For those folks driving!

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

If you're thinking 81-64-95, one suggestion I've made is Route 288 that loops around Richmond from west to south. It was completed last year and will not appear on older maps. I've posted a map showing the road on page 21, post # 308.

Traffic can be a little heavy at times with commuters who live south of the river but work on the west end, but nowhere near the volume through downtown. It intersects with I-95 about midway between Richmond and Petersburg. That stretch of I-95 can be heavy at times as well. Even so, Richmond traffic is light compared to DC traffic.

I've never driven up US 17 so I don't know how the two compare. 288 is limited access, interstate-style the whole way so there are no traffic lights.

 

[FourFlans]

We are planning to leave on Saturday 12/3, take our time with two kids, and drive most of the way to Orlando. But we want to stop about 1-2 hours out and spend the night so we'll be very well rested to drive into Sea World first thing Sunday morning (not checking in to condo til Sunday afternoon). Need suggestions for place to stop (I guess it would somewhere on I-4?) that's about 1-2 hours outside of the Sea World area. Looking for a hotel like Sleep Inn or Holiday Inn Express, maybe with a restaurant or two nearby for dinner.

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

 

[cranbiz]

Daytona Beach is about an hour and a half from Sea World / Disney. There are a couple of places at I95/I4 (La Quintia is one) but there are many better places a little closer. Exit 111 has a Country Inn right at the 111B exit (Orange City/Deltona), a Best Western and a Hampton Inn at exit 108 (Deltona/Debary) and Exit 101C has a Comfort Inn, a Days Inn and a Sleep Inn and maybe a couple of others(Sanford). Deltona / Orange City / DeBary are a little less that an hour away, Sanford is about 45 minutes away.

These times are non-rush hour times. If you are traveling during rush hour I would consider using SR 417 (toll road) around Orlando and come back up I4 to Sea World or 417 to 528 (Beach line / OIA also a toll road) and get off on I drive (exit 1) to get to Sea World.

417 is about $6.00 end to end, 417 to 528 is $4.25 (417 $3.00, 528 $1.50)

 

[FourFlans]

Daytona Beach is about an hour and a half from Sea World / Disney. There are a couple of places at I95/I4 (La Quintia is one) but there are many better places a little closer. Exit 111 has a Country Inn right at the 111B exit (Orange City/Deltona), a Best Western and a Hampton Inn at exit 108 (Deltona/Debary) and Exit 101C has a Comfort Inn, a Days Inn and a Sleep Inn and maybe a couple of others(Sanford). Deltona / Orange City / DeBary are a little less that an hour away, Sanford is about 45 minutes away.

These times are non-rush hour times. If you are traveling during rush hour I would consider using SR 417 (toll road) around Orlando and come back up I4 to Sea World or 417 to 528 (Beach line / OIA also a toll road) and get off on I drive (exit 1) to get to Sea World.

417 is about $6.00 end to end, 417 to 528 is $4.25 (417 $3.00, 528 $1.50)

cranbiz, Thanks so much, exactly what I needed.

Since we'll be driving on Saturday and Sunday (spending Saturday night) we shouldn't have to worry about rush hour (right?). Your info is invaluable!

 

[cranbiz]

FourFlans;

Weekends "should" be fine. There is not normally a lot of traffic, but sometimes you never know. Most likely, if there is traffic, it will be nearer the attractions.

There is constant construction on I4. There is bridge construction at exit 118 (DeLand) and now thru 2007, FDOT is expanding I4 to 6 lanes from exit 111 to exit 114, and you have major interchange construction at John Young Parkway, (before Universal) which also will not be completed for a long time.

These will most likely be of minor inconveniences during the weekend.

Check out the Orlando TV stations before leaving the hotel. Channels 2 and 9 are good ones and usually have traffic reports.

 

[FourFlans]

Thanks again, cranbiz! I'm printing all of this info now and will try to make some ressies at one of the hotels you recommended. We're getting VERY EXCITED!!!!!!!

 

[hAm53]

Wow that was a lot of reading!!! We're driving down on 12/1, but unlike others, we ain't coming back!!! The Mrs.is transferring offices from Springfield, MA to Kissimmee, so we're leaving our snow shovels behind.
We have one little hitch . . . our almost 2 yr old cat. My dad offered to drive the moving truck (only a 12 footer), and he'll take 2 days. Her parents are driving her car down from Lake George, NY, so they'll take 2 days (we're dropping it off sometime the couple days b4 we leave). The funny thing is that my dad just drove to WDW with my mom for our wedding in Sept, so he's perfectly comfy with the drive (although I hafta find someone to sit with him).
We're thinking of just hitting 95S the whole trip, as the other routes seem to add some time onto the trip. For us its important to get there ASAP so our cat doesn't hafta stay in the car for so long, so we're busting through in one day. We got her a huge dog pen that she has plenty of room to walk around in (even with her food/water bowls & a portable litter box). we'll let he our and wander around the car if she's awake when we stop, but she sleeps about 18 hrs a day. and since our trip should be about 19, hopefully she'll sleep most of the time.
there are just 2 smaller hurdles we need to clear. 1) the apt office closes at 6, so we need to make sure we arrive before then.
but 2) we hafta be careful when we leave b/c we hafta go through hartford & NYC within 2 hours of leaving Springfield. DC should be cleared out by the time we get there. So if we leave here at 6PM, that should put us behind the rush hour traffic.

does that all make sense?

 

[cranbiz]

hAm53

I think that you are leaving at the correct time and as long as there and no problems along the way, you should be in Kissimmee well before 6pm. You should be in NYC between 9 and 10pm and will be in DC around 1-2am. Richmond may be a small problem but if you are planning on minimal stops and on driving straight thru, you should be to Richmond around 5-6am.

A couple of tips for you. If you have fuel to make the end of the NJ turnpike, get off at exit 1 and gas up at the Flying J. It's a nice truck stop and gas is usually .10 an gallon cheaper than the turnpike and it's and easy on to I295 to the Deleware Memorial Bridge. Gas up before leaving Maryland. There are not many gas stations in Alexandria (open ones that is at that hour). Gas up before the NC state line, the southern VA stations are cheaper than the Roanoke Rapids NC stations. SC/GA prices abe comparable, except at the state line, ther both states are higher. Fill up in GA, FL is more expensive.

Good luck. Please report back on your trip. I'll be driving down the last week of December and will appreciate the reports.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

You should be in NYC between 9 and 10pm and will be in DC around 1-2am. Richmond may be a small problem but if you are planning on minimal stops and on driving straight thru, you should be to Richmond around 5-6am.

Richmond and the DC area are closer than that. It's only about 90 miles from the Richmond area to Northern Virginia. Assuming minimal traffic and very little road work, if you're in DC around 1-2 AM, you should be in Richmond around 3-4 AM.

There has been some work around the Springfield Interchange and the Wilson Bridge recently. Check www.springfieldinterchange.com for updates.

 

[TxDisneyFan]

Hi Folks,

For those of you that have traveled recently to WDW and took I-10 route, can you recommend a good hotel in Biloxi or Mobile? I'm not sure what hotels are operating and are in good shape since Hurricane Katrina.

Thanks in advance.

 

[hAm53]

thanks for the encouragement! the wife kinda wants to do the 84-81-77 route, but i think i've convinced her that 95 at the time that we're going is the best route.
keep an eye out for us on dec 1- 2nd!

 

[Enna]

Since door-to-door travel time was nearly 10 hours when we flew this year, I want to try to drive it next year.

Any advice for doing Central MD to Orlando by van w/2 kids (ages 4 & 5)?

Where and how much are the tolls along 95?

Is there a good stopping point for the night? OR, do I consider doing MD to Jacksonville (where we can stay with a friend who will be going to WDW with us) in one LONG day?

Is driving time really only 15ish hours, or much longer in real life?

It looks like we might be headed down on a Tuesday for WDW followed by the cruise and returning 10+ days later, on Thurs, Fri or Saturday.

Thanks for any advice & opinions you can offer!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Since door-to-door travel time was nearly 10 hours when we flew this year, I want to try to drive it next year.

Any advice for doing Central MD to Orlando by van w/2 kids (ages 4 & 5)?

Where and how much are the tolls along 95?

Is there a good stopping point for the night? OR, do I consider doing MD to Jacksonville (where we can stay with a friend who will be going to WDW with us) in one LONG day?

Is driving time really only 15ish hours, or much longer in real life?

It looks like we might be headed down on a Tuesday for WDW followed by the cruise and returning 10+ days later, on Thurs, Fri or Saturday.

Thanks for any advice & opinions you can offer!

DW and I have driven it a few times from Richmond. Richmond to Orlando is approximately 13 hours, so figure another 2.5 to 3 depending on where in MD you're coming from. It also depends on traffic and how many stops you make.

No tolls. AFAIK, the southernmost tolls on I-95 or its bypasses are in Baltimore. If you were to take US 301 from Baltimore into VA to avoid the NOVA traffic, there's a toll on that bridge (the Nice Bridge, IIRC). There are toll roads in Richmond, but no part of I-95.

I'd recommend taking I-295 around Richmond; not too much farther mileage-wise but traffic is a bit lighter than taking I-95 through downtown. Also, the speed limit is 65 vs. 55 and the police are patrolling that stretch of I-95 through Richmond heavily these days due to a high number of speed-related accidents.

The Savannah area is a decent stopping point. That puts you about 4 hours or so from WDW. Jacksonville is about 2 hours farther, so that's realistic if you want to make it a looooooong day driving.

Hope this helps!

 

[mom2boys0310]

Hi, we are traveling down from N.J on 12/2. We are leaving to go back home on 12/13 and need somewhere to stay that night..we were thinking of Richmond, VA...Could any of you recommend a clean, safe hotel that is close to I-95? I would really appreciate it! Thanks so much! Barbara

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Hi, we are traveling down from N.J on 12/2. We are leaving to go back home on 12/13 and need somewhere to stay that night..we were thinking of Richmond, VA...Could any of you recommend a clean, safe hotel that is close to I-95? I would really appreciate it! Thanks so much! Barbara

Your best bet would be exit 37 off the I-295 bypass, in Mechanicsville. There is a Hampton Inn and a Holiday Inn there as well as several restaurants including Cracker Barrel, IHOP, Ruby Tuesday, and Applebees.

Exit 9 off I-295 in Hopewell has some good options as well. It might even be less congested than exit 37, but I haven't been through that area as much as I have Mechanicsville.

 

[Millermouseketeers]

Does anyone have any info on I-10, coming from Dallas? We are leaving 12/16 and hope to drive straight through with 3 kids!

 

[Enna]

DW and I have driven it a few times from Richmond. Richmond to Orlando is approximately 13 hours, so figure another 2.5 to 3 depending on where in MD you're coming from. It also depends on traffic and how many stops you make.

No tolls. AFAIK, the southernmost tolls on I-95 or its bypasses are in Baltimore. If you were to take US 301 from Baltimore into VA to avoid the NOVA traffic, there's a toll on that bridge (the Nice Bridge, IIRC). There are toll roads in Richmond, but no part of I-95.

I'd recommend taking I-295 around Richmond; not too much farther mileage-wise but traffic is a bit lighter than taking I-95 through downtown. Also, the speed limit is 65 vs. 55 and the police are patrolling that stretch of I-95 through Richmond heavily these days due to a high number of speed-related accidents.

The Savannah area is a decent stopping point. That puts you about 4 hours or so from WDW. Jacksonville is about 2 hours farther, so that's realistic if you want to make it a looooooong day driving.

Hope this helps!

Jacksonville will be an overnight stop for sure.

Do you think there's any value in stopping a little farther North, and doing 2 shorter car days?

Any suggestions for hotels in Savannah or at any other good stopping points a little farther North?

Thank you so much for your help & words of wisdom!

 

[umaangel00]

We just drove down this past March and we will be doing it again in March of 2006. Do you have any ideas on how to make it a much better drive down? It was horrible the last time. It was not fun and it was just a VERY long drive. We will be driving from Grand Rapids, MI. We will be leaving around 1pm on March 10. It will just be myself and DH going.

 

[TINKERIFIC]

Does anyone have any info on I-10, coming from Dallas? We are leaving 12/16 and hope to drive straight through with 3 kids!

We driving from Houston on 12/14. My brother in law just back from trip to Ft. Lauderdale. He had no problems with I-10. I am assuming you are talking about damage/construction from Katrina. I am not sure about past Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[TINKERIFIC]

I remember seeing a link on this site, not necessarily this thread, in which you can type in departure & destination, type of vehicle and get an estimated cost of your gasoline expense for the drive trip. Does anyone know of this link?