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

[lbmiller77]

I assume the time change will also be helpful to us (we'll lose an hour moving from Central to Eastern time between Nashville and Atlanta)?

Sorry, I think I am confused by what you are asking. Nashville and Atlanta are both on Eastern time. At approximately 4pm eastern, rush hour builds in Nashville. I would always take into consideration the local time, not central time.

The time change helps when it comes to eating because our family stops for lunch an hour after the lunch rush. Checking into hotels off the freeway at night is another matter. We always book our hotel stays ahead of time. I've had too many incidences where we could drive longer at night without being tired(than the average eastcoaster) and had a hard time finding a decent price room because they were already full of weary travelers.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Sorry, I think I am confused by what you are asking. Nashville and Atlanta are both on Eastern time. At approximately 4pm eastern, rush hour builds in Nashville. I would always take into consideration the local time, not central time.

The time change helps when it comes to eating because our family stops for lunch an hour after the lunch rush. Checking into hotels off the freeway at night is another matter. We always book our hotel stays ahead of time. I've had too many incidences where we could drive longer at night without being tired(than the average eastcoaster) and had a hard time finding a decent price room because they were already full of weary travelers.

Nashville is Central Time according to every time zone map I check. http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/usa/nashville

 

[LadyBeBop]

Nashville is Central Time according to every time zone map I check. http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/usa/nashville

Right. You'll enter Eastern Time somewhere between Nashville and Chattanooga. I think closer to Chattanooga.

I keep forgetting you change time zones when driving to Disney. Our Florida trips are entirely on Eastern Time. But I've made enough trips out west to know I hate driving through Nashville.

Good to know that if you get through Nashville by 2:00 CT, you won't get to Atlanta until 7:00 ET. I'd still think about making reservations for the southern suburbs though. Since you won't be getting in until late.

One thing. You don't want to get to Atlanta too early. The Falcons are playing a preseason football game in the Thursday before Labor Day. Game begins at 7 PM Eastern time, so anytime between about 7 PM and 10 PM will be fine.

 

[BC1836]

Nostalgia time: one week ago our forms of transportation included a monorail, an XP-37, the People Mover, a doom buggy and a launch!

All the best!

 

[momofmikey]

Leaving Tuesday night for our annual drive from Long Island, NY! Hoping we have as awesome a drive down as we did last year. Hoping to leave by 7:30 pm and drive straight through. Last year, stopped for hour for breakfast, and were on Disney property at 1:30 pm. Any road construction going on now?

 

[BC1836]

Leaving Tuesday night for our annual drive from Long Island, NY! Hoping we have as awesome a drive down as we did last year. Hoping to leave by 7:30 pm and drive straight through. Last year, stopped for hour for breakfast, and were on Disney property at 1:30 pm. Any road construction going on now?

Yup. Parts of northern VA, SC and FL (southern half of I-95 in Jacksonville). And, of course, I-4.

All the best.

 

[momofmikey]

Lol, I should have guessed. We are going to be driving through Virginia in the middle of the night - is it night construction or day?

 

[uramr]

Hi everyone. Last year was the first time our spring break started with Easter weekend. The drive down was fine but when we headed back on I-4 to 95 on the Friday after Easter,it was crazy busy and added almost 3 hours to our trip. Is it always like that the Friday after Easter? Our spring break again starts with Easter weekend this year. We are in Ohio and could do 1-75 instead (50 miles more) if therw would be better traffic flow that route. Thank you!

 

[disneydad1000]

We went thru northern virginia last thusday around 5 am, no delays , then on our way home this friday around 4 am ,no delays..have a great vacation!!

Lol, I should have guessed. We are going to be driving through Virginia in the middle of the night - is it night construction or day?

 

[deedisneydream97]

Hi all. Just returned from a 2400 round trip drive from northwest NJ. Opted for 80 west to 33 south in PA to 78 west to 81 south. Stayed on 81 through Virginia until exit 221 and then cut over on I-64East....for 87 miles and then took exit 175 for 288 South....33 miles until I-95. Got on below Richmond and avoided the crazy stuff. Did an overnight in Brunswick, GA, and then on to Disney. There was nothing showing up on google traffic for I-4, so opted for that....what a mistake!!! Stop and go for miles (this was on a Friday, before noon). Wish I would have just opted for getting on 417 at Sandford. A few extra miles plus tolls (purchased a Florida sunpass months ago) but would have saved lots of time and hair pulling. By the time we got to the Disney exits, I-4 going in the opposite direction was at a stand still.

For the return trip, I did not hesitate to take 417 to I-4....smooth sailing. Then when getting close to 95, a standstill (Saturday, around 2 p.m.). Crawled until 95 and then all was well. If anyone can find an alternate to 95 that would be great....I think a lot was beach traffic to Daytona maybe? Did an overnight in North Carolina, and did a reverse trip. Was thinking of doing 95 all the way up to NJ, but was not comfortable with the volume of traffic and absolutely crazy drivers. 81 north was very slow, as was the PA crossings into NJ, but was expected for a Sunday.

Paid $2.23 at the gas station near Boardwalk. The most I paid was $3.39 somewhere south of Jacksonville, FL, and only because I was not really paying attention to my gas gauge and nearly ran out of gas!!!! But did not fill up there....knew it was a rip-off.

LaQuinta in Brunswick, GA was an okay place to stop. Cheap, clean, did the bed bug check. Great free breakfast in the a.m. and then less than 4 hours to Disney.

Highly recommend downloading the WAZE app on your i-phone!! But only if you have a co-pilot to help. Was really great about warning about things like obstruction in road, car on shoulder and police ahead.

 

[patclairesmom]

We'll be heading out tomorrow morning for our trip down to Disney. We have to do a quick (hopefully) stop at my kids high school, then by 8:30 or 9:00 am we're on our way. We're stopping overnight in Hardeeville. I am loving the gas prices!!! I'm also going to let my son who has his permit drive most of the way I think the only state he can't drive through is South Carolina.

 

[nono]

We'll be heading out tomorrow morning for our trip down to Disney. We have to do a quick (hopefully) stop at my kids high school, then by 8:30 or 9:00 am we're on our way. We're stopping overnight in Hardeeville. I am loving the gas prices!!! I'm also going to let my son who has his permit drive most of the way I think the only state he can't drive through is South Carolina.

Safe travels!!!

 

[cruisingkat]

Notice: For those that drive down using I65 through Louisville, KY

My son-in-law who live near Nashville, TN had to drive up to the Chicago area for work last week and he was dismayed to find that the bridge is closed. His said his detour added hours to his drive. He will definitely be taking a different way home.

The bridge will be closed until mid September.

 

[dvczerfs]

Hello all!!! Just checking in. We leave in 19 days. Leaving at 10:30pm, heading down i78, i81, i66 ,17,i95. The return trip we are leaving 3am and heading up i95,i26,i77i81,i78. Have a nice trip to everyone heading south. Watch the weather this weekend !!

 

[BC1836]

Back to back posts by two all-time record holders (crusingkat and dvczerfs) on this thread: see page 1, post #1. They have always provided key info for long distance drivers. Thanks!

All the best!

 

[BC1836]

Erika....

Be prepared to the best of your ability whether you are on the road or not.

All the best!

 

[powellrj]

It looks like there are several construction sites on I 75 in the Atlanta area, it there any way to avoid it?

I checked the trip cost calculator and it says the cost will be $128, not too bad.

 

[dsnymomof4]

Just following up on our trip....returned home last Sunday. We took DD18 down to move into an apartment in Winter Park to go to school and while staying on property, made several trips back and forth (40 minute drive). I came to the conclusion that no matter what time of day, I-4 is ALWAYS busy! We used DDs iphone for directions, and it seemed to take us different routes based on which resort we were going to. The one time, it took us on 417 the whole way, and even though I think we paid like $5+ in tolls, there was NO traffic and it was rush hour! Anyway, we didn't have much traffic leaving around 5:30pm on Saturday, but Sunday afternoon, hit the expected traffic right after Richmond and for maybe an hour we crawled through Virginia. I had looked into alternate routes, but it seemed like the other routes would have added at least 2-3 hours onto our trip (assuming no traffic on those routes), so I figured even if we sat in 1-2 hours of traffic, it would still be faster to go 95. I wish we could just bypass Richmond-Maryland! I told the kids when we got home we are never driving again (of course, that's what I said in April when we drove down!)

 

[deedisneydream97]

Just following up on our trip....returned home last Sunday. We took DD18 down to move into an apartment in Winter Park to go to school and while staying on property, made several trips back and forth (40 minute drive). I came to the conclusion that no matter what time of day, I-4 is ALWAYS busy! We used DDs iphone for directions, and it seemed to take us different routes based on which resort we were going to. The one time, it took us on 417 the whole way, and even though I think we paid like $5+ in tolls, there was NO traffic and it was rush hour! Anyway, we didn't have much traffic leaving around 5:30pm on Saturday, but Sunday afternoon, hit the expected traffic right after Richmond and for maybe an hour we crawled through Virginia. I had looked into alternate routes, but it seemed like the other routes would have added at least 2-3 hours onto our trip (assuming no traffic on those routes), so I figured even if we sat in 1-2 hours of traffic, it would still be faster to go 95. I wish we could just bypass Richmond-Maryland! I told the kids when we got home we are never driving again (of course, that's what I said in April when we drove down!)

I did the 80-78-81-64-288-95 route from NJ last week....are you south or north Jersey? It is easy for me to do that route...not so easy to get on 95. Loved my sunpass for 417....yes, I-4 was terrible!!!

 

[dsnymomof4]

I did the 80-78-81-64-288-95 route from NJ last week....are you south or north Jersey? It is easy for me to do that route...not so easy to get on 95. Loved my sunpass for 417....yes, I-4 was terrible!!!

We are in Central Jersey, close to 95, about 45 minutes from Phila. I was looking google maps trying to figure alternate routes and any other way would have added 2 1/2-4 hours onto the base time (without traffic). So, that's why I decided to stick with 95 - even though sat in about an hour of traffic, still was home sooner than would have been the other routes. It seems like on the way home, I just want to get home asap. It's not as fun as the drive down where at least you have something to look forward to!