HELP PLEASE...Driving from NY next week!

[DisneyDreamerz]

Help please from anyone who has ever driven from Rochester, NY to Fort Wilderness. We are supposed to be leaving next Thursday (Dec. 20), towing our 35’ fifth wheel…our first time traveling to Disney by vehicle! We are freaking out because it’s cold, snowy and icy here in NY and there’s a storm predicted for today and a blizzard warning along the Eastern US for Sunday! Now, we can only hope all this bad weather is gone by the time we leave, but luck usually isn’t on our side…unless it’s BAD luck!
Anyway, everyone is giving us different directions, so we need some help sorting all this out! We’d like to know the safest, not necessarily the shortest, route avoiding treacherous mountains and tunnels.
Friends of ours who travel to Florida every winter suggested this route: Route 15 to I-180 around Williamsport, PA to 147 to US-11 to 22/322 to I-81 to I-64 near Staunton, VA to 288 or 295 around Richmond to I-95.
Now, another friend said DO NOT do 15/11 through PA, especially in the winter, because of the mountains around Trout Run. Also he said I-64 near Staunton/Waynesboro has another treacherous mountain!????? He suggests taking I-90 to Syracuse, then jumping on I-81 all the way to Winchester, VA, and catching Route 17 to I-95.
My brother-in-law said 17 is a terrible road and we should take 15/11 all the way to Route 70 in Maryland to 270 to 495 around DC to I-95. This route scares me a little, because we want to avoid DC if possible.
Also, do any of these routes have tunnels which prohibit propane???
Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

 

[ntsammy5]

Interstate all of the way = I90 to I79 to US19 (like an interstate) to I77 to I26 to I95 to I4.

We drive this route to Charlotte a lot and the roads are good and well maintained. Two tunnels along the way do not prohibit propane. There a few steep grades until NC but not too bad and some rough curves just over the bridge in Pittsburgh, but all-in-all a good route. As for the weather, well good luck on that one.

Have a safe trip.

BTW there are a few tolls, but not too bad.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

I certainly can't help you with the whole trip, but I can tell you to avoid DC like the plague! You do not want to take a camper on 495~I'd rather have each individual toe nail pulled out! If you decide on 81 through Staunton, despite being through the mountains, it is not a bad drive. Takind 64 to Richmond seems really out of the way, though. I'd keep on 81 until 77. The only place you may need to use a lower gear is through Fancy Gap, near the NC boarder. Take it slow and enjoy the scenery~very beautiful!

GOOD luck!

 

[CottontailCurl]

Interstate all of the way = I90 to I79 to US19 (like an interstate) to I77 to I26 to I95 to I4.

We drive this route to Charlotte a lot and the roads are good and well maintained.

Do you get to Charlotte in a day going that route? If so, Carowinds has a campground that I don't think is too far from I-77 if you think that would be a good half-way point for them. The rest of the way would be approx. 9 hours doing the 26/95/4 route.

If you're interested DisneyDreamerz, here's a link;

http://www3.cedarfair.com/Carowinds/campground/reservations.htm

 

[lawnspecialties]

Do you get to Charlotte in a day going that route? If so, Carowinds has a campground that I don't think is too far from I-77 if you think that would be a good half-way point for them. The rest of the way would be approx. 9 hours doing the 26/95/4 route.

If you're interested DisneyDreamerz, here's a link;

http://www3.cedarfair.com/Carowinds/campground/reservations.htm

We've stayed there three times. Nice campground that should be extremely quiet during this time of year. It's right on the NC/SC line off I-77.

 

[CottontailCurl]

We've stayed there three times. Nice campground that should be extremely quiet during this time of year. It's right on the NC/SC line off I-77.

Did you go to Carowinds, too? When I went to that link it says they're having a season pass special of $59 a person, that's less than Disney's one day pass! My first thought was that it's either a Scooby Doo amusement park or I need to stop thinking the sun rises and sets over Mickey Mouse. Even if you're passing through and stop there a day each on your way to Fl and back, that's a good deal. From the web page it looks like Rugrats and other cartoon characters are walking around in there, that's just weird !

From the map on the web page it looks like you exit 77 and Carowinds is just right there and then the campground is next, is that right?

 

[ntsammy5]

The trip to Charlotte from Buffalo is 10 hours drive time -- add whatever stops you'll take. That's pretty much at the official speed limit (7mph over the posted speed). The hills are gradual for the most part except for a stretch coming out of VA into NC. About 10 miles of a steep grade -- it's the only place where there are runaway truck ramps. There's a lot af truck & RV traffic along the route. Be careful on US-19 near Summersville. The speed limit is strictly enforced.

 

[Gatordad]

Make sure you bring 26 cases of Poland Spring Water, white castles, Jelly Krimpets, bagels and anything else you can stuff in the trailer.....

And have a safe trip.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Did you go to Carowinds, too? When I went to that link it says they're having a season pass special of $59 a person, that's less than Disney's one day pass! My first thought was that it's either a Scooby Doo amusement park or I need to stop thinking the sun rises and sets over Mickey Mouse. Even if you're passing through and stop there a day each on your way to Fl and back, that's a good deal. From the web page it looks like Rugrats and other cartoon characters are walking around in there, that's just weird !

From the map on the web page it looks like you exit 77 and Carowinds is just right there and then the campground is next, is that right?

Carowinds is nice, but it is no WDW!!! We took our DD there for her 6th birthday and about halfway through the day she was ready to go back to the hotel and swim! It is right off the interstate and not hard to find.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

The hills are gradual for the most part except for a stretch coming out of VA into NC. About 10 miles of a steep grade -- it's the only place where there are runaway truck ramps.

That's Fancy Gap! Steep, but beautiful (at least on the days when there is no fog)!

 

[bradisgoofy]

Go over to rv.net and post there too under roads and routes. You will get more suggestions there, too. Very nice people there, just like here.

 

[DisneyDreamerz]

Thank you everyone for all the help and suggestions! I'm still freaking out, but feeling more comfortable with all the great info here! Yes, I did post at RV.net...good info there too! I'm getting way too many "butterflies"....I hope it's just excitement!
Happy Holidays to all!!!

 

[hobogary]

I can tell you that we have done the 81 17 95 trip several times with a camper and i prefer that to any other choice we have.17 is great road nearly all 4 lane and nearly all new, however we have a rule that if we get below pa and it starts to snow and stick on the roads we get the heck off of them. WAY to many people going Way too fast for conditions. If you keep driving you will be in the middle of a 100 car wreck. find a rest area, eat lunch , take a nap, etc.

 

[lawnspecialties]

Did you go to Carowinds, too? When I went to that link it says they're having a season pass special of $59 a person, that's less than Disney's one day pass! My first thought was that it's either a Scooby Doo amusement park or I need to stop thinking the sun rises and sets over Mickey Mouse. Even if you're passing through and stop there a day each on your way to Fl and back, that's a good deal. From the web page it looks like Rugrats and other cartoon characters are walking around in there, that's just weird !

From the map on the web page it looks like you exit 77 and Carowinds is just right there and then the campground is next, is that right?

Yes, we had season passes to Carowinds in 2006. Now that Cedar Fair has purchased Carowinds from Paramount, it's supposed to be even better.

The theme for Carowinds' kids section (don't know if it's changed with the new ownership) is basically Nickleodeon TV. The kids' rides are themed after Scooby-Doo, Fairly Odd Parents, Arnold's Taxi, etc.. For the big kids and thrillseekers, the rides are better than Disneyworld (yes, I said it). Top Gun and the Borg Assimilator are two of the funnest roller coasters I've ever ridden.

In addition, Paramount allowed you to use your annual pass to all of Paramount's parks. That included King's Dominion in Richmond, Va. and several others as well. I'd check to see if Cedar Fair does the same. They have some big parks in Ohio I believe.

Either way, I think swinging by Carowinds on your trip would be well worth it. It's right off I-77 at the state line. In fact, Thunder Road is the only roller coaster that actually runs through two states (useless trivia for you). And yes, the campground is just past the park and they run a shuttle bus every fifteen minutes or so taking you back and forth.

 

[lawnspecialties]

double post

 

[bradisgoofy]

Ronda would be proud of you.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Ronda would be proud of you.

I want to be just like Rhonda when I grow up

 

[Sibahan]

a do absolutely agree with avoiding 15/11 I live in PA, just off 95 in PHila, and we go to 15/11 usually once a year, and its going to be bad!