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

[tinkermom_of_two]

Decision made-on the road to Omaha!

 

[Tanooki]

On our way down from the southshore of Montreal our 8th drive

 

[yaya74]

just made our 1st drive between North NJ <---> Orlando. Left NJ 6am on Saturday and arrived in Savannah GA around 9pm. We stayed at Comfort Inn in Pooler GA... it was just okay... will stay elsewhere next time. Next day left at 8am and arrived Orlando close to 2pm because of bad traffic near downtown Orlando and the weather was pouring with limited visibility. On the way back we left at 2pm and arrived Smithfield NC at 11:30pm. We stayed at the Best Western and that was a very clean and nice hotel. Next day we left NC around 930am and got home at 6:30pm.

I would definitely drive down again. My DD8 is on board with me. DS4 said he wants to fly. DH said he wants to buy a Tesla if he is driving to Orlando again.

 

[BC1836]

just made our 1st drive between North NJ <---> Orlando. Left NJ 6am on Saturday and arrived in Savannah GA around 9pm. We stayed at Comfort Inn in Pooler GA... it was just okay... will stay elsewhere next time. Next day left at 8am and arrived Orlando close to 2pm because of bad traffic near downtown Orlando and the weather was pouring with limited visibility. On the way back we left at 2pm and arrived Smithfield NC at 11:30pm. We stayed at the Best Western and that was a very clean and nice hotel. Next day we left NC around 930am and got home at 6:30pm.

I would definitely drive down again. My DD8 is on board with me. DS4 said he wants to fly. DH said he wants to buy a Tesla if he is driving to Orlando again.

But did you make it to Lake Buena Vista, home of WDW?

All the best!

 

[yaya74]

But did you make it to Lake Buena Vista, home of WDW?

All the best!

Oh yes... Geography wasn't my favorite class in school... Orlando to me means WDW... Hahahahaha

 

[Goofygirl17]

If you have georgia plates you won't be pulled over

I'm 2 miles from I 75 and never get pulled over going 83 mph

But if you have a CT plate you will! Working on fighting my ticket for 88 in a 70- and I wasn't going 80 anything!! I went and got a copy of my driving record from DMV today and I'm going to email a copy of that and my ticket to a lawyer in GA. It's such a racket! If I pay the ticket its $200 plus then I'll get another citation from the state of GA for another $200 for "super speeder". Then I'll get points on my CT license and have my insurance rates go up. All for something I didn't do! So, I researched attorneys and they're going to handle it for me. I guess if you go to court and show your clean driving record they'll reduce the ticket- but there are court and attorney fees. If you live there you just have to make an appt with the judge and bring your record. They know how to stick it to out of state drivers!

 

[macraven]

I hope you win this one
It's always the vehicle with out of state plates that get pulled over

And that is sad

 

[BC1836]

Just a note to those who contemplate flying instead of long-distance driving to WDW: our rare recent flight from the GFR to Orlando airport to home via Spirit Airlines took 12 hours and 45 minutes due to an unannounced delay. In that time, we could have driven from the GFR to Petersburg, VA for an overnight stay before completing our restful drive to the Jersey Shore --- and at a lot less money than flying. Those who prefer to fly always say: "Oh, the flight was just over two hours." It's as if the flying experience was the same as traveling on those old Star Trek transporters. We've never known of a commercial jet picking someone up in front of their house and dropping them off in front of their WDW hotel. There is so much more time involved in the flying experience (the drive to and from the airport and airport parking fees, check-in lines, TSA exams, the overhead bin battle, the unexpected turbulence, "lovely" fellow passengers [so many stories associated with this one!], the non-existent courtesy food and beverages, the slo-mo cattle exit from the plane, the crap-shoot wait for bags, etc.) than flying.
We're looking forward to our October drive to Lake Buena Vista, home of WDW!

All the best.

 

[patclairesmom]

Looking to make our next trip to Disney at the end of June 2017. Our ride down last time(Aug 2015) was very nerve racking. After we left our overnight stop in Hardeeville, our 2005 Honda Odyssey started shaking when we hit 70-80 mph. When we got to Disney I took it to the car care center and they couldn't find out what was wrong with it, they balanced the tires and said it was safe to drive. So 2 years later I've replaced all 4 tires one by one thinking there was something wrong with a tire and now I'm being told it's my axle. Hopefully that does the trick and we'll be taking the Odyssey back down next summer. I was going to give up driving down because that ride was so stressful but I just can't justify the cost of airfare.

 

[dkoerner27]

After making the drive twice a year for the last few years, my wife and I have purchased airfare for our adults only trip in December. We love the drive but we found airfare for $150/person roundtrip on southwest out of newark, which is about the same as the fuel would cost to drive my truck. Our 2 trips next year with child in tow will definitely be a road trip again.

 

[jimbostacks]

This board is awesome and I am sure asked many times..... Have not driven from Chicago area in a long time...Planning on heading out at 4am Chicago time and going straight through sharing the driving, any shot I get to WDW between 10 and 11pm? I have heard Nashville and Atlanta are the rough spots? On way back, planning on stopping at Embassy Suites Murfreesboro after getting through the mountains. On the way back, may hit Stone Mountain or Lookout mountain. I think I will take 57 instead of 65 just for stress alone......

 

[LadyBeBop]

This board is awesome and I am sure asked many times..... Have not driven from Chicago area in a long time...Planning on heading out at 4am Chicago time and going straight through sharing the driving, any shot I get to WDW between 10 and 11pm? I have heard Nashville and Atlanta are the rough spots? On way back, planning on stopping at Embassy Suites Murfreesboro after getting through the mountains. On the way back, may hit Stone Mountain or Lookout mountain. I think I will take 57 instead of 65 just for stress alone......

A couple of questions.

1) How many drivers?
2) What day of the week?
3) What part of Chicago?

I live just south of Cincinnati. It's a 5 hour drive from here to the South Side, going I-74/I-65. I know I-65 to Nashville is a little shorter, and I also know I-57 is also longer.

Last time we drove to Orlando, we drove straight through. Two drivers (somehow, they didn't let me drive). Left about 1:30 AM ET and got there about 4:30 ET. This was driving on a weekend. So it took us about 15 hours, including stops (we had a leisurely breakfast).

I'll add on five hours to your drive (probably conservative), so you'd be on the road 20 hours. You'll actually be leaving at 3 AM ET. That would put your arrival right at about 11 PM ET.

One problem...The Atlanta factor.

It's about six hours from Atlanta to Orlando. Meaning you'd be hitting Atlanta about...5 PM. Or right in the middle of weekday rush hour. That will add time.

It's going to be close. And it could boil down to....weekday or weekend and 65 or 57. Good luck.

 

[jimbostacks]

Thanks for the advice....If I leave at 4am (5am EST)...5 hours to Cincy is right....if it took me 20 hours, that would be 1am landing at WDW..... Ouch, we can do it, just wonder if we can make it in 18...that would require perfect traffic and quick stops likely....and you are right that would cause me to hit Atlanta at 5PM on a Monday.....hmm. May have to think of a Plan B.... but will be tough to get family to start earlier or the night before due to holidays.......thanks

 

[AaronInWI]

This board is awesome and I am sure asked many times..... Have not driven from Chicago area in a long time...Planning on heading out at 4am Chicago time and going straight through sharing the driving, any shot I get to WDW between 10 and 11pm? I have heard Nashville and Atlanta are the rough spots? On way back, planning on stopping at Embassy Suites Murfreesboro after getting through the mountains. On the way back, may hit Stone Mountain or Lookout mountain. I think I will take 57 instead of 65 just for stress alone......

We drive from about an hour north of Milwaukee, which itself is about an hour north of Chicago, and we make it in about 20 hours. So it is possible you could make it in 18, if all of the stars align correctly for you. My favorite route is to drive about 14 hours the first day to get us south of Atlanta. And then from there it is another six or so hours to Orlando on our second day of driving.

As @LadyBeBop said, it'll depend on a few factors. I keep up with the flow of traffic, which is a nice way of saying I exceed the posted speed limits if there's a decent sized group of other cars doing it. If you are more conservative with your cruising speed (as my wife is), it'll add a little time.

We also drive on the weekend, so we don't have any real rush hour traffic to contend with. As you alluded to, we do experience some backups in Nashville and Atlanta, but that's just the nature of the beast.

 

[jimbostacks]

thanks!!! Gives me hope.....just need to get to Atlanta by 4pm before the rush to have the chance.......Plan B is flying to atlanta and renting a car for the week.. FLights to Orlando not touchable...

 

[deedisneydream97]

Heads up for those of us that prefer the "inner" drive (78, 81, 77, 26, 95). Our drive down was pretty uneventful (except for the ramp from 81 to 77 was closed right before we arrived due to a scary collision/tractor trailer fire...but we were able to go to the next exit, turn around and get on 77 from the northbound side). 77 has some major construction going on...I want to say near the Davidson College area. Very slow going. But you will encounter this kind of stuff no matter which way you go. 81 in Virginia is doing some major night road work. The ride down was fine. The return ride was not pleasant, we got to 81 from 77 just as it was getting dark. Northbound, at many different points, was reduced to one lane. Traffic was not heavy (except for tractor/trailers), so except for the blinding spotlights they were using, it was okay. I could see that southbound was a different story. Very, very slow at all the different points where it was reduced to one lane. We overnighted in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The rest of the ride home was uneventful for us; however, there was a major incident on the southbound side around the Hershey area....there was a 10 mile backup!

It is important to check all traffic reports and google maps, make sure you have a good co-pilot and know alternate routes. We had a wonderful vacation!

 

[Goofygirl17]

I hope you win this one
It's always the vehicle with out of state plates that get pulled over

And that is sad

Thanks. I got an email from the attorney's office. The prosecutor has agreed to reduce the ticket so it will not be reported to my state/insurance. I have to send a certified check to the attorney who will then give it to the court. So a $200 ticket plus $200 super speeder fine (and points on my license and increased insurance) has been reduced to $250 attorney fee and $215 fine. I think that includes court costs but I'm not sure. Such a frustrating experience.

 

[cranbiz]

Consider it a bargain that you are paying $65 to keep your insurance record clean. The increase for the next 3 years would be far more than $65.

Still sucks but that's the way the game is played. Same game here in NC.

 

[BC1836]

We'll be more cautious on our next drive!

All the best!

 

[justreading]

Hi! I'm in the process of planning my 5th drive to WDW from North Jersey (guess that makes be bronze level!) and would really appreciate some advice. All my trips have been on weekdays, so I know all about avoiding the DC and Baltimore areas during rush hour. And I pretty much know the distance I can drive on a weekday - I like to stop by 5 or 6 pm. (Too much time in the car is not good for these old bones!) This time, I will be driving on Saturday and Sunday in November, so I am not familiar with the traffic patterns on the weekends.

Do you think I can plan to drive more miles each day just by the fact that it is a weekend and there shouldn't be as much traffic and slow areas? That's what I'm thinking, but I would really like to hear from anyone who has done this trip on the weekend. Usually I drive about 475 miles on day 1 and 550 on day 2. Then I have about 100 miles to go to get to our WDW hotel. I'm wondering if I could expect to incorporated that 100-mile trip into the first 2 days without increasing the drive time, just for the fact that I'm driving on Saturday and Sunday. What do you think?