before we go back down again for our Nov. trip (haven't decided when we will leave for that trip for the F&W half marathon).
I think the car can go on auto-pilot down to Disney by now

 

[monymony3471]

Leaving tomorrow night and I hope I remember to give updates along the way!

75, 25, 26, 95, 4!

 

[LadyBeBop]

Leaving tomorrow night and I hope I remember to give updates along the way!

75, 25, 26, 95, 4!

Yes, let us know how it turned out.

I feel so responsible, since I helped suggest this route. You'll love it.

<eta> You forgot 40 between 25E and 26. And remember, it's 25E. Exit 29 from 75 at Corbin.

Also remember, if you want, you can pick up 81 south in Morristown. That will take you directly onto 40.

(Now I am feeling like a nervous mother.)

<eta once again> And don't forget that left hand turn in Tazewell, TN. To continue onto 25E.

(Now, I'm going to be worried until you get down to WDW. Or at least onto 95.)

 

[monymony3471]

We trip tiked it, no worries!

 

[LadyBeBop]

We trip tiked it, no worries!

Good. Now I can sleep tonight.

Have fun. And lots of updates, OK?