"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (Part V)

[Eastern]

What's your plan? What time are you leaving? Where from in NJ (general)? Let a NJ sister live vicariously!!!

Central NJ. Plan on leaving around 7am (I have pets and have to make arrangements. Plus, I'm old. Can't do the 4am awakenings any more.)

I did get maps from AAA. We're planning on stopping for lunch and dinner, staying overnight and getting up early the next morning. I would like to get at least 12 hours in that first day.

I'm not booking a hotel in advance because I'm not sure where we will stop. Last time we got a room at a Marriott somewhere in SC. I've been looking at hotels in some of the towns I've heard people stop at, just so I have a vague idea of what's available. I also got that iexit app and it looks helpful.

 

[Eastern]

"When it's time, it's time."

All the best!

yeah, it's kinda like that. I have a GPS and maps, plus I know I'm supposed to be going south. We'll see!

 

[chepic]

Hey you all.....been off for a bit, very busy woman!!! Next trip booked for April.

Just wanted to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and a very Happy, Healthy, Prosperous, Joyous New Year!!!!

Cheryl

 

[nono]

Central NJ. Plan on leaving around 7am (I have pets and have to make arrangements. Plus, I'm old. Can't do the 4am awakenings any more.)

If traffic cooperates, you'll be in SC at minimum for sure, even with a lunch stop! If we get to leave in the morning, we usually end around Florence, SC because it's a easy ride for us (we are at the southern tip of NJ, so we do the ferry) with me being the early morning driver on day 2 (I am getting older, but still like to get up and start in the dark.) The first time we stopped in Florence instead of Pooler, GA, I thought we were bailing too early on day 1, but now, I don't mind it.

Have fun planning and good luck with the trip!

 

[BC1836]

The Sunday after Christmas is the biggest traveling day of the year, after the day before Thanksgiving. Trust us; it's the truth.

We departed the Jersey Shore (WDW drive #35 since 2002) at 7:56 a.m. and made it to VA via I-95 at 11:39 a.m. Not bad. And then...the mega Virginia traffic jam, which was approximately 50 miles long! Stop and go traffic, speed up and slow down, 25-mile per hour sections, etc. It took us an extra 50 minutes (indeed, it could have been worse).

Once we drove past Richmond, traffic improved a bit. But there was still plenty of traffic N & S on I-95.

We made it to Florence, SC for the night. Tomorrow a single night stay at Kissimmee before we check into our WDW hotel the next morning.

Note: best gas price: $2.19 in NJ.

All the best.

 

[disneysteve]

I'm not booking a hotel in advance because I'm not sure where we will stop.

We never book in advance either. What we do is when we enter the state where we will spend the night, we stop at the welcome center and get the hotel discount books. Then my wife picks a place from there and calls ahead when we're an hour or so away. That accomplished 2 things. It usually gets us a better rate than if we just showed up cold and it makes sure they have a room available.

Both of those things are legit issues. I have been checking into a hotel on the road with the coupon book discount and had another guest walk in without the coupon and be quoted a higher rate so those books are real.

We've also called ahead to places that were full. That gave us time to call other places to find a room, rather than showing up at a hotel and being turned away.

 

[star72232]

We are considering driving to WDW from Ontario in the spring. With 4 kids between 2 and 9 I know we will need to stop part way down. I'm nervous to book a hotel room in advance, since I have no idea how the trip will go. Any idea how to find a room for 6 without advance reservations?

 

[disneysteve]

Any idea how to find a room for 6 without advance reservations?

I think you'll have a tough time finding a room for 6 period. Most hotel rooms only sleep 4. The only chain that comes to mind that can sleep 6 is Springhill Suites. They have rooms with 2 double beds and a sofa bed. Otherwise, you'll need either 2 rooms or some type of suite (like a 2-bedroom unit in a Residence Inn).

If splitting up into 2 rooms is okay, I don't think you need to book in advance. If you all want to be in one room, though, I'd say an advance reservation is a must. Personally, I wouldn't risk finding something like that on the fly.

 

[nono]

The Sunday after Christmas is the biggest traveling day of the year, after the day before Thanksgiving. Trust us; it's the truth.

If it makes you feel any better, Friday, the 26th at 11:00 a.m. we were stuck on the Del. Mem. Bridge trying to get to see my Mom (she's in hospice in PA), and then on Saturday morning at 6:40 a.m. we were heading back to the the Del. Mem. Bridge, still on I-95, and all northbound and southbound lanes in the Newark area (where it's 8-10 lanes running) were darn near bumper to bumper. It wasn't even sunrise!

Glad you made it though!!!

 

[nono]

We are considering driving to WDW from Ontario in the spring. With 4 kids between 2 and 9 I know we will need to stop part way down. I'm nervous to book a hotel room in advance, since I have no idea how the trip will go. Any idea how to find a room for 6 without advance reservations?

I'd make a hit list of which hotels have sleeping accommodations for 6...disneysteve mentioned Springhill Suites. Also Embassy Suites, Hamptons that are Inns and SUITES (not just inns)...Just focus on those. If you know your route, search for only those. On Hilton.com, you can search by simply listing a state in "where are you going" and then check "use flexible dates."

After it pushes you to the results page, there's a tab which is titled "map view." I bet the other majors have something like this too. It can help you see what's available along the way.

Good luck!!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We never book in advance either. What we do is when we enter the state where we will spend the night, we stop at the welcome center and get the hotel discount books. Then my wife picks a place from there and calls ahead when we're an hour or so away. That accomplished 2 things. It usually gets us a better rate than if we just showed up cold and it makes sure they have a room available.

Both of those things are legit issues. I have been checking into a hotel on the road with the coupon book discount and had another guest walk in without the coupon and be quoted a higher rate so those books are real.

We've also called ahead to places that were full. That gave us time to call other places to find a room, rather than showing up at a hotel and being turned away.

My mom walked into a place with one of those coupons in hand & they told her they were full. She went back out to the car, and Dad walked back in with the coupon in his pocket. They suddenly had a room, so he pulled out the coupon after the clerk promised the room. Apparently, when they get near capacity, they know to turn away the coupon holders & save the room for full-price visitors. So, use the coupon - just don't show it when you walk in

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We made it to and back from Orlando safely. Total cost for gas this trip was $235 and the lowest price we saw was $1.92/gal in Perry, GA. We spent $69 less for gas than for our November trip, and $196 less than our April, 2014 trip!

Lots of traffic in and around Orlando. Traffic keeps getting worse, each trip we take.

 

[Eastern]

We never book in advance either. What we do is when we enter the state where we will spend the night, we stop at the welcome center and get the hotel discount books. Then my wife picks a place from there and calls ahead when we're an hour or so away. That accomplished 2 things. It usually gets us a better rate than if we just showed up cold and it makes sure they have a room available.

My mom walked into a place with one of those coupons in hand & they told her they were full. She went back out to the car, and Dad walked back in with the coupon in his pocket. They suddenly had a room, so he pulled out the coupon after the clerk promised the room. Apparently, when they get near capacity, they know to turn away the coupon holders & save the room for full-price visitors. So, use the coupon - just don't show it when you walk in

Good to know

 

[tarak]

Subbing to this thread for tips and advice. I've always flown to WDW but now that our low-cost, non-stop airline is pulling out of our airport, I'm considering a drive for our next family trip. Our last flight with a layover took over nine hours from start to finish because of delays. My husband thinks I'm crazy for even considering driving. He will probably fly and meet me there (he'll have our youngest daughter and our son with him). I'd drive with my older two daughters (they'll be 12 and 11 at the time). We would definitely break up the trip and stay the night somewhere - probably South Carolina. In my mind, it would be a road trip as much as a means to get to Florida.

 

[disneysteve]

My mom walked into a place with one of those coupons in hand & they told her they were full. She went back out to the car, and Dad walked back in with the coupon in his pocket. They suddenly had a room

They do have a limited number of rooms at the coupon rate so just because the rooms allotted for the coupon are gone doesn't mean they have no rooms at all. You just won't get one at that rate.

On an unrelated topic, if you ever go into a hotel on the road and they are actually full, ask them to recommend another place nearby. Those hotels all talk to each other regularly and send guests back and forth based on who has rooms available. Last trip in August, we got sent over to a very nice place we never would have known about on our own as it wasn't right at the exit. It was a couple of miles away on another road, not 95, but the place was nice, the price was good, and we had a nice stay there.

 

[nono]

and send patients back and forth based on who has rooms available.

Indeed, that's what some of us look like when we get off the road!

 

[disneysteve]

Indeed, that's what some of us look like when we get off the road!

LOL! I totally missed that. Can you tell I'm a doctor?

 

[nono]

LOL! I totally missed that. Can you tell I'm a doctor?

Yeah, you pretty much gave yourself away on that one!

 

[BC1836]

Ugh. The only place in the US with rain: WDW.

All the best from the Dolphin.

 

[Cando86]

We leave Sunday morning from MI! Planning on driving about 12 hours the first day and stopping for the night in Macon, GA then finishing the remaining six hours the next day.

Any advice?