If you were driving through from NYC area..

3DisneyBuggs

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Sep 29, 2005
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What time would you leave? We check in Sat the 30, I would like to check in early. I would also like to avoid the traffic in the DC Va area of I95. My idea is to leave 12am on Friday and then sleep somewhere in Orlando Friday night. DH wants to leave around 6 am Friday morning. If we do his way, we will probably hit traffic. We will also arrive in WDW too early and with no place to sleep. He doesn't want to stop and sleep in Georgia- he prefers to drive straight, with breaks of course. I need help with our driving plan, for sure.
 
Sorry, I see you are from NYC area. Will your DH be rested enough. I like the thought of leaving at midnight and heading down. You would get through the DC area prior to heavy rush hour and wing it the rest of the way. You would probably be there early, but that's what I would do.
 
You might do okay leaving at 6am. The biggest congestion is around the Wilson Bridge in DC, of course other areas can be a problem if there is an accident. I think the local traffic radio is now 103.5 FM (WTOP). That is Labor Day weekend so get away traffic will be heavy but commuter traffic will be light. You might even consider leaving at 530am. Don't be afraid to take the BW Parkway if traffic on the outer loop of the Beltway sounds heavy. Sometimes it saves time. I have also been known to take Rt 301 from the MD suburbs down into Virginia (eventually you have to get back on I-95). You can get to 301 via several ways depending upon how early you pick it up. I like to go Belltway->Rt. 5 (towards Waldorf)->Rt. 301.

I agree with your husband, start early and drive straight through. If you get really tired stop in Brunswick, GA and sleep, you will still be in striking distance of Orlando in the morning.

Portie
 
My husband is a retired NYPD officer. He worked the midnight shift, so what we would do:
He would come home from his shift, sleep all day (like usual) wake up around 5:00 p.m. load the car, eat dinner, get the kids in their p.j.'s and get on the road by 6:00 or 7:00.
He drove all night long - It took us 18 hours and that was for Very Minimal Bathroom Breaks.
We ate all our meals in the car.
We did not hit an ounce of traffic.
On the way back, we left in the morning.

I kept an accurate itinerary log sheet listing the times we stop to take our bathroom breaks, meals, etc. how much gas we used, where we stopped, all that fun stuff, just for memories. It's pretty interesting to look back on.

Have fun and BTW Be Careful.....We had trouble in Maryland with some locals at a rest stop. It was very unnerving to us even though DH worked midnights in Jamaica and I grew up in The Bronx. It goes to prove you can never leave your guard down, even while in Disney Mode......
 















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