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

[Mommee]

Are you taking the I-75 route?

We are planning to take the I-75 route. Is there a better way that we should explore? Any tips are greatly appreciated

Not sure if you're talking to me, but we always do. I know there's some scenic ways to go, but I prefer the straight shot. There's a great book called Along I-75 by Dave Hunter that we keep open. It's not only a map but shows you attractions, where cops are, rest areas, restaurants, etc. It's satisfying to flip a page on some of the boring straight areas

 

[nono]

The eastern side of the beltway is double signed as I-95 AND I-495.

I hope that quelled any confusion.

Ah! Man, I got all excited at the possibility for a minute that there was finally a full highway connector through town!

Thanks for the info!

 

[angbuz]

Joining in! We are 90% sure we are driving to WDW leaving Aug 21st from South Jersey (about 10 miles from Del. Mem. bridge). We've done many driving trips, but never this long (longest is probably Hilton Head, SC, which is 12 hrs). My concern is that we are coming home from Florida on Labor Day weekend (probably leaving Sat or Sun at the latest). Anyone have any experience driving on I95 on Labor Day weekend?

 

[sharadoc]

Joining in! We are 90% sure we are driving to WDW leaving Aug 21st from South Jersey (about 10 miles from Del. Mem. bridge). We've done many driving trips, but never this long (longest is probably Hilton Head, SC, which is 12 hrs). My concern is that we are coming home from Florida on Labor Day weekend (probably leaving Sat or Sun at the latest). Anyone have any experience driving on I95 on Labor Day weekend?

I think this will be terrible no matter what day of that weekend. Are you driving straight through? What time do you expect to hit DC on what day?

 

[ohiopugmom]

getting excited about our sept. drive from northeast ohio! 77-26-95

Probably going to leave 6pm and hope to arrive before noon on the next day. Hoping I won't be too tired that first day as we want to hit a park.

Thinking about stopping on the way back for safety's sake. Will go to a park on leaving day. I am trying to figure out when to leave and where to stop so we don't have a crazy long day on the second day drive......

thoughts??

 

[nono]

Joining in! We are 90% sure we are driving to WDW leaving Aug 21st from South Jersey (about 10 miles from Del. Mem. bridge). We've done many driving trips, but never this long (longest is probably Hilton Head, SC, which is 12 hrs). My concern is that we are coming home from Florida on Labor Day weekend (probably leaving Sat or Sun at the latest). Anyone have any experience driving on I95 on Labor Day weekend?

Last year we left the shore via the ferry and went through VA Beach at 5 p.m. on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. It was dead (everyone was off the highway and where they wanted to be, I suppose). We stopped for the evening in Emporia, VA and left around 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning and were in DtD by 5 p.m. or so (going from memory, so those two numbers might be backwards). No traffic tie ups. Are you planning a straight shot back or are you planning to break it up into two days? If you are going in one shot, I would choose Sunday, as it looked just as dead coming in the other direction. I would check baseball schedules and work around those for the northern part of your trip, but I would definitely give it a shot.

 

[busymama224]

Thanks for the tip on the book. I am definitely going to look into it!

 

[angbuz]

Last year we left the shore via the ferry and went through VA Beach at 5 p.m. on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. It was dead (everyone was off the highway and where they wanted to be, I suppose). We stopped for the evening in Emporia, VA and left around 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning and were in DtD by 5 p.m. or so (going from memory, so those two numbers might be backwards). No traffic tie ups. Are you planning a straight shot back or are you planning to break it up into two days? If you are going in one shot, I would choose Sunday, as it looked just as dead coming in the other direction. I would check baseball schedules and work around those for the northern part of your trip, but I would definitely give it a shot.

Thanks!! We were planning on driving straight thru so maybe we better consider leaving Sunday. We're staying with my parents our last two days so our leave time is pretty flexible. We thought about leaving in the evening and driving straight thru the night, but not sure if that's such a great idea. I think we'll be too tired from our trip.

 

[angbuz]

I think this will be terrible no matter what day of that weekend. Are you driving straight through? What time do you expect to hit DC on what day?

I'm really hoping we're not sorry for traveling that weekend. We had considered leaving Saturday evening and driving straight thru to avoid traffic. I'm so afraid my DH will be too tired after our 11 day trip. I guess he can take a long nap on Saturday......

 

[NJRRK]

I'm really hoping we're not sorry for traveling that weekend. We had considered leaving Saturday evening and driving straight thru to avoid traffic. I'm so afraid my DH will be too tired after our 11 day trip. I guess he can take a long nap on Saturday......

As long as you are driving north Saturday or Sunday should be fine. I've done the trip to northern NJ that weekend a number of times, no major problems.

 

[BC1836]

On our next drive we will try a different strategy: depart at 6 a.m. and try to make it to Yulee, FL for the night. Of course, we have done twelve straight-drive-through journeys before (including ten in a row) but this plan generates less wear and tear on the solo driver who has made twenty-nine round-trip drives since 2002.

All the best.

 

[BC1836]

For newcomers to this thread:

All-Time "For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" Records (updated 11/27/12)

Most Total Drives: 53 (since '73): dvczerfs

Most Drives in One Decade/10-Year Period: 27 (2003-2012): bc1836

Most Drives in One Calendar Year: 4 (four times: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011): bc1836; (two times: 2009 & 2012): cruisingkat

Most Drives in One 12-Month Period: 5 (12/08-12/09; 2012): cruisingkat; (12/09-12/10): bc1836

Most "Non-Stop" Drives: 12 (2008-2012): bc1836

Shortest Time Between Drives: 19 days (2009): cruisingkat

Most passengers in one vehicle: 10 (2010: 2 adults, 8 kids; 1999 Chevy Express Van): birdslightyear (aka just*the*ten*of*us)

Longest Drive (one way): 2,070 miles (2013): Shir Khan (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)

Second Longest Drive (one way): 1,953 miles (2011): peigirl (Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada)

[This is updated whenever a new record is set. This is post #1 on page #1, which also describes the history of this thread.]

All the best.

 

[BC1836]

Gasoline prices are s-l-o-w-l-y edging down.

Last year, in March, our WDW drive cost us between $3.64 (Manning, SC) and $3.99 (Exit #298, I-95 in FL) a gallon for regular.

All the best.

 

[fanoftigger]

Anyone here planning a drive from the midwest, eg Oklahoma/Texas/Kansas vicinity in the near future?

Have done it a few times, now...and looking forward to ours later this summer, just looking for road trip war stories from fellow travelers.

Our family loves the trip, I've got the drive all-but memorized....can hardly wait.

My mom, sis, nephew (10), niece (6), son (1) and I are making the drive from Tulsa at the end of May. Very much looking forward to it!! Our hubbies don't really understand why we like going to WDW, so were leaving them home Mom and I love road trips, my sis tolerates them. But we all travel well together and are sure to have a lot of laughs.

This is our first drive to WDW, but we've been on plenty of other road trips through the years. Mom is retired, sis is a teacher and I'm a stay at home mom right now, so we don't have to rush our drive. On the way back we are making some extra stops to see new places/things and entertain the kids.

 

[amcnj]

Well BC I saw a couple stations in my area lowered to $3.33 this morning. Hopefully this decreasing gas price trend will continue.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Well BC I saw a couple stations in my area lowered to $3.33 this morning. Hopefully this decreasing gas price trend will continue.

Interesting - $3.69 here and we're usually much cheaper than your area. Diesel's $3.79.

 

[joedplumber]

It is so hard to not drive to Disney these days with the cost of flights and baggage fees so high. Right now driving would save us $1,000+ if we decide to go down for Thanksgiving.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

My mom, sis, nephew (10), niece (6), son (1) and I are making the drive from Tulsa at the end of May. Very much looking forward to it!! Our hubbies don't really understand why we like going to WDW, so were leaving them home Mom and I love road trips, my sis tolerates them. But we all travel well together and are sure to have a lot of laughs.

This is our first drive to WDW, but we've been on plenty of other road trips through the years. Mom is retired, sis is a teacher and I'm a stay at home mom right now, so we don't have to rush our drive. On the way back we are making some extra stops to see new places/things and entertain the kids.

Awesome!!! I know road trips aren't for everyone, but I just love 'em. (Don't tell anyone else, but for me, the road trip is at least half the fun. All kinds of intangible good times and special fun, even just in crossing the Mississippi over the big bridge on I-40 going into Tennessee, or stopping at a beautiful little rest stop along US-78 in Mississippi, or just shooting the breeze with a fellow traveler while getting gas, or watching my son torment his mom Its something folks either "get" or they don't, and fortunately, my family does!

Have a great trip! You going E through I-40 into Memphis, or S/SE along the coast?

 

[OklahomaTourist]

It is so hard to not drive to Disney these days with the cost of flights and baggage fees so high. Right now driving would save us $1,000+ if we decide to go down for Thanksgiving.

+1.

Yeah, that's the critical part for us. WDW just really wouldn't be doable if we had to fly - group of five incl my mom, and my kids are full fare (long past any kiddie discounts or consideration). Airfare would be just prohibitive. Its expensive enough as it is!!! I'm holding out hope gas stays in that $3.25-$3.50 range when we go, but that may be wildly (foolishly?) optimistic. But even if it does go up, say, $0.50/gallon, my budget is for 100 gallons, and that means a $50 increase in the vacation cost...compared to the hotel and tickets, that's barely a blip on the radar.

 

[angbuz]

It is so hard to not drive to Disney these days with the cost of flights and baggage fees so high. Right now driving would save us $1,000+ if we decide to go down for Thanksgiving.

This is exactly why we're driving for the first time this August. We will be saving ourselves at least $1,000. We will be in WDW for 6 days and Universal for 2 then visiting family for 3 days, so having a car will be a huge bonus. I will admit that my kids (9 & 13) weren't too thrilled with the driving idea at first, but the more we talk about it, the more excited they become.