To drive from NJ or not to drive…

[Leigh L]

If anyone has any 81 tips, they’d be appreciated. Says it’s currently an extra hour

The only negative about I-81 I can speak to where I've run into issues is that if there is an accident between south of Harrisonburg in VA to Radford (and possibly beyond, but DD went to college in Radford) it can back you up for hours regardless of the weather. That happened to us at least twice while DD was in school.

That being said, we've frequently driven I-81 in PA with no problems. Even though it's longer, when we go from Northern Va to NY on Friday nights, going US15 to I-81 to I-78 into NJ to I-287 to NY is my preferred route since it avoids traffic hassles on I-495 (DC beltway) and I-95.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

So yeah, In regards to this, I’m sure I could look it up elsewhere, but if we have another stay booked in April as backup, could we just cancel the hotel and transfer the tickets to April? It wouldn’t be the end of the world to postpone but not sure what the rules are for packages…

Packages are tougher to modify short notice. You can always ask but their policy is less than 30 days out it costs you $200, if memory serves. With an AP we never book packages, just room only. Room only has until the day before arrival to modify.

typically tickets are tied to the package Anna can’t be separated like that. Cancel the start means cancel the package. All of it. But one advantage to the package is tickets are refundable off you cancel the package. Bought outright tickets are not refundable

 

[Smile&NodVB]

Yeah this is what worries us and why I’m asking if it’s crazy to drive in February. I remember watching news of icy roads and 6” of snow in GA and all of the cars skidding out, dying and/or being stranded… VA seems scary right now and I hope it clears soon.

We had a winter trip once and just left 1/2 day earlier to beat the storm - if you watch the weather and have the ability to leave the day before to get ahead of a storm you are fine - we got into NC and just south of where the storm had impact - got up the next day and finished the trip.

 

[pwdebbie]

Check out this thread for lots of good info. Obviously, you'll want to go to look at the last year or so of posts to get the most accurate info. Personally, since we have the equal choice of the "inland route" 81-77-26-95 or right on over to 95, we prefer the inland route. But you must pay attention to weather on that route in the winter since you'll be traveling through the mountains. "For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (Part V) | The DIS Disney Discussion Forums - DISboards.com

 

[Ross Kratter]

If anyone has any 81 tips, they’d be appreciated. Says it’s currently an extra hour

I wouldn't bother with 81. Head straight down 95; it's much more direct.

 

[Disturbia]

I would take breaks and do things in between. Friends of ours travelled 8 hrs to NY and their son contracted COVID (a week ago), they isolated him and then drove back immediately to finish the quarantine. I don’t think that would be a great idea with a 6 year old driving 16 hours.

It did help us to know that Disney has a plan in place of someone tests positive; they quarantine at the Wilderness Cabins. Gardengrocers delivers groceries to the resorts as well.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ne-is-like-at-the-most-magical-place-on-earth

 

[goofyernmost]

I used to work for a production company that recorded dance competitions... We would work all up and down the east coast from like January to March or so and I only remember having a competition canceled once in March in Greensboro. It snowed a few inches. This was close to 20 years ago though and like you said, bad weather seems more often now. But does a bad storm in the south happen more than once a year? I'm leaning towards no... But decisions are hard.... Haha

I accidentally witnessed a being recorded Shag Dance competition in Myrtle Beach, I think it was in 1983. That trip with a group of guys for a long weekend golfing hit us with massive storms going there and coming back. Timing is everything!

That Shag Dance competition was amazing. The thing I remember most is that SC is a dry state on Sundays (or at least was) back then. We didn't know that so we had ordered a few drinks just before midnight and when midnight hit they came along and took every drink on our table and threw them away.

 

[goofyernmost]

I wouldn't bother with 81. Head straight down 95; it's much more direct.

It depends on the weather. That area from DC to Fredericksberg is always a parking lot even on a sunny day. You never know what the holdup is but something is always going wrong. It is either going down to stop speed because of an accident or just the road narrowing down from 6+ lanes down to two creating a huge bottleneck but whatever the reason you will can easily spend that extra hour being frustrated standing still on I-95 or relax a little and go to 81. If a storm is definitely forecast I wouldn't use either one until it was over. But if the weather is ok you can save a lot of frustration and tolls going to 81 with no change in time spent on the road. And in the daytime the scenery is a lot nicer on 81. 81 at night is bumper to bumper trucks, so if that is the time, and again, no storms are forecast than 95 is better.

 

[goofyernmost]

The only negative about I-81 I can speak to where I've run into issues is that if there is an accident between south of Harrisonburg in VA to Radford (and possibly beyond, but DD went to college in Radford) it can back you up for hours regardless of the weather. That happened to us at least twice while DD was in school.

That being said, we've frequently driven I-81 in PA with no problems. Even though it's longer, when we go from Northern Va to NY on Friday nights, going US15 to I-81 to I-78 into NJ to I-287 to NY is my preferred route since it avoids traffic hassles on I-495 (DC beltway) and I-95.

That's true on either one. That last time I was on I-81 was in the summer of 2016 and on the they were doing construction on both the southbound lanes and the northbound lanes. They have the barriers right up to the edge of the road with no place to pull off for miles. When I was heading north there was either an accident or a breakdown in the southbound land and, this is no exaggeration because I checked my odometer, the traffic was stopped, people were out of their cars sitting on their hoods for over 10 miles. There was no place for a breakdown to get out of the way until a tow truck got there.

I used to use 15 on occasion, but going to 81 first would have been way out of my way so I had to hit I-495 west to catch it if I timed it right it was OK. Most of the time I would just take 95 to Fredericksburg hit 17 across to 81 but I was going to Vermont not NJ. Until I found that route I spent most of my kids college tuition just on tolls going through NJ, Delaware and Maryland.

 

[imnotsancho]

I accidentally witnessed a recorded Shag Dance competition in Myrtle Beach, I think it was in 1983. That trip with a group of guys for a long weekend golfing hit us with massive storms going there and coming back. Timing is everything!

That Shag Dance competition was amazing. The thing I remember most is that SC is a dry state on Sundays (or at least was) back then. We didn't know that so we had ordered a few drinks just before midnight and when midnight hit they came along and took every drink on our table and threw them away.

Was phoebe cates there?

 

[Dashzap]

Its a 16 hr drive in February going from north to south. Is this just crazy or would other people do this?

We like the long drive. Pack a cooler. Every two hours, stop to change drivers and briefly stretch your legs at highway rest areas and you'd be amazed how comfortably you can go all day.

Do you have the ability to delay your drive a day or two, going to WDW and the return, if bad weather is forecasted?

Disney packages can be modified within 30 days of arrival. You may have a $50 change fee if the total price goes down. However, if something delays you on your way there, ask Guest Services if they can waive the change fee. Sometimes they can.

 

[goofyernmost]

Was phoebe cates there?

I guess that would depend on who the hell Phoebe Cates might be?

 

[imnotsancho]

I guess that would depend on who the hell Phoebe Cates might be?

Haha. she's an actress in a movie called Shag. Takes place in myrtle beach and released in the early 80s. It's one of my wife's favorites...

 

[goofyernmost]

Haha. she's an actress in a movie called Shag. Takes place in myrtle beach and released in the early 80s. It's one of my wife's favorites...

I don't know the names of the people doing the dancing probably due to a Budweiser haze. It was in a place called Rasputin's. For some reason that name stuck with me considering it was 1983, that's pretty good. When we went in there we didn't know there was a Shag Contest going on. We left shortly after one of our foursome walked up to the winner and congratulated her while they were being interviewed.

 

[imnotsancho]

I don't know the names of the people doing the dancing probably due to a Budweiser haze. It was in a place called Rasputin's. For some reason that name stuck with me considering it was 1983, that's pretty good. When we went in there we didn't know there was a Shag Contest going on. We left shortly after one of our foursome walked up to the winner and congratulated her while they were being interviewed.

Yeah, I was only joking anyway. Also I was wrong with the dates. Shag the movie was filmed late 80s. Fwiw, my wife is really impressed you stumbled into a shag dance competition. We went to myrtle beach about 10 years ago and she was hoping that there would be one. She really loves that movie. Haha.

IMO, that budweiser haze sounds better.

 

[goofyernmost]

Yeah, I was only joking anyway. Also I was wrong with the dates. Shag the movie was filmed late 80s. Fwiw, my wife is really impressed you stumbled into a shag dance competition. We went to myrtle beach about 10 years ago and she was hoping that there would be one. She really loves that movie. Haha.

IMO, that budweiser haze sounds better.

I didn't frequent Myrtle beach all that often and haven't even been there since I moved here and I am only about 150 miles from there now. I also have taken note that the Rasputin is no longer there. The one I stumbled upon was in early March. North Myrtle Beach was more famous for the Shag Dance fever.

 

[Golfjbc89]

Fellow NYer and I wouldn't think about it! Remember you have to drive home too!