RVing to Ft. Wilderness

[Mike in NC]

Hello, My wife and I will be pulling our travel trailer from NC to Ft. Wilderness in December. We normally drive down I-95 and across I-4 in our vehicle, but this is the first time with the RV. I'm not really looking forward to pulling the trailer through Orlando on the Interstate. It's a traffic zoo with just a car without the added challenge of a 30 foot trailer. Any thoughts, suggestions and/or alternate routes? Thanks for the input.

 

[lanejudy]

Sorry, I don't have any suggestions other than you might get more responses by posting on the Camping forum.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[JCJRSmith]

I have done with a travel trailer behind a pickup, a class C motorhome, and last year in a Class A. It really isn't that bad if you time it right. That being said, if you continue down 95 past I-4 and on towards the Cape Canaveral area you can pick up 528 and go in that way.

Another option would be to pick up A1A/301 north of Jacksonville and take that to 75 to 4 and come in from the west. Either way, you are adding time to your drive. Seriously, having driven I4 while towing, driving a car, driving a motorhome and even driving a UHaul truck when my mom moved out of Florida, it isn't that bad.

 

[Mike in NC]

Leaving, I can time for very early morning, but I anticipate that my arrival on the trip down will probably be around 1:30 - 2:00 pm.

 

[myzel]

The traffic is not too bad early afternoon, it picks up worse closer to supper.

 

[Hopefully]

You may get good advice is you also post this question on the Transportation Forum, here on the DIS
Good Luck

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've encountered the portable parking lot a few times on I 4 in Orlando.....it's all about timing...our worst occasions have been 7 am - 7 pm.......

Last trip in Mayer were going to pick up the 417 in Sanford, pay the tolls to skip the I 4 snarl......but we approached Orlando around 3-4 am and we're just about all by ourselves driving the I 4.....scary being all alone... We cruised the whole way right into WDW, and plan on doing it again next trip...

We left northeast Ohio, driving down I 77 to I 26, to I 95 and planned on stopping around the Ga/Fla border ( about 12 hours to there) but said it was around 10 pm, let's make the Florida Welcome Center and snooze a few hours there and get into WDW real early..... saving the expense of a motel for those few hours....worked out perfectly...

We were excited to get to WDW and start playing as soon as possible, checked in at 6 am (no room but everything was set up) went to Public for our supplies, got back to POFQ for food court opening, made EPCOT rope drop with time to spare, saw the last day of the Flower show and was beeped that our room was ready by noon.....it was like getting an extra free day in WDW than arriving at 1 pm or later....

We leisurely unpacked, loaded the fridge, packed a cooler and headed to the pool by 1......refreshed, posted to DTD, a little shopping and back to resort for some MK..... beautiful way to start the vacation.....

Sorry for rambling.

 

[Mike in NC]

Sounds like a great trip. I agree, timing is everything. I have reached a point in my life where I don't function as well at 2-3-4 am as I use to, but I'll certainly keep that option in mind. We anticipate spending a couple days in the St. Augustine area on the way down so, in order to hit Orlando by 6:00, we'd really need to exit St. A. by around 4:00 or earlier.

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

I would go the toll roads myself - you have a couple of options - much less traffic.

 

[gillenkl]

Post on the "Camping at Disney" board. We usually try to get to Orlando around 11:00am and haven't encountered a problem. There is traffic, but it's moving. We avoid early morning rush and the 5PM rush. FYI, we're pulling a popup and I'm only a passenger and my hands are sweating the whole way

 

[Mike in NC]

Thanks all. I can understand the sweaty palms from just driving my Avalanche through there during heavy periods. I always feel there is a blind spot. Atlanta, Houston and DC are the same way. Just driving isn't that much of a worry, but attempting the lane changes with the trailer as we get to our exit can get exiting. Think I may seriously consider the Toll Roads although it looks like they will add significant time to the trip down.