Has Anyone Driven down or planning to?

[Nagle]

We have driven from Brockville at least 8 times now. We have driven straight through and also stopped 1 night on the road.

We strongly prefer picking up I95 further south. We have settled on the route of I81 to I77, I26 to I95. MUCH nicer drive to us and avoid the whole DC and Richmond area.

With a 1 night stopover, we would leave Brockville around 6AM and go all the way to Rock Hill S.C. (about 14 hours) Depending on your mood and how the traffic is you can shorten that to Charlotte or go a little further to Columbia. Next morning you have the remainder of the trip which likely gets you to WDW about check-in time.

Coming home we leave WDW around 6AM and drive to Chambersburg PA. (about 16 hours) That gets us home about mid afternoon the next day depending on the border.

Cheers
John

 

[DisFan2]

We're leaving Ottawa on the 16th, coming back on the 1st of November. I95 through the Washington corridor is at least 4 lanes, sometimes as many as 6 (IIRC). The trouble with time estimates is that, like Toronto, in D.C. "rush hour" can happen just about any time. We drove through D.C. in March on a SUNDAY afternoon and we wound up in stop and go traffic almost all the way to Richmond. I was pulling my hair out I was so frustrated. It added at least 2 hrs. to our travel time that day (we had reservations in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina).

We generally take 15-20 in US $1 bills as well as about $5 in quarters. One quick time saver: jump on to the PA turnpike at Clark's Summit and then off at exit 115 to get back to I81. We figure it cuts about 1/2 hr. off the total travel time and the toll is only a couple of bucks.

The drive home is psychologically - if not physically, hard though. The fun's over, and the thought of a 24hr+ drive back to the beginning of a harsh Canadian winter is as daunting as it is depressing.

 

[tjbaggott]

Wow, lots of great info coming from this thread! Thanks.
Another question, How much in USD would you say gas cost you in total for there and back? I'm thinking it will cost less than it would to travel that distance here in Canada, or am I wrong in thinking gas costs less (even converted) in the U.S.?

 

[DisFan2]

One gallon is roughly 4 litres. Locally we're at about 92 cents a litre, which puts a gallon at about 3.70 CDN. Prices in Tampa Bay right now are about 2.50 per gallon US, roughly $2.83 CDN - gas prices are usually cheaper in the US. We took an Uplander last time (2007) and I believe the total we spent for gas was around $300 CDN (this included all the driving in and around Orlando), maybe a little more.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Wow, lots of great info coming from this thread! Thanks.
Another question, How much in USD would you say gas cost you in total for there and back? I'm thinking it will cost less than it would to travel that distance here in Canada, or am I wrong in thinking gas costs less (even converted) in the U.S.?

Go to www.fuelcostcalculator.com It's a US site so you must use the closest US city as your starting point. The site asks for you vehicle info and then it will take into consideration what areas you will go through. Also, remember to add on for the gas from your house to that US city and back.


Last year when we drove gas was about $4.10/gal USD. It was brutal we spent about $450 US just on gas. I think the year before it was around $300 US. We drive an '03 Venture and must take the shortest possible route.

 

[tjbaggott]

One gallon is roughly 4 litres. Locally we're at about 92 cents a litre, which puts a gallon at about 3.70 CDN. Prices in Tampa Bay right now are about 2.50 per gallon US, roughly $2.83 CDN - gas prices are usually cheaper in the US. We took an Uplander last time (2007) and I believe the total we spent for gas was around $300 CDN (this included all the driving in and around Orlando), maybe a little more.

That sounds GREAT! Putting my mind at ease about costs and proving DH correct, that it is cheaper to drive down than to fly (family of 6 here).

Another tip we found that might be beneficial to others, is subscribing to room saver coupons online. You are emailed each months room saver booklet for the state you wish. I've subscribed to each of the states we will be driving through and likely to stop for the night in. The coupon prices are GREAT for most, and this way, I'll know at the beginning of October what our costs will be when our trip arrives at the end of October. I wouldn't do it this way if we were travelling at high peak times, but the end of October is good for this kind of room bookings.

 

[Ham Ham]

Do you think we'll miss rush hour (the worst of it) if we arrive at DC by 2pm and no later (Considering it's a Tuesday)? I figure, that if that is so, we'd be well on the other side before rush hour starts.
Also, is I-95 a two lane or 4 lane highway? (one or two lanes each way?)
Oh, and how much and in what denominations of money should we carry for Tolls?

I-95/I-495 has multiple lanes & HOV in the DC area. Most of I-95 is three lanes.

We've been stuck in horrific DC traffic at 11:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning.

Someone posted earlier you may want to consider I-81/I-77/I-26/I-85/I-4.
Only large cities you go through are Charlotte, NC on I-77 and Jacksonville on I-95.

Try to avoid any large city during their rush hours.

Here's a link back to my original post there is and option for the I-81 route on google maps link on the left side.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=32195241&postcount=15

 

[PrincessNED]

We drive down from Winnipeg every year and it's about a 32 hour drive. We love it! We always hit the Cracker Barrels on the way down as well, fantastic place to eat. DW and I have decided that we're going to be bad on the way down this year and try to eat at one of every popular fast-food place that there is. Krystal Palace, White Castle, Checkers, Chick fil-A, Del Taco, Hardees, Jack in the Box, Popeyes, and Sonic to name a few. Not so sure about In-N-Out Burger though, that really doesn't sound like a good name for a restaurant!

Hey Shir Kahn - We are thinking of towing our popup down to the fort - What route do you take?

 

[Sheribo]

We drive from Ottawa 2x a year - March & November! Use the ring roads. We drive straight through.