For 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers only!

[Goofygirl17]

Avoid the southern MD/northern VA area at rush hour (its actually several hours around "rush hour")!

Thanks! I'm hoping our friends can tell me the best time to leave to avoid the craziness!

No route recommendations - we are going straight 95. Thought you might want to do online check-in though.

Unfortunately we're staying offsite this trip. But hey- any time is Disney is a great time!

 

[loveysbydesign]

loveysbydesign- glad the little guy is feeling better.

dvczerfs- I'm glad your DW's surgery went well.

I've booked our resorts so we're leaving on Wednesday!! Yes that is the day after tomorrow I've got the car cleaned out (needs to be vacuumed though), checked the reg and ins card, and started packing clothes etc. I also printed out park hours and UG's recommended park chart.

I still have a ton to do!! DH is going to ask his friend for directions to their house in MD and the best time/route to take for our first day on the road.

I have never driven south of Va Beach so this is going to be an adventure! Also, DH has to work so it's just the girls and me so I want to be as prepared as possible!

Any suggestions for our route from MD down to WDW? I haven't checked our GPS yet.


Thank you!

What part of MD are you in? If possible you may want to avoid 95 and take 81-77-26 and then pick up 95 in SC!

 

[Goofygirl17]

We'll be in Ellicott City MD.

Mapquest sends me on 29 to 495 to 395 to 95 .

AAA sends me the same way. I'm going to see what our friends think too.

Thanks!! I also haven't checked out our GPS yet because DH has it in the truck.

Today I need to renew our AAA membership and shop for snacks/drinks for the car!

 

[BC1836]

Avoid the southern MD/northern VA area at rush hour (its actually several hours around "rush hour")!

Talk about irony...on a current drive to Tennessee we had to enter the aforementioned area (DC beltway and I-66) at 4 p.m. The next 90 minutes was stop and go, speed up and then slow down. Ugh!

 

[aarmando20]

Leaving in a little over 40 hours for my drive down.

 

[Amirah95]

Leaving in a little over 40 hours for my drive down.

Have a wonderful road trip!

 

[harleyquinn]

Alright, I know there has to be tons of tips hidden in this huge thread. Can someone help me find them? I'm looking for things specifically about 1 year olds (or little ones, you get the idea).

Most of the threads I've searched through have tips for keeping the older kids busy. I'm looking for ANY tip about things to bring or things to do with a little one.

I'm so terrified of the drive with her as she really doesn't like getting in and out of the seat.

I'm also trying to figure out when we should leave.
I was thinking of leaving around 3am (she usually wakes at that time anyway) and stopping in Orangeburg SC (about 9 hours away) for the night. But that would get us there around noon or maybe 2pm max, which might be too early? I'd like to try to get her to sleep for the first leg of the trip, but I worry that maybe she won't and then we'd all be miserable. Maybe we should stop later? UGH this is too complicated!

 

[DianeV]

Leaving around 3am EST from Detroit area...stopping tomorrow night at Courtyard in Brunswick that we got on Priceline for $50

Can't wait!

 

[Malaguti Ball Clan]

Talk about irony...on a current drive to Tennessee we had to enter the aforementioned area (DC beltway and I-66) at 4 p.m. The next 90 minutes was stop and go, speed up and then slow down. Ugh!

You should have heeded your own very wise advise

 

[BC1836]

You should have heeded your own very wise advise

Which makes us identify with a certain Disney character...named Goofy!

 

[amcnj]

"Which makes us identify with a certain Disney character...named Goofy! "

Here I was expecting you to state another Disney Character.....Dumbo! Just kidding!

 

[BC1836]

Leaving around 3am EST from Detroit area...stopping tomorrow night at Courtyard in Brunswick that we got on Priceline for $50

Can't wait!

One of the great moments for 2,000+ Mile Round Trip Drivers: on the road to WDW!
[The greatest moment is arriving there!]

Safe travels.

All the best.

 

[aarmando20]

Leaving at 2:00 Am from Philadelphia. Kids are bouncing off the walls today.

 

[Vickis3js]

Have a safe trip to all those leaving very soon. I am so jealous I have over 5 months to go before we leave. This wait is killing me!!!!!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Alright, I know there has to be tons of tips hidden in this huge thread. Can someone help me find them? I'm looking for things specifically about 1 year olds (or little ones, you get the idea).

Most of the threads I've searched through have tips for keeping the older kids busy. I'm looking for ANY tip about things to bring or things to do with a little one.

I would leave around 4 and drive until you or DH can no longer drive. She will then fall asleep around her bedtime (for my girls it was 7 pm) and you can get time driving with her asleep. If you can make it until midnight or 1, then you will be in SC where you want to be. Then, in the morning you can swim, etc at the hotel, wear her out and check out around 11 to hit the road. She will be able to fall asleep again soon for a nap. This way most of your driving is done while she is sleeping.

To entertain her---bubbles, baby einstein dvds, songs, finger puppets... and whatever else you play with at home.

Hope this helps. My girls are now eight. The earliest we really travelled with them was when they were two...5 hour flight to California. They did really well.

 

[DianeV]

So we are at the Courtyard in Brunswick that we got for $50 on Priceline and its very nice! Free wiifii but not free breakfast. Clean, right off the freeway, such a great deal

Will get to Orlando tomorrow

 

[Goofy22]

Have a safe trip to all those leaving very soon. I am so jealous I have over 5 months to go before we leave. This wait is killing me!!!!!

It will be worth the wait! we were there this past December and at AKV Kindani it was gorgeous that resort is amazing love the fire pit in the safari especially at night Amazing!!!

 

[monymony3471]

Alright, I know there has to be tons of tips hidden in this huge thread. Can someone help me find them? I'm looking for things specifically about 1 year olds (or little ones, you get the idea).

Most of the threads I've searched through have tips for keeping the older kids busy. I'm looking for ANY tip about things to bring or things to do with a little one.

Debby had some great advice. All of my kids were great travelers. We did travel once with a 10 month old. If we were driving in the daytime, we made sure to stop somewhere so she could get 30-60 minutes of crawling around time. In your case she's probably liking the walking while holding your hands thing. Daddy could get in a nap while you play with the baby. Most men can sleep anywhere right? I'd do that at lunch time, so she can get tired and once you are back on the road, she'll take a nap.

Leaving around 3am EST from Detroit area...stopping tomorrow night at Courtyard in Brunswick that we got on Priceline for $50

Can't wait!

Hey, we are practically neighbors! Have a great trip.

 

[sharadoc]

Excellent report! And, yes, an early, early morning departure generally works best since it allows you to avoid the major rush-hour traffic areas.



Great news!



Another excellent report!

Hey, sharadoc, where (town, state) did you stay on your overnight stop?

Hi again,

we stopped in Walterboro, we think the distance is perfect.

We are having a wonderful time. Weather has been very good - no afternoon thunderstorms since Sunday, only one other day with a threat. Humidity is not killer and the heat has burned it off. We don't go out in the middle of the day to parks, though. We're really enjoying our time at the resort during the day. Old Key West is wonderful. The 11:00 Electrical Parade is the one to see - at least 80% of the park crowd leaves right after the fireworks.

Major traffic alert on Disney Property!!!!!! Buena Vista Drive between Hollywood Studios and Downtown Disney - they are repaving the right two lanes, so traffic goes down to one lane. Took us almost 1/2 hour to get through it - won't do that again!! Takes place from 10 pm to 7 am. Turn left out of the Studios and take the long way around - much better than sitting in traffic.

We're leaving to come home on Sunday and we're going to split the drive in half, staying in Florence. Might splurge and stay in a suite to soften the pain of leaving.

I'll try and check in again before we leave, or at the very least, from the road. Take care all, and all the best to the DVCZerfs family - great news!!!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Hi again,

we stopped in Walterboro, we think the distance is perfect.

We are having a wonderful time. Weather has been very good - no afternoon thunderstorms since Sunday, only one other day with a threat. Humidity is not killer and the heat has burned it off. We don't go out in the middle of the day to parks, though. We're really enjoying our time at the resort during the day. Old Key West is wonderful. The 11:00 Electrical Parade is the one to see - at least 80% of the park crowd leaves right after the fireworks.

Major traffic alert on Disney Property!!!!!! Buena Vista Drive between Hollywood Studios and Downtown Disney - they are repaving the right two lanes, so traffic goes down to one lane. Took us almost 1/2 hour to get through it - won't do that again!! Takes place from 10 pm to 7 am. Turn left out of the Studios and take the long way around - much better than sitting in traffic.

We're leaving to come home on Sunday and we're going to split the drive in half, staying in Florence. Might splurge and stay in a suite to soften the pain of leaving.

I'll try and check in again before we leave, or at the very least, from the road. Take care all, and all the best to the DVCZerfs family - great news!!!

Thanks for checking in. Glad the weather is wonderful! Thanks for the tip about the 11:00 parade; I am still creating touring plans. Not sure if we will do any on property driving other than to check into new rooms. I will note the Disney construction to avoid it. (I have no understanding yet of surrounding Disney roads, so we probably will drive right into it. At least I will know what the hold up is. =)