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

[BC1836]

All-time #1 driver-passenger dvczerfs (see records on page 1) will be starting his next PA-to-WDW drive next month!

All the best!

 

[dvczerfs]

And we are for the most part loaded. Being we have a third passenger this time, first time in four years, I had to put one of the back seats up.
I'm hoping to be a passenger for some of the trip.
Looking forward to staying at the Grand Floridian. This stay will complete our, my need to stay at every resort on the monorail loop.

 

[BC1836]

Arriving at WDW soon? The next ten days have comfortable temperatures and no rain in the forecast. And most gas stations in these parts have regular-grade gas at less than $2.00 a gallon. C'mon down!

All the best!

 

[BethanyF]

starting our drive next Friday - Chicago to Ashland City, TN for the night (friends' house) and then on to WDW. Arrive Saturday night, stay cheap off-site then check in to BLT for 6 nights. Same basic trip in reverse - WDW to Nashville area, then home the next day.
Any major projects to be aware of?
How about fun new places to stop along the way down?

 

[pens4821]

Will be starting our trip on Thursday. Will be 2500-2600 miles roundtrip. We are going from the Pittsburgh area, to an hour east of Birmingham, then continuing on to Disney. Going down it'll be split between 3 days so shouldn't be bad, coming home we plan on doing it in 2 (depending on weather).

Biggest worry is going through Atlanta about 6/630 on Friday evening. Have looked at alternate routes, but the alternate is just a 2 lane road in what the country. When we leave Alabama, we'll just put it into the GPS, and whatever way it takes us we will go.

 

[LadyBeBop]

starting our drive next Friday - Chicago to Ashland City, TN for the night (friends' house) and then on to WDW. Arrive Saturday night, stay cheap off-site then check in to BLT for 6 nights. Same basic trip in reverse - WDW to Nashville area, then home the next day.
Any major projects to be aware of?
How about fun new places to stop along the way down?

Little surprised no one has responded yet.

My normal answer of Mammoth Caves is a no-go due to the Government Shutdown. However, there are a few, privately-owned caves in that part of the country.

My favorite is the Lost River Cave, right in Bowling Green, KY. The name describes it: it’s a river inside a cave. You explore the cave via boat. This used to be an underground amphitheater as well.

https://lostrivercave.org/

Forgot to ask, are you taking the I-57/24 route or I-65 route? This is off I-65.

 

[BethanyF]

Forgot to ask, are you taking the I-57/24 route or I-65 route? This is off I-65.

We're doing 57/24/75

But - I will keep this info, we do sometimes do the I-65 route. Thanks!

 

[BC1836]

Just returned from out first WDW stay of 2019. Disney Speedway jumped up to $2.21 a gallon.

All the best!

 

[siren0119]

Jumping in on this thread, we are driving from southeastern MA to WDW and back in August! 2 adults and 2 kids age 12 and 9 at the time of the trip. If we all survive it could mean MANY more drives down in our future, I can justify the cost of multiple WDW trips if I can cut out the airline costs!

 

[jennf]

We will be driving from the Boston are in March.

 

[siren0119]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a Hilton brand hotel in the Jacksonville/GA border area? (Hilton Garden, Home2Suites, Hampton Inn, Doubletree) Thinking about leaving very early Sunday and checking in for a night to sleep before trekking the last 3-ish hours to WDW so that we can hit up a park on arrival day.

 

[bluezy]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a Hilton brand hotel in the Jacksonville/GA border area? (Hilton Garden, Home2Suites, Hampton Inn, Doubletree) Thinking about leaving very early Sunday and checking in for a night to sleep before trekking the last 3-ish hours to WDW so that we can hit up a park on arrival day.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn on S. Lenoir Ave. in Jacksonville this past June. We found it to be very nice and clean. It was just a place to sleep and shower so we didn't use any of the amenities, but it worked for us. I'd stay there again. I seem to remember the free breakfast being a nice notch above what other hotels usually offer. We paid about $115 for the night.

 

[siren0119]

We stayed at the Hampton Inn on S. Lenoir Ave. in Jacksonville this past June. We found it to be very nice and clean. It was just a place to sleep and shower so we didn't use any of the amenities, but it worked for us. I'd stay there again. I seem to remember the free breakfast being a nice notch above what other hotels usually offer. We paid about $115 for the night.

Thank you! That's all we would need, a clean and safe place to sleep from 8pm to 5am I have Hilton honors points so if I can stay within the chain I can basically get the hotel for the price of the tax. Adding it to my list!

 

[Hopefully]

We will be driving from the Boston are in March.

Us too!!!
Well actually the March drive is to St Augustine, so a bit shorter. Our WDW drive is not until December - so far away

 

[Hoosier John]

How strict are y'all on the 1000 mile one-way trip? I only do 875 one-way, but make the trip about once a month (often to Disney via Tampa, so that adds a few miles).

 

[Hoosier John]

East Coasters will recognize this:

 

[arminnie]

How strict are y'all on the 1000 mile one-way trip? I only do 875 one-way, but make the trip about once a month (often to Disney via Tampa, so that adds a few miles).

I only do 980 miles each way from Central Arkansas but we usually go via New Orleans as we have a condo there to spend the night so that makes it more like 1100 miles each way.

 

[BC1836]

To Hoosier John and arminnie: As the creator of this thread, I have the authority to make decisions of supreme importance [for example, see the all-time stat updates on page 1]. Due to your honesty, I hereby grant you access to this thread. However, there is a cost: if we ever cross paths at WDW on February 31, you must provide me with one Mickey Bar.

All the best!

 

[Hoosier John]

Haha. You're on for the Mickey Bar ... in fact, if we cross paths anytime that weekend you're on! I do love Mickey bars and hope to run into you sometime.

PS. I understand I won't qualify for the first page winners (unless I have a trip over 1k)

 

[Limes96]

To Hoosier John and arminnie: As the creator of this thread, I have the authority to make decisions of supreme importance [for example, see the all-time stat updates on page 1]. Due to your honesty, I hereby grant you access to this thread. However, there is a cost: if we ever cross paths at WDW on February 31, you must provide me with one Mickey Bar.

All the best!