For those folks driving!

[OKW Lover]

Oh one more thing, for those driving to/from the Grand Floridan. Serious constructions along the road fronting the new Polynesian Tower building. Sat for 15 minutes once. Sailed through other times. Chose to go north to get groceries and such in Windermere to avoid it.

We are local and have been dealing with that construction work for quite a wile now. You are right - sometimes is just a breeze. Other times not so much. Can't say we've ever experienced at 15 minute wait though.

 

[ParrotBill]

We are local and have been dealing with that construction work for quite a wile now. You are right - sometimes is just a breeze. Other times not so much. Can't say we've ever experienced at 15 minute wait though.

Yea, May 2 about 9pm! traffic halted southbound just before 528 comes in. They reduced us to 1 lane AND the 528 westbound traffic had to fold into that ONE LANE!

 

[OKW Lover]

Yea, May 2 about 9pm! traffic halted southbound just before 528 comes in. They reduced us to 1 lane AND the 528 westbound traffic had to fold into that ONE LANE!

That's not the area the PP was talking about.

 

[bluecastle]

I am second guessing myself like crazy in choosing a hotel for the ride home. (Drive there, I found a well-reviewed hotel in Santee)
Looking for a place in NC north of Fayetteville and south of Smithfield area. I thought I had found a great place in Fayetteville but it was 12 miles away from 95 and I know my DH won’t want to do that! There seem to be a lot of people saying to stay away from Fayetteville also, claiming it’s not safe. I just want clean, safe, comfortable/newish beds (have a bad back), free breakfast and I prefer no pets due to asthma, but if I can ask to be away from pet areas I am willing to stay if it is a well-reviewed place. Any recommendations? Thanks!

 

[Leigh L]

I am second guessing myself like crazy in choosing a hotel for the ride home. (Drive there, I found a well-reviewed hotel in Santee)
Looking for a place in NC north of Fayetteville and south of Smithfield area. I thought I had found a great place in Fayetteville but it was 12 miles away from 95 and I know my DH won’t want to do that! There seem to be a lot of people saying to stay away from Fayetteville also, claiming it’s not safe. I just want clean, safe, comfortable/newish beds (have a bad back), free breakfast and I prefer no pets due to asthma, but if I can ask to be away from pet areas I am willing to stay if it is a well-reviewed place. Any recommendations? Thanks!

We had a hard time finding a place too when needing to stop overnight. (I drive myself nuts too!
A few years back - and this one is off the highway like you describe- we stayed here due to high ratings and not too expensive.
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/fayfn-fairfield-inn-and-suites-fayetteville-north/overview/
We didn't regret it though!
Looks like reviews are still good. I think it's been 2-3 years since we stayed here
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_R...eville_North-Fayetteville_North_Carolina.html

 

[bluecastle]

We had a hard time finding a place too when needing to stop overnight. (I drive myself nuts too!
A few years back - and this one is off the highway like you describe- we stayed here due to high ratings and not too expensive.
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/fayfn-fairfield-inn-and-suites-fayetteville-north/overview/
We didn't regret it though!
Looks like reviews are still good. I think it's been 2-3 years since we stayed here
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_R...eville_North-Fayetteville_North_Carolina.html

That’s where I want to stay! I told my DH about it and he seems to agree that it might be worth it to go a bit out of our way. It also puts us a little closer to home the next day. Was the drive through Fayetteville to get there OK?

 

[Leigh L]

That’s where I want to stay! I told my DH about it and he seems to agree that it might be worth it to go a bit out of our way. It also puts us a little closer to home the next day. Was the drive through Fayetteville to get there OK?

It wasn't very hard, but a little off the beaten path. We were tired and it was very late, so got turned around a bit. The next morning seemed easy getting back on the highway and didn't take much time.

I just asked DH in case my memory was foggy but he agreed.

 

[Stratman50th]

True!! I would be going solo. The "kids" refuse to do anymore roadtrips. I did some quick math, and if I left my home at 6pm (after work) on a Saturday and drove for 6 hours I could get to the Maryland Welcome Center. Then its a 13 hour drive to Disney. That's probably not doable in one day. So now I have two nights of hotel on the way down. Gas one way is about $150. I think I'm talking myself out of hte drive!

We lived in MD and made multiple yearly drives up and back. We would drive straight through to my aunt's house in Jacksonville to spend the first night. It was a long 13 hours. While my wife and daughter stayed up half the night with my aunt, I was so hammered after the drive I'd conk out on the couch and miss most of it.
From Jacksonville to, normally the French Quarter in WDW was another 3 hours.

 

[ThomFoolery]

Hey all. Driving down from NJ in a couple weeks and I'm wondering how much the bridge collapse in Baltimore has affected traffic.

I'm thinking about heading out west to 81 instead of straight down 95.

 

[OKW Lover]

Hey all. Driving down from NJ in a couple weeks and I'm wondering how much the bridge collapse in Baltimore has affected traffic.

I'm thinking about heading out west to 81 instead of straight down 95.

About what time do you expect to be driving through Baltimore?

 

[ThomFoolery]

Planning to leave New Brunswick area around 5am Saturday morning. Should put me into Baltimore around 8:30 or so, I would think.

 

[bluecastle]

Planning to leave New Brunswick area around 5am Saturday morning. Should put me into Baltimore around 8:30 or so, I would think.

I don’t think you will have a problem. You wouldn’t be taking the bridge anyhow coming down 95. You will be taking either the Ft McHenry Tunnel or the Harbor Tunnel. I would check both tunnels with whatever navigation system you use and see which it sends you to.

 

[Eveningsong]

I am second guessing myself like crazy in choosing a hotel for the ride home. (Drive there, I found a well-reviewed hotel in Santee)
Looking for a place in NC north of Fayetteville and south of Smithfield area. I thought I had found a great place in Fayetteville but it was 12 miles away from 95 and I know my DH won’t want to do that! There seem to be a lot of people saying to stay away from Fayetteville also, claiming it’s not safe. I just want clean, safe, comfortable/newish beds (have a bad back), free breakfast and I prefer no pets due to asthma, but if I can ask to be away from pet areas I am willing to stay if it is a well-reviewed place. Any recommendations? Thanks!

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Santee and it was very good. Would stay again in a heartbeat. Free breakfast.

About this hotel​

Set next to casual eateries off Interstate 95, this unassuming hotel is a 4-minute walk from Lake Marion Golf Course and 5 miles from Santee National Wildlife Refuge.
Relaxed, warm rooms feature free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, as well as microwaves, minifridges, and tea and coffeemakers. Suites add separate living areas with sofabeds.
Breakfast and parking are complimentary. Other amenities include a fitness center and an outdoor pool, plus a patio with a fire pit. Coin-operated laundry facilities are available.
Check-in time: 3:00 PM
Check-out time: 11:00 AM

 

[ThomFoolery]

I don’t think you will have a problem. You wouldn’t be taking the bridge anyhow coming down 95. You will be taking either the Ft McHenry Tunnel or the Harbor Tunnel. I would check both tunnels with whatever navigation system you use and see which it sends you to.

Thanks. Appreciate the opinion.

I'm not worried so much about taking the bridge itself, but more about the traffic that would now be on my route b/c they can't take the bridge.

 

[bluecastle]

Thanks. Appreciate the opinion.

I'm not worried so much about taking the bridge itself, but more about the traffic that would now be on my route b/c they can't take the bridge.

I realized that
(bridge will not be completed until 2028 I heard on the radio today). But the last time we drove through there coming back to VA from NJ, we didn’t notice any change in the traffic from other trips. It was a Saturday. maybe during the week at rush hour it might be different.

 

[bluecastle]

We stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Santee and it was very good. Would stay again in a heartbeat. Free breakfast.

About this hotel​

Set next to casual eateries off Interstate 95, this unassuming hotel is a 4-minute walk from Lake Marion Golf Course and 5 miles from Santee National Wildlife Refuge.
Relaxed, warm rooms feature free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, as well as microwaves, minifridges, and tea and coffeemakers. Suites add separate living areas with sofabeds.
Breakfast and parking are complimentary. Other amenities include a fitness center and an outdoor pool, plus a patio with a fire pit. Coin-operated laundry facilities are available.
Check-in time: 3:00 PM
Check-out time: 11:00 AM

Thanks! That’s the hotel I am planning to reserve for our trip down. But it won’t work for coming back, unfortunately, as it will make the 2nd day’s driving way too long. Haven’t been able to find the equivalent in NC. Probably stay in Hampton Inn or Best Western Smithfield NC again. It’s still gettting good reviews. It’s a bit further than I wanted to drive, but I don’t want to stay around Fayetteville, even though that works out better mileage/driving time-wise. Thanks for your input!