For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (III)

[Disneyholic]

Great!! We may change to June, I'm having second thoughts about leaving my Dad alone at Thanksgiving, even though there's plenty of relatives around and it will be more than a year. I'm very conflicted right now!!! Our June dates would be something around 6/18 through the 26th or so. Would we cross over??

A friend worked at WDW in IT for a while. She joked about the two-finger point too!

We were at DHS today & I saw quite a few CMs doing a 1 finger point & I thought "What the heck. Aren't they enforcing that now either."

 

[harris family]

We are going to Daytona beach first before going to Disney and we are leaving from nw Indiana ,we are thinking about going 65 to 75 in Louisville to 40 to 26 to 95
It seems on google maps that it is 30 mins longer than the 65 to 24 in tenn to 75 to 10 to 95 so we are thinking of the awesome views will be worth the time but have never went this way so any input on traffic in the mountains and any other helpful info is welcomed we leave in 16 days staying @ POP may 5-11!!!!!!!!!

 

[livibug]

We are headed down mid june from (northern) Cincinnati -

Hows I-75 Look? So far here is what I have found for construction -

Kentucky:
Mile Marker 126-136 (North of Lexington) - Down to 1 lane thru august.

Tennessee:
Mile Marker 12-14 (Chatanooga) - Lane Striping - temporary closures thru July 1

Georgia - Mile Marker 306 - resurfacing - may not start until later in the year or next year

and surprisingly thats all I could find.. any one else have any info?

Has anyone who has driven it seen anything else?

 

[LadyBeBop]

We are going to Daytona beach first before going to Disney and we are leaving from nw Indiana ,we are thinking about going 65 to 75 in Louisville to 40 to 26 to 95
It seems on google maps that it is 30 mins longer than the 65 to 24 in tenn to 75 to 10 to 95 so we are thinking of the awesome views will be worth the time but have never went this way so any input on traffic in the mountains and any other helpful info is welcomed we leave in 16 days staying @ POP may 5-11!!!!!!!!!

In other words, you want to exchange the headaches of driving through Nashville and Atlanta for the beautiful mountain views of Tennessee. To me, it's not an issue. Take the mountain route.

Only traffic problem you may have is getting stuck behind an 18-wheeler going 40 MPH uphill in the passing lane who is trying to pass another 18-wheeler in the slow lane going 30 MPH. And those are few and far between.

One other option to taking I-75 through the mountains. You'll cut mileage, but you'll probably add a few minutes since you'll have a few traffic lights. And the mountain views are even more breathtaking than I-75. It's the Cumberland Gap Parkway (US 25E).

1) Take I-64 to I-75 in Lexington (not Louisville).
2) Take I-75 to the Cumberland Gap Parkway (US 25E) in Corbin...exit 29.
3) The parkway is about 100 miles, from Corbin, KY to Newport, TN. You'll be going through one mountain in a mile-long tunnel, and you'll be going up and down Clinch Mountain. Make sure you take US 25E all the way to Newport. There are a couple of sudden turn-offs...especially as you enter Tazewell, TN. That turn is easy to miss.
4) Pick up I-40 in Newport, then I-26 in Ashville, then finally I-95.

Either mountain road you take, it will be worth it. Good luck.

 

[BC1836]

Disney Hess "down" to $3.33 (regular).

All the best from the Grand Floridian Resort!

 

[DMLAINI]

We drove from PA & @ the end took the I4. The I4 was soooo terrible & I'm sooo worried about using it when we come home. Is there some way to go from WDW back to PA without using the I4? We are near Pittsburgh. Thank You!!!

 

[NJRRK]

We drove from PA & @ the end took the I4. The I4 was soooo terrible & I'm sooo worried about using it when we come home. Is there some way to go from WDW back to PA without using the I4? We are near Pittsburgh. Thank You!!!

You can use FL417, the toll road that goes around the eat side of Orlando. It has FAR less traffic then I-4. But you will spend some money on tolls. It rejoins I-4 north of Sanford, south of Deland.

 

[harris family]

In other words, you want to exchange the headaches of driving through Nashville and Atlanta for the beautiful mountain views of Tennessee. To me, it's not an issue. Take the mountain route.

Only traffic problem you may have is getting stuck behind an 18-wheeler going 40 MPH uphill in the passing lane who is trying to pass another 18-wheeler in the slow lane going 30 MPH. And those are few and far between.

One other option to taking I-75 through the mountains. You'll cut mileage, but you'll probably add a few minutes since you'll have a few traffic lights. And the mountain views are even more breathtaking than I-75. It's the Cumberland Gap Parkway (US 25E).

1) Take I-64 to I-75 in Lexington (not Louisville).
2) Take I-75 to the Cumberland Gap Parkway (US 25E) in Corbin...exit 29.
3) The parkway is about 100 miles, from Corbin, KY to Newport, TN. You'll be going through one mountain in a mile-long tunnel, and you'll be going up and down Clinch Mountain. Make sure you take US 25E all the way to Newport. There are a couple of sudden turn-offs...especially as you enter Tazewell, TN. That turn is easy to miss.
4) Pick up I-40 in Newport, then I-26 in Ashville, then finally I-95.

Either mountain road you take, it will be worth it. Good luck.

Awesome ! Sounds very cool Thanks for the insight we checked it out and are gonna try it ,we can't wait for the views will be a welcome change from the Indiana corn n bean fields !
13 days until our we see the Mouse with the real big ears !!!!! ROAD TRIP !!!!!!!!

 

[BC1836]

Ah....transportation used this morning: launch from the GF to the Poly; monorail from Poly to GF.

We begin our drive home tomorrow. We hope to reach either Emporia or Petersburg for our nighttime stay.

All the best.

 

[WIDisneyFan]

We are going to Daytona beach first before going to Disney and we are leaving from nw Indiana ,we are thinking about going 65 to 75 in Louisville to 40 to 26 to 95
It seems on google maps that it is 30 mins longer than the 65 to 24 in tenn to 75 to 10 to 95 so we are thinking of the awesome views will be worth the time but have never went this way so any input on traffic in the mountains and any other helpful info is welcomed we leave in 16 days staying @ POP may 5-11!!!!!!!!!

We drive to Florida a couple times a year from Wisconsin and this is our favorite route, it is beautiful! As for traffic anything that keeps us from having to drive through Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta is a good thing.

Enjoy the drive.

 

[glo]

Need your guys help...in Jacksonville FL. soon, driving North to Massachusetts. Went the rte 90 to 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95 on the way down a weekday. It is Saturday evening, we plan on driving through the night after a stop for dinner. Should we drive 95 North home since it is not a weekday? Please respond quickly we could use the help deciding!

 

[NJRRK]

Need your guys help...in Jacksonville FL. soon, driving North to Massachusetts. Went the rte 90 to 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95 on the way down a weekday. It is Saturday evening, we plan on driving through the night after a stop for dinner. Should we drive 95 North home since it is not a weekday? Please respond quickly we could use the help deciding!

I would go the 81, save the tolls through MD, DE & NJ

 

[talb714]

Need your guys help...in Jacksonville FL. soon, driving North to Massachusetts. Went the rte 90 to 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95 on the way down a weekday. It is Saturday evening, we plan on driving through the night after a stop for dinner. Should we drive 95 North home since it is not a weekday? Please respond quickly we could use the help deciding!

You can we always drive 95 back to mass at night no traffic

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[sharadoc]

You can use FL417, the toll road that goes around the eat side of Orlando. It has FAR less traffic then I-4. But you will spend some money on tolls. It rejoins I-4 north of Sanford, south of Deland.

I am the 417 advocate here on the Transportation Board. You will avoid all the mess through downtown Orlando and come back onto I-4 past Sanford, where it's just the regular Interstate, so it's totally doable. You will need around $7.00 for tolls.

Just don't use your GPS when you get onto 417 or it will keep telling you to get off 417 and get onto I-4. Just know when you get onto 417 you're on it for about an hour until you see the signs for Sanford airport and an exit for I-4 East. Then once you get onto I-4 you can turn your GPS on.

 

[dvczerfs]

Great!! We may change to June, I'm having second thoughts about leaving my Dad alone at Thanksgiving, even though there's plenty of relatives around and it will be more than a year. I'm very conflicted right now!!! Our June dates would be something around 6/18 through the 26th or so. Would we cross over??

A friend worked at WDW in IT for a while. She joked about the two-finger point too!

hi sharon, we got our dates and resi's done.

may 18-21 = getting briana moved in!!

june 14-23 = saratoga springs

september 13-22 = old key west

december 18-27 = old key west

hope everything is going ok with your dad. i went through the same thing with my dad after my mom passed.

we are a little mixed about the timing of this entire thing. tammys dad is 78. hes not doing well and needs 2 heart valve and a valve band. briana has always been close to her pop. he had a valve replaced 17 years ago and at that time they said it was good for 10 years. hes a tuff old dude so we are praying things go well. he goes to the univ. of pa. hospital for all this. so we are thinking pos. i will keep you posted on briana. when you do go down, let me know when and i will text you where and when to find briana. take care, talk to you soon!

 

[BC1836]

Ah, tis time to part...in a few hours: the final half of the 2,000+ mile round-trip drive.

It was good to see sharadoc's and dvczerfs' posts this morning! And hopefully we will actually cross paths down here one day.

Now then...500 Aprils ago, Ponce De Leon arrived in Florida and claimed it for Spain. He had heard stories about a Fountain of Youth in Florida but never found it. Subsequent explorers also searched unsuccessfully, but they were early.

Fast forward to 1971: Walt Disney World opens. The Fountain of Youth

All the best from the Ponce De Leon level of the GFR.

 

[pwdebbie]

Yay for Brianna!

Does anyone ever use the Western Way to head north? I know it is toll and a little longer, but it is also empty and nice scenery. You get off at Apopka and then travel east to get on I4. But it doesn't get much mention here.

 

[NJRRK]

Yay for Brianna!

Does anyone ever use the Western Way to head north? I know it is toll and a little longer, but it is also empty and nice scenery. You get off at Apopka and then travel east to get on I4. But it doesn't get much mention here.

417 is easier for north bound traffic since you are on expressway quality roads the entire distance. Using western way you have to use local roads to connect to I-4.

 

[sharadoc]

Ah, tis time to part...in a few hours: the final half of the 2,000+ mile round-trip drive.

It was good to see sharadoc's and dvczerfs' posts this morning! And hopefully we will actually cross paths down here one day.

Now then...500 Aprils ago, Ponce De Leon arrived in Florida and claimed it for Spain. He had heard stories about a Fountain of Youth in Florida but never found it. Subsequent explorers also searched unsuccessfully, but they were early.

Fast forward to 1971: Walt Disney World opens. The Fountain of Youth

All the best from the Ponce De Leon level of the GFR.

Agree! So sad we missed our opportunities in 2010, who knew it could have been our only chance? How's first week in Dec? That's our next one.

 

[sharadoc]

hi sharon, we got our dates and resi's done.

may 18-21 = getting briana moved in!!

june 14-23 = saratoga springs

september 13-22 = old key west

december 18-27 = old key west

hope everything is going ok with your dad. i went through the same thing with my dad after my mom passed.

we are a little mixed about the timing of this entire thing. tammys dad is 78. hes not doing well and needs 2 heart valve and a valve band. briana has always been close to her pop. he had a valve replaced 17 years ago and at that time they said it was good for 10 years. hes a tuff old dude so we are praying things go well. he goes to the univ. of pa. hospital for all this. so we are thinking pos. i will keep you posted on briana. when you do go down, let me know when and i will text you where and when to find briana. take care, talk to you soon!

We decided to keep November, but leaving day after Thanksgiving so we'll be here for the holiday. We considered June but it's too soon, we won't be ready LOL. Plus we'd rather do cooler weather anyway. Your dates will allow you all to spend Christmas together - that's great, although I wish we could cross over even for one day!! We'll definitely look Briana up when we're there. That's so exciting

We are all moving into that weird time of our lives - kids are getting older and more independent (and more expensive LOL) while parents are needing us more and more. My father's mother is still around, turned 103 in March, so he's definitely got the good genes. He's learning to cope, but I expect him to be the classic case of a broken heart. I hope Tammy's Dad can bet on the road to recovery.

Take care,