For those folks driving!

[mrodgers]

We just returned from our lovely 14 hour drive home last night. We have a Toyota Sienna so our mileage was around 20 mpg, but I spent about $350 on gas. We live in northern MD and filled up a total 7 times if I remember correctly. Once when we were down there because we didn't use Disney transportation, we drove our own car.

Holy smokes! We have a Mazda Tribute and also averaged 20 mpg. 18 hour trip from around Pittsburgh, PA and we only spent $200 in gas a week ago. We filled up 8 times.

Whoop, I have it all listed in Excel, but I am missing 2 fuel stops. 8 fuel stops at about $25 each. I have the 5 stops listed for the way down, but only 3 listed on the way home. I'm missing 2 stops. Listed is $192, so add another $50 approximately for the 2 missing stops gives me $242.

I'd guess you meant $250, not $350? Still wouldn't compute very well in my mind because you are 4 hours closer.

 

[Looking4themouse]

Gosh I'm driving from NH and according to the websites I've looked at I'll be 50 dollars over your 250 dollar budget round trip....It doesn't seem possible that I'll only be paying 25 dollars more each way for gas... do you think those sites are really accurate?

 

[SSR05]

We just returned from our lovely 14 hour drive home last night. We have a Toyota Sienna so our mileage was around 20 mpg, but I spent about $350 on gas. We live in northern MD and filled up a total 7 times if I remember correctly. Once when we were down there because we didn't use Disney transportation, we drove our own car.

Also, for anyone wanting to know about traffic, we left on a Friday morning at 8 am, ran into some light congestion in White Marsh MD, and then on the DC beltway ( it was about 9:00 at that point) but it wasn't that bad. It was slow but it moved. Both of those added about 20 minutes to the drive. We took 495 West rather than East only because I'm familiar with that section. You could go the other way, it's equidistant really. We ran into some congestion in South Carolina but we followed the masses exiting off and found our way back to 95 very easily and bypassed that mess. The drive home yesterday was long and heavy but it flowed.

Beachpal, what year Sienna do you have? We have a 2011 Sienna and was hoping for 24 highway MPG's from Philly area to the World.

 

[beachpal]

My Sienna is older, it's an 05 so hopefully your mileage will be better. I was disappointed that mine seemed to be only 20 mpg.

As far as the money on gas I spent, I did round up a bit. It cost me about $50 to fill it up from almost dry. I also included the fill up before we left MD and the one while we were driving to the outlets and such in FL. On the way down we filled up while on half a tank so my actual total price may have been closer to $300.

Sorry for the confusion. That's what I get for posting while I'm still wiped out!

 

[sunny34]

Cool, thanks for the update.

 

[deltadawn7799]

Have you made the trip yet, we are from the South Shore of Mass and are planning on driving to disney in late August with our three kids, 7,9,11. we are trying to decide what route to take and how long we should plan on. We are planning on leaving mass at 7pm driving through the night while the kids sleep (I work nights so staying up will not be too difficult). then we plan on taking a break in the morning for breakfast, let the kids stretch and run for a while and then continue. Our reservations are for Thursday but I am thinking we may make it by Wednesday night.
We may end up getting a hotel room outside of disney for Wednesday.

 

[Looking4themouse]

Have you made the trip yet, we are from the South Shore of Mass and are planning on driving to disney in late August with our three kids, 7,9,11. we are trying to decide what route to take and how long we should plan on. We are planning on leaving mass at 7pm driving through the night while the kids sleep (I work nights so staying up will not be too difficult). then we plan on taking a break in the morning for breakfast, let the kids stretch and run for a while and then continue. Our reservations are for Thursday but I am thinking we may make it by Wednesday night.
We may end up getting a hotel room outside of disney for Wednesday.

I made the trip down but it was years ago so I doubt I'd have an accurate rememberance of how many hours it took, however, according to my GPS it claims its about a 22 hour drive taking the more common 95 route. Of course you're going to have kids and depending on how well they do in the car will affect your trip quite a bit. Mine did fine (I think they behaved better than the adults I had with me) but they were used to taking random car rides at this point. I would tack on a least a few more hours for stopping if I were you.

 

[disneymom06]

Have you made the trip yet, we are from the South Shore of Mass and are planning on driving to disney in late August with our three kids, 7,9,11. we are trying to decide what route to take and how long we should plan on. We are planning on leaving mass at 7pm driving through the night while the kids sleep (I work nights so staying up will not be too difficult). then we plan on taking a break in the morning for breakfast, let the kids stretch and run for a while and then continue. Our reservations are for Thursday but I am thinking we may make it by Wednesday night.
We may end up getting a hotel room outside of disney for Wednesday.

From my experience, you need to be flexible and prepared for traffic. PP stated 22hrs, our trip is 17hrs. (Just north of the GW in NY). Our BEST time was 19 hours and we left at 1:45AM. We arrived at POR at 8:30PM. I was shocked. But we hit no traffic in Jersey, Virginia or Georgia. It was amazing, but unusual. Our Worst time was 28 hours and we hit alot of traffic. These are the times that we drove straight thru. Rarely, but times, we have stayed overnight along the way because it was too much, for whatever reason,. traffic, storms, kids, exhaustion, mostly the trip on the way home.

Don't push yourself, driving thru the night is the most effective for us but my DH does most of that. Be prepared to stop and stretch your legs. I hope that you hit no traffic and have a traffic free trip, I just want you to be prepared.

We also are driving down late August, see you on I-95.

Enjoy your trip!!!!!

 

[mdinme]

Add us to the list of "Driving Down in Late August" we're coming from Southern Maine. Leaving at 4pm on a Wed. 8/18 and hoping to get to VA for a 2am hotel check-in. Check out and back on the rode before noon the next day with a target of Jacksonville. Our rez in disney begins Friday. We may leave a day early too.

When August arrives lets get a fresh thread going with regard to traffic/construction and perhaps add emails so we can check in while we drive?

 

[Looking4themouse]

That sounds like a perfect idea....I for one will participate..

 

[iheartbelle87]

wow so glad to have found this! My DF and I will be driving from north shore, Massachusetts the beginning of June 2011. I've been to the world lots and lots of times and have always flown; DF refuses to fly, which is okay I'd always wanted to drive at least once, and plus we're going to be doing some sightseeing on the way back. Our plan is to take 95 leaving on a Friday- not sure if we will be leaving early Friday morning (like 2am early to avoid some traffic) or if we will work til 4 or 5, come home, nap, and then hit the road around 9pm...since it's supposed to take us 22 hrs, 7pm wouldn't be too bad to arrive for check in. I'm not worried about being able to stay awake; I'm a nurse and have been known to be up for 26+ hours, and I never drink coffee so when I do stop at a starbucks it gives me a good 4 hr energy boost!! Our plan is not to stop to sleep but obvi if we get too tired we will.

 

[amtag]

Another late August road trip here! Leaving from Northern NJ around 3am on 8/21, we are hoping to get to our reservation in Brunswick, GA by 7 or 8pm that night. We are still torn between taking I95 or I81

 

[MamaJessie]

Have you made the trip yet, we are from the South Shore of Mass and are planning on driving to disney in late August with our three kids, 7,9,11. we are trying to decide what route to take and how long we should plan on. We are planning on leaving mass at 7pm driving through the night while the kids sleep (I work nights so staying up will not be too difficult). then we plan on taking a break in the morning for breakfast, let the kids stretch and run for a while and then continue. Our reservations are for Thursday but I am thinking we may make it by Wednesday night.
We may end up getting a hotel room outside of disney for Wednesday.

We got there earlier than expected our first drive down. There are so many cheap hotel coupons at the rest area we were able to stayed really cheap nearby and unwind and we were fresh and ready for Disney in the am which was nice. Last time was straight through and we planned it a bit better so we just went straight to POR. That's the plan again in November too.

We had fun at the rest areas getting the kids to run around and play games and get all the wiggles possible out. I am sure any passerbys thought DH and I were nuts as we led games like Simon Says and Follow the Leader

 

[DJFan88]

wow so glad to have found this! My DF and I will be driving from north shore, Massachusetts the beginning of June 2011. I've been to the world lots and lots of times and have always flown; DF refuses to fly, which is okay I'd always wanted to drive at least once, and plus we're going to be doing some sightseeing on the way back. Our plan is to take 95 leaving on a Friday- not sure if we will be leaving early Friday morning (like 2am early to avoid some traffic) or if we will work til 4 or 5, come home, nap, and then hit the road around 9pm...since it's supposed to take us 22 hrs, 7pm wouldn't be too bad to arrive for check in. I'm not worried about being able to stay awake; I'm a nurse and have been known to be up for 26+ hours, and I never drink coffee so when I do stop at a starbucks it gives me a good 4 hr energy boost!! Our plan is not to stop to sleep but obvi if we get too tired we will.

Also, from Mass. and the same thing always happens to us! MY HUSBAND!!!
We are actually from Western Mass. and right on the border of CT, so our ride is probably a little bit shorter? Anyway, for example, last year our intention was to leave like you said at 2 am. (this is actually a Sat. night/sun. am, so not as much commuter traffic). But, then my husband said at 7 pm - "I can't just nap now, let's just go". Okay, great kids sleep through the night, and are great in the car. But, I figure let's stay in Savannah, then it's only like 5 hrs. left. Well, we get to Savannah and it's only noon time. (We do stop for breakfast and to stretch/bathroom anytime we please, also about 1/2 hr. nap at a rest stop in there.). So, at noon you can't really check in anywhere, and why would you want to just give up at that time. So, we just keep going straight and it's 4:30 and we get to Orlando and just stay at the Comfort Inn on International Drive. (They always seem to have a room). Eat supper at Friendly's, bed by 7:30 and up by 6-7 am to check in at Disney. This year I'm trying again to get him to do the nap thing! I want to leave at like 1 am so we get to Savannah at night around 6 pm. Then get up early early like 4 am and finish the ride.

 

[Looking4themouse]

Hee Hee my DH is the same, our trip started with us leaving at 2am, then he was like no wait, let's do midnight, then it was no wait let's leave at 9, then 7, you see where this is leading to. Now we are a little over a month out and our plan is to leave on a Sunday around 1pm, as soon as we drop our dogs off to boarding. He wants to drive straight through, intially we were supposed to stop, not now though, so we should be there sometime on the 16th, so we will be staying at his friend's house for the night and leaving for WDW in the am when we wake up. He says that we're going to take our time on the way back and stop, ha ha I'd like to see that happen. On another note, I know someone had mentioned getting some interstate info on road conditions before leaving, here are a few interesting sites

http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/interstate/
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/
http://www.i95exitguide.com/alert/index.php

 

[OnlyDisney]

I looked up driving directions on Mapquest and AAA and am wondering if these are good directions. We moved here from Seattle so we're not familiar with this part of the country.

I-65 S
exit 86 to I-24 E
exit 213A to stay on I-24 E toward CHATTANOOGA
exit 186A to I-75 S toward ATLANTA
exit 177 to I-475
exit LEFT to I-75 S (get off 75 and then back on?)
exit 328 to FLORIDA'S TURNPIKE S
exit 267A to SR-429-TOLL S toward TAMPA
merge FL-429 TOLL S/DANIEL WEBSTER WESTERN BELTWAY
exit 19 to CR-535 toward WINTER GARDEN VINELAND RD
Merge onto STONEYBROOK WEST PKWY
LEFT onto CR-535 S/WINTER GARDEN VINELAND RD
Turn LEFT to stay on CR-535 S/WINTER GARDEN VINELAND RD
Turn RIGHT onto VISTA BLVD
Turn LEFT onto BONNET CREEK PKWY/BONNET CREEK RD
Turn LEFT onto ORLEANS DR
Turn LEFT to stay on ORLEANS DR
Turn RIGHT onto RIVERSIDE DR.

We're leaving Monday Nov. 29 around 5pm

 

[DJFan88]

Hee Hee my DH is the same, our trip started with us leaving at 2am, then he was like no wait, let's do midnight, then it was no wait let's leave at 9, then 7, you see where this is leading to. Now we are a little over a month out and our plan is to leave on a Sunday around 1pm, as soon as we drop our dogs off to boarding. He wants to drive straight through, intially we were supposed to stop, not now though, so we should be there sometime on the 16th, so we will be staying at his friend's house for the night and leaving for WDW in the am when we wake up. He says that we're going to take our time on the way back and stop, ha ha I'd like to see that happen.

We're leaving the night/? before you, the early am hours of Sat/Sun. 1 am, maybe or sooner on Sat. (like I said). The way back we have to employ a different strategy because all of the areas we need to avoid are now on the back end of the trip and not the beginning. Last time we actually did end up staying over on the way back. We actually left disney (and I know this sounds crazy, but it worked) - at 2:30 am. (Went to bed at 7:30 pm for some sleeping beforehand). We arrived when the traffic was getting crazy up in Richmond (this is a weekday, however), probably around 3 pm. So, we stayed over there, but got up at like 2 am again, to avoid the early morning DC/NY traffic. There was still plenty of NY traffic on the Jersey Turnpike, however. Anyway, was all home by 11 am!!!! After a breakfast stop in CT.

 

[Looking4themouse]

We're leaving the night/? before you, the early am hours of Sat/Sun. 1 am, maybe or sooner on Sat. (like I said). The way back we have to employ a different strategy because all of the areas we need to avoid are now on the back end of the trip and not the beginning. Last time we actually did end up staying over on the way back. We actually left disney (and I know this sounds crazy, but it worked) - at 2:30 am. (Went to bed at 7:30 pm for some sleeping beforehand). We arrived when the traffic was getting crazy up in Richmond (this is a weekday, however), probably around 3 pm. So, we stayed over there, but got up at like 2 am again, to avoid the early morning DC/NY traffic. There was still plenty of NY traffic on the Jersey Turnpike, however. Anyway, was all home by 11 am!!!! After a breakfast stop in CT.

Our plan at least as of now is to get up regular time, which for him could be 3:30am, and drive to NJ. Spend the night in Jersey and go to explore the city the next day, and drive home in the late afternoon, early evening. He's never been to NYC, so he keeps telling me we're going to stop, but when it gets to it, he'd rather be at home hanging out with our dogs, lol...Hey if you're leaving then, we'll probably run into you...

 

[PrincessMom4]

We are attempting the overnight drive to Disney too. I hope the kids are reasonably good.

 

[southernnomore]

Well it looks like we will probably be coming home to Atlanta from Disney on Xmas eve. Has anyone made this trip on this day before? I am worried about the traffic. Any advice?