Sorry another I-75 vs I-95 thread

[mousefan73]

Our trip is in 3 weeks. We are driving from Sevierville TN ( Dollywood) to WDW...
I have read up a lot on the 75 vs 95 thing...
Any pros and cons for the two.. We are traveling on August 28th a Monday. We plan on leaving our rental between 10 and 11 am. We wish to travel enough with one overnight so next day we have 3 hours or less before WDW...

1. which route
2. where to stop 3 hours before WDW...

I hear horrors about ATL and Jacksonville.. so both routes seem to have traffic issues. We plan to stop every 2 hours or so.. to break things up.. we hate long drives.

My initial thought was 1-95 and overnight somewhere past Savannah....

Toll costs no issue. I'd rather pay if I am benefiting.

 

[vacationer1954]

Google keeps track of historical traffic. At that specific time on that specific date, it says that the two routes are comparable. However, if you leave earlier, I-75 wins. If you leave later, I-95 wins.

With it being that close, I generally leave it up to Google in the moment, though that wouldn't work well with non-refundable hotel reservations or travel on a day that you expect to have trouble finding a hotel room on the day-of (once you know which route you are taking).

 

[kydisneyfans]

Leaving Pigeon Forge at 11 would put you in the Atlanta metro too close for comfort for rush hour.
I'd take 40/26/95.

 

[dreiwhit]

If you want to take I-75, I would leave Sevierville early enough to miss Atlanta rush hour traffic. But, keep in mind that a wreck on I-75 outside of rush hour will also block traffic pretty well.

If I have to go through Atlanta, I make a wide loop around Atlanta on the Georgia State roads and US highways.

If you take I-75, Lake City, Florida, is 2:25 away from Orlando. Valdosta, Georgia is a little over three hours away.

 

[Jimsig]

I would probably go the 40-26-95 route and try and get through Jacksonville the first day/night. That way you don't have to either get up early or start late on day 2 to avoid rush hour traffic in J'Ville. It should give you just under 2.5 hours from there to WDW. Other then J'ville the two biggest cities you go through would be Asheville and Columbia. I think I'd take those three over Atlanta if I had the choice.

 

[mousefan73]

I would probably go the 40-26-95 route and try and get through Jacksonville the first day/night. That way you don't have to either get up early or start late on day 2 to avoid rush hour traffic in J'Ville. It should give you just under 2.5 hours from there to WDW. Other then J'ville the two biggest cities you go through would be Asheville and Columbia. I think I'd take those three over Atlanta if I had the choice.

what are the typcial Jacksonville rush hour traffic times? I cant see it being that bad,, isnt it more a smaller city? I am from Chicago so it cant be that bad or am I assuming wrong??

 

[Jimsig]

what are the typcial Jacksonville rush hour traffic times? I cant see it being that bad,, isnt it more a smaller city? I am from Chicago so it cant be that bad or am I assuming wrong??

I'm not really sure to be honest with you. Compared to Chicago for you and Boston for me it's probably a piece of cake by our standards. But it seems like the OP is a little concerned about potential traffic. Google Maps says it's about 7.5 to J'ville so if they left around 10 or 11a with making a few stops including lunch that should put them through J'ville after any PM rush hour. I figure to that if they stop north of J'ville for the night then they might be starting their day in rush hour traffic in a city they are unfamiliar with. So by getting through on day 1 they avoid that and would be more relaxed.

 

[Aerodyne78]

If you go the I-95 route, you can also take I-295 which goes around Jacksonville if you happen to hit Jacksonville around rush hour.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

I second the option of I95. We live in SC, so our best route is 95...but we have family in Atlanta and do a ton there. Getting all the way across the city or around the city anywhere between 3 and 7 will easily add more than an hour to your trip. Being from TN, you are also aware of this. Trust your instincts. They are correct.

We often leave late after work on a Friday on our way down to Disney and we never make it all the way. This isn't a bad thing with young kids in the car. We have stayed in Savannah, but my ideal is to get an exit or two past Jacksonville (there's a Hampton Inn that we love just past the 295 loop around Jacksonville). If we can make it that far, then it doesn't really matter what time we wake up the next morning. No major cities to navigate until Orlando.

By the way, I love Sevierville. I hope you guys made it through the fires last year!

 

[Skippyboo]

It's about 3.5 hours to Marietta GA via 75. There you can either stay 75 and go through the city or take 285 which is the belt way around the city. The afternoon rush starts around 3 pm. In the north side of the city the traffic flow is out of the city going north and then it switches when you cross into the south side. Traffic out of the city is now going south. So if you leave at 10am, you approach Atlanta around 1:30 pm, it takes about an hour to go to other side so that's 2:30 pm. Once through Atlanta there aren't any large cities left on the way to Disney. The Drury Inn in Valdosta is super nice. I stayed there on my drive back to Atlanta from Disney last year. Staying again this September trip for the return drive home. It has a free breakfast in am and a evening food and drink spread starting at 5:30 pm. You can get three free alcoholic drinks. If you go 75, I would try to leave at 9 so you definitely clear Atl before the rush.

 

[vacationer1954]

The Drury Inn in Valdosta is super nice. I stayed there on my drive back to Atlanta from Disney last year.

Another thumbs up for Drury Inn in Valdosta. We stay there when we're heading to Port Canaveral for a cruise.