driving from CT changing plans

[quirkle]

So our trip is 12/20-12/31, We planned to leave 12/19 at 12:00 and drive straight through then:

Plan 2 - Leave 2:30 AM 12/19 and maybe stay overnight somewhere in Georgia and then drive to WDW.

Plan 3: Leave at night on 12/18 drive through until ???????

HELP my planners - you are my only hope!

 

[Nemo14]

How many drivers?

 

[hankhill]

See you on the road. We leave at 330am on the 21st from just outside Philly and drive straight thru. Cannot wait. We pack lunch and stop about NC/SC border then dinner somewhere outside Jacksonville. There by 8ish.

 

[quirkle]

We have 2 drivers.

 

[Nemo14]

We've driven it straight through from RI, but I really wouldn't recommend it. You're pretty zombied for a day or 2 when you get there, which can really put a damper on your fun. Plan to stay somewhere in GA or even Northern FL, then get some rest. JMHO

 

[JohnD]

Actually, I'd say stay the night in St. George, SC. It's just south of the I-26 intersection and there are lots of hotels around I-95. (I could tell you of the time when I was a kid returning with my parents from dropping off my brother at summer camp in northern SC and staying in St. George because of pouring rain and there was no place to stay but that is another story and another time!)

 

[quirkle]

Thanks. Lol

 

[JerseyDad]

...where in CT are you leaving from?

....reason I ask is that we drive (from NJ) ....one driver (me ...by choice) ...and I drive 12 to 14 hrs the first day ...leaving NJ at 5:30 or 6:00 am. We always stopped in Brunswick Ga., the first night after about 12 hrs on the road ...then it was 3.0 hrs the next morning to WDW.

...this year I was making great time, and after 14 hrs ...stopped in St Augustine, Fl. That was great ...because it was only about 2 hr drive to WDW next morn ...and we got there at about 10am.

 

[cynic710]

great seeing a fellow ct member!

I was thinking about doing the same thing, but nobody wants to do it! I live just outside new haven, and drove to fort Lauderdale twice while I was in college. once you leave Delaware its literally nothing until south of the border in the carolinas, then Jacksonville. Georgia seems like a natural fit for a resting stop, probably in the savannah area, its a nice area and takes about 12 hours to get there. its a boring drive, but its an experience. Id love to know how it turns out for you!

 

[JohnD]

Thanks. Lol

You're welcome. Actually, I used to live in the DC Metro area for some time. Leaving from there, you can time your drive to Jacksonville (approx 700 miles) right at 12 hours. If you leave DC at 6:30 a.m., you're almost guaranteed to arrive in Jax at 6:30 p.m.

• Va: 3.5 hours
• NC: 3 hours
• SC: 3 hours
• Ga-Jax: 2.5 hours

Not sure of drive from CT to DC, so plan accordingly. Jax to WDW is 2.5 hours.

 

[quirkle]

You guys are all awesome. I'm on West haven, CT. That is about 5-6 hours outside DC.

LOVE ALL the times. I'm going to print this thread.

 

[quirkle]

great seeing a fellow ct member!

I was thinking about doing the same thing, but nobody wants to do it! I live just outside new haven, and drove to fort Lauderdale twice while I was in college. once you leave Delaware its literally nothing until south of the border in the carolinas, then Jacksonville. Georgia seems like a natural fit for a resting stop, probably in the savannah area, its a nice area and takes about 12 hours to get there. its a boring drive, but its an experience. Id love to know how it turns out for you!

We are in West haven neighbor!!!!!

 

[JohnD]

You guys are all awesome. I'm on West haven, CT. That is about 5-6 hours outside DC.

LOVE ALL the times. I'm going to print this thread.

Also, first you already know about all the routes from CT to DC (toll roads, bridges, etc.). From DC to Jax, be sure to take the two I-295s (I-295 around Richmond and I-295 East Beltway around Jacksonville. Besides, you get a great view going over the Dames Point Bridge (cable-stayed).

P.S. Corrected my post above. Jax to WDW is approx. 2.5 hours (says Google maps), not 3.5 hours.

 

[quirkle]

Ok- we think we might leave around 9 or 10 on Wednesday night. I'm reading DH all these comments and he is getting excited about the drive.

Which route to take? 95 or garden state?

 

[JohnD]

Ok- we think we might leave around 9 or 10 on Wednesday night. I'm reading DH all these comments and he is getting excited about the drive.

Which route to take? 95 or garden state?

I actually drove the reverse route to Boston when I lived in DC. I drove I-95 to the Garden State Parkway to I-87. Then I-87 into CT, then Boston from there. But you know the routes better than I do.

 

[quirkle]

I don't know garden state at all. Really need help picking. I think we will be ok on 95 early.

 

[JohnD]

I don't know garden state at all. Really need help picking. I think we will be ok on 95 early.

Since it was my first drive to Boston, I wanted to avoid NYC at all costs. As you know, there are tolls everywhere, no matter where you drive.

 

[Nemo14]

If you want to avoid NYC and all the other big cities on the I-95 corridor and all the tolls, go north up to I-84 and take it to I-81 all the way through NY,PA,MD, WV, and VA.Then take I-77 to I-26 back to I-95. You'll have a lot more truck traffic, but we make much better time going that way.

 

[JohnD]

If you want to avoid NYC and all the other big cities on the I-95 corridor and all the tolls, go north up to I-84 and take it to I-81 all the way through NY,PA,MD, WV, and VA.Then take I-77 to I-26 back to I-95. You'll have a lot more truck traffic, but we make much better time going that way.

I'll admit I have never driven that route, but when I Google-mapped it, it added 2 hours to a drive from New Haven, CT to Jacksonville, FL (from approx. 15 to 17 hours). When I Google-mapped I-95 vs. Garden State Parkway around NYC--all else being I-95, it only made the drive 10 minutes longer.

 

[Nemo14]

I'll admit I have never driven that route, but when I Google-mapped it, it added 2 hours to a drive from New Haven, CT to Jacksonville, FL (from approx. 15 to 17 hours). When I Google-mapped I-95 vs. Garden State Parkway around NYC--all else being I-95, it only made the drive 10 minutes longer.

If you don't get stuck in traffic. We have never been that lucky.