We are driving from Michigan to Kissimmee

[umaangel00]

Any tips? Mapquest claims it's almost 21 hours to get there. We are going straight through. Every time we have to stop for gas, we are going to switch drivers. We are taking a 2000 Pontaic Bonneville SE. Any advice is great appreciated!

 

[cbrfan]

What time of day are you planning on leaving? Are you taking I-75?

 

[nkkilala]

I have ridden the trip from MI to Orlando may a times. My family always used to drive straight though. We found that if we left EARLY morning (4am) we always did the best.
If it is going to be rush hour in any city you go though make sure to take like the loop that goes around the main part of (75 i think that is the name). The only time we didn't go around a major city was Atlanta. We normally hit that at about 3 am. It is nice to do like 8 lanes of traffice with just about 5 vehicles on the road.
If you have any more questions let me know.I'll ask my mom for details
We always avoided stopping in Tennessee. I thought we did it becuase we wanted to make it though one stat without stopping by my mom later told me it was becaus here sister lives there and my dad has a major grudge against here .

Our best trip we had was we made it down in 18 hours. I think this was beucase my mother flue (sp) down early and we spent less time at the gas station. We were in and out instead of having her stopping for food.
OH! another idea. Bring a cooler for food. We always had sandwhich sutff rather than spending time stopping on the way down.

Hope this helps

 

[umaangel00]

What time of day are you planning on leaving? Are you taking I-75?

I am not sure which way to take. Mapquest says to take I-75 but AAA says to take a different way. I am not sure which way is better.

 

[nkkilala]

I would avoid going through I think it was the carolinas. My uncle did that to bypass the mountains. BAD idea! I rememebr taking 75 almost all of the way down (my dad insists on taking back roads in MI instead of 94 and such to get to Indiana).

 

[Jimdamedic]

I have always found Mapquest to be accurate for driving times. Having said that, it's 20 hours from here in Southeast Iowa to Disney.

 

[umaangel00]

I think AAA wants us to take 64 or is it 65? I dont' remember. They said it's 5 miles shorter and less semis that way. I kind of like mapquest directions though. AAA said to take 131 to something, blah blah blah. LOL.

 

[wdisneelvr]

I have driven from Traverse City to Orlando many times.

I prefer driving 131 south and into I65-I24-I75 instead of driving straight thru on I75. There was sooooooo much construction on I75 thru Cinci. And less mountianious travel thru Nashville-Chattanooga.

We always pack a cooler for drinks and take munchies. We stopped every 2-3 hrs for gas or bathroom breaks. It takes a good 24hrs driving from TC to Orlando.

I always used the trip-tiks from AAA. They will mark the construction zones and speed traps along the map routes. The trip-tiks are very useful for exits that have gas, food and lodging on them.

 

[umaangel00]

I tried gettting a trip tik off their website and it was the same way as Mapquest. The local office told us to take 131 to 64 to 24 to 75 just like you said. I think that is the way we are going to go. I don't want to take 96 to this that and the other thing. LOL

 

[MidgeD79]

I live in SE Michigan and have driven to WDW 3 times. You shouldn't have to worry about construction until winter is over. Dave Hunter Along I-75 is a great book.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

I've driven from Ann Arbor MI to Orlando twice now. Used I-75 both times, for a good majority of the route.

(took 23 south until it met up with 75 in Ohio, then followed 75 from there)

About 20-22 hours sounds right for the trip, depending on construction and stops. Try to time your trip so you avoid Atlanta during rush hour (if you're making the whole drive at once), or if you're going to spread it out over 2 days, drive until you get south of Atlanta (I'd recommend 60-100 miles past ... just remembering that each mile you drive on the first day is one you don't have to drive on the 2nd) before you stop for the day.

 

[Boo Mc]

We just got back last week. 18 hours each way (from Novi) I-75 the whole way. We made minimal stops, got drive through food and DH does drive a bit fast but always stays with traffic. We were lucky to have nice, dry weather which helped. No big problems. It was a little slower in the areas marked construction but I don't remember seeing any workers - just signs - so it wasn't too slow.

 

[inkkognito]

We did 75...drove from Chicago, Illinois, straight through and it took 24 hours, but that was only because we hit the Atlanta ice storm. Without that, it would have been around 19 hours. There was only one mountain to go down in Tennessee, and other than that it wasn't bad. We drove through Atlanta rather than around it because the roads were pure ice and they were doing the most salting/sanding right around the city. Overall, other than the storm, it really wasn't a bad drive. We left at 6 p.m. so we could get the night over with first and then get a boost with the sunlight in the morning.
Barb

 

[LBKB]

Has any one done this trip over spring break time? Everyone is telling me the traffic is horrable. Questioning if we should drive over springbreak time? Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[northern michigan]

We're considering this for Spring/Easter Break as well. Looks like we'd overnight in Kentucky as a halfway point. Any advice is appreciated. We've never driven this distance before with or without children. Not really lookig forward to the drive, but with the cost of air it's the only way we'll be able to go. Those AP's are taunting me.

 

[Disneyjosh229]

When we drove to Disney at easter time, the roads were TERRIBLE!! The worst was through Tennessee (Chatanooga Area) and South Atlanta. If your coming from Traverse City a good 1/2 way point would be Knoxville, TN or Chatanooga, TN. The best time to hit Atlanta is after 9:30 Am or Before 11:45 am. Hope your trip goes good!!