Driving To Disney from the Northeast...

[DarkImage4]

Are there any specific hot spots that we should "avoid like the plague"? We know the Washington DC is bad, as is Jacksonville FL.

Are there any others we should watch for?

What times should we avoid these areas?

My wife & I are leaving for Disney on July 3rd and we're driving down from New Jersey. Our directions pretty much keep us on I-95.

Anyone have specific ideas or experiences that they could share?

All help is greatly appreciated.

Less than 2 weeks to go!!! :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:

 

[The Mom]

Jacksonville is bad?? Seriously,until the new I-95 bridge is completely finished, it is bad. You might want to consider the 295 bypass.

Just a note. If you like a "cold one" after a hard day of driving, please note that a lot of the NC/SC counties along 95 are "dry." We always pack a bottle of wine or a couple of cold ones...way in the back, of course....for a night cap.

If you decide to stay on 95, remember to keep to the left when going through the downtown area. Also, if you stop overnight in Jax while on 95(although I can't imagine why you would want to) don't stop at any motels between the airport and J T Butler BLVD....motels AT either of those exits are OK) If you're on 295, don't stop until Orange Park.

 

[DarkImage4]

Originally posted by The Mom
...don't stop at any motels between the airport and J T Butler BLVD....motels AT either of those exits are OK) If you're on 295, don't stop until Orange Park.

Why not? (sorry, I guess I'm a bit naive...)

 

[no2apprentice]

North Carolina and South Carolina State Police are notorious for writing "marginal" speeding tickets, like as little as 5 mph over posted limit, especially for out of state vehicles. Keep your eyes on the truckers and follow their lead.

 

[The Mom]

Originally posted by DarkImage4


Why not? (sorry, I guess I'm a bit naive...)

Local knowledge. Although you would PROBABLY be OK, some of the neighborhoods directly off of 95 are "marginal" safetywise...tourists have been known to get mugged going to/from their cars at off hours, even shot. There are a couple of areas that look fine from the road, but I wouldn't want to be sleeping there! I'm sure other forum members can give you the same sort of "insider" advice about their home towns.

 

[dponisci]

we drove to disney at the end of april from richmond, va and did it in about 12.5 hours. the only real traffic we hit was actually going through downtown orlando, jacksonville wasn't bad at all. i would watch out for washington though, d.c. with the mixing bowl is bad no matter what time you go through, i would advise avoiding that if you can. otherwise have a good time and enjoy the South of the Border signs.

ps: Have you ever sausage a place! its a long drive, you need some humor!

 

[GoCamels]

Take it from a native Tar Heel...and with a grain of salt...

From North to South on the I-95 corridor...

Roanoke Rapids...can have its moments...draws a lot of problems due to it being in a low income area.

Rocky Mount...keep on moving...not worth the risk

Wilson...hotels that have been built at the OLD US 264 interchange are a good bet

Kenly...hotels are not the best quality decent stopping point

Smithfield/Selma...hotel choices limited, but decent in terms of safety...and for adult entertainment there is the Mustang Ranch

Benson...typical low price hotels in decent shape...recommend since its just over midway to SC but the streets role up at dark...except for the kids cruising NC 50/Main St. just off 95

Dunn...former stomping ground (lived there, went to college nearby) Ramada Inn a high recommend...bought a house from the manager, and all the visiting sports teams for our college stayed there) Also a nice Jameson Inn there recently....both at US 421

Fayettenam...I mean...Fayetteville...not a good choice, although "middle" exit (50 I think) just before the rest area has a decent selection...but its Fayetteville

Lumberton...get on down the road

As far as adult beverages along I-95...things have changed quite a bit. As long as you stop at one of the major interchanges/towns you wont have to worry about finding them...the more rural exits can present a problem...just remember no beer or wine sold before noon on Sunday. ABC stores sell the hard stuff. They are not too far away from I-95 either (In Dunn, its on North 421 about 7 minutes in front of the Wal-Mart)

Take all this for what its worth.

As far as getting around the major bottle necks...
DC...take 495 around the WEST side (don't follow 95) Stay away from the Wilson Bridge and road work between Silver Spring and FedEx Field. I don't know why more people WONT get off 95 there, when they can get right back on at the Mixing Bowl and have an easier merge.

Richmond...295 NO QUESTION!!!

NC...if you get in a back up on I-95...US 301 is very nearby and offers a qucik detour. Bring a map, dive off ANY exit just make sure you know which side of the road 301 (West or East side).

SC...same as above, but not too far

JAX...295 is a better bet than 95 thru downtown...esp. with bridge replacement.

NOTE...the Pepsi 400 at Daytona is the weekend AFTER July 4th. If you are headed down to O-town (or out as we are the DAY of the race) the Race is on Saturday Night, July 6th...I for on will be detouring inland. Just have to figure the best bet (thinking US 17 up to I-75)

Enjoy.

 

[Seano846]

I have driven down from just outside NYC several times, and I am driving down again this year. Every time I leave around 9pm and drive straight through the night with no problems. I usually get to Orlando in about 17-18hrs.

 

[TURKEY]

Originally posted by GoCamels


NOTE...the Pepsi 400 at Daytona is the weekend AFTER July 4th. If you are headed down to O-town (or out as we are the DAY of the race) the Race is on Saturday Night, July 6th...I for on will be detouring inland. Just have to figure the best bet (thinking US 17 up to I-75)

Enjoy.

I went to the race last year. Traffic once I-4 wasn't any worse than normal. However the Daytona Beach interchanges area is very bad. Once past that it isn't that bad.

Last year, the race was over around 10 pm. I don't know what the schedule is like for this year's race, but I imagine it will end at about the same time.

 

[Tramp]

we will be leaving in a week from Connecticut...we leave at midnight...that puts us on the south side of Washington DC before morning rush hour...after that, we found the ride to be super smooth...we timed it so we could get thru Jacksonville at night as we took extended rest stops several times on the way down...it took us about 20 hours total driving time...

...people warned us about the Richmond area but we took the alternate route and bypassed all of the traffic....

...just set your cruise control to the speed limit and relax...a speeding ticket can ruin your day.

 

[MKingdom25]

Originally posted by The Mom
...........
Just a note. If you like a "cold one" after a hard day of driving, please note that a lot of the NC/SC counties along 95 are "dry." We always pack a bottle of wine or a couple of cold ones...way in the back, of course....for a night cap. ................

Hey now The Mom. Lets be careful out there. Make sure it stays in the back :hammer:

 

[MKingdom25]

Originally posted by MKingdom25


Hey now The Mom. Lets be careful out there. Make sure it stays in the back :hammer:

Sorry if I sounded too preachy. Just had to add my two cents in there.

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by The Mom


Local knowledge. Although you would PROBABLY be OK, some of the neighborhoods directly off of 95 are "marginal" safetywise...tourists have been known to get mugged going to/from their cars at off hours, even shot. There are a couple of areas that look fine from the road, but I wouldn't want to be sleeping there! I'm sure other forum members can give you the same sort of "insider" advice about their home towns.

...I noticed that the rest stops on 95 in Florida, unlike anywhere else, had security guards all night...they must be fairly safe, no?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

If you keep driving thorugh you won't have to many problems on I-95. If you need to stop somewhere down the line try Brnswick, GA. That is where stopped a few times driving down. There is a really nice Embassy Suites there.

 

[TURKEY]

Originally posted by Tramp



...I noticed that the rest stops on 95 in Florida, unlike anywhere else, had security guards all night...they must be fairly safe, no?

I seem to remember lots of the rest stops on I-10 and the Turnpike having nighttime security. I think that every rest stop I stopped at during the day had security too. Here in Arkansas, I'd guess more than half don't have security at all.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I think a great feeling when you drive to Florida is when you are in Virginia and you see the sign saying stay left for Miami! Well it is the turnoff to continue on I-95, but it is just so weird to see a Miami sign in Virginia.

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by turkey leg boy


I seem to remember lots of the rest stops on I-10 and the Turnpike having nighttime security. I think that every rest stop I stopped at during the day had security too. Here in Arkansas, I'd guess more than half don't have security at all.

yeah Brent...I don't think there were any rest stops with security the entire I-95 corridor from Connecticut...until we got to Florida...
that's when we noticed the signs "Nighttime Security"....that has to provide some deterrence for troublemakers.

 

[Bongo]

Sausage a place LOL

Originally posted by dponisci
otherwise have a good time and enjoy the South of the Border signs.

ps: Have you ever sausage a place! its a long drive, you need some humor!

LOL these signs are entertaining while you drive.

We even took a picture once:


I never thought I would use that picture at one point. here it is ha:wave: :slurp: :lol:

 

[Bongo]

Long drive

All estimations given by our other coleagues are very good.

Myself I leave Montreal, Canada at say 5:00 PM on the Friday and I arrive at the Maingate about the same our the day after. Our record was in 23.5 hour...

From NJ it is also a long ride albeit shorter than mine. We drove it at least 7 or 8 times since 10 years, it's our annual vehicle ride, we like it very much.

I almost never had traffic jams other than in Orlando. Sometimes, in the summer it rains pretty heavily in the Southern States, SC, GA, FL itself. When you cross that bridge between GA and FL, at least you enter Florida but you still have to drive around 3 to 4 more hours...

I don't know how to use the search feature here with someone's username but I published some posts on my way to see this drive before. If you know how to use that feature you might be able to see what I said before to our co-poster 2much2do who drives from NY state too.

Anyaway, it can be fun to drive. But this year I'm going twice and twice by plane....:fork:

 

[Tramp]

oh Crap...those "South of the Border" signs....they start about 100 miles away....when we got there, what a waste of time...TOURIST TRAP .

...but the signs are amusing...