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

[Amirah95]

we rented mini vans for about 8 years or so. we bought our own when dd was a kid. we just traded it in, we just didnt need the van anymore. i thinks its a good idea. if it breaks, they give you another one. it saves the miles on your car. down side, its not cheap. i just looked into renting a minivan for our may 2013 trip. dd is going with us and we just like the extra room.

That (the bolded part) and the rental places could never guarantee us a minivan would be available...they would say they have the bigger vans, but then that would have been to big and then a midsize car would be too small. After tallying up the rental, fees, insurance, taxes we figured we could afford to fly if we rented a car so again, we never did this. Flying down there and then renting a car for a week or so is expensive too so flying plus a rental...nada.

 

[MinnieTink]

We are here now. From northern NJ it cost us $193 in gas.

 

[BC1836]

We are here now. From northern NJ it cost us $193 in gas.

You've made the drive, so it's time to enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

That (the bolded part) and the rental places could never guarantee us a minivan would be available...they would say they have the bigger vans, but then that would have been to big and then a midsize car would be too small. After tallying up the rental, fees, insurance, taxes we figured we could afford to fly if we rented a car so again, we never did this. Flying down there and then renting a car for a week or so is expensive too so flying plus a rental...nada.

i think it was dollar car rental, pick up on a thursday and return 11 days later, it was $800.00 i dont get there insurance. im an outside sales rep and carry insurance that covers rental cars 365 days per year. i drive an "unowned" car 99 percent of the time. i also carry an extra million liability. the entire thing cost me an extra $45 per month.

 

[dvczerfs]

dvczerfs: A couple of more days until you can count the days on your fingers! Crossing paths with junglecruiser?

All the best.

yes sir! i just texted with them a few weeks ago and we are looking forward to meeting up.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

We are going to be making the 2,500ish mile round trip trek to WDW in less than 2 weeks

Coming from extreme NW NJ we are probably going to take I95 down (with a stop over at the family condo in Myrtle Beach). This will be our first road trip with 4 month old DD and our brand new minivan

 

[BC1836]

We are going to be making the 2,500ish mile round trip trek to WDW in less than 2 weeks

Coming from extreme NW NJ we are probably going to take I95 down (with a stop over at the family condo in Myrtle Beach). This will be our first road trip with 4 month old DD and our brand new minivan

A number of NJ residents who live in the northwest prefer the inland route, but if you leave at the right time (to avoid all rush hour traffic) I-95 is probably your best route, especially if you are headed to Myrtle Beach.

All the best.

 

[glaserjm]

Hi all! I can't believe I just looked at the Transportation Board for the first time, what a great thread! DH and I will be embarking on another drive to Disney from our home in St. Louis, which door to door is 1,012 one way if we take the 64/57/24/75 route.

We leave in one month and three weeks (but who's counting?!) and we have decided to avoid 75 this time (had a horrible experience with traffic, construction and less than desirable drivers on 75 on our 3/12 trip). This time we will be splitting off at Nashville and taking 65 south to US 231 then to 10 in Tallahassee. DH wanted to make it a real challenge to not use 75 at all on the way down (we love road trips, so a little extra driving isn't an issue) so we are snaking through Northwest/West Central Florida on I believe Florida 27 mostly until we get to the Florida Turnpike. This new route will add approximately 58 miles to the trip, but likely about an extra two hours or so.

Hello to all the other road trippers out there!

 

[dvczerfs]

We are going to be making the 2,500ish mile round trip trek to WDW in less than 2 weeks

Coming from extreme NW NJ we are probably going to take I95 down (with a stop over at the family condo in Myrtle Beach). This will be our first road trip with 4 month old DD and our brand new minivan

we will be on the road on tuesday the 11th!!! if you happen to see us, blow the horn and wave!!!! have a good trip!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

Whaaaaaaat!?!?!?!?!

yup, sorry, they made me an offer i just couldnt refuse. i did happen to see it pull into the dealer a few weeks later and there was a "retired aged" women driving it. so i bet it will see some florida time.
i didnt think they would be intrested in it to much because the place only sold audi, porche and mercedes but they gave me a real good deal. i paid less for the mercedes than i paid for the van.

 

[Amirah95]

We are here now. From northern NJ it cost us $193 in gas.

Great! What's the weather like right now?

 

[sharadoc]

yup, sorry, they made me an offer i just couldnt refuse. i did happen to see it pull into the dealer a few weeks later and there was a "retired aged" women driving it. so i bet it will see some florida time.
i didnt think they would be intrested in it to much because the place only sold audi, porche and mercedes but they gave me a real good deal. i paid less for the mercedes than i paid for the van.

Well then good! You must have caught them at the end of the month

 

[StayCool]

We are planning to drive to Disney next August from near Binghamton, NY. I'm figuring it is going to take us about 20 hours to get there. We are hoping to get really close to Florida on the first day so that we don't have to drive long the next day.

My questions are: What time should we leave? I work at night so I don't have a problem driving until the sun comes up. Hubby is the morning person and will take over then.

Next, we have 2 adults and 3 kids going. How difficult will it be to get a room for all of us or should I count on having to get 2 rooms?

Route suggestions? I live near 81. Mapquest has me going on the Penn. turnpike. Yuck. Too narrow for my comfort.

I know I'm being crazy for planning soooo early, but college starts in a week and then no more planning until January!

Thanks for your help!!

 

[BC1836]

We are planning to drive to Disney next August from near Binghamton, NY. I'm figuring it is going to take us about 20 hours to get there. We are hoping to get really close to Florida on the first day so that we don't have to drive long the next day.

My questions are: What time should we leave? I work at night so I don't have a problem driving until the sun comes up. Hubby is the morning person and will take over then.

Next, we have 2 adults and 3 kids going. How difficult will it be to get a room for all of us or should I count on having to get 2 rooms?

Route suggestions? I live near 81. Mapquest has me going on the Penn. turnpike. Yuck. Too narrow for my comfort.

I know I'm being crazy for planning soooo early, but college starts in a week and then no more planning until January!

Thanks for your help!!

General rule #1: Try and avoid rush hour traffic areas as much as possible. The greater DC area is particularly brutal, especially when taking the I-95 route.

Allow three hours from the GA/FL border to get to WDW.

Allow five hours from the SC/GA border to get to WDW.

However, you'll have plenty of time to plan your drive if you're not departing for another 12 months.

Hopefully, others can provide suggestions to your other questions.

All the best.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

A number of NJ residents who live in the northwest prefer the inland route, but if you leave at the right time (to avoid all rush hour traffic) I-95 is probably your best route, especially if you are headed to Myrtle Beach.

All the best.

Sounds like we may be skipping Myrtle Beach and opting for a hotel on the way down instead. We are hoping to get close to GA before stopping for the night. DD will be 4 months old so we will need to make pretty frequent stops. If we leave around 4am we will arrive in the DC area around 8am or 9am on Saturday. How bad is traffic at that time on a Saturday morning?

 

[pwdebbie]

we will be on the road on tuesday the 11th!!! if you happen to see us, blow the horn and wave!!!! have a good trip!!!

Hey, I could do like the NASCAR fans do and set up a lawn chair overlooking 81 and wave and holler when you go by. (I couldn't believe it the first time I saw all the people lined up along 81 with their lawn chairs and coolers and was told, "Why, they're just waitin' fer the haulers to come through." Really? People sit around for hours just to see the NASCAR haulers?) What time should I expect you through the Chambersburg area?

 

[dvczerfs]

Hey, I could do like the NASCAR fans do and set up a lawn chair overlooking 81 and wave and holler when you go by. (I couldn't believe it the first time I saw all the people lined up along 81 with their lawn chairs and coolers and was told, "Why, they're just waitin' fer the haulers to come through." Really? People sit around for hours just to see the NASCAR haulers?) What time should I expect you through the Chambersburg area?

3:30am on the 11th.
if they want to see haulers, i get stuck behind them twice a year around here.
so what exit will you be sitting in your lawn chair as i come by?

 

[pwdebbie]

3:30am on the 11th.
if they want to see haulers, i get stuck behind them twice a year around here.
so what exit will you be sitting in your lawn chair as i come by?

Shoot, I'll be checking out the inside of my eyelids then. But IF I could come, it would be somewhere between Shippensburg and Greencastle. Just start waving east as you go by.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

we will be on the road on tuesday the 11th!!! if you happen to see us, blow the horn and wave!!!! have a good trip!!!

We will have to wait to wave until we see you at WDW. We are checking in to BWV on the 9th

 

[monica9]

We are driving from Fairfield Connecticut area in November. Trying to decide if we should leave on a Friday mid afternoon or night or leave 3 am sat morning. Trying to get to Orlando by noon time on Sunday.