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

[angwill]

Heading south from Ohio on 12/17! It's been many years, but we have driven before. This time it is just me and the boys...DH has to work, so will be staying home. I am a little anxious about the drive, since I am the only driver! We will be stopping overnight and then finishing the drive on Friday.
Any last minute tips or info to make the drive amy easier?
Please send some pixie dust my way...for a safe, smooth drive!

Last May/June I made my first driving trip alone with just me and DS from Northwest IL and found that I loved it and can't wait to drive again with just the two of us. DH had to work like yours and then flew down for a few days and drove back with us. First let me say that I love my DH dearly but DS and I were ready to get out and walk because it would have been quicker. He is a smoker so he stopped so often to smoke on the trip home took us forever.

Anyway, I too was anxious with it just being DS and I but everything went great so next time there will only be excitement without the anxiety. We also stopped one night.

The only tip I can think of is that DS loved to watch were we were in our Along I-75 map/book and to tell me what was coming up at each exit and to warn me when the police cars in the book showed radar traps. lol We did have a GPS but I figured DS would have fun with a map. So you might want to see if there is a book like that for the Interstate you are taking or get a couple of maps of the country so your boys can keep entertained while helping you navigate.

Have fun.

Ang

 

[ge0rgette2]

Heading south from Ohio on 12/17! It's been many years, but we have driven before. This time it is just me and the boys...DH has to work, so will be staying home. I am a little anxious about the drive, since I am the only driver! We will be stopping overnight and then finishing the drive on Friday.
Any last minute tips or info to make the drive amy easier?
Please send some pixie dust my way...for a safe, smooth drive!

Good Luck... We are leaving on 12/19

 

[Amirah95]

Heading south from Ohio on 12/17! It's been many years, but we have driven before. This time it is just me and the boys...DH has to work, so will be staying home. I am a little anxious about the drive, since I am the only driver! We will be stopping overnight and then finishing the drive on Friday.
Any last minute tips or info to make the drive amy easier?
Please send some pixie dust my way...for a safe, smooth drive!

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet! Have a Disney-derful time!!!

 

[Amirah95]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet! Have a Disney-derful time!!!

And you have a Disney-derful time as well!!!

 

[QueenGoblin]

We are going to try and make it from PA to Savannah Georgia on our first day driving (Friday, January 1st so I am hoping the roads will be empty).

I am trying to decide whether to book a hotel now and risk losing the $ if we have to cancel? Do you all find it is better to have a light at the end of the tunnel you are aiming for? Or is it better to just wing it and find a place when you are ready to stop.

 

[rotlex]

We are going to try and make it from PA to Savannah Georgia on our first day driving (Friday, January 1st so I am hoping the roads will be empty).

I am trying to decide whether to book a hotel now and risk losing the $ if we have to cancel? Do you all find it is better to have a light at the end of the tunnel you are aiming for? Or is it better to just wing it and find a place when you are ready to stop.

PA to Savannah is very doable on the first day. (At least from the Allentown\Philly area). We generally leave around 4am, and last trip, in August, hit Savannah by 4pm. That's with a few stops to eat,fast food, and two kids in tow; a 1 year old and a 7 year old. We have done it quite a few times now, and found, for us at least, having that "hard stop", in Savannah is a good thing. I kid myself that I could make it all the way to WDW and not have to sleep 24 hours after it!

Just for reference, we usually take the 81\77\26\95 route. We stop at the Gateway to Savannah area, right off of 95, and have stayed at the Laquinta Inn right there a few times now. It's roughly $50 per night, clean, and handy. You can also cancel up to I believe 6pm same day, and get a full refund. (Don't hold me to that time though, as I don't remember if it was 4 or 6pm off hand).

 

[disneyfan55]

We are going to try and make it from PA to Savannah Georgia on our first day driving (Friday, January 1st so I am hoping the roads will be empty).

I am trying to decide whether to book a hotel now and risk losing the $ if we have to cancel? Do you all find it is better to have a light at the end of the tunnel you are aiming for? Or is it better to just wing it and find a place when you are ready to stop.

YOu really should make a reservation. I know it's winter, but it is a weekend. We stayed at a Days Inn in Port Wentworth the last trip to WDW from central NJ. I think they had a 6pm cancellation time. All our early trips (2003 and before) were all straight through drives!! We just recently started to stop due to an injury I have. One time on the way home we tried to get a motel on 95 in the midpoint area NC/SC all were booked solid by 9PM on a weekend (no holiday) I don't know if this is the norm or not but I would make a reservation, get the phone number directly to the motel and have it in case you want to cancel. It never hurts.

 

[QueenGoblin]

We are coming from Berks county (yea Kutztown!), so I am debating between swinging out to Harrisburg then down 81/77 etc. or taking the 222 route through Lancaster and York and down to 95 which is supposed to be shorter, but 222 traffic is just so wacky. Then again we shouldn't hit much traffic on New Year's Day. We might wait and see what the weather is like.

Thanks for the reassurance that Savannah is doable. I think we will book a place and cross our fingers and believe we will make it

 

[soontobewed07]

AAA sends us from home - through the Ted Williams Tunnel to the Mass Pike to 84 all the way into New York. Then 684 to 287 to the Garden State Parkway to the New Jersy Turnpike. We picked up 95 South somewhere around Baltimore I believe. I'd have to look at the triptik again to remember the exact details from there. We made good time though. We also had our snacks in the back. The boys' could turn around and get stuff out, as we put the food box just behind the seats. Less stuff underfoot that way!

Hi Neighbor

 

[disneyfan55]

We are coming from Berks county (yea Kutztown!), so I am debating between swinging out to Harrisburg then down 81/77 etc. or taking the 222 route through Lancaster and York and down to 95 which is supposed to be shorter, but 222 traffic is just so wacky. Then again we shouldn't hit much traffic on New Year's Day. We might wait and see what the weather is like.

Thanks for the reassurance that Savannah is doable. I think we will book a place and cross our fingers and believe we will make it

THe 81 route is a MUCH better drive albeit longer. We are in Central NJ and have gone that way to the Atlanta area on the way a couple times. It is quite a bit out of the way for just a WDW drive so we don't do it, but like I said a much nicer drive!! I would watch the weather since it does go through the mountains and they do tend to get more of the bad weather for driving!! Have a safe and fun trip!

 

[BC1836]

Our vehicle sits in the Grand Floridian Parking lot.
Last ride? Last night: Buzz Lightyear.

 

[Amirah95]

Our vehicle sits in the Grand Floridian Parking lot.
Last ride? Last night: Buzz Lightyear.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

 

[dvczerfs]

THe 81 route is a MUCH better drive albeit longer. We are in Central NJ and have gone that way to the Atlanta area on the way a couple times. It is quite a bit out of the way for just a WDW drive so we don't do it, but like I said a much nicer drive!! I would watch the weather since it does go through the mountains and they do tend to get more of the bad weather for driving!! Have a safe and fun trip!

, 81 in the mountains and snowing is not 95 and snowing. dw and i spent the night one year in a truck stop parking lot on 81,whites truck stop,ill never forget it, it gets icy and windy real fast. your a tad higher in elevation than on 95. it is very nice ride. we take 78/81/66/17/95. we do it in 16-161/2 hours straight thru. leave 3:30am, pull into okw at 7:30-8pm. good luck and drive safely. just watch the semis, if they start pulling over and slowing down, its getting bad.

 

[disneyfan55]

, 81 in the mountains and snowing is not 95 and snowing. dw and i spent the night one year in a truck stop parking lot on 81,whites truck stop,ill never forget it, it gets icy and windy real fast. your a tad higher in elevation than on 95. it is very nice ride. we take 78/81/66/17/95. we do it in 16-161/2 hours straight thru. leave 3:30am, pull into okw at 7:30-8pm. good luck and drive safely. just watch the semis, if they start pulling over and slowing down, its getting bad.

Thanks! We used to drive straight through and I got hurt and can't sit for long times due to a back injury. We have been stopping a night or 2 each way now. In Sept 2008 we actually left from the Scranton, PA area and drove down 81 and picked up 95 just past Washington DC. That cut out all the NJ/DE and MD traffic!!

 

[ge0rgette2]

Leaving in 3 days, getting a few butterflies in my tummy - never drove this far before ... Little nervous about the weather, how long it might take us, since we are leaving later in the day..

 

[disneyfan55]

Leaving in 3 days, getting a few butterflies in my tummy - never drove this far before ... Little nervous about the weather, how long it might take us, since we are leaving later in the day..

Don't be nervous! It's a nice ride especially past Washington DC. It will depend on how many stops, traffic and weather as far as how long it will take. We have done it in 16 hours from Central NJ. Leaving later in the day isn't a problem unless you are in the NYC traffic. Have a nice trip and just be calm!!

 

[ge0rgette2]

Don't be nervous! It's a nice ride especially past Washington DC. It will depend on how many stops, traffic and weather as far as how long it will take. We have done it in 16 hours from Central NJ. Leaving later in the day isn't a problem unless you are in the NYC traffic. Have a nice trip and just be calm!!

Thanks!!!!

We aren't leaving from NYC .. further east actually - Long Island.

We might be leaving from Queens - my son has a final on Saturday morning - otherwise, we aren't leaving till about 1pm or so... I so wanted to get a good run the first day and less driving the next.

 

[learnhome]

Well, I just joined triple a, and I signed up for Eazy Pass....also, got a trip-tik and a nice emergency kit from triple a as well....

My car has been serviced and tuned up - so we leave in 3 weeks from CT to FLA!!!

Since this is the first time we have ever drove this far, does anyone have any last minute tips/suggestions??? I have a 15, 12 and 9 year old. They are all well behaved, plus they have ipods and a dvd player in van....so, they should be fine....It is the hubby that I worry about

Chrissy

 

[ge0rgette2]

It is the hubby that I worry about


Well, I just joined triple a, and I signed up for Eazy Pass....also, got a trip-tik and a nice emergency kit from triple a as well....


I have all that as well ... I've been a AAA member for years now, only had to use them once - knock on wood

 

[dvczerfs]

It is the hubby that I worry about


Well, I just joined triple a, and I signed up for Eazy Pass....also, got a trip-tik and a nice emergency kit from triple a as well....


I have all that as well ... I've been a AAA member for years now, only had to use them once - knock on wood

georgette, stop at walmart or target, get yourself a collapsable shovel. throw it under your seat.when we go in december,we have a van so we have alot of room but we bring a snow shovel, throw in gloves and hats and make sure you got some blankets in the car. keeps the evil snow spirits away!!