What Are Your WDW Trip Progress Moments?

[Raineman]

What are the stages of your trip to WDW that you mentally check off as you do them, from the moment you leave home until the minute you step foot in the first park? As an example here's ours (we drive to WDW from London, Ontario, Canada):

• Loading up the car and leaving home early in the morning
• Crossing the border into Michigan
• Crossing each state line after Michigan: Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia
• Crossing the state line into Florida
• Getting onto the turnpike, then onto SR 429
• Passing under the west WDW gate on Western Way
• Arriving at our resort and checking in
• Getting on the bus to head to MK on our first day at the parks
• Walking down Main Street before heading to BOG for breakfast

 

[Raineman]

AKA my Canada pavilion revitalization plan.

Hearing Americans talk about how much they love Timmie's warms my Canuck heart! I don't think most people outside of Canada know how much Tim Hortons is woven into the fabric of our country. And, if you're stopping there on your way to WDW, can you grab me a large triple-triple? Thanks.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Hearing Americans talk about how much they love Timmie's warms my Canuck heart! I don't think most people outside of Canada know how much Tim Hortons is woven into the fabric of our country. And, if you're stopping there on your way to WDW, can you grab me a large triple-triple? Thanks.

I think Buffalo is the largest American market for Tim's. And the number one beer (not just imports) is Labatt. We're practically honorary Canadians.

 

[becca_]

I think Buffalo is the largest American market for Tim's. And the number one beer (not just imports) is Labatt. We're practically honorary Canadians.

I've been dubbed as an "almost Canadian" before. I go to Canada for lunch sometimes. I could pretty much walk there, I'd say we are Canadian

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I've always wondered what the drive down the east coast route to WDW is like, compared to the Midwest I-75 route that I am familiar with. I have heard that driving through the mountains in Virginia can be a bit harrowing in the winter if a heavy snowfall hits that area. Taking the I-75 route, you can usually stop worrying about snow once you get into Kentucky and closer to Tennessee, but Michigan and Ohio can be tricky in the winter.

There are some very nice scenic overlooks in WV. We caught some lovely fall foliage on the way back in October 2011. I don't know if there's any equivalent on the 75 route, but there's a stretch there in WV where you go onto a regular surface street (US19) that saves time over following the interstates to where they connect each other directly... it's the only part in 1,200 miles with a red light. I could see that part getting pretty dicey in the snow. Google says it saves 15 minutes over sticking to the interstate, but if the weather is bad, I might be willing to part with those 15 minutes. And, of course, the early part of winter is lake effect snow season... but there's no way that would happen while we were trying to get to Disney, right?!

 

[Raineman]

There are some very nice scenic overlooks in WV. We caught some lovely fall foliage on the way back in October 2011. I don't know if there's any equivalent on the 75 route, but there's a stretch there in WV where you go onto a regular surface street (US19) that saves time over following the interstates to where they connect each other directly... it's the only part in 1,200 miles with a red light. I could see that part getting pretty dicey in the snow. Google says it saves 15 minutes over sticking to the interstate, but if the weather is bad, I might be willing to part with those 15 minutes. And, of course, the early part of winter is lake effect snow season... but there's no way that would happen while we were trying to get to Disney, right?!

Lake effect snow in NY state or southern Ontario? Never!
Taking I-75 to WDW keeps you on major highways almost all the way. We take a surface road here in London to get into highway 401, and we don't hit another surface road (other than exits to eat, gas up or sleep) until we get onto Western Way off of SR 429 and enter WDW property.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Lake effect snow in NY state or southern Ontario? Never!
Taking I-75 to WDW keeps you on major highways almost all the way. We take a surface road here in London to get into highway 401, and we don't hit another surface road (other than exits to eat, gas up or sleep) until we get onto Western Way off of SR 429 and enter WDW property.

"Your traffic report for November 19, 2017... I-90 outside of Buffalo... one lane open."

Mark it down.

 

[tglancy]

Once we are all checked in and at the gate at the Providence airport is when the trip starts for me. Everything before that is stress inducing. Paying, reservations, planning, packing, making sure everyone has all their electronics and chargers and what not. Just the absolute worst. We usually take the earliest flight out of Providence so that we can get to the airport with no traffic and minimal issues at security.

From there, it's a picture on the tram at MCO, another on the ME, and one in the lobby of the hotel. Aside from that, we don't have any arrival day traditions, but our first full day is always at MK and we have dinner at Be Our Guest.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Hearing Americans talk about how much they love Timmie's warms my Canuck heart! I don't think most people outside of Canada know how much Tim Hortons is woven into the fabric of our country. And, if you're stopping there on your way to WDW, can you grab me a large triple-triple? Thanks.

I was a long time Dunkin Donuts guy but several years ago a friend got me to meet him at a TH for some informal planning meetings. I started drinking their coffee and eating their meals. Sadly the TH's in our area have now closed up soo its back to DD.

 

[LAKid53]

In our case, it doesn't really save us much money, but we enjoy the road trip itself (at least getting there-the drive home can become a death march). Driving through the mountains in Kentucky and Tennessee, driving through major centers like Cincinnati and Atlanta, eating at places we don't have in Canada, just spending time together as a family-things you don't get as much when you fly. Also, it does give us flexibility as to when we arrive at and leave WDW, going offsite if we want, hitting other places on the way there and the way back, etc. Having to depend on an airline and the DME to get me where I want on time, in 2017, is not something that fills me with alot of optimism. And, the extra days spent driving is not an issue, as myself and DW have no issues getting the extra time off. When we drove down last March, I drove all the way, we spent 21 hours in the car the first day due to a 4 1/2 hour detour on I75 in Tennessee due to a rockslide-and we still enjoyed the drive.

Never thought I'd read that someone thought driving through Atlanta was enjoyable.....

 

[LAKid53]

I'm a retired accountant, so to say I'm organized is an understatement.....

On a clipboard hanging in my closet are several copies of a standard packing list I created on my computer. About a week before our trip, I review that list and make updates for our upcoming trip. So today I updated it for our trip since we leave this Thurday.

Day of:

1. Spend 30 minutes trying to corral cat to put her in her carrier to take her to the vet's. Boy, whoever came up with the phrase, "like trying to herd cats" nailed it....

2. After dropping off cat and applying bandaids to clawed arms and changing shorts/shirt that probably were pee'd on getting said cat into carrier, it's time to load up the back of the SUV with luggage, food, cooler and most of my kitchen. I'm not leaving town without my Keurig and Williams-Sonoma non-stick fry pan. And appropriate cooking utensils, travel knife set, filtered water pitcher, etc. You get the idea...and why I'm one of those ****-retentive accountants....

3. Stop at bank ATM to get cash.

4. Stop at gas station to fill up tank if I didn't go by Costco the day before.

5. Stop at Publix for ice for said cooler and lottery tickets. I keep hoping my trip to WDW will be even more magical with six numbers, lol.

6. Finally on I-10! Takes about 70 minutes for me to get to I-75 - includes a stop at the rest area closest to I-75.

7. Another 2 hours on I-75 with a stop at the rest area just south of Ocala. Yes, I know exactly which rest stops my bladder needs...and the landmarks to watch for (that overgrown bridge on I-75 - rest stop 10 miles past that). Did I say I'm one of those ****-retentive accountants?

8. Once I'm on the Turnpike, it's another 45 minutes to 429. No bathroom breaks taken here.

9. Then it's Exit 267A onto 429 and trying not to mow down every driver on 429 as I'm really excited, knowing I will hit Western Way in 15 minutes. I've learned once I get on 429 to stay in the far left lane until passing the exit to that big mall - traffic can sometimes back up from the off ramp into the right lane, especially on a Friday. Oh, and checking out what we can see from Disney bridge on 429.

10. By the time I've hit Western Way, I've gotten the text with my room number, so I check when I'm at the light at Buena Vista. Then it's on to the resort parking lot, parking the car as close as possible to where my room is and start unloading the car (did I mention I bring my entire kitchen with me?). Which takes longer than it took to pack it....

11. Turn up A/C in room and collapse on bed. We usually don't visit any parks our first night. We will, though, head over to Disney Springs so my daughter can continue her addiction to Basin. And get a bite to eat, since I'm too tired to cook. It was chasing the cat that wore me out, lol.

Once I'm on I-10, it's 4 hours to the gate on Western Way. Unless I-75 is its usual mess around Gainesville.

 

[Raineman]

Never thought I'd read that someone thought driving through Atlanta was enjoyable.....

I wouldn't call it enjoyable necessarily, but the downtown area is beautiful, especially at night. Driving in 10 lanes of heavy traffic doing 70, I could do wtihout.

 

[John park hopper]

For us (DW and me) gettting a reservation counting the days, (last trip CBR) day before leaving checking the truck, oil change, tire pressure, washing it, cleaning the inside (hate to travel in a dirty vehicle) night before loading the truck up with luggage and cooler. I want to be on the road by 6:00 am Getting up the next morning can't wait to hit the road. DW checks the house makes sure all is locked up turned off-- finnally on the road by 7:30 Leave Mccllenaville SC highway 17 to I-95 (stop at McD quick breakfast on the road) hit the Georgia line gettin closer, FL line whoopie, I-4 double woopie. Ugh traffic and construction. Pull into resort (6 hour drive time) register unload truck and it's off to MK. Will repeat in Feb 2018 camping @ Fort Wilderness (first time) Counting the days