"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (Part V)

[BC1836]

Heading back to WDW tomorrow via a stay in Naples.

All the best!

 

[wdwgirl21]

Our Spring Break trip this year has us passing WDW (making a stop on the way back) to head to Miami for a cruise. We are going to have barely 24 hours to make the 1,100 mile journey and I am a little nervous about it since it will be during spring break. If we take 75 south, we will be hitting the dreaded ATL about 7pm, and I'm wondering if we should head east from Knoxville to hit 95, or take our chances with ATL. We are planning on leaving Louisville no later than 1pm on Friday, the day before the ship departs. It will be our family of 4, with my husband and I driving. I'm going to start the drive, sleep from 8-12am in the back of the van, then takeover from there. We know it will be rough, but I'm hoping pre-cruise adrenaline will help=) We have never driven straight through at night before though, so I was wondering if anyone could offer tips and tricks. Thanks!

 

[BC1836]

Starting our drive home (phase one) in about 90 minutes.

All the best!

 

[ForeverDance]

Hi Everyone.
I just realized that this past summer we made our 5th 2600 mile round trip drive so we have officially earned our "bronze" status.
This summer we will make our 6th... with my cousin's family in tow... that should be interesting.

 

[BC1836]

Hi Everyone.
I just realized that this past summer we made our 5th 2600 mile round trip drive so we have officially earned our "bronze" status.
This summer we will make our 6th... with my cousin's family in tow... that should be interesting.

Congratulations on your "Bronze" status!

All the best!

 

[DSLRuser]

Our Spring Break trip this year has us passing WDW (making a stop on the way back) to head to Miami for a cruise. We are going to have barely 24 hours to make the 1,100 mile journey and I am a little nervous about it since it will be during spring break. If we take 75 south, we will be hitting the dreaded ATL about 7pm, and I'm wondering if we should head east from Knoxville to hit 95, or take our chances with ATL. We are planning on leaving Louisville no later than 1pm on Friday, the day before the ship departs. It will be our family of 4, with my husband and I driving. I'm going to start the drive, sleep from 8-12am in the back of the van, then takeover from there. We know it will be rough, but I'm hoping pre-cruise adrenaline will help=) We have never driven straight through at night before though, so I was wondering if anyone could offer tips and tricks. Thanks!

1,100 miles will take you right around 17-18 hours.

7pm in atlanta is not too bad.

 

[BC1836]

Our 40th round trip drive to WDW since 2002 completed yesterday.

Departed WDW on 2//9 at 8:12 a.m. (Disney Speedway $1.66) Usual stop & go at Orlando on I-4. Then onto I-95.
GA: 11:34 a.m.
SC: 1:22 p.m.
NC: 3:59 p.m.
VA: 6:44 p.m. (stayed overnight)
Departed Petersburg at 8:16 a.m. Left lane accident slowed us up for only 4-5 minutes.
MD: 10:13 a.m. First I-95 rest stop bathrooms closed. Nasty Port-O-Johns in place. And we mean nasty.
DE: 12:09 p.m.
NJ: 12:20 p.m. and home at 2:05
Least worst traffic in a long time on the return home.
Best gas price: $1.39 in Petersburg, VA.
All the best!

 

[disneysteve]

Best gas price: $1.39 in Petersburg, VA.

Welcome home.

Cheapest gas here in NJ I've seen is $1.37.

 

[Happiest mommy]

I think the drive back home and stopping at VA Beach sounds great! so much planning to do, haven't decided yet if we should leave on a wed or Thur maybe Friday and at what time, so if you guys could help me with this or any other suggestions all welcomed Thank you, thank you!!!

 

[BC1836]

I think the drive back home and stopping at VA Beach sounds great! so much planning to do, haven't decided yet if we should leave on a wed or Thur maybe Friday and at what time, so if you guys could help me with this or any other suggestions all welcomed Thank you, thank you!!!

Beware I-64 in VA on summer weekends! Can you say "parking lot?"

Good luck and all the best!

 

[Happiest mommy]

BC1836 will try not to come back on a weekend thanks

 

[BC1836]

BC1836 will try not to come back on a weekend thanks

Indeed. But beautiful summer weather weekdays on I-64 can also cause "moments to remember." The time of day is also an important factor to consider.

All the best!

 

[cruisingkat]

I'll second this suggestion. We've made the drive from Wisconsin to WDW twice, and both times we've planned a side trip on the way home. The first time we stayed in Bradenton Beach so my wife could swim in the ocean for the first time. (Well, technically it is on the Gulf side, but close enough.) Then the second time we spent a few days in Nashville before heading home. Drive #3 is coming up next year, and we're starting to brainstorm ideas for our post-WDW side trip. It seems to alleviate the leaving-Disney blues knowing that we still have more fun ahead of us.

Have you ever stopped in Atlanta? DH & I stopped on one trip home, went to the Atlanta Zoo and Atlanta Aquarium. The Aquarium is really outstanding and the zoo is one of the four in the US to have pandas including the panda twins that were born in 2013. At the Aquarium, you have to see the dolphin show - it's not just dolphin's doing their tricks like at Brookfield Zoo in IL, there is actually a play starring the trainers and dolphins.

 

[Cheerio]

We are home from our first ever family road trip from Toronto area to Orlando, to Cocoa Beach and home.
We encountered horrible weather through NC, SC, GA and FL on our way down, tons of accidents due to fog and rain. Stopped in Orangeburg SC on the way down and then Beckley WV on the way home. Took the i77-79 and it took us 24hrs total driving both ways (including quite a few stops on the way home)

Total traveled - 2981 miles. We'd drive again in a heartbeat, free hotels and gas was $350 total canadian.

 

[PaHunter]

Getting ready to leave tonight for our trip to WDW from PA. 1179 miles each way from NE PA to WDW. First day is the longest drive, stop in Walterboro, SC then the second day head to WDW.
Made the same trip last Feb, hope this one is just as nice.

 

[dvcville]

Only 147 days till we hit the for OKW. Now for the never ending debates. Which car are we taking?What work needs to be done to the car we are taking? What time are we leaving ? Are we driving straight through or stopping? If we are stopping where do we want to stop? Whew sometimes the planing is more work than the trip but Its all part of the fun too!

 

[ktate82]

We will be driving down in Oct from Southern Indiana. I have made the drive a few times before but been more than 6 years, and we always hit Atlanta around 2-3 a.m. This time we are leaving early in the morning, driving through the day, and it looks like we may get there between 10-12 a.m. How bad is Atlanta through the day?

 

[LadyBeBop]

We will be driving down in Oct from Southern Indiana. I have made the drive a few times before but been more than 6 years, and we always hit Atlanta around 2-3 a.m. This time we are leaving early in the morning, driving through the day, and it looks like we may get there between 10-12 a.m. How bad is Atlanta through the day?

If my estimate is correct, you'll be driving down on Saturday October 1. Normally, that would be a positive since you don't have to worry about rush hour. However, the times we've driven through Atlanta during weekends, we've encountered slowdowns. Probably due to sporting events starting or ending.

The two Atlanta sports teams playing on a Saturday that time of year are the Atlanta Braves (baseball) and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (college football). Unfortunately for you, both are playing at home on October 1. You probably don't have to worry about the Braves. Their game against the Detroit Tigers is scheduled for 7:10 PM. Even if the game time is changed, it won't start any earlier than about 4 PM

You may have to worry about the football game though. Gametime (against University of Miami) has not been announced yet, and chances are it won't be announced until sometime the week of the game. Worst case scenerio would be a noon start. Best case would be a late afternoon start. I don't think they will go head-to-head against baseball.

Even if both are afternoon games, you'll probably be OK, as long as you stay in the far left (carpool) lane. Chances are, it will be stop and go up until downtown, but I don't think it will be a significant time loss. Good luck.

 

[ktate82]

If my estimate is correct, you'll be driving down on Saturday October 1. Normally, that would be a positive since you don't have to worry about rush hour. However, the times we've driven through Atlanta during weekends, we've encountered slowdowns. Probably due to sporting events starting or ending.

The two Atlanta sports teams playing on a Saturday that time of year are the Atlanta Braves (baseball) and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (college football). Unfortunately for you, both are playing at home on October 1. You probably don't have to worry about the Braves. Their game against the Detroit Tigers is scheduled for 7:10 PM. Even if the game time is changed, it won't start any earlier than about 4 PM

You may have to worry about the football game though. Gametime (against University of Miami) has not been announced yet, and chances are it won't be announced until sometime the week of the game. Worst case scenerio would be a noon start. Best case would be a late afternoon start. I don't think they will go head-to-head against baseball.

Even if both are afternoon games, you'll probably be OK, as long as you stay in the far left (carpool) lane. Chances are, it will be stop and go up until downtown, but I don't think it will be a significant time loss. Good luck.

We will actually be driving down on Sept 30. I'm sorry as I said Oct. The plan is to be at the Poly in time to get settled, have some dinner, pool time, and see the fireworks from MNSSHP. Since it will be a Friday, I want to make sure we are out before evening rush hour as I figured it would be worse going out of town on a Friday.

 

[LadyBeBop]

We will actually be driving down on Sept 30. I'm sorry as I said Oct. The plan is to be at the Poly in time to get settled, have some dinner, pool time, and see the fireworks from MNSSHP. Since it will be a Friday, I want to make sure we are out before evening rush hour as I figured it would be worse going out of town on a Friday.

Then my estimate is wrong. Looking at your signature, I thought it was October 1.

Anyway...you should be OK. We've gone through Atlanta midday on a Friday with no problems.

Good luck.

Edit to add: What time are the fireworks for MNSSHP? Allowing six hours straight from Atlanta to the Poly (and I think that's extremely generous), you won't get to the Poly much before 6 PM.