I-5 Traffic from San Diego to Disney?

[WDW Princess 71]

Hi! I was wondering if some of you locals could help me with what level of traffic I should expect taking I-5 up from San Diego to DL around 11:00 AM on a Tuesday? Our flight lands at 10:30 and then we need a rental car, so i'm hoping to be on the road by 11:00 or 11:30 at the latest. what kind of traffic can i expect at midday to DL? Also on the way back to SD on a Thursday, what time should we leave DL to escape the rush hour traffic? Is 3:00 PM too late?

 

[blackjackdelta]

Iam not a local but the drive to SD and back is always a fastpaced busy traffic drive. We found the least amount before 6AM and after 11PM. You posted times are some of the busiest times of the day, you just have to make the best of it and try to stay away from 0700-1030 and 1500-2030 as much as possible. Took us 95 minutes two weeks ago when I was there on business.
DRAT, not Disney time.

Jack

 

[MANewcoste]

You should be fine at 11:00 am, possibly a bit of lunch hour traffic around Del Mar, Oceanside area and then maybe Lake Forest, Irvine area. Leaving DL at 3pm is going to put you in rush hour traffic for sure in San Diego. Do you have a flight to catch or can you wait till 7pm or so to leave DL?

 

[ScooterL]

Traffic shouldn't be bad at that time at all. It should take you an hour and a half to an hour and 45 minutes from the airport. Traffic starts getting bad going north around 3:00 on weekdays, and of course the closer to Orange County you get the slower it gets.

Coming south at 3:00 traffic shouldn't be bad in Orange County - maybe a little slow at the 5/405 merge, but you'll hit some traffic in San Diego County. My experience coming south is that the southbound traffic, even at 5:00, really isn't too bad - it's the northbound lanes that are stop-and-go. I usually wait and leave the Disneyland area about 6:00 and then it's generally smooth most of the way home - slow spots at 55, the merge, and Mission Viejo and that's usually all. Adds maybe 15 minutes to the drive.

 

[MrsMork]

Be sure and use the carpool lane. It will help alot.