For those folks driving!

[soonerlpn]

Oklahoma - that will be a nice little drive!

How much time are you allowing yourself? Kids? How old? I grew up in the military and my parents drove four kids and two dogs coast to coast numerous times. I fondly remember these great adventures because my parents planned for such interesting stops, hotels pools, etc.

AAA trip tiks are very helpful.

We are leaving Thursday the 12th of March and due to check in to our rental home in Indian Creek at 4pm. We are leaving early and going to spend the night somewhere a little over halfway. It will be myself, my boyfriend and my two boys who will be 6 and 14 at the time.

 

[princessmom29]

We are drivin from Mobile, Al and leaving Wed morning. Does anyone know about how much the toll will be for us on the turnpike? Google mpas says to Take exit 296A off of I-75 And we will be on the turn pike for 49 miles And get off at exit 259 to get I-4 and take that to lake Beuna Vista. We are staying at Downtown disney. Does this sound right?

 

[angwill]

I will be driving down from NW Illinois with just myself and my son in May 09. I am wondering if anyone knows what traffic is like in Atlanta at around 5-6pm on a Saturday? Has anyone come through there at that time or is anyone from that area? I grew up driving in Chicago so I don't really think anything will surprise me but I just wanted to be prepared.

Ang

 

[smidgy]

hi there! we live in Carperntersville, IL and have driven down MANY times. saturdays are not so bad in Atlanta. I'll have to check with hubby nebo about the time we usually end up there.
we always had this argument cause I HATE driving through big cities and always made him take the Bypass. turns out, he was (right) I didn't say that!. all the trucks HAVE to take the bypass, so if you go through the city, you lose all those nasty trucks!. it's not so bad. just keep your eye on the signs for 75. (also, the bypass sometimes has backups near the airport.
we usually leave very early (like 3 AM,) to get past the city and on 65 in Indiana before rush hour starts.. we take 290 to 294 to 80/94, we go around chicago....
we HAVE taken 57 through IL and met up with 24 in KY. it avoids chgo, Indianapolis, and Louisville, but it adds some miles to the trip.
are you taking 2 days or driving through? when we had the boys with us, we stayed at a nice motel 6 in stockbridge, just south of atlanta. now that it's just the 2 or us we "press on" and stay in Macon (off the macon bypass), or perry.
stop at the GA welcome station and pick up those motel coupon books. you can call ahead when you get near the town you want to stay at (depending on the light situation, and hubby's sore back situation! then we ask if they have a first floor, drive up (so we don't have to bring a lot into the room, just to sleep, and the car is RIGHT THERE, if we need anything.
PM us if you want any more info!
we like to buy sub sandwiches the day before and stop at a rest stop in tenn. just before the BIG hill before Chatanooga, and eat them there. (repack them in ziplock freezer bags in the cooler, or they get mushy).

 

[schaery]

I'm driving from Mobile, AL, and need a little advice. I've got 2 different directions - one from AAA and one from Mapquest. AAA says something to the effect of getting on FL Turnpike (from I-75) to I-4, then to Disney exit that goes toward WWoS.

Mapquest says get on FL turnpike but instead of going I-4, it shows getting off at another exit (Apopka) plus 2 more (all toll roads) which seem to lead to a back entrance of the Disney complex. I believe this may be the road that I've read about as the new Disney road.

Any recommendations between the 2 routes? TIA!

 

[smidgy]

yes! get off at that exit. there is A and B . one is for Apopka (north) and the other is for 429 (south). you will take this toll road to the Western Way (the sign will say this, or disney). it will bring you into The World! from the west. and can turn either left or right on Buena Vista Drive. it is a GREAT short cut! (now, we only go all the way to I4 if we are going to universal first.) ask your resort to send you a map of the world, and you will see western way on it. at which resort are you staying?

 

[schaery]

Thanks for your help. We're staying at Pop. I actually have Mapquest directions to Pop (left on Buena Vista).

The actually mileage isn't that much shorter but there seems to be a big time savings. Do you remember how much the 3 toll roads are - so I can have proper change?

 

[LBKB]

We are leaving on the 18th of Dec. has anyone taken this way lately? Wondering about construction? Hopefully the weather is good. Can't wait to be at Wilderness Lodge for Christmas.

 

[cruisinpan55]

We are leaving on the 18th of Dec. has anyone taken this way lately? Wondering about construction? Hopefully the weather is good. Can't wait to be at Wilderness Lodge for Christmas.

Just got back from Wilderness Lodge. It is beautiful at Christmas!! We traveled from the suburbs of Pa. We traveled 95 and we had traffic 20 minutes south of Washington.There is construction for approx. 20 miles. They are widening the highway. Jacksonville highways are still under contruction also. Not to bad anywhere else. Have a great trip!!! But than again how could you not. You are going to the happiest place on earth.

 

[cruisinpan55]

We are leaving on the 18th of Dec. has anyone taken this way lately? Wondering about construction? Hopefully the weather is good. Can't wait to be at Wilderness Lodge for Christmas.

Sorry, I did not notice the roads you were traveling. Maybe that info will be helpful to someone else. Have a wonderful trip.

 

[Armandocme]

I will be driving from VA to Orlando Christmas Eve into Christmas Day. Are there any gas station open between the hours of 7pm Christmas eve to Noonish Christmas day (haven't decided exact time we will be leaving yet)? I will be driving along 95 south. Would also like to know if there are any decent places to eat that will be open.

 

[Jeremy B.]

We are leaving on the 18th of Dec. has anyone taken this way lately? Wondering about construction? Hopefully the weather is good. Can't wait to be at Wilderness Lodge for Christmas.

We are leaving on 12/18 as well. We are located in Indianapolis, and are taking 65 - 24 - 75. What part of IN are you leaving from and about what time?

 

[mort0203]

We will be staying at a time share resort just outside the gates to DW. Has anyone else stayed that close who can answer this question?

Do you still need to drive into the park and use parking or are there other ways of travel?

 

[Ham Ham]

We will be staying at a time share resort just outside the gates to DW. Has anyone else stayed that close who can answer this question?

Do you still need to drive into the park and use parking or are there other ways of travel?

Taxi, car service, public transit etc....

 

[RobnRud]

Smidgy- Thanks for the tips from Chicagoland. If airfare doesn't go down we will be driving from SW suburbs end of March. I'm thinking to leave 3-4 am on Sat. morning...and then try to get either just north or south of Altanta (my thinking is alittle north might be better, to be able to go thru ATL early Sunday to avoid traffic). We do have 3 kids (7,8,9) and they are good riders. Does my plan sound doable?? How long has it taken you from the Atlanta area to WDW??
Thanks for any advice
Robin

 

[smidgy]

we always make it through atlanta, get the "hurdle" over with the first day. the next day there are no big cities to worry about. It's been so long since we stopped there, I'll have to ask hubby nebo to chime in here. we try to make it at least to macon the first day (no kids with us) even when we went with kids, they were 10 and 13 at their youngest. but I would try to make it through atlanta the first day, since there is no rush hour anyway.
I'm going to ask nebo to respond to this thread.

SW of chgo. do you take 57 or 65? we always debate over that one. are you south of 80? gonna pass this question over to hubby. (hope he responds soon!
there was a very clean motel 6 (back in the 90's, anyway) in stockbridge, south of atlanta. with a pool for the boys.

 

[RobnRud]

With the new I-355 extension we are about 5 minutes north of I-80. The whole I-65 vs. I-57 issue was another one of my concerns. Since this is our first time driving, I'm thinking we might be okay with I-65...we plan to leave around 4am Saturday. That should put us past the 94/65 mess, and thru Indy on a Saturday. Hopefully won't be too bad.
Any advice, always appreciated!!
Robin

 

[TINKERIFIC]

Hopefully I am in the right place. As you can see by my sig we are drving to Disney. This will be our second drive, but 1st with a toddler. He is 2 1/2 and FULL OF ENERGY!

We are leaving on the 27th, mid afternoon. We plan to stop for the typical bathroom, food, etc., but we also are looking for some breaks for our 2 year old to burn off some energy.

HELP!

 

[BC1836]

For additional info on long-distance drives, see the "For 2,000+ Mile Drivers Only!" thread.
All the best.

 

[deblanka]

Here's a web site where you can find radio stations by city. This may be helpful before you leave to let you know where you can find traffic reports.

radio-locator.com