Looking for spring break driving advice

[allmydisneydreams]

We are heading to WDW for Spring Break - Leaving Thursday 3/28. We are in southern NJ , very close to Philadelphia. Would love to go straight through - we did this once before. That time we left at about 6 pm .... we made good time most of the way, but then it took forever to get across Florida. I think we got to WDW around 2pm.

We are me, DH, DS14, DS10, DS3. Planning to leave around 1:00 in the afternoon (I am a teacher and dismissal is at 12:20 ). Thought about driving across the Bay Bridge Tunnel to avoid DC , would that be better than getting to DC at 4:00? The problem is it adds an hour and a half. The regular 95 way says 16 1/2 hours on Mapquest ... not sure what to do!

 

[gdrj]

We are heading to WDW for Spring Break - Leaving Thursday 3/28. We are in southern NJ , very close to Philadelphia. Would love to go straight through - we did this once before. That time we left at about 6 pm .... we made good time most of the way, but then it took forever to get across Florida. I think we got to WDW around 2pm.

We are me, DH, DS14, DS10, DS3. Planning to leave around 1:00 in the afternoon (I am a teacher and dismissal is at 12:20 ). Thought about driving across the Bay Bridge Tunnel to avoid DC , would that be better than getting to DC at 4:00? The problem is it adds an hour and a half. The regular 95 way says 16 1/2 hours on Mapquest ... not sure what to do!

Former NJ/NY driver here now living in DC area. I'm assuming if you do take the beltway in DC area you are crossing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to VA. The tie-ups in that area are much improved with the construction completion in that area. The issue is going 95 South from Beltway down to Fredericksburg (mm 170 down to 133). If it was a Friday I would say go through Nebraska and it would be quicker! You can take the express lanes (since you have 3 in the car and that will help you get down to mm 152. The other issue is they are doing construction for "hot lanes and expanding HOV further South. While typically no lanes are closed they are tighter and 95 congestion is the norm.

The Tunnel is an interesting option I will be curious to see if others have taken it. If you do I think you just need to be willing to accept that it may or may not work and that you might need to stop.

The best option would be to pay off your Principal and be able to call out that day You need to South of DC (on 95) by 3PM at the latest.

 

[allmydisneydreams]

Hmmmm..... Thanks for the info. We may just try the tunnel. I'm really not sure what to do.