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

[Tinkerbell3014]

We have driven 15 on more than one occasion but always in the summer when the weather is nice. I'm not sure if I would want to drive it in winter. Even if another way took an extra hour or two; I would consider taking it. Have a fun and safe trip!

 

[sharadoc]

Hi folks. We're leaving in 3 weeks and I'm noticing the price of gas keeps going up!!!!! From what I can remember last year, the best prices were North and South Carolina along 95. What do they look like now?

It's getting annoying. Our trip last January was $1.89 a gallon. Now we're looking at a dollar more per gallon, which increases our trip cost by about $150 vs 2009.

Still cheaper than flying, but I want prices to start going down again!

Also, I just learned a little tip about tire inflation. If you inflate to the level recommended on the side of your tire and NOT in your owner's manual, you should get significantly better gas mileage. Apparently the recommendation could be as much as 10 miles per gallon difference The car companies recommend inflation for smooth riding. I'm going to try the increased inflation and see if we ride too much like a truck. (we drive a Grand Caravan). But if it saves that much gas, I'm willing to bounce around a little more, I think

 

[blondietink]

Google maps wants us to take Route 15 from Western NY through PA and connect to 81. It seems like (from Rochester, NY) taking the Thruway to Syracuse and taking 81 from there is the faster way.

Isn't 15 a little po-dunk road? Maybe in the summertime... but taking it in the winter sounds like it could really slow things down.

Any thoughts or experiences?

We usually take the 390 and then get on the southern tier expressway, getting on route 15 through the heart of PA. Then get on the expressway around Harrisburg and around Baltimore eventually picking up 95. The road is much improved from what it was years ago. Most of the way it is a 4 lane highway. The worst part is around Williamsport when there is a little bit of start/stop through the city and further south some curvy winding hilly roads. The 81 Route way takes you higher in the PA mountains which can get very tricky in the bad weather. Remember last winter when there were cars stuck on it for more than a day because they couldn't plow it fast enough? The route you are talking is longer mileage wise. We can get from here (Medina) to Harrisburg in 4 1/2 to 5 hours easily taking Route 15.

However, we have also taken the route from here south on 90 to Erie, PA, then south through Pittsburgh, West Virginia, NC and then pick up 95 in SC. We will only take this route if the weather is good and we are not in a hurry. It is all expressway, but the traffic can be brutal around Pittsburgh sometimes and Charlotte can be especially bad. It is also longer, but much less traffic generally. If you want to see mountains, this is an interesting route.

Get a good handle on the weather report for PA and then pick the route you are most comfortable with.

 

[DoctorK]

Yeah, I just checked Route 15 on Google Maps with the satellite and I was surprised to see how much of it is a divided highway with 2 lanes in each direction. It's been probably 10 years since I've driven it, so it looks like the upgrade will make that a lot faster.

From Rochester to south of Harrisburg, PA it's 70 miles shorter, and 30-45 minutes less to go Route 15 than to take 90 to 81. Both options basically meet south of Harrisburg.

But if the weather is bad, we'll probably stick to the Thruway and 81 since the conditions will probably be better.

 

[vroomagain]

We filled up yesterday in South Carolina for 2.63 a gallon.

Hi folks. We're leaving in 3 weeks and I'm noticing the price of gas keeps going up!!!!! From what I can remember last year, the best prices were North and South Carolina along 95. What do they look like now?

It's getting annoying. Our trip last January was $1.89 a gallon. Now we're looking at a dollar more per gallon, which increases our trip cost by about $150 vs 2009.

Still cheaper than flying, but I want prices to start going down again!

Also, I just learned a little tip about tire inflation. If you inflate to the level recommended on the side of your tire and NOT in your owner's manual, you should get significantly better gas mileage. Apparently the recommendation could be as much as 10 miles per gallon difference The car companies recommend inflation for smooth riding. I'm going to try the increased inflation and see if we ride too much like a truck. (we drive a Grand Caravan). But if it saves that much gas, I'm willing to bounce around a little more, I think

 

[SurfinTX]

Yeah. The cold weather is drawing down LNG and other heating oil stocks so the futures for fuels are going up. If we don't have any more extreme weather for the rest of the winter then prices should stabalize until the refineries have to switch over to summer production.

Supposedly our economy is turning around and that is driving up prices as well. I think that in reality we have shortages happening in many sectors due to the companies trying to run shorthanded as much as possible. The company I work for is an example. We are breaking all kinds of per employee productivity records but falling short of overall unit goals.

Prices will probably be close to $3.00 average this summer i bet. Much higher than that and the economy will tank again.

 

[dvczerfs]

Yeah. The cold weather is drawing down LNG and other heating oil stocks so the futures for fuels are going up. If we don't have any more extreme weather for the rest of the winter then prices should stabalize until the refineries have to switch over to summer production.

Supposedly our economy is turning around and that is driving up prices as well. I think that in reality we have shortages happening in many sectors due to the companies trying to run shorthanded as much as possible. The company I work for is an example. We are breaking all kinds of per employee productivity records but falling short of overall unit goals.

Prices will probably be close to $3.00 average this summer i bet. Much higher than that and the economy will tank again.

i see oil fell to $78 today. gas dropped down to $2.05. i agree with you, more bad weather, slight turn in ecomomy and back up it goes. i can see staying around $3.00 this summer. it dont take much anymore for the market to go up.

 

[disneylovin24]

i see oil fell to $78 today. gas dropped down to $2.05. i agree with you, more bad weather, slight turn in ecomomy and back up it goes. i can see staying around $3.00 this summer. it dont take much anymore for the market to go up.

$2.05!!! Where are you?!? On Long Island gas is 2.95!!

 

[dvczerfs]

$2.05!!! Where are you?!? On Long Island gas is 2.95!!

$2.05 on the market. thats what its trading for. add tax and tags and you pay $3.00 im only about an hour west of you, its 2.80 around here. i think pa taxs are around 48 cents per gallon. nj is less believe it or not. the rest is mark up.

 

[disneylovin24]

$2.05 on the market. thats what its trading for. add tax and tags and you pay $3.00 im only about an hour west of you, its 2.80 around here. i think pa taxs are around 48 cents per gallon. nj is less believe it or not. the rest is mark up.

Yup, Jersey's is less, reason why it's always great to fill up on the turnpike!!

 

[BC1836]

A new topic was posted on the Transportation board: "When flying was fun."

Another reason to join the "For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" thread.

All the best...no mattter how you travel to WDW.

 

[Marshay]

Ok, looking for recommendations on fun places to stop for a night or two between DC and WDW...more likely in the Carolinas or Georgia area, but not "hours" off of I-95.

We are considering adding a day or two on the return and going "somewhere" to extend the vacation and also break up the drive.

My kids will be 5 and over a year. I've just never vaca'd in these 3 states before and am thinking we might want to take advantage of doing so since we're driving down anyway.

Thanks!

 

[blondietink]

Savannh, Ga or Charleston, SC would be nice diversions that you could easily spend a couple of days.

 

[disneyfan55]

Yup, Jersey's is less, reason why it's always great to fill up on the turnpike!!

Yes, and it's even pumped for you! We aren't permitted to pump our own in NJ!

 

[disneylovin24]

Yes, and it's even pumped for you! We aren't permitted to pump our own in NJ!

That's a bad thing for the men I travel with They need to be able to pump their own gas And with that sad, I could have sworn we have pumped our own at turnpike stops in the past

 

[disneyfan55]

That's a bad thing for the men I travel with They need to be able to pump their own gas And with that sad, I could have sworn we have pumped our own at turnpike stops in the past

You might have pumped your own only if you got out before one of the attendents. We aren't permitted to pump our own here in NJ. At many of the border gas stations there are even signs about no self serve. I've driven all over the US and I think it was either WA state or Oregon that also pumps the gas otherwise you have to. The first time I drove with my kids in 1991, I actually went to a gas station in NJ and asked them to show me how to do so. That's something I don't want spilled on me.

 

[Marshay]

Savannh, Ga or Charleston, SC would be nice diversions that you could easily spend a couple of days.

Thanks! I'll go check them out for some interesting kid things to do.

 

[disneyfan55]

Thanks! I'll go check them out for some interesting kid things to do.

St Augustine, FL is a neat little town as well. I know it's close but we have stopped here on a second night for the way down. We have stopped outside Savannah as well. If you decide to take the 81 route ( a little longer but nicer ride down 81) Shennandoah NP and the Atlanta area are both nice, too.

 

[Marshay]

St Augustine, FL is a neat little town as well. I know it's close but we have stopped here on a second night for the way down. We have stopped outside Savannah as well. If you decide to take the 81 route ( a little longer but nicer ride down 81) Shennandoah NP and the Atlanta area are both nice, too.

Oh, yeah, my family "made" us do St. Augustine when we were little...had to write up a book report on Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth (yep, I still remember...guess I did learn something on those trips).

Hmmm, I didn't consider 81, but I was wondering how far Atlanta was from I-95....ok,, time to pull out a map.

 

[disneyfan55]

Oh, yeah, my family "made" us do St. Augustine when we were little...had to write up a book report on Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth (yep, I still remember...guess I did learn something on those trips).

Hmmm, I didn't consider 81, but I was wondering how far Atlanta was from I-95....ok,, time to pull out a map.

If you went on 81, you wouldn't go on 95. We actually take 81 to 40 and take back roads to just northwest of Atlanta (near Kennesaw to visit relatives on the way down) You would end up taking 75 to WDW not 95 from Atlanta. There are other ways off 81 / 77 85/ to Atlanta, there can be traffic that way.

See, you do remember all the stuff on those road trips. We took ours cross country 3 times when they were young. They visited MANY National Parks/historic sites as well as DL! There are MANY Civil War National Historic sites on both 95 and off 81! Any other questions, please ask. We have been to many off the both interstates. If doing the 81 Gettysburg, PA is really neat as well! While Gettysburg is not directly off 81 it is off 15 which can easily be reached and get back on to 81.