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

[ddluvsdisney]

Need your guys help...in Jacksonville FL. soon, driving North to Massachusetts. Went the rte 90 to 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95 on the way down a weekday. It is Saturday evening, we plan on driving through the night after a stop for dinner. Should we drive 95 North home since it is not a weekday? Please respond quickly we could use the help deciding!

We just drove home to MA. We did the 81 route the way down. DH wanted to come home 95 b/c it was early Sunday morning.

It was smooth sailing even through DC area. So I guess it all depends on the day and time.

 

[dvczerfs]

Ah, tis time to part...in a few hours: the final half of the 2,000+ mile round-trip drive.

It was good to see sharadoc's and dvczerfs' posts this morning! And hopefully we will actually cross paths down here one day.

Now then...500 Aprils ago, Ponce De Leon arrived in Florida and claimed it for Spain. He had heard stories about a Fountain of Youth in Florida but never found it. Subsequent explorers also searched unsuccessfully, but they were early.

Fast forward to 1971: Walt Disney World opens. The Fountain of Youth

All the best from the Ponce De Leon level of the GFR.

have a safe trip bc!!! ponce de leon!!! for some reason, i think of vizcaya!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Vizcaya
in one of our trip to florida when i was a kid, back then it was only what is now called the magic kingdom so there wasnt a huge resort like there is now, my mother had to see vizcaya.
i recall a huge statue of ponce and i asked who is that?
i never forgot it, thats the sad part.
history and math were my best subjects in school.
i seem to flunk english and spelling all the time.

 

[dvczerfs]

We decided to keep November, but leaving day after Thanksgiving so we'll be here for the holiday. We considered June but it's too soon, we won't be ready LOL. Plus we'd rather do cooler weather anyway. Your dates will allow you all to spend Christmas together - that's great, although I wish we could cross over even for one day!! We'll definitely look Briana up when we're there. That's so exciting

We are all moving into that weird time of our lives - kids are getting older and more independent (and more expensive LOL) while parents are needing us more and more. My father's mother is still around, turned 103 in March, so he's definitely got the good genes. He's learning to cope, but I expect him to be the classic case of a broken heart. I hope Tammy's Dad can bet on the road to recovery.

Take care,

talk about a weird time of your life. we are going to be empty nesters.
wow, tammys getting old!

 

[DMLAINI]

You can use FL417, the toll road that goes around the eat side of Orlando. It has FAR less traffic then I-4. But you will spend some money on tolls. It rejoins I-4 north of Sanford, south of Deland.

Thank You!!!! How do I get back on I95 from there or do I go another way? Anything in better than the I4 again

 

[DMLAINI]

I am the 417 advocate here on the Transportation Board. You will avoid all the mess through downtown Orlando and come back onto I-4 past Sanford, where it's just the regular Interstate, so it's totally doable. You will need around $7.00 for tolls.

Just don't use your GPS when you get onto 417 or it will keep telling you to get off 417 and get onto I-4. Just know when you get onto 417 you're on it for about an hour until you see the signs for Sanford airport and an exit for I-4 East. Then once you get onto I-4 you can turn your GPS on.

Thank You!!!! I'll try to get directions this way from MapQuest or Google maps because our GPS was terrible on the way here. Paying $7 is worth it to avoid the I4

 

[BC1836]

Howdy, all (especially sharadoc and dvczerfs who were kind enough to respond to my previous post)!

Sharadoc: third week of December for us.

Disney Hess this morning: $3.31 (regular).

Ah, here we are at a Virginia Holiday Inn Express to spend the night.
Hmm...there is something different about this hotel and the Grand Floridian Resort.

All the best.

 

[sharadoc]

Howdy, all (especially sharadoc and dvczerfs who were kind enough to respond to my previous post)!

Sharadoc: third week of December for us.

Disney Hess this morning: $3.31 (regular).

Ah, here we are at a Virginia Holiday Inn Express to spend the night.
Hmm...there is something different about this hotel and the Grand Floridian Resort.

All the best.

Well, looks like you will cross over with DVCZerfs then!

Take care!

 

[letthewookiewin]

Howdy, all (especially sharadoc and dvczerfs who were kind enough to respond to my previous post)!

Sharadoc: third week of December for us.

Disney Hess this morning: $3.31 (regular).

Ah, here we are at a Virginia Holiday Inn Express to spend the night.
Hmm...there is something different about this hotel and the Grand Floridian Resort.

All the best.

When we drove to WDW this past June, I was worried gas prices in Florida were going to be terrible. They were actually less in FL than at home in TX. Hopefully, the same will be true for our upcoming drive to WDW in September.

 

[sharadoc]

Thank You!!!! How do I get back on I95 from there or do I go another way? Anything in better than the I4 again

417 drops you onto I-4 but you are way past the city and all the madness by then. It's just like 95 there, you probably only are on there around 30 minutes until you hit 95 again.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

we got some great news today about our dd briana (20).
her dreams came true today!!!
she has been accepted into the disney college program and will be leaving on may 20th. for wdw!!!!!
she has been dreaming about working at wdw since she has been 4.
shes looking forward to meeting her dads dis friends!!!!

That is so exciting!! I am hoping one of my boys will want to do that too someday.

 

[dvczerfs]

That is so exciting!! I am hoping one of my boys will want to do that too someday.

start reading up on it!!!! theres an entire wing on facebook devoted to cp.

 

[BC1836]

We departed for WDW on Friday, April 12 at 4:35 a.m.

6:05 a.m. DE (I-95)
6:22 a.m. MD (increasing traffic)
9:12 a.m. VA (caught in slowdown for accident)
12:46 p.m. NC (periodic rain and then sun)
4:00 p.m. SC (periodic rain and then sun)
7:04 p.m. GA
9:45 P.M. Yulee, FL (stayover)

The rain and added rush-hour traffic added about two hours to our drive.

The next day, after a visit to friends in Port Orange, we arrived at the Holiday Inn in Lake Buena Vista at 3:30 p.m. We made a visit to EPCOt and Downtown Disney.

The next morning we drove to the Grand Floridian Resort and stayed there until our departure on Sunday morning, April 21.

When we left the Jersey Shore on Friday before dawn it was 46 degrees; when we we arrived home this afternoon it was 48 degrees! What happened to spring's arrival? However, local gas was $3.13, 20-cents less than when we departed (it was as high as $3.69 in FL; $3.31 at Disney Hess).

Total mileage for drive #29: 2,240 miles.

Of course, what happened in between the two drives: Disney magic, fun, great meals, wonderful CMs, etc.

We can't wait to return.

All the best.

 

[hebbynan]

We are heading to WDW in 5 months. We usually leave around 5am and stop in Savannah for the night. This year we want to make it to Cocoa Beach for the night as we are planning a surprise day for the boys at Kennedy Space Center the next day.

My question is this.....in order to get to Cocoa Beach at a reasonable time of the night (say 8-9ish) what time do you think we should leave in the morning? We're leaving on Sunday 9/15 so I have no idea what the traffic might be like. Wanted to ask all you experienced travelers for your thoughts.

TIA!!

 

[amcnj]

Hi BC. Welcome back. The traffic you are referring to was the morning rush in the MD/DC/VA area? So overall leaving NJ around 2:30 am does make a significant difference as opposed to leaving 4:30 AM?

Also, I read today that they expect gasoline prices to keep dropping, possibly by another 20 cents a gallon. $3.13 is the best I saw today (cash only), and 3.15 for a cash/credit price. So if the decrease comes about, we should see under $3.00 eventually, and this during the period when prices normally are rising due to increased driving and thus gasoline demand.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We are heading to WDW in 5 months. We usually leave around 5am and stop in Savannah for the night. This year we want to make it to Cocoa Beach for the night as we are planning a surprise day for the boys at Kennedy Space Center the next day.

My question is this.....in order to get to Cocoa Beach at a reasonable time of the night (say 8-9ish) what time do you think we should leave in the morning? We're leaving on Sunday 9/15 so I have no idea what the traffic might be like. Wanted to ask all you experienced travelers for your thoughts.

TIA!!

Google maps says it 4 1/2 hours from Savannah to Cocoa Beach so I would leave 4 1/2 hours than you usually do which would mean 12:30 a.m.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

start reading up on it!!!! theres an entire wing on facebook devoted to cp.

Good to know.. Thanks!!

 

[BC1836]

Hi BC. Welcome back. The traffic you are referring to was the morning rush in the MD/DC/VA area? So overall leaving NJ around 2:30 am does make a significant difference as opposed to leaving 4:30 AM?.

Yup!

All the best.

 

[yespie]

For those traveling to Disney on I-95, when approaching Jacksonville is it better to stay on I-95 through Jacksonville? Or go onto I-295 around Jacksonville? And if I-295, so I take the western route or the eastern route?

 

[BC1836]

For those traveling to Disney on I-95, when approaching Jacksonville is it better to stay on I-95 through Jacksonville? Or go onto I-295 around Jacksonville? And if I-295, so I take the western route or the eastern route?

We have remained on I-95 for twenty-nine drives since 2002.

All the best.

 

[patclairesmom]

For those traveling to Disney on I-95, when approaching Jacksonville is it better to stay on I-95 through Jacksonville? Or go onto I-295 around Jacksonville? And if I-295, so I take the western route or the eastern route?

We also remain on I95