SSR, Driving from NC, & Spring Break @ WDW

[PantherFanStan]

If you don't mind where is the Earl of Sandwich? I never heard of it --know Cary not the Earl.

Earl of Sandwich is in Downtown Disney -- MarketPlace, over near the Rain Forest Cafe. It think it just opened relatively recently (within the last year). I give it my highest recommendation -- again, everyone will have different opinions, but in my view, better than Subway, Quiznos, or Jersey Mike's. A good buy by most any city's standards ....and an absolute bargain by Disney standards.

PantherFanStan

 

[PantherFanStan]

oh gee - I didn't know that SSR has parking lots views - on the whole OKW does NOT - so I though it would be the same.

Sorry you got a lousy view.

I might have sold the view a little short....you could see more than the parking lot...my point was you could see the parking lot. Having said that, I will ask for a DTD view next time, but will not have a problem with a similar view.

 

[PantherFanStan]

Howdy, neighbor! We live in Apex, and have made the drive down to WDW a number of times. We have flown a couple of times as well, but overall find that we prefer driving given the hassles of flying these days. Like you, we often find ourselves leaving early-to-mid afternoon, so we usually split the drive down into two days, staying at either Savannah, Brunswick, or Jacksonville (largely depending on how early we plan to get out of Apex).I agree, especially with the Jacksonville part. Because of that, and because of a general desire to get off I-95 as soon as possible, we have found an alternate route we prefer:

1. After crossing the GA/FL state line, we exit onto Hwy 200 (about 9 miles past the state line).
2. This becomes Hwy 301, which we stay on until near Ocala where we cut over to I-75
3. From I-75, we take Florida's Turnpike.
4. If going to BCV, we exit onto Hwy 27, and come in to WDW from the 192 side.
5. To go to SSR (our next trip), I plan to exit from the Turnpike onto Hwy 50, and take CR-535 down towards SSR

According to my GPS' mapping program, going from the GA/FL state line to SSR by the I-95 route is 187 miles. Taking the alternate route described above increases the distance to 204 miles, but we find it to be a much less stressful route (and much less prone to I-95's bottlenecks and construction backups), so it is easily worth the extra 17 miles (at least to us).

Back at you SamR! Actually, we "moved" from Apex to Cary -- the easy way. When we moved from Charlotte to Cary (WestPark neighborhood off Hwy 55) in 1993, Cary's post office couldn't handle the housing growth they were experiencing, so even though we lived in the Cary "town" limits, our address was "temporarily" Apex. While we never actually moved, about ten years later, they changed our address to Cary. Much less painful that carrying all those boxes!

My biggest problem with flying is that I have a ton of miles on American, but American only flies direct from RDU to MCO on weekends and limited times -- and I refuse to buy tickets when I'm sitting on a half million plus miles. We usually end up changing planes in Miami...and when you throw in the inevitable delay....door-to-door, you can be pushing the 10 hours it takes to drive. Also, as a road warrior business traveler, tourist city airports drive me crazy......and Orlando is THE worst. I think it's better to fly into Tampa and drive up to Orlando, but again, no directs from RDU to Tampa. And in a strange kind of way, I actually like the forced togetherness of the drive. Hard to get my 14 yr old and 8 yr old to sit still that long otherwise.

You may have sold me on the alternate route....and a GPS! Any advice on which GPS system? Would you buy the same one, if you were buying again? We think driving is going to our new regular mode....except for quicker trips...but we mostly go when we can go stay a weekend-week-weekend. I'll PM you my phone number, if a call is easier. Thanks for whatever advice you can provide. Strongly considering a Thanksgiving trip, and given the way I ponder decisions, I need to have started researching/shopping last year!

PantherFanStan

 

[PantherFanStan]

Curious, what were your travel dates?

Left Cary at 1:15PM on Friday, March 18th.....left WDW at 2:15PM Sunday, March 27th. This is what I'm calling week #1 of spring break....since Disney raises the rates for two weeks around the "traditional" spring break. Unfortunately for us.... this year, our spring break coincided with Easter. Lucky for us (I understand), we had the week before Easter -- rather than the week after. I understand more schools had their spring break during the week after. Next year our spring break is not at Easter...so we'll be looking forward to the lighter crowds.

 

[PantherFanStan]

Wow, two posts from Cary and one from Apex. How about if I add a fourth - we live in Cary also (though we think of Apex as home also, since both our kids graduated from Apex HS, we go to Church in Apex and my wife grew up there, plus our son lives and works there). I've talked to Muushka before, but howdy SamR and Goofy4Dis.

As far as driving, we've done it so many times it's become a game with me. Two hours to SC border, 3 hours to Savannah, 2 hours to Jacksonville and then 3 hours to WDW. I see the trip as a challenge to be at WDW within 10 hours.

Well...howdy neighbor. (Now, everyone north of Virginia is going to think that we Carolinians actually say "howdy"....but it does foster that folksy image that we're trying to perpetuate, doesn't it?)

Unfortunately, we spent the first hour of our drive to WDW listening to my beloved Charlotte 49'ers choke during the 2nd half of their first round NCAA basketball game --after thoroughly spanking a certain team (not to be named team) who wears red and white....in the first half. ) I know the only score that matters is the final one. Maybe next year. Actually, we pull for the Pack (and the Heels) most of the time.....and sometimes that other team from Durham.

 

[PantherFanStan]

You do not want shared buses, .

Pa@OKW.....I actually wasn't wishing for shared buses. I had read so much discussion about shared buses, and people fretting over the possibility that SSR might have shared buses, I thought I would provide some on the scene reporting.

also I would get used to seeing buses from other resorts more than yours. .

Curious why you say that?

When driving to WDW or back, if you want to avoid the Jacksonville traffic, take rt 295 around it. .

We were all set to do that on the return trip, but the exit was closed!

As you go more to WDW you will find yourself becoming less park people and more resort people..

Time will tell, but I think I know myself and my wife pretty well....I think we'll always be park people....but isn't it nice to have such nice resorts to stay at while we're there? Assume you're an OKW owner.....we're thinking of trying it on our potential Thanksgiving trip. Think we'll have much luck at the 7 month window?

 

[Muushka]

We have been doing the NC-Orlando shuffle since 96, when we moved to NC. We always drive-finding it much easier than flying (and my husband refuses to fly, so it is a no-brainer ). We used to take the 295 route around Jacksonville, but lately (last 4 or so years) we just stay on 95. We hit some bad traffic on 295, so that is why we skip it now.

I guess the travel-gods have been with us because we have not hit any traffic jams in Jacksonville-ever. Yes it can be heavier, but we are maybe slowed about 5 minutes while driving thru, but no worse than that. We have hit some jams in Orlando, some bad ones.

All in all, the drive to the Mouse is pretty much auto-pilot for us.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Next year our spring break is not at Easter...so we'll be looking forward to the lighter crowds.

Yes, I am hoping we will be going down and staying at SSR next Spring break. I'm glad Wake Co. schools has spring break several weeks before Easter next March so maybe the crowds won't be as bad as the last couple of years. The only problem is from talking to my DW who is a Teacher Assistant in Cary is that the Spring Break days are also snow makeup days. I just looked at the Wake Co. calendar for next year and March 27 is the 6th snow makeup day. And then it goes thru the rest of Spring break week from there. Hum, this is not good. Knowing our luck, we'll have an ice storm followed by snow next year that will make us use those days. Using DVC points, this could be a real concern.

 

[WolfpackFan]

All in all, the drive to the Mouse is pretty much auto-pilot for us.

Moo - Exactly the same for me. We've flown and we've driven and with all the mess at airports these days, I'd just as soon as get in the car, point it south and go. Air travel is such a hassle. Unless I'm flying real long distances, I'd just as soon as drive.

 

[gopherit]

Thanks for the report!

As for Kingsland -- we found it to be the best pit stop for us, too -- we drive from W.V. straight down I-77, and that makes our first day of travel about 10-11 hrs. We looked at going farther, but you hit sort of a "dead zone" much past the Florida border, where you enter Jacksonville (and some bad hotels, or difficult exit/entry to Interstate). I knew one family, though, that used to get a water-view hotel at Jacksonville and hit the beach... we are just too focused on WDW to do that, though! And we felt that if we got as far as St. Augustine, what the hey, we would just go all the way. We may look at stopping sooner (like, Brunswick or Savannah) next time, but in all honesty, Kingsland just seems to work for us!

We have stayed in the Country Inn & Suites (about 62 bucks last time, fam of 5, breakfast included, indoor pool!) One point to remember -- make your ressie in advance. THen, if you can get there in advance of the "cancellation" time (4 or 6 pm depending upon the chain) you can get a cheaper rate. Just go to roomsavers.com (or stop at the state welcome center and pick up the discount pamphelts there). They invariably have coupons for somewhere in the $60 something range for Country Inn & Suites and Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn -- and those 3 hotels are LITERALLY side-by-side at Kinsgland. Unfortunately, those rates can't be "reserved" -- it's walk-in only. So you walk in, see if it's available at any of those 3 (and when I sy they are right next door to each other, I realllly mean it -- you could park at the middle one and easily walk to all 3 check-in counters to find the cheap rate!) If you get the cheap rate, then just dial the 800 number to cancel your more costly "safety net" reservation! And if for some reason the hotels are NOT offering the cheap rate, at least you will have somewhere to stay (and I think the rate for any of those averages around 80-90 bucks normally). As for food -- amen on the Crapper Barrel, which ironically is what OUR crew calls it too! It's always packed, service is slow, and the food has been going downhill since about 10 yrs ago... We find we enjoy a b'fast meal much more at Bob Evans -- glad to see more of those popping up around the country (we live near the Bob Evans "source" so there's TONS of 'em up here in the mid Ohio valley...) As for food near the 3 hotels in Kingsland -- any of the 3 hotels I mentioned in that cluster offer free b'fast. As for other meals, there's an Applebee's right next door, and an italian plance (La Cucina). We opted for the latter and were not disappointed -- it was crowded (about the same as Applebees) and a bit slow but the food was very good. Plus -- show your room key at either place and you get a 10% discount off your meal.

Lastly -- the drive. We try to avoid rush hour J'ville timing (like, morning hours on a weekday or 3-5 pm crush). Last trip, we came through J'ville on a Sat. at 9 am -- zero problems. The worst time we ever had was once, hitting Orlando after torrential rains. Part of I-4 was closed due to flooding. We don't have a GPS, and the only map I could find during that trip was a NASCAR travel atlas (which, had we been stuck in Daytona, Talladega, or Bristol TN would have been marvelous, but for Orlando all you could make out was I-4 and that's all, folks!) We were stranded on a foreign detour, wandering aimlessly off-course, when I spied a Winnebago from Ontario with a Mickey Mouse sticker on the back... I said to DH, "FOLLOW THAT RV!" As luck would have it, the RV headed us straight into WDW, and it went to FW campgrounds as we (with our bearings restored) waved adios and headed to VWL. Lucky for us it wasn't headed to the gulf coast or home...

Anyway -- glad you had a good trip! We loved our stay SSR, but try for water view next time -- we had a view of the lake and DTD and it was quite nice at night!

Cindy

 

[PantherFanStan]

In your opinion, any one who went during spring break, was it worthwhile to plan your park time around EMH? That is, to plan to go to that park to take advantage of that? Is it really that much less of a crowd in the evening than during the day? I am asking because we are going the week after memorial day, and I was wondering if I should plan park visits around EMH.

delilah.....The thing about EMH during this spring break (at least week 1) was that the park hours were pretty lengthy to begin with. Example: MK was open 8AM-midnight daily with daily morning EMH -- making the hours 7AM-midnight for those staying on site. In fact, one day MK had both morning and evening EMH -- meaning the park opened at 7AM and didn't close until 3AM the following morning (and yes, then it reopened at 7AM).

We found it worthwhile to get to MK for the early morning hours...in fact, it was similar to our experience in February. Example: we rode Buzz Light year 5 consecutive times, without ever waiting. We tried the evening EMH at MGM one day....and found that the park was still very crowded. Waits at Rock'nRoller Coaster were 45 minutes and Tower of Terror were 35 minutes.

My advice is take advantage of the EMH....much fewer people have the resolve to be there. Staying late for evening EMH is too easy, and (we found it) too crowded. Can't speak for evening EMH at MK -- the regular closing hour of midnight was later than we cared to be there.

PantherFanStan

 

[PantherFanStan]

Wow, two posts from Cary and one from Apex. How about if I add a fourth - we live in Cary

All together now......It's a small world after all, it's a . . . .

 

[PantherFanStan]

As for Kingsland -- we found it to be the best pit stop for us, too

Gopherit.....First, I have to say you are famous in our family. We loved your epic account of your 13 Days of Disney. A DIS classic. In fact, when we decided to drive and were deciding where to stop and where to stay, I recalled that you had stopped "somewhere" in Georgia. I searched on your ID, found the 13 Days, and saw that you at stopped in Kingsland...which helped seal that decision.

We have stayed in the Country Inn & Suites (about 62 bucks last time, fam of 5, breakfast included, indoor pool!)

Given you had stayed there and gave it good reviews, it was the first place I looked for on the internet. I forget the specific price now, but it was substantially higher than the other Kingsland hotels. (Your high references have driven up the prices! ) ) We had been thinking of trying Jameson, and it since it was cheaper with the same ammenities (at least on paper), we tried it. As I said, it was far from awful, but we will definitely try our luck elsewhere in Kingsland next time -- unless we stay in Jacksonville.

One point to remember -- make your ressie in advance. THen, if you can get there in advance of the "cancellation" time (4 or 6 pm depending upon the chain) you can get a cheaper rate.

We took this advice, but...since we didn't arrive in Kingsland until 7:30PM, this wasn't an option for us.

PantherFanStan

 

[PantherFanStan]

removed by PantherFanStan (answered my own question)

 

[gopherit]

Gopherit.....First, I have to say you are famous in our family. We loved your epic account of your 13 Days of Disney. A DIS classic. In fact, when we decided to drive and were deciding where to stop and where to stay, I recalled that you had stopped "somewhere" in Georgia. I searched on your ID, found the 13 Days, and saw that you at stopped in Kingsland...which helped seal that decision.

Wow, I'm so touched! Thanks! You know, I'm famous in my family too -- but not always in a nice way! (Cindy, the over-controlling, obsessive-compulsive, Disney-maniacal wife/mom/daughter/sister/fill in the blank...)


Wanted to make one other point I forgot to make in my other post, though -- You said "Sleep Inn" was among your new faves -- me too! I had to get hotel ressies for DH and my boys recently for a NASCAR race in Bristol. Our usual standby of Hampton Inn was way too high and in many places not available; the pickins' were slim and/or pricey, thanks to the race. But I found a Sleep Inn that was moderately priced, offered b'fast the next day, had non-smoking and 2 beds, and had an indoor pool (a major criteria for my middle child who isn't nearly the NASCAR fan his brother is, he's just coming along for the fun, "freebies", and fast food!) THey liked that it had a mini-fridge and freezer and microwave, too -- I had packed them some drinks and microwave popcorn to take with them, so they had a nice snack that night! This place not only met our need, but it was better priced than our stand-by Hampton Inn! Gotta love that... We will definitely try that chain again.

Funny, isn't it, how you get hooked on a chain. On business, I always opt for a Homewood SUites. Usually, it's the same price as wherever else I would stay, based on corporate policy, but the food they set out in the weekday at their "manager's reception" often negates the need to even go out for dinner! ANd I like having a fridge to store a few bottles of water / soda to have at my beck and call, too.

I have tried Baymont Inn before and wasn't too impressed -- the one we stayed in didn't seem exceptionally clean, to me, so maybe that's not a chain thing, just that particular one. I have had very wide results with Comfort Inn & Suites before too -- some great, some very opposite! Wide, wide results with BW too -- the good, the bad, and the ugly, you just never know! Thank goodness for the DIS -- at least we can get input from folks for places along the way to WDW!

The COuntry Inn and SUites is still listed with a coupon for Kingsland at Roomsavers.com, but as you noted, if you already had a ressie at the Jameson, you were bound to it, and who's to say you could have gotten the reduced rate (perhaps with spring break or at that late hour they might have siad no dice anyway...) Next time look at Holiday Inn Express -- I thought its rates were the lowest of the 3 places, if memory serves, and honestly, the three hotels (Hampton, Country Inn, HI Express) seemed very equivalent.

One note for other travelers, too -- be careful about some internet ressies. Certain internet rates have stipulations in fine print about cancellation -- some cannot be cancelled without incurring a fee, and some allow you to cancel, but not once you are within a certain timeframe of arrival (and usually it's a fairly wide window, like 3 days or even 2 weeks or more.) So if you are thinking of making a ressie and then perhaps backing out of it if a better offer arrives, be careful what / how you make the ressie!

Anyway -- at least now I know if/when we do Kingsland again, if the Jameson comes up, I have some input on it! (And that I WON'T be seeing your family for breakfast at the CB, that's for sure! ) Thanks again!

CIndy

 

[Muushka]

Cindy! You are too funny and just a little scary! Your statement:

(Cindy, the over-controlling, obsessive-compulsive, Disney-maniacal wife/mom/daughter/sister/fill in the blank...)

is me-except for the mother (we have no kiddos). And you are a NASCAR fan. Too much in common.

I don't know if you have ever seen the NASCAR threads over on the community board. A great group of people and lots of fun. Let me know if you want more details. And thank you for the great hotel info. Always good to know.

 

[magicmouse2]

Thanks for the report. Sorry yougot a parking lot view, I thought that the rooms had no parking lot views ? - walkways and room entrance to the rear ?

 

[gopherit]

And you are a NASCAR fan. Too much in common.

Ah, but here's where it gets dicey and either friends are made or families divided --

WHO is your favorite driver?

My family is all into Jeff Gordon, but my blood runneth green for 18... I'm a Bobby Labonte fan. (And to say that this year, given his circumstances, shows I'm no fair-weather fan, either!) I was raised in the south (born in Darlington county, S.C., in fact!) but can you believe it -- never thought twice about NASCAR until a little 17 mos old boy (our 1st son) latched on to his first little matchbox car and never let go. Believe it or not, NASCAR taught him to count to 100 at age 2. We have actual video footage of him at my BIL's wedding, where my son was a ring bearer and only 2 years old, and the groomsmen are having fun quizzing him:

Groomsman: "Ok, Evan -- 10!"

Evan: "Numbah Ten -- Tide cahh, Wickee Wudd!"

Groomsman: "21!"

Evan: "Numbah 21 -- Citgo cahh, Mi-cul Wahltwip!"

Too funny!

Sorry, folks, looks like I hauled this thread terribly off-topic....

I now return you to your previously scheduled posts regarding recent visits to SSR! Enjoy!

 

[Muushka]

Your son sounds so cute. And smart!

WHO is your favorite driver?

NOT #24! We have several drivers that we like. The one that we would love to see win a race is Kyle Petty. Because of Adam. My husband has been a Petty fan forever. Great man. But we also like Mikey Waltrip and Kenny Schareder (becuase of the Speed Channel NASCAR show) and Carl Edwards and Dale Jr. There are a bunch of great men in NASCAR. If I had kids I would love that they followed NASCAR -great role models.

Did you see your driver win the truck race yesterday???? We like him too!

 

[TammyNC]

Tammy - Same situation, I'm a big Pack fan and my wife is a big UNC fan; but in spite of it all we've been able to keep peace for 33 years of marriage.

Glad to hear it has lasted. We are working on our 15th and things still going fine. We pick on each other, but feelings don't get hurt. We also have the football problem as I'm a Cowboy's fan and he is for the Redskins. Lucky for us we love/dislike the same Nascar drivers.