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

[braddillman]

Yeah, we're going (approx) 20 Dec 2013-to-2 Jan 2014 (still figuring things out). Renting a minivan for a family of 5 in Orlando at that time (we're staying at our timeshare on i-drive) is looking like $1,200 by itself. That's not getting to/from Orlando, that's just renting a minivan while we're there. WAY more expensive than 2011.

Driving round trip is probably $450 in gas (gasbuddy.com, 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan from Ottawa). Add meals and 2 night motel and we're still under that.

 

[fanoftigger]

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

On the way there we're headed the I-40 route, but on the way back we're going along the coast. That's when we plan to take some extra time to see a few things. We're hitting the beach in Destin (or somewhere in the area) for a couple of hours since none of the kids have ever seen the ocean. Then along the coast and checking out New Orleans briefly (so we can say we've been there). Since we'll be close, we're heading to the Houston-area to visit my aunt and grandma. Then we'll finally start heading north.

Have I mentioned how excited I am? Haha

 

[4HppyCamprs]

We have now completed our first NW Indiana to Florida road trip and it was great!! Gas ended up at 483.00 rt in our 2008 Toyota sienna. Our three kids were super! No fighting and we took plenty of breaks and our slow schedule was just right for us. We had to readjust reservations on the way home because we were just not going to make it as far as we had planned due to bad traffic and a unplanned tour of part of Atlanta. It was okay though since we had plenty of time. Overall a very successful trip and I have no hesitations about doing it again.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[nono]

We have now completed our first NW Indiana to Florida road trip and it was great!! Gas ended up at 483.00 rt in our 2008 Toyota sienna. Our three kids were super! No fighting and we took plenty of breaks and our slow schedule was just right for us. We had to readjust reservations on the way home because we were just not going to make it as far as we had planned due to bad traffic and a unplanned tour of part of Atlanta. It was okay though since we had plenty of time. Overall a very successful trip and I have no hesitations about doing it again.

Congratulations! Always good to hear.

 

[MamaJessie]

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.

I know, I priced out airfare just for fun and if we fly we will basically have to wait an extra year so yeah - we are driving again

Is there a toll calculator somewhere? I was trying to figure out how much toll to budget for, and make sure I have enough singles. Also, do any tolls still need quarters? I vaguely remember tossing quarters into them but don't know if this was recent or not.

Thanks!

 

[loveysbydesign]

Hooray! Looks like we'll be hitting the road on June 20th...our 4th time driving!Just booked our pool home rental and bought our YES program and park tickets!

 

[DMLAINI]

Driving from Pittsburgh to WDW. What's the best way? I have never driven to WDW before.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Driving from Pittsburgh to WDW. What's the best way? I have never driven to WDW before.

We drive from the Allentown area and we take 78 to 81 to 77 to 26 and pick up 95 in SC. Not sure what highway you would take from your home to get to 81.

 

[DMLAINI]

Thank you! How long does it take you?

 

[loveysbydesign]

Thank you! How long does it take you?

Usually 17-18 hours depending on traffic and potty breaks. We usually stay over near Rock Hill NC but this time we are shooting for a little further south since it gets dark later (we hate driving at night with all the big trucks) We generally do the longer drive on the 1st day..maybe 2 hours more so 10 instead of 8.

 

[armsom]

we drive from CT also...leaving in 20 days.. I take the 84/81/then either over to 95 below DC or stay on 81/77/26 tolls for this trip are practically nothing. One bridge in Newburgh,NY i think its a dollar. Going this route the extra gas cost is less than the toll cost that we save. Drive time is about a little over and hour extra and we avoid all of the traffic in NYC,Baltimore and Washington DC

 

[NJRRK]

I know, I priced out airfare just for fun and if we fly we will basically have to wait an extra year so yeah - we are driving again

Is there a toll calculator somewhere? I was trying to figure out how much toll to budget for, and make sure I have enough singles. Also, do any tolls still need quarters? I vaguely remember tossing quarters into them but don't know if this was recent or not.

Thanks!

Since I'm on my phone I don't know where you are coming from.

For the NJ turnpike and Garden State Parkway you can use the NJ turnpike site for tolls.

For Delaware Memorial Bridge it's $3.00 to go to Delaware.

Check out DelDOT & MD FOR sites for other tolls.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

On the way there we're headed the I-40 route, but on the way back we're going along the coast. That's when we plan to take some extra time to see a few things. We're hitting the beach in Destin (or somewhere in the area) for a couple of hours since none of the kids have ever seen the ocean. Then along the coast and checking out New Orleans briefly (so we can say we've been there). Since we'll be close, we're heading to the Houston-area to visit my aunt and grandma. Then we'll finally start heading north.

Have I mentioned how excited I am? Haha

That sounds awesome! We did the Mud Island museum at Memphis in 2008 (after seeing it umpteen times on "The Firm") and I wasn't sure if it would be fun or a dud, and it turned out to be a really nice driving diversion en route. This time my wife wants to stop for a fried egg sandwich at the Front Street Deli (another "The Firm" reference )

We spent a half-day in Clearwater on the west Fla coast and it was beautiful. Had to drag my son out of the water . That was one year where Disney rates were extra-cheap and we had the chance for a few extra days, and spent that day outside Disney. I think that was also the year we opted to do Cape Kennedy, and it was awesome.

Don't know if you're taking I-22/US78 from Memphis, but the last couple of times I've always managed to forget that the first 10-20 miles of 78 are really industrial road into Mississippi and can get pretty congested mid-day. THIS time, I finally remembered to plan ahead and alter my route to avoid the area once I get into Memphis

My other objective is to remember to either get some peaches and/or a DQ Blizzard in Georgia, and to get some fresh Florida OJ at the information booth along I-75 going just past the state line.


Great that you'll get to see some relatives along the way. Sounds like a blast.

Can hardly wait myself, but we're still a couple months out

 

[conefrog]

Hi! I have lurked here for awhile. Don't post much. We are driving from Des Moines, IA the end of May. Have never driven to Disney before only flew. Planning two days down and two days back. A little worried about 20 hours on the road but also excited.

 

[BC1836]

Hi! I have lurked here for awhile. Don't post much. We are driving from Des Moines, IA the end of May. Have never driven to Disney before only flew. Planning two days down and two days back. A little worried about 20 hours on the road but also excited.

Unless you are sharing the drive, a one night stopover along the way (preferably after accomplishing more than 60-70% of your drive) is probably best.

I've done twenty eight drives so far since 2002, including twelve straight-through drives, and eighteen hours is my body's maximum behind-the-wheel limit.

Our twenty-ninth drive is coming up next month with a one-night stopover.

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

Unless you are sharing the drive, a one night stopover along the way (preferably after accomplishing more than 60-70% of your drive) is probably best.

I've done twenty eight drives so far since 2002, including twelve straight-through drives, and eighteen hours is my body's maximum behind-the-wheel limit.

Our twenty-ninth drive is coming up next month with a one-night stopover.

All the best.

29th

hi bc!! when you say next month, april or may?

 

[BC1836]

29th

hi bc!! when you say next month, april or may?

April.

But we'll still be twenty four drives behind your all-time record. We'll never catch up.

All the best.

 

[dvczerfs]

April.

But we'll still be twenty four drives behind your all-time record. We'll never catch up.

All the best.

we are only doing 2 trips this year as of now. if we dont do three in 2013, we will be doing three in 2014. im getting antsy.

 

[Disneyholic]

April.

But we'll still be twenty four drives behind your all-time record. We'll never catch up.

All the best.

When in April? We will be getting in on the 15th, going on a DCL cruise on the 18th, back to WDW for 1 night on the 21st and then driving home.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

Hi! I have lurked here for awhile. Don't post much. We are driving from Des Moines, IA the end of May. Have never driven to Disney before only flew. Planning two days down and two days back. A little worried about 20 hours on the road but also excited.

Two days down for 20 hours is eminently doable, if I understood you correctly. Actually, one tip I have picked up after trying it on my second drive down from OK was to make the first day a bit longer when you split up the drive. For us, central OK to WDW is a 20-hour drive, too, but I don't split it up 10-and-10. I push our first day to 14 hours - really the max I'm comfortable pushing a single day - which leaves me only 6 hours the next day, getting us into WDW proper a few hours early and not leaving you anywhere near as fatigued after that second-day drive.

We followed this strategy the last three trips and its really worked out nice for us; although in 2011 our early arrival was botched because WDW's computers were being overhauled *the day we arrived* and *everyone's* check in was being delayed - it took us *four hours* to get our room, scuttling our plans to spend our first afternoon in Downtown Disney . But we were comped for the first night, fortunately. But that's an aside. The point here is that splitting the drive heavy on the first day was a bonus on the second day.

For your route, it appears that Nashville is a down-the-middle split 10/10. If you pushed the first day two more hours to Chattanooga, you'd only have an 8-hour drive the next day; if you pushed it just a tad further, to Marietta, GA, that's about 13-1/2 hours, leaving only 6-1/2 the next day. Might be worth considering!