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

[angwill]

It would be nice if all EZ pass worked in all states and maybe someday it will. One can hope so anyway.

 

[MOmousefan]

Here is a video of our drive to WDW. 1200 miles, 18 hours non-stop; a piece of cake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgnlZw_bpr0

 

[BC1836]

Here is a video of our drive to WDW. 1200 miles, 18 hours non-stop; a piece of cake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgnlZw_bpr0

Hey, we were expecting the real "piece of cake," a drive to WDW not the NASCAR-like experience! [However, we bet you had fun!]

Now then, how about a video of a vehicle making the exit from I-95 to I-4!

 

[Mysteria]

Here is a video of our drive to WDW. 1200 miles, 18 hours non-stop; a piece of cake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgnlZw_bpr0

That looked like a nasty accident! Hope you weren't stuck there too long.

 

[BC1836]

That looked like a nasty accident! Hope you weren't stuck there too long.

Thanks for your post, Mysteria. The first time we checked MOmousefan's youtube connection it went immediately (for some reason) to the NASCAR video. We thought MOmousefan was just joking around. But a subsequent click (thanks to your comment about the "nasty accident") gave us the opportunity to see the original drive from Missouri to WDW!

So thanks to you, too, MOmousefan. An interesting journey, to be sure!

 

[Mysteria]

BC I was kind of wondering what you meant but thought I was missing something.

 

[BC1836]

BC I was kind of wondering what you meant but thought I was missing something.

No, you were not missing something; however, we were missing everything! Again, when you mentioned the "accident," we decided to check the original message on more time. So, thanks again!

[And we thoroughly enjoyed MOmousefan's Lynyrd Skynyrd soundtrack on the youtube vid.]

 

[sharadoc]

Please don't park at the monorail resorts and go to the parks. It can create a nightmare at the parking lots for visitors and it's not fair to the guests of that resort. No I'm not the parking police but I have tried to park at these resorts before. Both for when I've stayed there or had restaurant res's or wanted to shop. It can be frustrating. There are WAY too many cars for the people staying or actually eating at/visiting those resorts for other people to be leaving their cars and going to the parks.

Off my soapbox now. Please continue to the next mile.

Except that it's allowed and permitted and okay with Disney if you valet park and take the monorail. The problem is with people who self-park and take up the spaces for guests and short-time visitors.

 

[MOmousefan]

Thanks for your kind words. We came upon this accident on I75 in downtown Atlanta around 2:00 AM. We rounded a curve and there was no warning, but the reflexes of a 22YO were good enough to prevent a problem. We never could see what was going on but when the blue lights went out, they just dissappeared! I mean they vanished as we drove through the area. Even with four lanes, the traffic behind us whizzed by us like we were hardly moving ( Andy was driving at 80MPH). I love the drive down and back.

 

[BC1836]

The usual recipe for highway disasters includes equal parts of speeding, tailgating, carelessness (looking at something other than the road) and recklessness (e.g., quick lane changes without signaling). Add a dose of bad weather conditions and you've got it!

 

[Dawn68PA]

We are driving, again, from near Harrisburg, PA.

EXCEPT

This time we are actually stopping to sleep.

Where do y'all think is the half way point? I'm trying to figure it out on Mapquest but I'm not doing so well.

TIA!

 

[Goofy'slady]

Hello Dawn - my family and I will be making the treck from Baltimore to WDW and for us the halfway mark is somewhere in SC; however, this year my husband is pushing it a bit further and we're staying over night in Savannah, GA. Reason being is that the further down you drive the first day the less you'll drive the next also putting us in WDW ealier in the afternoon rather than later.

Try stopping in or around the SC/NC boarder - not necessarily stopping at the ulta cheesy South of the Boarder but at another hotel in that area. I would think that would be a good halfway indicator.

Safe and happy travels.

T.

 

[kristytru]

We drive down from Morris County, NJ. We stopped overnite at the SC/NC border at the KOA campground in Fort Mill, Sc. It was about 12 hours using the 81S to 77S route. Then it was another 8 to WDW

 

[rdevine10]

Well, we survived our 1st drive from CT! We techincally only went as far as Daytona for the drive (stayed with Mom pre and post Disney).

We left Thursday before Easter about 12:45 pm from the Danbury CT area, decided on the 84-81-70-270-295-95 route. Made it to Hagerstown by dinner time. Stopped for an hour and a half (let the kids play, ate dinner, put them in PJs and killed some time to avoid DC traffic! Sat on beltway traffic, hit a major slow down on 95 just south of DC and went 1.5 miles in 2 hours. But, the rest of the trip was smooth sailing. Arrived in Daytona about 9:45 ish am.

Way home- Sunday the 19th. Left at 11 am from Daytona. Sat in traffic in GA on 95 for 45 min or so. Stopped for lunch (30 min), Dinner- 45 min. Kids in PJs, and kept on trucking. Hit rain about 10 pm in NC. Made for lousy driving. Decided to try just staying on 95... so we did. Went 95 to NJ turnpike, to gardenstate, to 287 to 684. Even driving through the night there was a LOT of traffic in the NE 95 corridor. Lots of trucks. NJ turnpike was horrid!

We stopped at the Maryland Welcome center reststop at 3:30 am. Some freak tried to pick up my DH when I was in the rest area going to the bathroom (mind you he was in our van with 2 sleeping kids). Couldnt get out of this place fast enough. No more reststops at that time of the day. Who knows what the freak wanted, but, something wasnt kosher about his "story".

Anyways, we made it home at 7:45 am. So, all in all, it took us LONGER to go the 95 route even in the middle of the night, although the 84-81-70-270-295-95 route was more miles. Next drive south (in about 4 weeks to SC), we will be avoiding 95 in the North East.

Safe travels everyone!

PS: We LOVED driving through the night. It was SO much better with the kids.

 

[BC1836]

Well, we survived our 1st drive from CT! We techincally only went as far as Daytona for the drive (stayed with Mom pre and post Disney).

We left Thursday before Easter about 12:45 pm from the Danbury CT area, decided on the 84-81-70-270-295-95 route. Made it to Hagerstown by dinner time. Stopped for an hour and a half (let the kids play, ate dinner, put them in PJs and killed some time to avoid DC traffic! Sat on beltway traffic, hit a major slow down on 95 just south of DC and went 1.5 miles in 2 hours. But, the rest of the trip was smooth sailing. Arrived in Daytona about 9:45 ish am.

Way home- Sunday the 19th. Left at 11 am from Daytona. Sat in traffic in GA on 95 for 45 min or so. Stopped for lunch (30 min), Dinner- 45 min. Kids in PJs, and kept on trucking. Hit rain about 10 pm in NC. Made for lousy driving. Decided to try just staying on 95... so we did. Went 95 to NJ turnpike, to gardenstate, to 287 to 684. Even driving through the night there was a LOT of traffic in the NE 95 corridor. Lots of trucks. NJ turnpike was horrid!

We stopped at the Maryland Welcome center reststop at 3:30 am. Some freak tried to pick up my DH when I was in the rest area going to the bathroom (mind you he was in our van with 2 sleeping kids). Couldnt get out of this place fast enough. No more reststops at that time of the day. Who knows what the freak wanted, but, something wasnt kosher about his "story".

Anyways, we made it home at 7:45 am. So, all in all, it took us LONGER to go the 95 route even in the middle of the night, although the 84-81-70-270-295-95 route was more miles. Next drive south (in about 4 weeks to SC), we will be avoiding 95 in the North East.

Safe travels everyone!

PS: We LOVED driving through the night. It was SO much better with the kids.

If possible, try a very, very early morning departure on a weekend for your next drive. You'll find less traffic, especially at those well-known problem areas.

All the best.

 

[Mysteria]

Hello Dawn - my family and I will be making the treck from Baltimore to WDW and for us the halfway mark is somewhere in SC; however, this year my husband is pushing it a bit further and we're staying over night in Savannah, GA. Reason being is that the further down you drive the first day the less you'll drive the next also putting us in WDW ealier in the afternoon rather than later.

Try stopping in or around the SC/NC boarder - not necessarily stopping at the ulta cheesy South of the Boarder but at another hotel in that area. I would think that would be a good halfway indicator.

Safe and happy travels.

T.

I totally agree with this. Getting further the first day makes the second day seem like a breeze. We are from North Jersy and stop in SC just before the Georgia border. We do about 12 hours the first day.

 

[Faith09]

I see those signs every year we go to Topsail Island, NC. I wish that was not the first greeting our visitors see when they come in on I-95 to the great state of South Carolina.

I second that!!!

 

[Mysteria]

I can't find the original post to this but I can guess which signs you are talking about. Don't worry. We've had a few laughs over them but it doesn't change our opinion of the state. It's a place/s both DH and I want to stop and visit (both n and S Carolina) for more than just a stay on a drive through to Florida.

 

[shafke]

Well, we survived our 1st drive from CT! We techincally only went as far as Daytona for the drive (stayed with Mom pre and post Disney).

We left Thursday before Easter about 12:45 pm from the Danbury CT area, decided on the 84-81-70-270-295-95 route. Made it to Hagerstown by dinner time. Stopped for an hour and a half (let the kids play, ate dinner, put them in PJs and killed some time to avoid DC traffic! Sat on beltway traffic, hit a major slow down on 95 just south of DC and went 1.5 miles in 2 hours. But, the rest of the trip was smooth sailing. Arrived in Daytona about 9:45 ish am.

Since you were already on 81 you should have stayed on 81 through VA to pick up 77-26-95. You bypass Baltimore, DC, Richmond and pick up 95 somewhere in SC. The additional drive would have more than made up for the time you sat in traffic.

The shortest distance between two points may be a straight line but it is not always the quickest.

 

[mookie]

"Ten Sleeps!" (this is coming from my dd!)

That's all we have left before we are on the road. Still got lots to do and prepare for...but I'm hoping for the best. This thread has really helped me plan...thanks guys...I'm sure I'll be posting before we leave, but keep your fingers crossed for us...our little ones have NO CLUE what kind of "road trip" they are in for...much longer than goin to Grama's house!