For those folks driving!

[dis fan]

Thanks for the info! We're leaving soon on our second trip to wdw (first time driving). Sounds like orangeburg is a good place to stop after driving 14 hours.

 

[java]

OK our trip from NJ to FL is almost here and now I am in freak out mode. Thinking I don't have enough stuff to keep the kids amused. I need to get snacks(when in doubt feed them) and still pack! 5 days and counting!!

 

[duck_adoo]

Cast: DH-Mr. Insominaic except when driving, myself, 2 9yo dd's, and 2 yo dd (not potty trained).We're heading out on Friday 8/19 and planning on leaving at 4:00amish. We have driven down one other time and left on a Friday at about 6pm. While it worked out well with the kids (pre 2 yo), it wasn't the best. My concern this time...
1. is either 95 or not? I wouldn't go through NYC, seeing as we'll probably be getting there at about7-8am.
2.If we do decide to do 95, how can we avoid DC?We did hit traffic in DC on our last trip.
3. Do you think it would be a good idea to stay overnight at SOB? Then finish the trip the next day?According to mapquest..it's about 13 hours to SOB then 7.5 to Orlando?

Thanks!

 

[cranbiz]

DC is about 7-9 hours from RI/MA depending on traffic and driving habits. Leaving at 4am puts you there aroung lunch time. I don't think that you should have a great traffic concern then.

SOB is about 7-8 hours from WDW. I guess it's up to what type of accomodations you want. The motel there is clean but not fancy. If you have never been to SOB then it's worth stopping there to experience the classic roadside attraction with all of it's tackiness and the food there is not bad and reasonable. Gas is not, you can find gas for .05-.10 less further down the road.

I always stop at Pedro's diner for breakfast. $4.95 for 2 eggs, toast, potato/grits and meat. Decent food, cooked to order.

There are better places to stay along the way if you need/want higher standards. Santee and Lumberton are places with much better choices.

I take it that you don't like/want to drive at night. Personally I leave from our part of the world at about 4-5pm. I drive all night and avoid traffic everywhere.

Good luck and have a great trip.

Doing it again on Friday night.

 

[nanalisa]

Thanks for the info! We're leaving soon on our second trip to wdw (first time driving). Sounds like orangeburg is a good place to stop after driving 14 hours.

If you are in Orangeburg and like South Carolina barbeque, try Duke's for dinner. It's incredible.

 

[MeetingMickeyin2006]

I just found out that renting a car the week after Christmas is going to cost us $700, and that our flight could be as much as $1000!!!!!!!!!! I am seriously considering giving hubby the ok to just drive us down, but I am terrified of interstate driving. (I'll be the passenger) I am so scared of all of the semis and other crazy drivers!!!

We would be driving from NE Oklahoma, leaving EARLY in the morning on December 26th. What are your thoughts on traffic on the interstates the day after Christmas?

 

[JimFitz]

Any driving stories for us? I am looking to see reports from people who drove straight through from the Northeast

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

Any driving stories for us? I am looking to see reports from people who drove straight through from the Northeast

Start at page 1 and read your way through the pages.
My story is on page 5.
good luck

 

[duck_adoo]

We drove from RI to Atlanta then onto Orlando in Aug 2001. We were planning on driving straight through, but stopped to sleep for a couple of hours in a rest area in Virginia. We left at about 6:00 pm on a Friday. Slept from about 3:30-6 in Virginia then arrived in Atlanta at around 4. I think Atlanta is actually a little farther because we had to drive across North Carolina. My dd didn't think we ever be through NC! On the way back, we left at around 10-10:30 on a Sat. from Florida. Stopped at about 7 in NC then arrived home at about 6-7 at home. We drove 95 all the way. We're driving down again in 28 more days!! Changes this time...we're leaving at about 3-4am to do most of the driving during the daylight hours. I think that'll work better for us. Also, will set up ressies at Santee, SC. And check w/dis board members for recommendations. The last place we stopped was AAA approved but was terrible. We ended up leaving there at about 4am from our stop. Our dd's were 7 at the time of our last trip. They are now 9 and we also have 2yo dd. I have a thread in this sticky about drving from New England and got some really great tips. Flip through and you'll see it. If you search for 'For those who have driven from New England' it should pop up.
Good Luck!
Cheryl

 

[Mac and Us]

I guess you could say we drove straight through with a few stops for "rest".

We drove a MH @ 55-60 MPH so it took us a longggg time.

We left on a Friday at 11:45am and drove until 11:30pm where we stopped at a walmart in Maryland. We slept 2 hours and started driving again.

Heavy winds in N. and S. Carolina made driving difficult so we stopped at a rest area in s. carolina for 2-3 hours to take a nap and have a late lunch.

We arrived at Fort Wilderness at midnight on Saturday. 36 hours total.

The return trip was 32 hours driving time plus 6 hours for sleep.

 

[kerry34]

We drove straight through on the way home on our last trip in april. I am not in a hurry to ever do it again. Left Orlando at 7am and got home to central mass around 8am the next morning. We were completely wiped.

 

[Ct_TiggerFan]

Hi all,

Need some advise,

We will be taking the autotrain down to wdw
driving from CT to VA via Pa.

Leaving Aug 3rd making a stop in mericanicsberg pa
The hitting I270 to I 495 to i95 to arrive in Lofton VA

Question now, with construction on I495, I95 how much time should we allow from PA to VA.

Is there a better way

Thanks

 

[bdcp]

Depends on time of day. I-270 can be a parking lot and traiffic is usually heavy all the time. Look into taking Rt 15 from Mechanicsburg south to VA. For us, that's how we avoid I-95 since we live in Loudoun County, VA. My DS goes to school near Harrisburg, PA and it takes us 1 hr 45 minutes door to door to his school. You can avoid some of the DC beltway by taking I-66 from Rt 15 and then there's a couple of routes from there, either to I-495 or a couple of more local roads/highways. I never drive on I-270 unless I absolutely have to which is almost never thankfully.

Regardless I would go early and plan on killing time near Lorton rather than trying to figure out how to get there "on time".

 

[Ct_TiggerFan]

Hi bdcp,

Thanks for the tip,

Iv been looking at the map and it looks like I can take 15 all the way to I66, Then VA-7100s to VA123s or VA100s to I95s at exit 170

What kind of taffic can I expect on a Thrusday morning
This looks like about 3 hrs driving, depending on traffic.

Thanks for any advise

 

[bdcp]

Heading south in the AM there will be commuter traffic. Yes, people commute from PA to DC. It shouldn't be terrible though. 7100 is the Fairfax County Parkway and it is affected by rush hour as is I-66(heading eastbound in the am is very heavy). What time were you looking at? I'd say if you plan on leaving Harrisburg around no earlier than 7:45-8 am you would miss most of the traffic. 123 is the route I'm familiar with. But, you sound like you have the routes figured out. If you're on the road by 8-9 am you'll be in Lorton in plenty of time. Be aware that Rt 15 becomes one lane each way just before you get to the MD/VA border at Point of Rocks. It stays that way all the way to I-66 except for a very short stretch just prior to I-66. Even with an accident we had to go around on Rt 15 and heavy Sunday afternoon traffic, the longest it's ever taken me to get to the Harrisburg area is 2 hours and 30 minutes. My oldest DS takes RT 15S to Rt 29S to go to school at UVA and has only run into occasional traffic. We actually use that route to Rt 17 to go to Fredericksburg where we have family, just to avoid I-95.

 

[Ct_TiggerFan]

I am leaning toward Rt 123 to Lorton,
I have been pouring over the maps since I got my AAA tripkit this weekend. I didnt like the rt they were sending me, Thanks for the feedback on 15.

We will be leaving somewhere between 8 and 9 am,
so I hope we will be ok. Dpnt need to rush, just need to arrive before 3, so even if we run into major traffic I have plenty of cushion in this portion of the trip.

 

[cranbiz]

I just got back from a driving trip. The way down I had 2 drivers and was towing two motorcycles. I was only able to average 55 MPH and had to make a repair stop and had a 1 hour delay due to an accident in VA.

The trip took 29 hours (to Deltona, disney would have been another hour) - ouch.

We had no major construction or traffic delays using the I95 route from Cape Cod.

Coming home, I was by myself. Left Deltona at 6:15pm on Saturday. Stopped at the rest area outside of Fredericksburg at 4:45am for about an hour and a half's sleep and was back in Carver by 3pm Sunday. I had 1 delay on the NJ turnpike due to an overturned TT unit at 16W which closed the highway and an accident in CT which blocked traffic for a half an hour.

21 hours with the delays and sleep time, I could have made it in 18-19 hours with a second driver and no delays.

The northbound side of I95 in MD had night paving going on and also in CT near Mystic seaport. The construction in FL on 95 thur I295 is getting better, but further down near Daytona is behind Jersey barriers but with narrower lanes. I4 between exit 114 and 111 has construction to widen the road going on at night and down near the John Young parkway exit is still ongoing.

The 16 mile mess in GA is ongoing but does not seem to be causing any delays.

Any questions, ask away.

 

[SharkBait05]

Hello Everyone,
I live in Southern NJ. South of I 195 but North of the AC Expressway. I have driven the trip to Mouse World 9 Times (im an energetic 23 year old) Our trip direct via 95 is typically 14-15 hours door to door
Chris

Hi Chris,
I live not far from you. Did you ever keep track of how much you spent on gas in one trip? I've been trying to figure out if it's more economical to drive versus fly (2 people) and rent a car down there.

 

[siouxsan]

We are driving from Ann Arbor , MI to Orlando. WE have 4 adults, 3 kids in 2 cars ..6yrs,3 yrs, 2 months are the ages. What's a good stopping point for the night if we are doing the trip in two days? We'd like a place where we can get a suite for all of us if possible.
Thanks!
Siouxsan

 

[duck_adoo]

Did you drive straight through on the way there? Also what time did you leave to go to Florida?
Thanks~
Cheryl