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

[java]

Ok we’re baaaaasck. Driving down in 2 weeks from NJ. First stop is a quick one in Richmond with relatives. The next day I would like to get to Florida north of I-4. Any ideas on a place to stop for the night. We are heading further south before ending at Disney.

 

[justreading]

Ok we’re baaaaasck. Driving down in 2 weeks from NJ. First stop is a quick one in Richmond with relatives. The next day I would like to get to Florida north of I-4. Any ideas on a place to stop for the night. We are heading further south before ending at Disney.

I've stayed at the Hampton Inn in Palm Coast several times.

 

[disneysteve]

I've stayed at the Hampton Inn in Palm Coast several times.

We've never stayed in Palm Coast but we did find a good little Italian place there. I'd have to look up the name but it's in the center where the Publix is. Good pizza (for Florida) and sandwiches.

ETA: it’s called Anthony’s.

 

[jscunningham699]

We will be driving from the Dallas, TX area beginning on Aug 30th. It's about a 16-17hr trip. I'm hoping we can drive about 11-12hrs the first day. We will have a 10yr old, 8yr old and 1yr old. So we shall see what happens. I'm sure our 1yr old will dictate how far we get.

 

[amcnj]

Good Afternoon, we are driving from s jersey on Friday. Has anyone done that route lately? Looking for any tips. We do plan on passing through dc in the am before rush hour. Any alternatives to staying on 95 the entire way? I believe we went on the richmond bypass last time. Thank you!!

Just got back from FL yesterday (Thursday). I leave early morning too. The drive down was on a Sunday. Took 95 both ways. Didn’t really hit any construction issues other than a few short overpass work sites. GA had long stretches with signs advising that it is a work zone and fines are higher. But there was no visible work, or even cones or barriers of any type, so maybe they are gearing up for roadwork?

The trip down had some congestion in southern SC, and was routed to a parallel road (17?), for 10-15 miles. Then had some heavy rain later that slowed things a little. Coming back I left early enough to be passing DC around 3:30 pm, but there was a slowdown and I took a re-route recommendation that pulled me off 95, and by the time I got back to it, was late enough to catch some DC and Batilmore traffic until after I went through the tunnel.

FL, GA and SC are part of Operation Southern Shield, a one week speeding crackdown that runs through Sunday, July 21. I saw two sets of police cars in either GA or SC that might have been part of it.

Have a safe trip!

 

[dvczerfs]

We've never stayed in Palm Coast but we did find a good little Italian place there. I'd have to look up the name but it's in the center where the Publix is. Good pizza (for Florida) and sandwiches.

ETA: it’s called Anthony’s.

Palm coast, always look forward to seeing that water tower.
Always wanted to check the area out but it is always either to close to our destination or to far. Lol
Hit the McDonald's and the Exxon station a few times but that is the deepest we ever drove into Palm coast. We'll have to put that on the list.

 

[Hoosier John]

Wanted to post this picture, just because it's interesting (and kinda related to the Southern Shield operation). But I-95 road warriors might recognize the location:

 

[Cars2006]

Wow that is a long straight through drive!
I thought driving straight from MA was long drive. Be safe have fun

Hello Fellow MA Resident
We haven't driven in years. We done both drive straight and stop for the night when the kids were young. This time we are bring our dog so no flying. What is the best way you like to travel going straight through. We will be leaving on a Friday not sure of the time yet on 23rd of August.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Hello Fellow MA Resident
We haven't driven in years. We done both drive straight and stop for the night when the kids were young. This time we are bring our dog so no flying. What is the best way you like to travel going straight through. We will be leaving on a Friday not sure of the time yet on 23rd of August.

We leave right after dinner between 6 and 7:00 and drive straight thru on I-95 all the way to I-4.

 

[dvczerfs]

We are leaving in 45 days. This is the first trip we are staying over night in a long time. We are leaving around 3am and staying on the Florida, Georgia boarder. Should get there around 4pm. Staying in a Hampton Inn.
Waking up at 2:30am to finish the drive into the Boardwalk for two weeks.
Should be pulling in around 5:30,6am.
Usually we drive straight through in both directions.
(BC, drop me a message here or on FB, let me know what night we are getting together. Mizners is out this trip. Lol )

 

[AaronInWI]

"Operation Southern Shield," a heavily enforced anti-speeder operation, is underway on several FL highways (including I-95) through Sunday.

Don't speed, and get to and from WDW safely.

All the best!

This is also happening in GA, SC, NC, AL, and TN I believe so be careful and watch your speed.

Appreciate the heads up! We are leaving 6 weeks from tomorrow. I usually like to stay ~5mph over, except through Chicago where that's considered "Sunday driving", so it shouldn't be an issue. But I will make sure to be a little more vigilant this time, just to be safe.

 

[jscunningham699]

Appreciate the heads up! We are leaving 6 weeks from tomorrow. I usually like to stay ~5mph over, except through Chicago where that's considered "Sunday driving", so it shouldn't be an issue. But I will make sure to be a little more vigilant this time, just to be safe.

The speed enforcement operation is over now. But still watch your speed.

 

[dvczerfs]

I was on I75 south of Tampa one morning and I was going between 80 and 83 just to keep up in the center lane. I was still getting passed like I was standing still. lol
I'm getting to old for that cr&p. Lol
I just move over and let'm go.

 

[BC1836]

Who are the first long distance drivers planning to arrive in WDW in August?

All the best!

 

[disneysteve]

Who are the first long distance drivers planning to arrive in WDW in August?

All the best!

We leave south Jersey on Monday and arrive on Tuesday.

Anything we need to be aware of? We go straight down 95 generally. I don't usually bother with the bypasses around Richmond or Jacksonville as we usually don't hit the areas at bad times.

 

[ChimneyJim]

Who are the first long distance drivers planning to arrive in WDW in August?

All the best!

Leaving Chicago tomorrow, arrive Saturday. Doing some sightseeing on the way down.

 

[BC1836]

ChimneyJim and company are on the road, headed to WDW. Hopefully, most of the rain will be out of the area upon their arrival. Drive safely.

All the best!

 

[disneysteve]

Greetings from Santee, SC. We left NJ at 8:30 this morning, had lunch in Woodbridge, VA, stopped for nuts at the Good Earth Peanut Co. in Skippers, VA, and then dinner in Lumberton, NC. Stopped at Smith's for fudge and now settled in at our hotel. There is a very nice brand new Fairfield Inn here. Booked it on points when we stopped for dinner. We're 400 miles out so hopefully arrive by about 3pm tomorrow.

 

[jscunningham699]

Only 24 days until we begin our drive to Orlando! Aug 30th can't get here soon enough.

 

[deedeew80]

Well, we will be heading to Florida from NJ in October. Unfortunately, not to Disney this time. We have a wedding to attend near Fort Walton Beach (panhandle of Florida). We recently drove to Disney the end of November, beginning of December. Not really looking forward to the drive but we also don’t want to miss this wedding. Anyway. From here in NJ to Disney it took us about 16 hrs or so straight through, just stopping for bathroom breaks, gas, etc. Google maps says 15 hrs 21 mins, so not too bad. For this upcoming drive Google Maps says about 17 hrs depending on which route we take. So I’m probably looking at about an 18 hr drive or so straight through. I don’t think we will drive straight through though. As of now, our plan is to leave on Wednesday night (Oct. 9), after dinner, and drive as far as we can or maybe pick a place to stop so we can get a hotel in advance. Either way we will arrive in Florida on Thursday. The wedding is Saturday Oct. 12. We will leave to head home sometime on Sunday so we can be home by Monday and the kids can get back to school on Tuesday. Not sure what route to take. I have only ever taken 95 to Florida. Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!