Conference koolit::disney

    Denis,
    
    If ALA  is  as  good  as AAA in their KITS, then they should be able to
    answer most of  your  questions,  since when ever I get a trip kit from
    AAA, they always provide  the  latest  info  on road contruction, which
    states are agressive on speed traps, ban radar detector's and the like.
    
    Claude
    
    PS.  Please use the caps lock key to get your terminals keyboard out of
    lock mode, and use the shift key when you need to  CAPITALIZE.    Since
    typing  your  text in upercase is considered SHOUTING in Notes and Mail
    land, and is also considered a strain on the eyes as well.

    
    Came back in December by car from Florida. Be careful in Florida
    because the speed limits range from 55 to 65, according to the 
    city limits. Despite our radar detector, we were stopped in 
    Jacksonville for going 68 in a 55 mph limit. It cost me $104.00,
    which I was able to send in by mail within 30 days. 
    
    The speed limits go back and forth, so be careful.
    
    Jeannie Flynn
    

    
    Me and my wife drive to Disney (from MA) every time we go.  It's
    fun and builds up the excitement fo getting there.
    
    One warning - Delaware.  Geez, for such a piddley amount of Rt.
    95 that goes through that state, they sure take advantage of it.
    Lots of toll money and plenty o' speed traps.
    
SEAN/BEER=LABATTS

    I'll second Sean's note on Delaware. The last time I drove down,
    1977, it seems we were followed the time by state troopers. I
    don't know, maybe we looked suspicious!
    
    	Also, watch out in Conn.. They use remote spotters (cameras
    and radar that spot your car, photograph it, and then send you the
    ticket in the mail...surprise...what a friendly thing to do!
    
    	Once you get below D.C. it should be pretty smooth sailing.
    
    
    	Good luck,
    
             JJF

    Another thing to watch out for in Conn. is that Radar Detectors
    are illegal, and I know of quite a few people who have gotten pulled
    over for them.

    I am planning on going to WDW in June from Westfield, MA in June,
    what are the best routes to take?  First time driving there.
    
    Thanks - Arlene

	Take I-95 South to I-4 and take a right. (I-4 is in Florida)
	After you pass through down town Orlando follow the signs to
	Disney. It's that easy.

	You may want to take the Mass Pike to I-84 (or is it 86?) to
	I-91 south to I-95 but sooner or later you find your self on
	I-95 going south.

				Alfred - driven 5-6 times

    TO 48.7
    It is a very good idea to join AAA or ALA, road trip protection,
    road planning and strip maps.  If you are in something large RV
    or pulling trailer, ALA PLUS, not the right name, will even
    cover that. We have had the ALA Plus coverage and have always 
    received immediate services, also American Express Travelers Checks
    without charges.
    

    In 1986 while heading south on I 84, the tie down on our truck camper
    let go, firing a slid in part across the road into the snow of the
    middle strip.  I could not even see where it went much less walk
    across thru bumper to bumper traffic at 55 +. Then the Conn State
    Police arrived, looked over the situation called for help, when
    they arrived they blocked the high speed lane while the troopers
    plowed thru the snow, and found the missing part.  Forty five minutes
    after the part let go we were on our way, Thanks to Conn State Police
    we spent our time at WDW not home getting our truck fixed.
    

    From Westfield, all points north, take 91 south to Hartford, rt
    84 to NPC, take 684 to the Tapen en Zee, 287 to Garden state pkwy
    to N.J parkwary to 95 south.  In Baltamore,  the tunnel has propane
    gas tank restrictions,  if you can't go, the shortest route around
    is 495 EAST, although I personally perferr 495 west.  take 95 south
    toward Washington.  Alternate rt to DC is Balt-washing  throughtway.
    Note at this pont there will be an excellent rest area.  if you
    are a self contained camper, you may camp here overnight.  You've
    been traveling about 10 hours now and the kids are cranky.
    At Washington, take 695 east or west, here my pref is EAST.
    Now your on 95 till you get to Jacksonville, Fla.  There is a belt
    way around, but if its not rush hour, and you can follow directions,
    go right on through the city and save 15 mintes time.
    
    tolls:  heavey in New York,New Jersey Del, and then again in Richmond,
    VA.
    
    Alonge the Way:  I've ehard people complain about traffic in Rcihmond.
    I've had no problems here, except for the tolls every mile for
    eternity.
    South of the Border:  You've got to stop there!  You'll start seeing
    signs about a 100 miles away  Pedro really wants to seee you.
    There's a car wash big enough to get your RV into.  Wash your yankee
    dirt off here.
    Stuckey's:  Usually cheap place for gas/snacks.
    Florida visitors center:  get your FREE cup of Florida OJ or grapefruit
    juice.
    
    What to do with the Kids:  put to sleep and only wake up when you
    get there!!  if only.....
    age 6 up, there's an excelent game called auto bingo available though
    Stuckey's.  Its a bingo board.  to get other spaces, you have to
    spot things as you travel, like horses, or a barn, or a bus, or
    a tow truck,  you get the idea.  You can make several differnt baords
    yourself before leaving home.
    Nintendo makes several hand held games tat are fun to play.
    Also, I found the kids taste in music differs from mine.  I got
    them Walkman radios so they could each tune in.  Then there's TV,
    but usually only good near bigger cities.  Your vediocam can play
    tapes via battery to you tv.  that will at leat show one movie.
    On entering each state, we talk about its capitol, what its famour
    for,etc.  You can get that kind of information from you Woodall's
    directory.
    If your NOT a camper, but wish to $ave money on your trip, bring
    sleeping bags and turn into KOA campgrounds.  You'll see signs for
    them all the way down.  They rent cabins for abut $20/night.
    You have to supply sheets or sleeping bags.  A lot cheaper then
    motels.
    
    The trip is about 1400 miles +-100 or so from where you begin.
    about 27-28 hours of driving. As you drive south, you'll notice
    the mileage marks decrease with distance, telling you how many miles
    are left in the state.
    If you take the attitude that your vacation starts the minute you
    leave your driveway, then you can keep an even pace and see sight/other
    along the way.  Give yourself an extra day in case of
    snowstorm/breakdown.  If you find yourself with really an extra
    day on your hands,there are a number of great campgrounds/ places
    to spend time.  Also note, campers who know Jellystone campgrounds
    up here as generally being bad/timeshareing/etc, I've found the
    Jelleystone in Orlando to be quite nice.
    
    enough,  I could do the trip in my sleep, and just sometimes, I've
    done it that way.
    
    ed
    
    

    

    moved by moderator,
    
                <<< INDMKT::DUA0:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DISNEY.NOTE;1 >>>
                                 -< DISNEYANA >-
================================================================================
Note xxx.x                    Atlanta>Orlando Drive                   No replies
SCIVAX::VIENS                                         5 lines  19-JUN-1989 11:34
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    
    
    Any idea how long it takes to drive from Atlanta to Orlando?
    
    

    I don't have my maps with me, but according to the chart I did from the
    AAA's trip kit, Savanah GA to WDW (I95/Rt4) is aprox 290 miles and 5:30
    hrs driving time (not including  the  required  pit stops etc.).  So if
    you knew how long it takes to go to Savannah ...
    
    Unless of course there is a more direct route to WDW from Atlanta?
    
    Claude

    
      If you have a couple of weeks, take I-95 all the way, making
    sure you time your travel properly to miss rush hour at the
    GW bridge in NY, and Washington D.C. traffic.  Other than that
    it's not too bad.  Orlando I-4 is also bad at rush hour.
    
      BTW: I believe radar detectors are also illegal in Virginia,
           it is also illegal in VA to stop in a breakdown lane
           to assist another motorist from what I've heard, if you
           are in a breakdown lane, and not broken down you will
           be cited (some state law)?
    
     Coming back, take I-85 thru Atlanta, and then head over to 
    the Great Smoky Mountains, go back North on the Blue Ridge
    Highway and Skyline drive (allow a full day of driving, as
    it is a slow and dangerous road).  
    
      At anytime you can jump off of Blue Ridge and take connectors
    back to I-95 or other alternate routes.
    
                                              Mark
    

    Moved by Moderator
    
================================================================================
Note xxx.x                   Driving to WDW from NE                    2 replies
COEM::SCOPA "The Major"                              22 lines  21-JUN-1989 13:50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    How about some tips on driving down to WDW from the New England Area?
    
    Areas most people would like info on would be:
    
      o How long does it take?
    
      o Best route!
    
      o Best time to drive.
    
      o What to avoid?
    
      o What to take along.
    
      o Points of interest along the way.
          
      o What is good mileage/per day? 300 miles? 500 miles?
          
    For those of you who have driven down please share your experiences
    with us.
          
    Mike_384_days_and_counting 
================================================================================
Note xxx.x                   Driving to WDW from NE                       1 of 2
JACKAL::LECUYER                                      18 lines  21-JUN-1989 14:53
                             -< I have done it... >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Well I have driven down numerous times...
    
    basically my wife and I pack up a cooler
    with enough food for 2 days (sandwich meat, bread, popcorn, etc)
    we put the cooler in the back seat and cover it with a blanket
    the wife takes care of making sandwiches, and getting drinks.
    We stop every 4hrs to get gas and go to the bathroom. I keep
    tabs on tolls and whatever we buy on the way down. 
    
    I have found that the best time to go is at 4:00 am we avoid all
    traffic everywhere, and make it into Georgia the first day. We stop
    around 7:30 pm and get a hotel I crash, the wife watches a little
    T.V.. We then get up around 6:30 am load the car and are in Orlando
    around noon time. We like to get there and start our vacation. We
    use Mass pike to 85 (I think it's 85) and then 95 south all the
    rest of the way until you get into Florida and come to 4 then onto
    Disney. We go the same time and way on the way back (usually I drive
    straight through about 22 hrs)....Tim
================================================================================
Note xxx.x                   Driving to WDW from NE                       2 of 2
CTOAVX::JLAWRENCE "Jim/Hartford A.C.T.,DTN 383-4523" 66 lines  21-JUN-1989 16:41
                              -< We don't drive >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    
    
    Well, I have done it, just once. Never again.
    
    At first, you might think you are saving a bunch, but you don't.
    It is cheaper than planes and rental cars, but not by much if you
    are talking only two pwople.  The BIG question is how many are going.
    If you have 3 kids, then it's much cheaper to drive. For a couple,
    driving doesn't make sense to us.
    
    My ex wife and I drove down in 75. Stayed one night on the road.
    We killed two days (long days) each way plus you feel like garbage
    the next day so all you can do is hit the beach. You need to take
    the day off after your return because you feel so lousy.  I feel
    that by driving you use at least 5 full days. This unless you are
    crazy enough to drive straight through (bless you).  You have to
    pay for two hotels and tolls and the wear and tear on the car is
    heavy. The gas isn't cheap and each round trip is an oil change.
    
    If you take the plane, you are in Orlando in 2 1/2 hours. Relaxed,
    refreshed, you can be checked in by 12 and on the beach by 1.
    
    Costs:
    
    Driving:  Gas, figure 1300 miles x2 = 2600 plus
              driving locally, say 3000 @20 mi/gal @1.20      $  180
              tolls x2                                            40
              Wear/tear on car at .10/mi                         300
              oil change                                          30
                              
                                                      total:     550 
    
    And this doesn't count the wasted 4 extra days. But you save the
    rental car and plane fare. You don't add in the hotels cost because
    you would still have it down south. This assumes you stay at a 
    moderate hotel in florida and not at WDW @250/night. Otherwise,
    driving replaces a couple of cheap nights with expensive ones. But,
    you are spending those days in Florida and not Virginia some where.
                                                                  
    Flying:
    
    Air fare @250 x 2                                            500
    Rental car for a week                                        125
    Gas for rental car                                            30
        
                                                        total:   655
    
    This assumes somebody can take you to the airport and pick you up.
    If not, add in $40 to park the car for a week.
    
    Am I missing something?  Can't see the benefit of driving and 
    wasting all that vacation time and putting your body through that
    loooooong drive. My wife just won't do it.  For the once a year
    I take a vacation, I want to relax and enjoy myself. Not drive 2600
    miles I don't need to drive.  But I will be the first to agree that
    if you have more than two bodies, then with each additional body
    the driving looks better.
    
    Now, on the other hand, if you plan on actually doing things on
    the way down and up then maybe driving makes sense. But if you just
    want to get there and enjoy Florida, driving doesn't make sense
    in our opinion.
    
    Regards, Jim
    
                                                                   

    We just returned from Disney, driving from Central Mass.  We basically
    followed the route outlined in the Mobil guide, Road to Walt Disney
    World (It has a number of routes outlined from different cities
    in the U.S. and Canada)  We took a short-cut through Hubbardston,
    Rutland to catch Rte 84, followed this into NY and PA, took a detour
    though the Poconos (209) picked up 81 right through VA (took the
    long route through SKYLINE DRIVE --- breathtaking!!) then picked
    up Rte 77 at end of VA beginning of North Carolina.  We hit 95
    in South Carolina.  It did add mileage (I think the total miles
    from Gardner, Ma to Orlando was 1420.  We spent $2.00 in tolls and
    $100 in gas for the round trip.
    
    We slept in Virginia the first nite, South Carolina the second,
    Orlando the third.  As we were following another couple who had\
    a three year old, we stopped more frequently.  Wasn't bad, though.
    When we stopped at motels like Days INN or Quality Inns we would
    ask the rates, and then ask them to give us their preferred or
    corporate rates, we averaged saving about $10.00 - $25.00 per
    nite, depending.
    
    One of the best things we did driving was to invest in a second
    hand C-B radio, in this way we didn't worry about losing either
    of the cars in traffic, or could signal each other when we
    needed to make stops.
    
    Yes, it was long, but we did see things we wouldn't have seen
    otherwise.
    
    Carla
    

    Carla,
    
    So it took you three days to drive down to Orlando? We're talkin' 'bout
    450-500 per day?
    
    Mike_who_is_a_long_365_days_away

    Mike,
    
    We COULD have done it in two, with little problem, however, we in
    our vehicle had a 12 year old and a 13 year old, plus my brother
    and his wife in the other vehicle had a three year old..  We stopped
    A LOT to allow for stretches, and stopped early at night to book
    a room and allow for some swimming time.  Plus the only day we had
    left "early" was the 1st day, and that was at 7:30 am.  AND we
    didn't do Route 95, which is supposedly a "straighter" route.  We
    took the scenic route!! :-)
    
    It couldn't have been TOO bad a drive, as my husband is saying he's
    ready to go again!  If I dared to fly it would only be what, 2 and
    one half hours///  I can go by train too..
    
    365 days may seem long, but it will be here and gone before you
    know it.
    
    Carla
    

    Carla,
    
    I'm planning on at least 3 days. Then again, waiting some 14 years to
    return to WDW may make me drive a little faster and a little longer
    come next year.
    
    A friend of mine mentioned that when he drives around the country he
    figures out what routes he'll be traveling and will stop in at a
    Holiday Inn, Best Western, or whatever and have them book a room for
    him and his family at one "down the road" That way he can drive for a
    longer perios of time rather than start looking for a room around 7
    P.M.
    
    Did you guys do that?
    
    364_and_counting.
    
    Mike

    No, we didn't do that, but it's a good idea!!
    
    We did stop at Days Inn, Comfort Inn and Quality Inn's and never
    had a problem getting rooms.
    
    If you stop at one of these, or Best Western, Holiday Inn etc,
    ask them FIRST what their rates are, then ask them what their
    "preferred" or corporate rates are.. We managed to save a few
    dollars doing this as all the motels/hotels gave us (and my brother
    who is NOT a Digital employee, but was travelling with us) the
    better rate.  Only one, the Quality Inn in Front Royal stated they
    preferred to give the corporate rate to their "regular" customers,
    however I countered that Digital used Quality Inns across the
    country and while I was NOT a "regular" of their motel, I could
    frequently be a "regular" at another Quality Inn!!  No problem,
    got the rate.
    
    If you are going to be calling ahead and know your route, you
    may want to go into VTX TRAVEL (or VTX HOTEL, I can never remember
    which) if you haven't already.  This will give you the motels
    hotels were we have DEFINITE agreements and the areas where 
    they are --- but this list will not limit you to receiving discounts
    at members of these hotel chains in other locales.  (I hope this
    was clear!! :-)
    
    I envy you already (and I have only been back a week!) I can't believe
    what a hold this place has on my ALREADY!!!
    
    Carla
    

    Carla,
    
    Oh yes we do realize!
    
    Mike
    

    Personally, I keep a AAA book with rates and motels in the car but I 
    try not to set a destination.  If you do and you reach it your usually
    stop..ven if your not so tired you can't go on.  When I do a Disney-run
    I try to get the most miles each day and one way to get more is not to
    set a destination (save of course the roughest "somewhere in South Caro.".
    
    George
    

>    < Note 48.11 by WEDOIT::BERUBE "Claude G. Berube" >
>                         -< Atlanta to Orlando Drive >-
>
> Note xxx.x                    Atlanta>Orlando Drive                   No replies
> SCIVAX::VIENS                                         5 lines  19-JUN-1989 11:34
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>    
>    Any idea how long it takes to drive from Atlanta to Orlando?
    
    Last trip I made ('88), it was an 8-hour drive (I won't tell you
    how fast I drove) at least.  Trip was made going I-75 to the FLA
    Turnpike, then down to Orlando.
    
-Andy

    I have a few questions about driving down with a pop up.  How may hours
    per day should we drive (never did before and travelling with husband
    and one 4 year old).  Has anyone out there rented a vehicle to take
    which allowed you to tow a trailer?  We'd like to save putting mileage
    on our car and called around to a couple who don't allow it.  Any
    opinions would be appreciated.
    
    Thanks
    

    	(Assuming you are starting from some place many hundreds of miles
    from the World)  First, make sure that you have some local trips with
    the rig under your belt before trying a long trip like this!  These
    will give you an idea on the kid's travel-ability.  Some kids can take
    hours and hours of driving, keep themselves amused, sleep, etc and are
    a joy to travel with.  Others get antsy and start asking "Are we there
    yet?" after a half hour. The kid will be the controlling factor in the
    trip.  I've done Hartford to Orlando in one straight 23 hour drive.
    I've heard of people taking 4 days to get to Florida from New England.
    Do some local trips and make your own decisions. 
      Most rental outfits only let you tow with their bigger trucks. Forget
    trying to use a rental. The local trips will let you get the bugs out
    of your rig: getting the hitch connections right, getting the weight
    distribution of the trailer right (for stability), etc.  The
    car-trailer combo is a system that has to work in harmony. Changing one
    element (the car) may(probably will) upset the balance you've worked
    out on the local trips.  It's the same with hiking/backpacking: you
    don't want to do a major trip with new/untried gear. - Chris

    Although I've done this trip a half dozen times, I need some ideas.
    As the kids keep getting older, they get more restless sitting in
    the car for extended periods of time.  My wife and I can't handle
    a 27 hour trip with 3 kids fighting behind us all the way.  So,
    I need some innovative ideas.

    Since we've done this so many times, they're getting used to all the
    ordinary things that travel books suggest.  In the past, we've tried: 
    
    	Reading (still good for part of the trip)
	Letting them read maps, give directions, etc (but by now they
		all know the route)
        Travel games (anything from spell-your-name-from-license-plates
  		to puzzle books, to regular store-bought games)
    	Portable TV (good while it came in, but reception was a problem).
    
    Does anyone have some suggestions for "older" kids? (still pre-teens,
    thought - mine are 10, 9, and almost-5).

    How about getting an inexpensive cassette player (with headphones)?
    They can play music tapes, or you can get some story tapes from the
    public library.   Better yet, if you can find a story of general
    interest, the whole family can listen on the car cassette player.
    
    							Stephanie

    If you're kids have/want/like Nintendo-type games, you may want to
    consider the new  Nintendo "Game Boy".  It's portable, has
    interchangable cartridges, and can be played "head-to-head".  If it has
    the same "entrancement" as the original Nintendo you may even forget
    you've brought the kids along!
    
    This is just an idea - would probably depend on the personalities of
    you children.
    
    Moe

 We traveled to WDW last JULY. We had three kids with us also. But, they 
 were a little older (10,15,16). We borrowed old radio show tapes from a
 friend and spent some of our time listening to them on our car cassete
 player. All the kids really enjoyed them, especially the thrillers and the
 old Lone Ranger tapes. They each also brought a personal cassete player
 with them and their oen music. Oh, have you thought about food? We brought
 along a LOT of penny candy, fruit, case of drinks, junk food. Food keeps
 teenagers quiet for awhile. I also bought some travel games before our
 trip, but I wouldn't tell them what they were. I brought out a new one
 when they seemed to be getting bored and kept the rest hidden.  I think the 
 thing that saved us was that we drove down with another couple and their 
 younger children. We would meet at planned rest areas and would switch
 kids to give them a change. I realize you probably won't have this luxury. 
 Other than stopping frequently to let them run, I don't know of anything 
 different.

 hope this helps,
 Marcie (who_hopes_to_be_going_to_WDW_in_April_for_her_18th_anniversary!)

    I like the stories-on-cassette idea... driving through Nova Scotia
    a few years ago we discovered a radio station playing one of these
    - it was some kind of mystery, and kept us interested for a couple
    of hours.  I'll check the library.
    
    Good ideas - don't stop now, keep 'em coming!  I know I'm not the
    only one in this situation.
    
    /Don

    re. .27   The Game Boy is old stuff. It's black and white. The new
    Atari Lynx is COLOR!  The word is that every Game Boy owner that has
    seen the Atari wants to upgrade to the superior product despite the
    higher price. - Chris

    Hand held video games do the best job of keeping children occupied,
    even the 18+ yr old children that can be the worst. But the beep-beep
    can (will) drive you crazy. Spring for the model with earphones if you
    can. 

    Walkmans avoid the battles over the radio station, but unless you have
    lots of tapes they get old. 

    Liquids are mixed blessing, they help at that moment but you lose a lot
    of time stopping. Buy the smallest possible container. 

    The best for smaller children is a TV with earphones. Plug in a tape
    and they are happy for hours. This does not seem to work as well for
    adults.

    mike

    I've found that NEW can be very entertaining in the car.  I go shopping
    in advance and buy little gifts (coloring books, "barbie" clothes, GI
    Joe figurines, tapes, make-up, whatever each child/teen is interested
    in) and wrap each one up separately.  Then every day or after every
    meal or whatever interval seems appropriate, there is a new item to be
    opened and enjoyed!  
    
    BTW, this is also a nice trick when Mom/Dad go away for a few days and
    leave the kid(s).  Sort of leaves a message that you are thinking about
    them even though you're not actually there!!!
    
    Good Luck!!!
    
    Maryann
    

    
    I have seen VCRs that plug into the cigarette lighter in your car. Has
    anybody ever used one of these. I thought about using this with a
    battery powered TV on my trip to WDW this summer. This might help keep
    my two teenagers quite for awhile. At least until they start fighting
    over which movie to watch.
    
    Jim.
    

    
    This may confirm my status as the slowest driver in MA. but so be it.
    We drove to Disney last summer from central Mass. Stopped only for
    filling the car and emptying the occupants. We drove straight through,
    although we had planned on a stop in S.C. or GA. Total clock hours -
    31 hours. This includes a huge traffic jam on the Garden State Pkwy and
    a three hour delay for an accident just past D.C.
    
    I have always maintained highway speeds about 57 to 61 even in the
    areas allowing faster. This increases overall time but reduces gas
    consumption, wear and tear and suits me just fine. Your average speed
    is probably higher so adjust accordingly.
    
    I've no advice as to antsy kids. Our son, now eight, has been going
    cross country since he was only 4 months in original existance. He
    loves to go by car and it's either quiet play or mostly sleep. We do
    count our blessings!
    
    We enjoy driving. Especially 'our way.' Slow and steady and straight
    through. One other thing, we always allow an extra buffer day in our
    trips. When we showed at WDW a day early, there was no problem with
    lodging.
    
    

    It's that time of year when activity may start to pick up in here. It's
    probably a good idea for those who have recently driven to WDW to offer
    any more advice in this note. 
    
    If you are driving from New England you should know that there is quite
    a change once you pass D.C. Driving through Conn., N.J., and NY leaves
    a lot to be desired and you may want to schedule your "take off" to
    avoid the rush hours.
    
    Also Baltimore and D.C. can also be a traffic nightmare too. If
    possible do as much early morning (Pre 6 A.M. if you are capable)
    driving through these areas as possible.
    
    After you pass D.C. it's clear sailing....cruise control time.
    
    The other advice is to of course watch the speed traps. Beware of the
    dreaded "South of the Border" signs. They'll want to make you stop. If 
    you come back the same way you can stop then.
    
    Be wary of Jacksonville, Florida. The traffic is very heavy during the
    rush hour. I went through there at 9 P.M. Other than D.C. it was the
    toughest traffic of my trip.
    
    Best time to drive is early morn.
    
    Oh yeah......make sure the air conditioning is working fine.
    
    Mike_who_will_be_doing_just_that_in_about_450_days

    I'll be entering my trip report in the next week or so, but figured
    I'd give some info on the trip from NH down to Orlando, as we took
    it just about a week ago.  The route we took was:
    
    495 to Mass Pike to 84
    84 thru Hartford, down to 684 in NY
    684 south to 687, heading west across the Tappan Zee
    687 to Garden State Parkway South.
    GSP to the NJ Turnpike South.
    NJT to 95 in Wilmington, DE
    95S, thru Baltimore thru the Fort McHenry Tunnel
    95S to Washington DC, taking Capital Beltway around East side of DC.
    95S from DC thru Va, NC, SC, GA, and FL.
    Into FL, I4 south from Daytona Beach, thru Orlando, to Disney World.
    
    Going down, we took 4 days (I'll put impressions within text):
    
    Day 1, drove as far as DC.  Took 12 hours from NH, stopping for lunch
    	dinner along the way.  No construction or anything that day.
    	Stayed in DC at Holiday Inn, Chevy Chase.
    
    Day 2, morning at National Zoo in DC.  Left at noon, back to 95 and
    	headed south.  Some southbound construction on 95 south of DC,
    	not too bad, though.  Went as far as Emporia, VA.  About 3.5
    	hours drive.
    
    Day 3, from Emporia to Savanah, GA.  About 8 hours drive, uneventful
    	day.
    
    Day 4, from Savanah to Orlando.  Lots of construction in Florida on 95
    	but didn't screw up traffic too bad.  Hit a bad accident in
    	Orlando that day (4/5) and had to wander thru backroads to Disney.
    
    On the way back, we took 3 days:
    
    Day 1, Orlando to Lumberton, NC.  500 miles, about 9 hours including
    	stop for lunch on the way.  Again, construction in FL but no
    	stoppage.  Boreing drive thru GA/NC.
    
    Day 2, Lumberton to Wilmington DE.  450 miles, about 9 hours including
    	stop for lunch.  Piece of cake going around DC and thru Baltimore,
    	during the 3-5pm timeframe on a Thursday.
    
    Day 3, Wilmington to NH.  400 miles, about 8 hours including stop
    	for lunch.  Bad traffic most of the way.  GSP was a pain as well
    	as 687 across tappan zee.  Friday evening wasn't bad in the MA
    	area.
    
    General comments:
    
    	- Speed limit is 65 once you get past DC, and everyone was between
    	  65-70 the whole way.  Great cruising time, but boreing drive.
    
    	- Speed limit is 55 for the pre-DC part of the trip, but traffic
    	  varied from 60-80 - led to dangerous driving especially in the
    	  NJ and CT stretches
    
    	- We had 2 kids in our van (2 and 5) and we had to stop every 2
    	  hours at least.
    
    
    Overall, the trip was very good.  No problems, and the roads were all
    in good shape (some "groove" construction in the NC/SC area may raise
    havoc with RV's and motorcycles, but not too bad).  WE drove pretty
    much 65mph average, and as high as 70 in the southern part.  The
    worst drivers were in NJ, CT, and Florida - so be awake in those
    parts of the country.
    
    My trip report may have more info on the drive, but this is a quick 
    summary of the current driving conditions.
    
    andy
    

    Although my husband and I are flying to WDW in the fall, I thought the
    following might be of interest to anyone driving down from New England,
    New York, New Jersey, or Delaware this summer.
    
    Most notes in this file (and probably AAA as well) recommend staying on
    I-95 to get through the city of Baltimore, Maryland.  DON'T DO IT THIS
    SUMMER!!!  While the road is technically open, and you might not even
    face many delays off rush hour, it is undergoing major repair and
    resurfacing, and is in horrible shape.  Your car (and spouse, and kids,
    and dog, and....) will thank you if you take the following alternative
    route.
    		
    		As you approach the city of Baltimore, you will see a
    		choice of I-695 East and West, and I-95 South.  At this
    		point remain on I-95 south.  Just a few miles later, you
    		will be offered the choice of I-895 South or I-95 South.
    		Take the exit for I-895 South.  This route will take you
    		through the Harbor Tunnel, which costs the same as the 
    		Fort McHenry Tunnel.  After you pass through the tunnel,
    		simply remain on I-895 until it ends, at which point you
    		will rejoin I-95 South on the other side of Baltimore.
    
    		On the return trip north, simply watch for the
    		I-895 / Harbor Tunnel exit as you approach Baltimore,
    		and reverse the process.  [Just make sure it is I-895
    		that you have exited onto.  Baltimore has more spurs 
    		(i.e. I-195, I-395, I-695, etc...) off of I-95 than any
    		other city I have visited.]  After you pass through the 
    		tunnel, follow I-895 until it ends and leads you back onto
    		I-95 North.
    
    This route may be familiar to anyone who drove to WDW from up north
    more than 5 or 6 years ago.  Back then, I-95 through Baltimore hadn't
    been finished yet and this was the only way to go.  According to my
    husband, the traffic backups used to be unbelievable.  Now, with two
    different routes to choose from, it's no problem.  I would recommend
    this route even after the construction has been completed, as it is
    less popular and less prone to back ups, even during rush hours.
    
    Hope this is of help and have a safe trip!
    
    Ellen
    
    

        We are planning to drive to WDW this August.  We have never
        done this before.  There will be 5 of us including 3 children
        ages 5,7, and 9.  We have a Grand Caravan which is not bad for
        long trips.

        We are thinking of taking a week or more to get down and only
        2 days to get home (school).  We are looking for ideas on 
        places to visit on the way down.

        We do not want to go to theme parks, amusement parks etc. 
        We would like to keep expenses under control for this part of
        the trip.

        Our current list of things we might do includes visiting
        family (Philadelphia), Washington DC, Beaches (Virginia, NC,
        SC, or Georgia), Shenandoah NP, Great Smokey Mtn. NP etc. 
        Obviously we will not be doing all of the above.

        Any recommendations?
    

    If keeping expenses under control is one of your primary objectives,
    then by all means make sure you stop to visit the Smithsonian
    Institution in Washington, DC.  You have your choice of almost a dozen
    different museums to select from, and not one of of them charges
    admission.  The choices include the National Air and Space Museum
    (one of the most popular museums in the world), the National Gallery of
    Art, and the National Zoological Park (also known as the National Zoo)
    which is the home of Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, the giant pandas that
    were a gift from the Peoples Republic of China.
    
    In addition to the Smithsonian, there are many historic sites and
    monuments that do not charge admission to visit.  These include the
    Lincoln, Jefferson, and Vietnam Veterans Memorials, as well as the
    White House and the Capital Building.  Truth to tell, a family could easily
    spend its entire vacation visiting Washington, DC (and many, in fact,
    do just that.)
    
    The only problem with stopping in Washington, DC overnight is the cost
    of the hotel/motel rooms.  It is one of the more costly stops you are
    likely to make.  My advice would be to leave the area early enough so
    that you could make your overnight stop in Richmond, VA (only a few
    hours south of Washington) and save a lot of money in the process.
    
    Hope this is of help,
    
    Ellen

    I also am thinking of driving down in August.  We also have never
    driven this far before, my son is 10 so he is easily entertained, give
    him a book, magazine and his walkman and he's happy.  I can't say the
    same for my husband though.  We would also like to keep expenses down
    on the way down and back.  Like Jim, we probably will come home in two
    day which should'nt be a problem as we will leave for Florida on August
    16th in the evening, hopefully get to my parents in Ocala, Florida on
    Sunday night if possible.  Spend Monday and Tuesday with them, go over
    to the Marriott Orlando World for three FREE nights of lodging
    (frequent flyer Marriot points, so we can't justify staying in the
    WDW this time around).  Leave Saturday afternoon for a week playing
    golf in Hilton Head (we rented a condo) then leave the following
    Saturday go to Raleigh to mooch (I mean Visit) my sister, then on to
    N.J. to the in-laws overnight, then home, should be a piece of cake
    right!!!
    
    Pat

    RE: WASHINGTON HOTELS
    
    Many Washington hotels give extra discounts during the summer months
    ON WEEKENDS. We stayed there twice a few years apart and found that 
    when congress is not around the rates are less.
    
    

    
    The Baltimore inner harbor is lots of fun. This is similar to Quincy
    Market and in fact the same guy designed both. The National Aquarium is
    there if you're into fish like me. It's the best I have seen. Well, OK
    the Living Seas is pretty good too...
    
    Jim
    

	You may also want to stop at Stone Mountain in Georgia on your way.
You could see this in an afternoon.  This is the mountain with the HUGE
sculpture of Confederate generals in it.  To give you an idea of the 
enormity of the work, a man can stand in the nostril of horses carved into
the side of the mountain.  There is also a very interesting Civil War exhibit
and a small zoo nearby.  It is right outside of Atlanta.

Tom

    
    
    I was at stone mountain last year. Go to the laser show at night
    it is projected onto the side of the mountain. Don't miss it if
    your in Georgia...
    
    
            -=-=-R~C-=-=-

        First of all, I would like to thank all of you for your
        suggestions on side trips on the way to WDW.

        We decided to visit Washington DC for 3 days on the way down
        to WDW.  From advice (sent by mail), we will be staying at the
        Marriott Courtyard in Landover Md.  I was told this was a
        reasonably nice place, next to a Metro stop for getting
        downtown and much cheaper than the downtown hotels.  I
        reserved a room for all 5 of us in my family for $44/night
        which is MUCH cheaper than I was expecting to pay.

        Most of the attractions in Washington are free.  We are
        planning a quick tour of the Capital building, Lincoln
        Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Washington Memorial, Vietnam
        Veterans Memorial, and a bit of the Smithsonian (probably only
        the Air & Space and the National Zoo).

        We were planning to stop at more places on the way down but we
        have now decided to only visit DC. There is a lot to do in
        Washington and we are looking forward to it.  We will be
        leaving August 9th.
    

    Jim,
    
    You could also swing towards St. Augustine on your way down too. You
    could visit Ripley's Believe it or Not and then head on towards
    Orlando.
    
    I don't recall for sure but I think that St. Augustine was about 2
    hours from Orlando. It could be a nice place to stay the night before
    and then in the morning do Ripley, have lunch, and head over to Orlando
    just about check-in time although if I had Annual Passports like you
    I'd probably hightail it to Orlando and squeeze in as much "park-time"
    as I could.
    
    Mike

    We are planning to drive to WDW for December.  We will be traveling
    with my sister and her family so we are trying to decide between
    driving two separate cars and renting a mini-van.
    
    The positives of taking two cars seem to be:
      o We will probably be less crowded than we would be in a mini-van.
      o We may have more luggage room in separate cars.
      o We will each have more freedom while we're at WDW.  We will have
    	3 small children with us so the delays involved with using WDW
    	transportation could be a real pain.
    
    The negatives of taking two cars seem to be:
      o The difficulties of coordinating the drive - rest stops, food
    	stops, stops for hotels, etc..  We need to arrive at WDW together
    	since I'll be doing the check-in process for both parties.
      o We'll have an infant in our car so I will probably have to climb
    	into the back seat if he fusses.  I've done it before but it's a
    	pain.
    
    The positives of renting a mini-van seem to be:
      o It will be easier to coordinate the trip.
      o The trip will be more interesting since we'll all be able to
    	talk, etc. on the way.  We figure this will be great for Nicole
    	(age 3) and Lindsay (age 4).
      o It will be easier to take care of the infant.
      o It will be easier to play musical chairs if needed.
    
    The negatives of renting a mini-van seem to be:
      o The cost may be outrageous.
      o There may not be enough room for the luggage.
      o We may be too crowded.
      o We will have less freedom when we get to WDW.
    
    
    Do any of you have suggestions for coordinating two cars?  Family
    members suggested getting CB's.  This sounds good except it could
    be expensive.  Plus I assume we would have to wire them into our
    vehicles.  Is this true or do they have some sort of portable
    model that wouldn't require any permanent wiring or brackets?  We
    were told to forget using walkie-talkies and such because they
    don't work well.  If we don't do this, we will need to set up a
    system to signal each other when we need to stop.  Any suggestions?
    
    Do any of you have information about renting a mini-van?  The guy
    at the travel agency guestimated about $800 for two weeks but
    he didn't seem to be very sure.
    
    Can any of you mini-van owners comment on the feasibility of putting
    4 adults, 3 car seats, luggage for 7, a small cooler and other misc.
    stuff in a mini-van?
    
    Thanks,
    Ruth

    We usually take a route similar to the one listed in 48.36.  The
    differences being that we take the Pallisades Parkway instead of
    the Garden State Parkway and we take 295 around Jacksonville, FL.
    
    My brother-in-law who is a trucker has suggested a slightly
    different route:
      495 to Mass Pike to 84
      84 thru Connecticut to 81 in New York
      81 thru Pennsylvania and Maryland to 17 in Virginia
      17 to 95 (around Fredricksburg, VA)
      95 to 295 around Jacksonville, FL
      95 to I4
      I4 to Disney World
    
    According to him, taking route 84 to route 81 to route 17 saves
    time even though it is a slightly longer route (he guestimated
    about 50 miles extra).  You save time because you avoid almost
    all of the big cities.  You also avoid paying most of the tolls.
    
    We plan on taking this route in December.  Any suggestions or
    comments?
    
    Also, he told us to get a CB so we can monitor the traffic.  He
    says to put it on channel 19 and listen to the truckers since
    they'll tell you about speed traps, accidents, etc. and will give
    alternate routes so you can avoid them.
    
    Ruth

    Our next trip is planned for a December 1 arrival at WDW which means
    we'll be driving during Thanksgiving weekend.  We are thinking of
    leaving on Friday morning so we would be doing most of our driving
    on Friday and Saturday.  Do you think the roads will be crowded?  I
    figure the busiest travel days are Wednesday and Sunday.  Does this
    seem right?
    
    I'm most concerned about finding hotels to stay in on the way down.
    Do you think we'll have a problem?
    
    In the past we have driven on Memorial Day weekend and the weekend
    before and after Christmas.  We didn't have too much trouble with
    traffic and hotels.  We expect Thanksgiving weekend to be similar
    but don't want any surprises so would love to hear from anyone
    who has traveled at this time.
    
    Thanks,
    Ruth

        Ruth,

        Our big family car is a Grand Caravan which is the stretch
        version of the Dodge Caravan line.  We have 3 children ages 5,
        7, and 9.  The Caravan is very comfortable for the front
        passengers, but  I don't think that I would want to drive 27
        hours in the back with 7 people in it.   For comparison,  I
        also would not want to share the back of full sized car with 2
        other people either.  Then, I'm 6'7" and about 235 lbs so I'm
        slightly larger than typical.

        Until last week's airline price drop, we were planning to
        drive to WDW this August.  I was not worried about comfort
        with only the 5 of us in our car.  My folks were also going to
        drive down but we were planning to meet them down there on the
        night before we checked into the Y&BC.  We would have planned
        to arrive no later than the night before and picked up a motel
        somewhere close to Orlando.

        Having a minivan would be ideal for the 7 of while we were
        down at WDW, but I would not want to drive (nor did I offer to
        drive) all 7 of us down there.

        If you rent a Grand Caravan/Voyager you could probably get
        luggage for 7 behind the back seat, especially if you slide
        the rear seat forward one or two notches and keep the 3 kids
        in the back.  We usually keep a small cooler between the two
        front seats when we are on a trip to keep soda, fruit etc.

        I have an Avis reservation for a minivan during our August
        trip.  The rate is $185.25/week with unlimited mileage.  I
        requested a Grand Caravan which is noted on the reservation
        but not guaranteed.  The Avis rate (with AAA discount) was the
        best rate I have been able to get yet.  I checked 12 car
        rental companies so far and  the Avis rate is by far the best. 
        In fact, with the exception of National, the 1st tier places
        are the cheapest.  Be careful with some of the companies, for
        example General seemed to have a rate comparable with Avis,
        but when you add in the some of the surcharges they invent
        (airport access fee) they are more expensive.  The rates range
        from $185.25 (Avis) - $229 (Budget). These are Florida rental
        rates; rentals form NH might be different. 

        Also, car rental rates seem to change faster than the stock
        market (I'm not kidding, I got 3 different quotes in one day
        from one company).  Once you make a reservation, your rate is
        guaranteed but if the rate goes down, you will not
        automatically get it unless you call and request the lower
        rate.  Also try AAA discounts and check the Sunday papers for
        promotional rates etc.  I would suggest calling often.

    Ruth,
    
    You may want to consider the two-van option. I see this as the more
    preferable of the two options for the following reasons:
    
          - Two vans allows you more room for luggage
    
          - Two vans gives you the chance to change seating from time to
            time.
    
          - Most importantly you will have flexibilty in Orlando in case
            you want to split up and go in two different directions.
    
    I also think you'll be able to live with each other if you use two
    vans. You'd really be cramped in one van.
    
    You may want to attach a red, orange, or yellow flag or something to
    the atennas so that you can easily spot one another if you get somewhat
    separated.
    
    Like Jim said, the cost of the rental for the mini-vans will vary (by
    the hour sometimes) so it's tough to figure out the cost right now.
    
    Last year my family of 4 drove down in our Grand Voyager and we were
    snug because of the luggage we took. I can't imagine driving down in
    one mini-van with all those people plus the luggage. 
    
    You're the best judge as far as personalities go. That should help make
    your decision as well as the economics.
    
    Mike_who_was_in_Orlando_last_year_at_this_time 

    I just thought of another option. Why not go up in size? Maybe you can
    rent a full-sized van for the trip. 
    
    That might give you more than enough room. The cost may be more than
    a mini-van but less than two.
    
    This may solve the cramped space problem and save $$$ at the same time.
    
    Mike

    re: .47-.49

    Boy, you ask a lot of questions :-)

    From the notes you posted yesterday I inferred that you had decided to
    stay at Ft. Wilderness.  If that is the case there is something else to
    consider, you can only bring one car into the campground.  The other
    car would have to stay in the Fort Wilderness parking lot.  This might
    only be a minor inconvenience, since the internal buses all stop at the
    parking lot.
    
    CB's would defintly be a good idea if you take two cars.  Maybe you
    could borrow a couple for the few weeks you need them.

    re: .50
    I assume you'll be renting your van at the airport.  Do you think
    I could get a comparable price here in New Hampshire?  The guy at
    the travel agency said there was no way I could get a mini-van with
    unlimited mileage for driving to Florida.
    
    re: .51, .52
    We are very concerned about being too crowded in one van.  We have
    also thought about renting a bigger van but are worried that the
    cost may be way too much.  If we take two vehicles, my family will
    drive my Geo Prizm and my sister's family will probably drive our
    Toyota Corolla wagon.  We have taken both of these cars in the past
    and have had no problems with comfort and luggage.  If we take both
    cars we do plan to have Nicole ride with my sister part of the time
    so she and Lindsay can amuse each other.
    
    re: .53
    You inferred correctly, we will be staying at Fort Wilderness.  Two
    cars shouldn't be a problem because we will have two trailers.
    
    Thanks for the input.  Keep it coming.

    Re: the van, and don't take this as gospel but....
    You should be able to get a MiniVan from Avis for $240 per week through
    our corporate discount, and yes it can be used for personal use.  It
    should also come with unlimited mileage (just don't tell them you plan
    to rack up a million miles on it).
    
    I am in the same predicament except we are travelling with my parents
    and my dad owns a Voyager.  But my wife and I were originally going to
    rent an MPV through Avis so I had to do alittle bit of shecking around.
    
    As a third alternative you might consider renting 1 van and bringing a
    second car, this should give some flexability yet come out cheaper than
    two vans.
    
    Only 42 days to go.
    JP

    Ruth,
    
    When we drove from Mass. to Fla. we went with my family - husband, self
    and two teens, and my brother, his wife and a 3-year old.  We also went
    through the questions of two-cars, rent a van ... We felt the negatives
    of driving with so many people in one van would be too much... we
    didn't want to be on each others nerves BEFORE we got to WDW. (-:
    
    SO, we opted for two cars... my brother already had a CB and suggested
    that we buy one.  I put an entry into Classified_ads for a CB and was
    able to purchase one - with antenna, for $25.00.  It was portable, and
    was the best $25.00 we spent on this trip.  We could communicate with
    one another on the way down... especially if one of us wanted to make a
    stop.  The other handy reason for the CB was highlighted when we were
    in Orlando... we had gone for breakfast and were on our way to
    SEAWORLD, when we became separated in traffic... rather then get lost
    trying to find one another, we went on our way to SEAWORLD... we had
    taken the CB off... when we arrived at the park, we immediately got the
    CB out and made contact with them... and they were guided straight to
    where we were!  Saved a lot of time, and tempers.
    
    As for the suggested route... We went by 84, 81 and then down Skyline
    Drive... (took a bit more time, but was absolutely beautiful!!!)
    
    Regards,
    Carla
    

    We just rented a mini-van using the DEC corporate discount. It
    cost us 240.00 for one week, limited mileage. It wasn't a Grand
    Caravan however. We traveled to D.C. with 6 people all who are
    adult size. We ended up using a Car-top carrier for some of the
    luggage. 
    
    My brother, who also drove down in his Grand caravan, had six people. 
    Four of them were much smaller though (ages 5,7,10,11). He was
    able to fit everyone plus luggage and a cooler.
    
    Hope this helps,
    Marcie

    regarding .57 ....That should read UNLIMITED mileage.
    sorry.
    

    This may be a little late but.....I also rented a mini-van through
    the Avis corporate account. For one week with unlimited mileage it
    cost me $240. We put on quite a few miles considering that the van they
    gave us was only 3 weeks old. I fell in love with it. It was a 
    Grand Caravan also. We had 4 adults, two children with carseats
    and a dog plus luggage. We had plenty of room and comfort
    

My family and I will be returning from WDW by car. I am looking for a place
to stop overnight about 9-10 hours north on I95. Does anyone have any suggestions
of places to stay (or avoid)?

Many thanks,
Pam Buzzerd

    Pam,
    
    If you can make it to Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina I'd stay at a
    place called (ummm...) Interstate something or other. We stayed there
    coming and going, great places to eat around there. It's not a top of
    the line place to stay but it's safe, comfy, and economical. I'll try
    to get the exact name for you.
    
    Mike
    
    

	    RE: -.61

		  Pam;

		  	The motel Mike is thinking of is the 
	Interstate Inn at Exit 173. We have stayed there a couple of 
	times back when it was called Horne's Interstate Inn. It 
	was clean and reasonable about 5 years ago, but we haven't 
	been there since then. It's on the Northbound side of I95. I 
	would say that exit is close to 700 miles from WDW. 
	
		  We stop at that exit going to and from Florida 
	each year, but for the past 4 or 5 years we have stayed at 
	the Comfort Inn on the Southbound side at the same exit. It 
	costs more. but we decided we liked it better. They have a 
	continental breakfast free in the lobby at 6 AM each day, 
	and when we stopped there this year in the evening they had
	some munchies set out for the guests. A short walk across 
	the parking lot is a Western Sizzling Steak House which has 
	pretty decent food for a reasonable price, and if you show 
	them your key from the CI you get 10% taken off your bill.
	There are other eating places in the area also, but we 
	haven't tried them. 

		  The Comfort Inn gives AAA, AARP, and Corp. 
	discounts, and if you pick up one of those free papers that 
	advertise discounted prices at motels etc. along I95 you can 
	probably get an even lower price. I picked one up at the 
	Western Sizzling S H after we ate. I found a coupon while 
	looking thru it, took it down to the lobby and made a 	
	reservation for our return trip about $5.00 cheaper than I 
	was paying for that night.

		  Well I've rambled on enough with my 2 cents worth, 
	I think if you leave WDW early in the morning you can get 
	that far OK depending on the driving conditions, and the 
	distance you like to travel in a day.

		  Have a good trip, and drive safely.

	  				Dave

    Dave,
    
    Is that the Western Sizzling Steak House that offers a buffet? The
    place had two or three areas of food and it was one of the best deals 
    we saw on the way down. The food was good and inexpensive. I'm sure
    the Comfort Inn was a bit more comfy than the Interstate. I think we
    paid something like $42-46 for the night at the Interstate.
    
    Again, South of the Border may be a better option because you're more
    likely to reach there within twn hours than Roanoke Rapids.
    
    Mike

	  Mike;

			  Yes that's the place. That is our overnight
	  stopping place for our trip to Florida each year now. A 
	  couple of years ago we drove from there to WDW on the second 
	  day, that's why I answered this note to second your 
	  recommendation. We don't travel with young children, that
	  may make a difference, but we normally stop about every two
	  hours to visit the restrooms, and stretch our legs.
	  	  
			  The Western Sizzling has a salad bar, and    
	  on Friday night they have a seafood buffet. On the way home
	  we were there on Friday, and I tried the buffet. It was
	  pretty decent for the price. This year after we finished our
	  meals the waitress brought us a small dish so we could help
	  ourselves to some soft serve ice cream (milk?) with toppings
	  for dessert. Each time we've gone there we've been satisfied.
	  I can't say the same for the place across the highway.
	  
		    The Horne's Interstate the last time we stopped 
	  there about '85 was about $28 a night, but that also was 
	  October rates, they've more than likely gone up since then.
	  My charge for the Comfort Inn on 10/29/91 was $32.69, that 
	  was about $5 less than I paid for 10/2/91 on the way South.
	  
		    If anyone else is travelling I-95 in the area the
	  Ramada Inn at Exit 164 in Florence, SC, and the Holiday Inn 
	  at Hardeeville, SC, at Exit 2 or 3, both have a pretty 
	  decent buffet luncheon for a reasonable price.               

	  					Dave

    I also suggest that those of you early birds who hate driving in rush
    hour traffic should think about staying in places which offer express
    checkout.
    
    Express checkout offers you the flexibility of taking off early in the
    morning and it really can save time.
    
    Mike

    Jenna Thibault tells me that the toll on the NJ is $2.40...up from
    $1.40.
    
    Also, all the exit numbers in I-95 have been changed.
    
    Those who are planning to drive down this year should make a note of
    these two changes....especially the exit number changes.
    
    Mike

    If you get off at exit 7 of the NJ Turnpike (Trenton), and follow the
    signs to Rte 295 South, you will be riding toll-free from that point
    on. Also, you can often avoid the traffic tie-ups that result at the
    end of the Turnpike . Rte 295S dumps you directly onto the Deleware
    Memorial Bridge.
    
    BTW, construction is continuing on I-95 through  Baltimore MD, and 
    my previously-posted directions to use I-895/Harbor Tunnel around
    the city are still recommended. If (when?) they ever finish, I 
    will post it here.
    
    Happy driving (and think of us poor Disneyholics stuck here as you 
    pass through :-)  )
    
    Ellen

 >>>If you get off at exit 7 of the NJ Turnpike (Trenton), and follow the
 >>>signs to Rte 295 South, you will be riding toll-free from that point
 >>>on. Also, you can often avoid the traffic tie-ups that result at the
 >>>end of the Turnpike. Rte 295S dumps you directly onto the Deleware
 >>>Memorial Bridge.

    Does this save time, distance, or traffic?

 >>>BTW, construction is continuing on I-95 through  Baltimore MD, and
 >>>my previously-posted directions to use I-895/Harbor Tunnel around
 >>>the city are still recommended. If (when?) they ever finish, I
 >>>will post it here.

    Any idea exactly where the construction begins and ends? Sounds like
    anyone planning on driving down I-95 should wait until the very last
    minute to order your AAA TripTik.


Mike

    When you get off at exit 7 in NJ you are in my back yard.
    
    Personally I hate driving the stretch of 295 from so. jersey to 95 in 
    Md. I always jump on the turnpike at exit 7 to drive south. I do
    believe the turnpike is faster also.
    
    just my Trenton, NJ 2c worth.
    
    John ( 5 months)

	Re: Last few replies.

	We drove to North Carolina the Week of Feb. 17-21.

	We didn't run into any real slowdowns due to construction 
going South, but coming home we ran into a slow stretch on the 
Baltimore_Washington Expressway. 

	Regarding the re-numbering of the exits on I-95. Each one
we saw had the old exit number posted with the new one for reference.

	Dave

    
    	For those of you who have driven to WDW, how many miles is
    	it from the Boston area ...?
    
    

    I'd say you'd be looking at between 1350 and 1400 miles one way. Play
    it conservative and estimate you'd cover 50 miles for every hour on the
    road and you will need to drive between 25 and 27 hours to get there.
    
    You'll probably cover more miles per hour but it's much nicer to be
    conservative in your plans.
    
    Make an itinerary that looks like this:
    
    Time   Location   State     Route    Miles      Comments
    
    2:00   Baltimore   Md.       95      450        Maybe stop for lunch.
    
    This would be your planned itinerary....but you may find your actual
    itinerary to look like this:
    
    Time   Location   State     Route    Miles      Comments
    
    2:00   FLorence    SC       95       800        Check gas gauge
    
    YOu may cover more miles than originally planned. It's GREAT to be
    ahead of schedule. Don't add stress to your trip by being aggressive in
    your planning and estimate that you'll cover 70-80 miles per hour.
    Don't forget you'll have "pit stops" to make along the way, especially
    with kids.
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    Mike

re: 69 (and sorry the reply took so long...)

>>If you get off at exit 7 of the NJ Turnpike (Trenton), and follow the
>>signs to Rte 295 South, you will be riding toll-free from that point
>>on. Also, you can often avoid the traffic tie-ups that result at the
>>end of the Turnpike. Rte 295S dumps you directly onto the Deleware
>>Memorial Bridge.
>>
>>    Does this save time, distance, or traffic?
>>
     It definitely does not save distance.  However, depending on what time of 
     day you do your driving, it can save time and traffic, as there is no toll
     plaza at the end of 295.  You also save about $2.00 in tolls.  My husband 
     and I have taken this route exclusively after traveling home to Maryland
     from Mass one Thanksgiving.  The turnpike was bumper-to-bumper
     stop-and-go for the last 20 (count 'em....20) miles.

>>BTW, construction is continuing on I-95 through  Baltimore MD, and
>>my previously-posted directions to use I-895/Harbor Tunnel around
>>the city are still recommended. If (when?) they ever finish, I
>>will post it here.
>>
>>  Any idea exactly where the construction begins and ends? Sounds like
>>  anyone planning on driving down I-95 should wait until the very last
>>  minute to order your AAA TripTik.
>>
     Well, there are actually two areas of construction.  Route 95 is being 
     widened from south of the Millard Tidings bridge to the Baltimore beltway
     (Route 695).  There is no way to avoid this and it often causes large
     backups, especially on weekends when they close multiple lanes.

     The other area of construction is resurfacing on 95 through Baltimore
     proper.  This is the one you can avoid by taking 895 which takes a 
     different route through the city.  As posted earlier, I would always
     recommend this route (even after construction is complete) as it is
     more direct (unless you intend a stop in Baltimore) and is less heavily
     traveled.

     As far as when the construction will be completed, I'm not sure, but
     it certainly won't be before the end of this Summer.

     Hope this clears things up.

     Ellen

    Okay gang about a month to go and I got a zillion things to do.
    
    Since I'll be driving down during the week I would prefer to drive
    through D.C. during the non-rush hour times (10 A.M.-2:00 P.M.).
    
    Usually I take off at 4 A.M. and make it to North Carolina by the end
    of the day. This means going through D.C. around 3:00-4:00....a no no
    during the week.
    
    One option is to leave a day before around mid-day and drive about
    6-7 hours, find a motel, and leave early the next day and look 
    to pass through D.C. around 10 A.M.
    
    I'd like to stay somewhere that is between 4-5 hours North of D.C.
    (maybe around 300 miles North) and take off that morning around 5 P.M.
    
    Does anyone have any favorite spots to stay that meets these
    requirements?
    
    I'd like a place with "Express Check Out" so I can leave real early in 
    the morning.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mike_who_will_be_on_the_road_in_either_34_or_35_days
    

    For those of you who will be driving to WDW sometime soon ( or later,
    for that matter.... )  from the New England or Mid Atlantic Regions,
    here's some welcome news.  The tolls on I-95 in the region from
    Richmond to Petersburg Virginia have just (as of July 1) been
    eliminated.  This info comes courtesy of my husband who just spent a
    week south of Richmond on a business trip, and it means a savings of
    $3.00 round trip.  Not a lot, I admit, but it's the principle of the
    thing....

    On our way to WDW in October, we're forced to spend an overnight in St.
    Louis. As I can't find a conference that seems to cover that area can
    anyone here recommend a low-cost hotel for two family rooms (seven
    persons in all)?
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    JohnK

Try your question in NACAD::HOLIDAY_TRAVEL as well.  That conference is
a place for travel and holiday questions for everywhere except disney
and cruising.

Hit KP7 to add it to your notebook.

bill

    AAA has  issued  a  travel  advisory  for  I295 in the Jacksonville Fl.
    area.    This  is  due  to  19 confirmed instances of sniper  and  rock
    throwing  incidences  since last June, AAA is advising all travelers to
    avoid this are if possible for the time being.  

    In one fatal instance, the victim wasn't found until 2 months after the
    fact  according  to  the report I heard on CNN last  night,  though  it
    wasn't mentioned in the paper this morning.
    
    Claude

    Folks,
    
    I live in Hudson Mass, and would like to know the driving
    time it would take to get to Orlando as well as the route 
    I would take.
    
    Thanks Much.
    
    Regards,
    Michael

Well, we've done it comfortably in 3 days (from Burlington MA, just a little
to the East of you). Phone AAA and get a `TripTik' strip map for the journey.

basically, our route has been:
	Rte 128 to I-90 (Mass Pike)
	I-90 to I-84 
	I-84 to I-684? or some bigh number like that)
    You end up going across the Tappen Zee Bridge, then down the NJ Garden State
Parkway then down the NJ Turnpike picking up I-95 at the Delaware Memorial 
Bridge. 
    From there it's I-95 all the way down to Florida, where you pick up ?I-4
to Orlando.

   I'm a bit vauge right now, but I can drive you there!

			N

    
    lunch and breakfast to-go 
    one 12 hour day
    one 10 hour day
    
    and you'll be in Orlando before you know it.....oh yeah, this does
    leave a little bit of time to dally at "South of the Border"
    
    --bert
    

    Mike,
    
    A lot of factors must be taken into consideration. Here are some of
    them:
    
         o What time of year would you be traveling?
    
           Weather plays a big part here. It may take you longer to drive
           in the Winter than any of the other three seasons.
    
         o How fast do you drive?
    
           Some people are speed demons and others like to stay within the
           speed limits (and get there in one piece).
    
         o How many people will be traveling with you?
    
           This is important because the more people that travel with you
           the more stops you'll be making. See the next factor.
    
         o Will you be traveling with children? What ages?
    
           The younger the children the more stops you are apt to make.
    
         o How many stops will you be making?
    
           This includes not only rest times but also stopovers. In general
           it's a good idea to stop every 2-3 hours to avoid getting too
           tired. Also, you should determine if you are going to drive
           through the night or stay in a motel.
    
    I'd guess that you are about 1300 miles from Orlando (actually from the
    WDW property). You should plan on taking at least 2 days to drive down
    to Orlando. Expect to spend between 22-26 hours on the road.
    
    As far as what routes to take check earlier replies in this note for 
    favorite routes. AAA is your best source....next to this conference of
    course. Birnbaum also has information as far as routes to take from 
    various parts of the country.
    
    On my last trip I left NH on a Tuesday morning @4:00 A.M. and stopped
    overnight in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. The following day we drove
    until we reached Daytona...we could have continued through Orlando but
    thought it best to rest up. We arrived in Orlando mid-day on Thursday.
    Keep in mind that we did not push it and stopped and rested for 30
    minutes every 2-3 hours.
    
    Toughest traffic is Washington, D.C., with Jacksonville a close second.
    
    Mike

    Well,  it is about 1300 miles +/- from Nashua.  The last two times, we
    drove straight through. Generally, 495 - 295 - 395 - 95 is the most
    direct route.  However the direct route, as we found out last month
    going to Maryland, can be longest route. 95 in NYC is a disaster and the
    Tappanzee Bridge can cost you 60 minutes due to repairs. Head out to
    cross the Hudson in Newburg, drive down the NY thruway to the Garden
    State Parkway and pick up the NJ Tpk (I95).
    
    First time down, we diverted slightly and went over the Chesapeak Bay
    bridge, the second time down we diverted slightly and travelled the
    Blue Ridge Parkway.  In both cases, it took 26 hours total on the road
    time.  Coming back straight up 95 took about 22 hours total - no
    diversions. 
    
    In all cases -  no land speed records, just steady driving keeping up
    with traffic.  With a Radar detector, CB, Scanner, luck and a lot of
    nerve, you can shave 2 hours off each way.
    
    Driving straight through requires 3 good drivers, a van and a ton of
    stamina.  It has been noted that if I suggest doing it a 3rd time, we
    will discuss the ramifications in divorce court. :-)
    
    Have fun,
    Dave

    another good route is through Hersey, PA   You get to visit the
    chocolate factory [free].  it only adds a few hours to the trip.
    
    we did it straight through with motorhome once at 30 hours.  2 drivers.
    we were dead for two days after so we saved no real time.
    
    if they haven't finished that construction in NC on 95, its best to
    take the suggested detore!
    ed
    

   I recently got AutoMAP USA for my PC.  I played around with driving routes
from where I live (Rochester NY) to Orlando... It found four routes all within
about 1/2 hour of each other, with minor variations, and two more completely
different ones less than an hour longer.

It knows how to pick fast vs. scenic also.  You can set your typical driving
speeds in each kind of driving (rural, suburban, urban or something like
that.)

It prints a table giving full driving directions too.

It's cheap -- about $40. Reason enough to get a PC! :-)

bill

    re: .86
    
    I just picked up Automap for Windows.  It's really neat, although it
    does have a few flaws.  It is not good for local driving as it does 
    not have all the local roads built into it's DB.  It is good at coming
    up with alternative routes.
    
    Now I just have to buy a Windows notebook PC!
    
    Hmmmm.  Maybe someone could build a similiar app that would give the
    shortest routes through the WDW theme parks?  
    
    John
    

RE last couple:  I hope AutoMap for Windows is more up-to-date than the DOS
version.  We used the latter to plan a trip from Nashua to Kentucky over
Memorial Day weekend last year, and found that some of the routes that it
listed had different route numbers in Real Life.  So you might take AutoMap's
suggestions with a grain of salt, so to speak...

Still, it is a neat application.  You just might want to double-check the
final route you get from it with AAA... :-)

							-- Nina

    For those driving to WDW this year or any other year you may find this
    information helpful.
    
    There's an outfit out of Gainesville, FLA who put out a number of
    Traveler Discount Guides. Each guide contains about 60-100 pages of
    maps and discount coupons for various hotels. The number of coupons
    these guides contain are unbelievable. The one I picked up last year
    had an estimated coupon value of $6822.
    
    To get one of these guides via phone...
    
                 - Call (904) 371-3948 Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30 EST
                 - Ask for the Guide Mailing Dept.
                 - Tell them the Guide(s) you want (listed below)
                 - Indicate when you'll be using the guides
                 - You pay only for postage 
                 - Guides mailed same day if you call before 1 P.M.
    
    Or you can mail in your request to 
    
                  EXIT Information Guide, Inc.
                  4205 N.W. 6th Street
                  Gainesville, FL 32609
    
    Postage and handling fees for Mail-In requests are $2 for one guide,
    $5 for three guides or $10 for all guides.
    
        
                  List of Available Guides
    
    Florida     Georgia      North Carolina    Maryland/Virginia     Alabama
    Kentucky    Tennessee    South Carolina    Mississippi/Louisiana
    
    I-75 Michigan to Florida   I-10 Texas to Florida   I-95 Main to FLorida
    
    ************************************************************************
    
    I recommend this guide especially to non-AAA members. Here are some
    examples of prices for some Orlando hotels/motels:
    
    Days Inn (Kissimmee - six are listed) $22/night for 1-4 people
    Quality Inn (Lee Road) $39/night for 1-4 people
    Hampton Inn (Across from Universal) $49/night for 1-4 people
    HOJOs (Near Universal) $29.95/night for 1-4 people
    COmfort Suites (Turkey Lake Road) $45/night for 1-5 people
    
    Those are just a few...you definitely want this book if you are NOT
    staying on the property and you are a big Days Inn fan.
    
    *********************************************************************
    
    Other neat stuff in these guides are:
    
       - Maps
        
         These are pretty detailed and very helpful.  
    
     - Restaurant Coupons
    
         YOu usually get 10% off your bill.
    
       - Attraction Coupons/Discounts
    
         I'm looking at a Sea World coupon that saves you $1.50 off each
         person's admission....hey it adds up.
    
       - A list of Attractions and Admission Prices
    
          We're talking everything. Here are some relatively unknown 
          attractions listed in the guide:
    
               Fred Bear Museum in Gainesville ($2.50)
               Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach (($11.95)
               Monkee Jungle in Miami ($9.85)
               Salvadore Dali Museum in St. Petersberg ($29.95)
               Zorayda Castle in St. Augustine ($4.00)
    **********************************************************************
    
    One last note...some of these places offer specials. For instance the 
    Hawaiian Village Inn which is only about 5 minutes (8 miles) from
    Disney offers a rate of $22.95 per night and has a nightly seafood
    buffet and kids eat free.
    
    They offer a 2-night special for $55.95 per person double occupancy.
    They give you 2 nights deluxe accommodations, 2 free Universal Studio
    Passes and 2 breakfasts per day (dunno what that means) PER PERSON.
    
    I won't go into if that's a good deal or not...it might be for some but
    not for others.
    
    YOu can even use the coupons to make reservations.
    
    One of the best deals in last year's guide was a $49 coupon for the
    Sheraton Lakeside Inn. I know that hotel has refrigerators in ALL rooms
    and the rooms normally go for $79/night.
    
    If anyone is interested in any particular non-Disney hotel they are
    considering send me mail and I'll let you know if a coupon may be
    available. I will be going by last year's book.
    
    Mike 
       
    
    The guides are free, you just pay for postage. 

I have heard from two people that driving down I-95 is like being in 
a parking lot, bumper to bumper, moving at 60 mph.

Is this true? if so, would it be better to find other routes eventhough
they may be longer?

thanks,

Doug

    I've been driving it for more years than I can remember.
    At some times its crowded, but certainly not a moving parking lot
    at 60mph.
    
    there are other diversions.  our favority is to take 84 on into
    Hershy,pa then on down to washington,dc.
    I consider it lots of fun to watch cars that are doing the drive.
    you pass/they pass each other for the entire length.
    and you can't miss SOB!
    ed

    Doug,
    
    Like everything else timing is everything. I-95 is going to be crowded
    during rush hour but it's by no means a parking lot unless you're
    going through D.C. at 7:30 A.M.
    
    Ed's suggestion to take I-84 makes for a more Western swing but I think
    it also adds a few hours to the trip, right Ed?
    
    Mike

Ed and Mike,

Thanks for the feedback. 

Sounds like we can survive I-95 and I do want the kids to see Pedro at SOB.

We may drive down on Rte 81 thru the the Blue Ridge Mountains and
come back on Rte 95.

How steep are the grades along the Blue Ridge route? I have a 4 cyl minivan 
and it does not like long steep grades. The car is in good shape it just
has to do a lot of shifting.

thanks,

Doug
  

    the detore through hershey add about 3 hours to our time.
    plus the time needed to tour the chocolate factory-a must for 
    chocoholics.  we don't like bridges, this route allows us to 
    miss two biggies, the deleware mem bridge, and the expance
    after that one.  the most dangerous for motorhomes.
    penn has rough grades all over, but nothing our NO-power motorhome
    doesn't handle.
    ed
    

    I'm not a bridge fan either Ed...the Tappanzee Bridge is not one of
    my favorite sights en route to Florida.
    
    Mike

    
    Well, in reality it's not a parking lot the whole way...  but the few
    sections that it *is* make it feel that way.
    
    We go to WDW every 2 years and drive some portion of 95 each time.
    
    Each year, there are more and more sections that get held up and turned
    into a virtual parking lot.  Now, this doesn't generally happen 
    down in South Cariolina, but...  we've hit parking lots in
    
      o Connecticut
      o New York (expected)
      o New Jersey
      o Baltimore (3 am in the morning!)
      o near Washington DC (why does 95 need an *exit* to stay 95?)
      o Richmond, VA.
      o Jacksonville
    
    We have never gone and not hit at least one... sometimes construction
    (I think the whole country's highways are "under construction"
    sometimes), sometimes accidents, sometimes just busy, but more and more
    and more gridlock every year.
    
    Maybe we are just unfortunate or not good at planning the times, but it
    seems like no matter what scheme we try, or where we detour, we hit
    some of these bottlenecks.  
    
    - Sean

    Sean,
    
    There's no way to avoid the traffic North of D.C. I try starting out
    early (between 4-5 A.M.) to avoid most of it. 
    
    I think planning ahead may help. I wish I couls snap my fingers and
    wake up in North Carolina. From that point on I could plan accordingly 
    when dealing with Jacksonville.
    
    Mike

Just wondering...
Would the route suggested in 48.48 avoid most of the congestion?

Also would it be worth trying route A1A on the Fla coast to 
avoid Jacksonville then get back on 95 further South?

thanks,

Doug

    Just as a warning, the road markings in Penn are the absoult worst I've
    ever experienced.  You are left on your own with compass and trail dust
    to find your way, particularly through Harrisburg.  I don't have my map
    handy, but I think it s route 33 that show a connection to 78, but you
    get a rude awakening when it comes to a complete end with no 78 in
    sight!  Then in Harrisburg, there are [or seem to be] MULTIPLE roads
    with the same route number!  maybe the locals can navigate, but us old
    Vermonts are left scratching our heads.  Its best NOT to have a map.
    the map bears no resumblance to the roads.
    perhaps the locals could explain.
    We obvously make it, and with marriage intact, but it does have its
    moments.  the scenery if far supiour to NJ [sorry folks].
    and I forgot to mention, you go by gettingsburg if you break off to
    take 15/270 to dc instead of 81 to fredicksburg.
    ed
    

    I strongly recommend that anyone driving down for the first time should
    use AAA for the most up-to-date information on road construction.
    
    I-95 does have it's ups and downs but it does provide the most direct
    route from NE.
    
    I think we all agree that Hartford, all of New Jersey, D.C., and
    Jacksonville are the main headaches along the way. Avoid these places
    between 6:30-9:30 A.M. and 4:00-6:00 P.M.
    
    It is strongly suggested that people starting their journey from NE 
    begin with a plan to begin their journey by driving through Hartford
    either early morning or early evening. I passed through Hartford
    between 6:00 and 6:30 A.M. and was sweating it out. If possible, travel
    on a Saturday or Sunday. The traffic is lighter.
    
    You can't avoid NJ so grin and bear it.
    
    Try to plan your venture through D.C. real early in the morning or
    between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M if you need to get through during the day.
    
    Again, it's best to drive through on a Sunday.
    
    Jacksonville is a pain because I found it a bit stressing switching
    lanes here and there. I don't think I would have minded it had I gone
    through the city other than 4 P.M. on a week night. If you go through
    Jacksonville have your map ready and have a good navigator at your
    side....and remember....when you think you're just about out of the
    city....you're not.
    
    M
    out in NE

    re: .98
    
    Yes, the route in 48.48 avoids most of the congestion.  It added
    about 75 miles to our trip but the drive time didn't change
    significantly.  I don't have my stats handy right now but I've
    been looking at them in preparation for our August trip.
    
    I take notes during the drive.  For each stop I note the time we
    stopped, the odometer reading, the purpose for the stop and what
    time we started again.  I also note the odometer reading and
    time as we cross state lines.
    
    I recently added up the drive times for our 3 past trips and then
    subtracted out all the time used for stops.  The route suggested
    in 48.48 matched our average drive time.  It did take less time
    than when we went over the Tappan Zee Bridge and down the Palisades
    Parkway.  That trip took place the weekend before Christmas so it
    might not be a good comparison.
    
    We liked the route in 48.48 because it was less congested, the
    scenery was nicer and we didn't have to drive through New Jersey
    or Washington, D.C.!  The main negative is US17.  It's a fairly rural
    road so you don't see too many gas stations, fast food places, etc.
    I don't think there were any rest areas.  Also, part of it is
    only one lane wide in each direction which could cause problems in
    heavy traffic.  Although we liked the trip down, we decided to stay
    on 95 for our return trip.
    
    We haven't decided on our route for our August trip but I think we'll
    probably go this way again.
    
    Ruth

    Note on AAA maps.
    
    They tend to choose only the most obvious routes.  In the most recent
    set for a trip to Delaware Water Gap, NJ,  Valley Forge, PA, AB Hill
    in VA and Williamsburg had no fewer than 4 major errors.  For example,
    the Tapanzee bridge in under construction during off travic peeks.  You
    can advoid most of Hartford by taking rt 91 then 691 instead of 84. 
    Alittle longer but faster with no construction and no holding your
    breath in the center of Hartford.  
    
    I asked the lady at AAA about these and she explained it was fewer turns
    and you could not advoid Tapanzee.  Goodness, you can grow moss on your
    wheels in Hartford if you hit it at a bad time.
    
    
    For folks in NE, I would always use 84 to 91 to 691 back to 84.  Stay
    on 84 to rt 81 south.  Route 81 in PA takes you inland and advoids DC. 
    It is a nice road; flat, straight and not a lot of traffic.  
    
    I have not continued to FL, you will have to work your way east at some
    point.  Is rt 21 in SC an interstate yet?  If so, this would be a good 
    alternative routine.  
    
    Personally, I take to the air from Manchester and save my driving for
    in FL.
    
    Alan

Be advised if you are towing a camper that AAA will NOT reliably
take camper reatrictions into account when planning the route --
even if you ask 'em.

We've gone up and down from Burlington MA to WDW a few times; 
I-95 isn't that bad in my experience with the following exceptions:
	- Garden State Parkway near Union NJ always seems to be
	  clogged.
	- Washington DC Beltway if you hit it near the rush hour
	- Jacksonville if you go through the middle of the city

 Happy motoring!
	N

It looks like the the "traffic-jam free" (from Mass) route would be:

Mass pike to 84
84 to 91 to 691 to 84 around Hartford
84 to 81 at Scranton PA
81 to 17 in VA
17 to 95 in VA
95 to 295 around Jacksonville
95 to I4 to WDW

This would avoid most of the congestion I believe.

Doug

Does anyone know the safety situation on rte 295 around Jacksonville, Fla?

On the news, a few months ago, there were reports of car shootings or
something like that going on and warnings about using that rte.

thanks,

Doug

    I believe AAA has lifted their warning.  If I remember correctly,
    some suspects were arrested, but I haven't seen anything about it
    lately.  Perhaps AAA has more information.
    
    Ruth

See our trip report note 334.44.

Doug

    Sounds like Doug Wiedeman and Ruth both drove down taking the alternate
    81-17-95-295-4 route instead of your basic 84-95-4 route.
    
    I understand that this route allows you to avoid certain areas. Does
    this mean things like:
    
             - The Tappenzee Bridge
             - Garden State Parkway
             - NJ Turnpike
             - Baltimore and the McHenry Tunnel
             - Washington, D.C.
             - Jacksonville
    
    I've heard that this adds about an hour to the trip but I wonder if you 
    lose an hour by stopping at all those lovely tolls in New Jersey
    anyway.
    
    I'm looking for some comments about this alternate route 'cause I might
    take it next year.
    
    Info I'm looking for are things like the size of the road (# of lanes),
    speed limit, availability of hotels along the way as opposed to those 
    along Rt95 (South of D.C.).
    
    Also, I'd like someone to play Devil's advocate and discuss the pros
    and cons of taking this alternate route.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mike

Mike,

Yup, you do miss all those nice places.

These highways are all 2 or 3 lane, the speed limit is 65 in all the
states but West Va and Pa (if I remember correctly) for these two it
is 55. The exception is the small but VERY scenic route 17 section in Va.
It is a combo of single lane and double lane through farm country; when we 
traveled it on a Saturday the traffic was very light. 

There is no shortage of lodging places. Although, on rte 81 they
are not a dense as they are on rte 95 in the Carolinas. This made no diff to us
because our first night was spent in Winchester Va at a Days Inn,
the next night was spent in Summertom SC on rte 95. There are plenty of
places on rte 95.

I personally liked the "off-95 routes because in general there was less
traffic and they were more scenic. (There are some long, somewhat steep
hills where 81 and 77 meet in lower Va.)

I found that the traffic density on all these routes depends on 
which day and what times you travel. We found rte 81 in Va very dense
on Sunday due to the trucks but on Monday it was fine.

Doug

Here's our trip route, mileage, and tolls from Marlboro Ma. to Daytona Beach
where we started and ended our Florida vacation.  Between our Daytona visits,
we had 8 nights at Fort Wilderness in wilderness home 2524.  On the way down, 
we only stopped for gas and restrooms, trip time was 21 hrs and 15 minutes.  
On the way back, we stopped for 2 meals, gas, and restrooms, and even a 20 min. 
stop at Pedro's, trip time was 22 hrs.  We never ran into any heavy traffic 
either way because of the times that we left.  Mileage each way was around 1300 
and gas was around $50.  We rented a Chevy Lumina 7 passenger van in Marlboro 
from Avis for 2 weeks and a day for $572 with the Digital discount.  My husband 
did all the driving and loved it!  And just as amazing, our 3 kids, ages 11, 
13, and 16 did great!  There were no fights or complaints from them at all!
    
Rose



Left Marlboro, Ma.  at 2:00pm on Sunday, August 22.

Route or City		Time		Tolls
-------------		----		-----
495

 90					1.10

 84

684

287

Garden State Parkway 	5:42pm		 .35 (4)

New Jersey Turnpike	6:18pm		2.40

Deleware Mem. Bridge	8:10pm		2.00

Deleware Turnpike (95)  		1.00

Fort McHenry Tunnel			1.00

 95 for rest of trip

 Washington DC		10:15pm

 Richmond, Va.		12:00am

 South Carolina		 4:15am

 Savannah		 8:00am

 Florida		 9:13am

 Daytona		11:15am


Return trip--left Daytona at 1:00pm on Sunday, Sep. 5th, travel on Monday 
             was light because of holiday.  If it had been a regular Monday, 
             then we never would have taken the route that we did. (thru NYC)
(Route 95)

 Jacksonville		2:00pm

 Ga.-Fl. line		2:37pm

 SC.-Ga. line		5:00pm

 SC.-NC. line		8:44pm

 NC.-Va. line		11:40pm

 DC			 2:30am

 Fort McHenry Tunnel     3:20am		1.00

 Milford Tydings Bridge  4:15am		2.00

 Deleware Turnpike	 4:30am		1.25

 Deleware Mem. Bridge	 4:50am		no toll this way

 New Jersey Turnpike			4.60

 Geo. Wash. Bridge	 7:08am   	4.00

 NY State Thruway	 7:26am		1.00

(Route 95 to 91 to 84 to 90)

 NY-CT. line		 7:35am    

 CT.-MA. line 		10:10am

 Marlboro 		11:00am

    Rose,
    
    What do you recall was your average cruising speed on this trip?
    
    Mike

    Cruising speed was appoximately 65mph.  However some stretches of
    highway in our AAA trip tik were marked 55mph strictly enforced, so for
    those areas we stayed at 55.  I could get out my trip tik and put those
    areas in here if you think that would be good to have Mike.
    
    Rose

    That's a good idea Rose. I'm going to look for my triptik and do the
    same. If you enter them in before me all the better. A lot of people
    do not use AAA and their services so they may not be aware of these
    speed traps.
    
    Mike

    has anyone drove down recently?  we go next week.  I was wondering if
    any major construction to worry about.
    Hold the snow till we get out of town!
    ed
    

    Ed,
    
    AAA member? If so get a TripTik!
    
    If not then figure construction in Hartford and Washington guaranteed.
    
    Mike

    AAA not good!  I have Allstate and have their trip routing which is far
    better.  ALA used to be the best.  but I find non of them as good as
    personal observation.
    ed

    What's the diff Ed?
    
    I guess what I'd like is the shortest and less strenuous route. Also,
    I'd like to know things like tolls, construction, delays, and speed
    traps.
    
    Mike

    Driving from Merrimack NH to Orlando at the end of June with the 2 and
    7 year old (and my husband).  I have my triptik from AAA, but was 
    wondering if those that have done the drive could estimate how many days 
    it would take to get there.  Also, if you want to add "best location to 
    stop for the night" suggestions, I'd appreciate that too.
    
    Thanks in advance,
    Chris
    

    it depends on how many hours/day you want to drive, how often you
    will have to stop.
    
    Personnally, I allow 3 days.  I'm on vacation the minute I leave the 
    driveway, so we poke along and enjoy the trip.
    Once, and only ONCE, I drove straight through.  The next two days were
    spent in bed resting.  nothing gained.  and a lot of sore butts.
    
    there were some driving tips in my trip report and others that you may
    want to review.  tips such as taking the route around Richmond instead
    of bulling through it [route not on map right].
    
    I've never been disaqppointed in any place I've stopped at.  you might
    want to verify that they have AC and it's *working*  June, you're
    going in JUNE?!  too bad.
    
    don't forget to stop at SOB.  It's fun.
    
    aq great little car game for the 7 year old [and driver too]
    highway bingo.  can be bought at most Stuckey's  oh ya, don't forget
    to stop at Stuckey's.  You'll be going by a few ;-).
    
    you also didn't say how much time you had to get there.  There are a
    couple nice detours   like the Chessepee Bay Bridge/tunnel or
    the moutains.  or an overnight at Washington DC.
    As a matter a fact, Washington is a ten hour drive from Merrimack.
    If you got a motel just outside of washington, slept until about 4AM,
    then got up and TOURED Washington, you could see  *most* of the
    sites  minus traffic.  We've done that before.  Of course you can't
    do the White House tour, but you can walk around the mall, see Lincon
    washington minuments, don't forget Jewfferson.  Vetnam Wall--a thing
    not to be missed if in DC. Get out of town by 6 am and not lost any 
    time nor had any DC hassels.
    June? your not going in June?~!
    ed
    

    
    Chris,
    
    If you have your triptiks already, they might be obsolete by the time
    you go.  See about getting another set just before you leave (the route
    shouldn't change, but they might know more about construction holdups).
    
    We've had no trouble driving down in 2 days, but my kids are older.  We
    also have a conversion van, with captain's chairs and a tv in the back,
    so that makes the drive easier.  You're going to need at least 24 hours
    of driving time, so divide it up according to your kids' needs.
    
    --Jay
    

    Thanks for the info.  Yes,,,,June.  My dad lives in Boca Raton so we're
    going to Disney first.  Short trip there.  I don't think I could
    survive Disney with a 2 year old for long.  So, just a couple of days
    and off to dad's.  We have AC and plan to use it.
    
    I'll pick a better time of year for the 1997 trip - and a longer stay
    at Disney!
    
    Thanks again...
    Chris
      oh, how does it go...hiho hiho 51 days left to go.....  ;)

    >>I'll pick a better time of year for the 1997 trip - and a longer stay
    >>at Disney!
    
      Chris, you may find June (Summer) to be a good time of year to visit
      down there. Some people (like me) like it hot and also like the idea
      that EVERYTHING is up and running at 100%...only during the Summer.
    
    Mike

    Can anyone estimate where we would be 14 hours into the drive to 
    Orlando, leaving from the Worcester area, at about 7:00 p.m. on
    a Friday night?  (Roughly 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday)
    
    Also, can you suggest any decent hotels/motels in that vicinity
    who would rent a room for the day?  We plan to drive at night
    while the kids sleep and rent a hotel room for the day and take
    turns watching the kids at the pool and taking naps.
    
    Also, on the flipside, any idea where we'd be 14 hours into the
    ride on the way back from Orlando?  Same circumstances.  Hotel/
    Motel suggestions appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Jacqui
    

    Jacqui,
    
    A lot depends on how fast you drive and how many stops you make along
    the way....and of course your route.
    
    I would guess that after 14 hours you would be in North Carolina. There
    are some very good places to stay along Route 95. I would check with
    AAA for rates. You may also find some hotels/motels mentioned in this
    conference.
    
    Again, I'd figure you'd be in North Carolina by 9 A.M.
    
    Mike

   ****************    Reprinted Without Permission  ******************
    
By Leslie Doolittle, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla.  Knight-Ridder/Tribune
Business News  

Jan. 26--Walt Disney Co. and the American Automobile Association are teaming
up to anchor a 46-acre rest stop with a nostalgia theme in South Carolina on
Interstate 95 -- a primary route for tourists headed to Florida.  

Called The Disney Stop, the travel information center will be about 10 times
the size of the one in Ocala and -- if successful -- will serve as a
prototype for a chain of rest stops Disney and AAA hope to open across the
country.  

Tom Elrod, president of marketing and entertainment for Walt Disney
 Attractions, said that while the Ocala center is a "great facility to stop
and get information," the Hardeeville, S.C., center will combine the "level
of entertainment that people expect out of Disney" with a rest stop that is
as clean, safe and friendly as a Disney theme park. 

"We think that's what people are looking for," Elrod said. "Most rest stops
are not the most pleasing of amenities."  

Groundbreaking on Phase 1 -- a travel center, auto service center and
 restaurant -- is set to begin in March in hopes of a December opening.  

Plans for Phase 2 call for a hotel (probably not a Disney hotel, Elrod says),
restaurants and up to 40,000 square feet of shopping.  

All the businesses will be designed to look as if motorists had stopped at a
small town in the '50s or '60s.  

Oversized Disney icons, like those adorning the All Star Resorts at Walt
 Disney World, will help lure traffic from I-95.  

Hardeeville was chosen because the exit is just 20 miles from Hilton Head
Island -- one of the state's premier tourist destinations and the future site
of a Disney time-share project.  

Pat Hoffman, deputy director of the Central Florida Hotel and Motel
 Association, has been named the group's general manager.  

Hoffman has taken charge of day-to-day operations, freeing executive director
Cheryl Taubensee to focus on lobbying at state and local levels.  

Hoffman said the association surveyed its members last year and found the top
request was for more government representation.  

THE ORLANDO/ORANGE COUNTY Convention & Visitors Center and Destination
 Florida plan to launch the Orlando CVB Web site Feb. 7.  

Using the keyword "Visit Orlando," consumers can get visitor, travel, trade
and convention information; check a calendar of events; preview Orlando's
offerings; select accommodations; look at facilities and restaurants; and
communicate with CVB members. Destination Florida is a joint venture of
Tribune Co. (which owns The Orlando Sentinel) and Knight-Ridder Inc.  

The Internet address:  

 http://www.goflorida.com/orlando  

 PASS THE DRAMAMINE. Disney Cruise Line, which recently named its first ship
Disney Magic, announced Wednesday that the second vessel will be called
Disney Wonder.  

The first ship is set to launch in January 1998 out of Port Canaveral for a
port in the Bahamas and a daylong stop at Disney's private island.  

The itinerary for the Wonder is still being pondered. 

Can't wait to hear what they name their private island. 

Leslie Doolittle welcomes your comments and suggestions. Mail: The Orlando
Sentinel, MP-12, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando, Fla. 32802-2833. Phone: (407)
420-5720. E-mail: OSOdoolit on America Online; OSOdoolit(at)aol.com on
 Internet.   

END!B7?OR-TOURISM-COL 


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% Subject: FYI

    On the way down, it depends on how much traffic and/or construction
    you end up with.  During mid-day driving, driving with 2 kids, a 10
    hour day brought us to DC.  Less stops, no traffic, 10 hours might
    have got us to the VA/NC border.  So as Mike said in the previous
    reply, it depends on your driving style.
    
    In our case we divide the drive into 2.5 days with the kids and wife
    who need to stop every few hours to stretch and whatever.  Since
    we're leaving late the first day we're going from NH to Wilmington, DE.
    Then as far as Florence SC the next day, then into Orlando.  ON the
    way back, a full 10 hour day gets from Orlando to Lumberton NC (right
    on the NC/SC border - 14 hours should get you to VA on the way
    back.
    
    And, yes - check out that AAA travel books, and call direct to the
    hotel for reservations and ask for AAA rates. WE got a Fairfield Inn
    in Deleware and a Comfort Inn in SC for like $45 per night for the
    family, including continental bkfst, at the AAA rates for this April.
    
    andy
    

    
    We are driving down on April 11th, leaving the Worcester area around
    3am. Would like to know a few good places to stop for the night in 
    South Carolina just before the Georgia line. A place you won't mind
    staying over night with your family. May be a place you can get an
    early breakfast so we can hit the road again ealy. We would like to
    be in Orlando by mid afternoon. 
    
    Any opinions would be helpful,
    
    Thanks in advance
    Dave     "31 days and counting"
    

    ON our trip down, we're staying in Florence, SC.  It's about half-way
    down south carolina, so it isn't as far as you're looking for, but
    it has an abundance of hotels with continental breakfasts, etc.  I
    think we're in the comfort inn for like $42 including the breakfast.
    I don't have the AAA book in front of me to look for closer spots,
    but this gives you one idea.
    
    andy
    

    Since my van is seven years old and since I have one in college I'm not
    too keen about buying another vehicle so I'm thinking about renting a 
    vehicle to drive down to WDW this Summer.
    
    Does anyone have any suggestions as the best way to go about this? I'm
    especially interested in anyone who has done this from NH to FLA. I
    anticipate renting the vehicle for a month. 
    
    I'm interested in who gives the best rates.
    
    I'm interested in the best discounts (Digital Corporate, MKC, AAA).
    
    Any info, experiences, guidelines, warnings, and recommendations will
    be well appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mike

    
    I've done it from MA to FL a few times and will be doing it again
    this April.  Don't wanna put miles on our cars (one is already at
    245,000 and the other is at 160,000), so we rent one.
    
    Every time we go, we've gotten the best rates at different places.
    We've used Alamo, Hertz, Avis, and Enterprise.  Enterprise has been
    getting worse and worse.  If Avis and Hertz have weekly rate specials,
    we'll take that.  AAA discounts are pretty good and we use them.
    
    The best rate we ever got was 2 weeks and some extra days with
    unlimited mileage for around $200.  Car was a sub-compact, though.
    
    I'll let you know what we find for this year.
    
    - Sean
    

We rented a van for 3 weeks back in September to go from Atlanta to Disney and
back.  We got the best rates from National with the MKC discount.  I took the
time to call all of the major rental agencies.  The rate also depends on 
where you get the car from (ie, Atlanta Airport versus Atlanta downtown 
versus small town in Georgia for us).  Seems some of the discounts don't work
in certain cities.  In all cases that I checked, we got unlimited mileage.

Irene

    We used to use Enterprise, but the best deals are with MacMulkin.
    They have a car rental office near us on Rte 111 in WIndham,
    across from the police station. I think you can get one from their 
    Nashua site too. 
    
    my .02
    dick

Mike,

Last summer we rented a mid-sized car from National thru
The Disney Vacation Club; it was the best rate. Maybe the
MKC rate is just as good.

Doug

	In February, we rented from National using the MKC club discount.  That
was the best rate we got.  If you have a Citibank credit card you may be able to
get Citibank Travel.  Their rate was higher but they offer 5% back when you send
in your receipt. I had them book with National for the MKC rate and then got
another 5% off when we sent in the receipt.  We weren't members of Citibank
travel, we just happened to get a mailing from them at the right time offering a
free trial membership.  So I used it and now will probably cancel since we won't
use its services again soon enough to make it worthwhile.  Maybe you could get
the same deal.

George

    Keep those cards and letters coming. I had a feeling that it would
    come down to the best deal between my AAA and my MKC card. I was 
    hoping to keep the price under $1K for a 3-4 week rental. 
    
    I'll probably rent either a mid-size car or a van (Caravan/Voyager).
    
    Thought I'd take out one of the seats in the Van and give us plenty of
    space.
    
    Mike

    Well I did some calling around and found a wide range of rates and
    possibly some good reasons to just go out and buy a car.
    
    I was looking at either a mini-van or a full-size car (which the rental
    people are calling Intrepids, Taurus', and Century).
    
    Here are some of the answers I got:
    
             For Mini-van   Weekly    Mileage   extra cost/mile
    
             Avis           449.95    1000      .25 (if I heard right)
            *Budget        1259.82    2000      .45 
             Enterprise     299.00    1000      .20
             Local Agency   429.00    unlimited  
             Thrifty        389.99    1400      ???
    
            *I had to call an 800 number and give them exact information
             like day I would pick it up and day I would return it. 
    
            I haven't called Hertz, National, or AAA yet.
    
    Mike_who_is_definitely_In_Disney_vacation_planning_mode_Phase_2
    

    Is the Autotrain still running?  Is that an option <$1k?

    Since Mike has an '85 Honda Prelude and I have a '90 Toyota Celica, we
    decided to investigate renting a car for our trip to WDW.  The best
    deal was with the AAA discount, but right this minute, I can't remember
    whether it was Avis or Hertz - I think Hertz, though.  It's 2 weeks for
    about $450, unlimited mileage.  Mid-size car.  I'll post the details
    later in the week.
    
    
    Susan

    Sue, what town/state are you renting the car from?  I know that if
    you were to rent from Manchester, NH from Hertz the mid-size rate is
    184.99 less 10% for AAA which brings the rate to 166.49 (332.98 for two
    weeks - unlimited mileage.  Pick up and drop off at same location, must
    be over 25. 
    This is a special promotion they are running.  That's a savings of $117
    compared to what you've got now.
    
    Call 1-800-654-2210 for further details.
    
    Julie

    
    Wow, that's better than our deal, but we're in the middle of
    nowhere.  Anyone know the closest Hertz to Milford/Franklin, MA
    area?
    
    - Sean

    Not sure, there's one in Worcester (Crowne Plaza) Lincoln Square or
    in Framingham Rte 9?
    
    

    Actually, Hertz was the higher price, according to AAA.  I'll let Mike
    know, since he's already dealing with AAA about this.  We are picking
    up the car in Manchester, from Avis, and it's $415 and some changes
    from Friday, April 26 to Sunday, May 11.  That's unlimited mileage for
    a Ford Contour or a Mercury Mystique.  What I don't know, though, is if
    the Hertz price was from Manchester.
    
    We can't wait to go!!!!
    Susan

    Mike just called.  I got it backwards.  Avis was the 450 number and
    Hertz is the $415.  He called Hertz and asked about the lower price
    mentioned here, and it's for a compact vehicle, which we do not want.
    
    
    Susan

    I thought the price was low. I'm pretty much convinced that I'm gonna
    take my own vehicle down....it knows the way down anyway so...
    
    Mike

    As I look at the routes to Orlando from NH I'm wondering if there are
    alternative routes to try.
    
    Unless it's between 4-6 A.M. on a Sunday morning I will avoid D.C.
    
    I also avoid Jacksonville, Fla. by taking 295.
    
    The last trip I took brought me through Routes 81 and 17 before picking
    up 95.
    
    Has anyone tried other routes? The first 700 miles is the toughest.
    
    Mike

    made the trip from NorthCentral Ma last fall. AAA routed us around
    Jacksonville via 295. On the way back (a Sat Morn) I just cruised
    through via 95 with no problem at all.
    
    My inlaws like taking the inland route via I75. They seem to make very
    good time. The only drawback is the mountain roads can get foggy or icy
    during some parts of the year. The plus side is you avoid the NY-DC
    mess and all it's associated tolls.
    
    Bob