Keenfamily 0 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 We are planning a trip from Dryden, Ontario, Canada (north of Minnesota) to FW, and we will be driving. The route will take us into the U.S. via International Falls, Bloomington, Nashville, Atlanta, Macon. We have four kids, ranging from 7 to 1 years old, and will be towing a pop up. The drive is about 30 hours. We are thinking of a 14-16 day trip, with 10 days at FW, and a 7 day Magic your way ticket (the other days we'll explore FW, or visit some local attractions). Our options for driving are - straight shot, starting around 4pm, or doing one or two stops along the way. If we do a stop, we may stay for a day in the cg (so a 2 night stop). What are your reccomendations - straight shot or stop, and if we stop, where would you suggest along that route. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 I would most definitely stop!! Since you do have a Popup, the 2 night stop at a campground sounds good, as they are pain for just an overnighter..... Although that is still two Loooooong driving days. If it were me, I'd drive each day and do quick hotel stops Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Grumpy and Grandma 740 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 There are numerous CG on the East side of Nashville. KOA, Yogi Bear, Two Rivers that would make a good 2 day stop so you could do a little sight seeing. They are off of Brierly Parkway off of I-65. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tim5055 120 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 If it were me, I'd drive each day and do quick hotel stopsI second this. We had a pop up for years and they are a pain for an overnight stop. On longer trips we always stopped at hotels, which was it's own adventure as we have always had one or two German Shepherd Dogs at a time..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Bear…Rob 42 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Not to mention that Nashville is 20 hours out - I can't imagine driving that far in one day - the hotel idea seems to be more doable. Drive until you are tired and find a decent hotel with ample parking. That being said - Nashville would definitely be a good 2 day stop! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
h2odivers...Ray 952 Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 My wife and daughter don't like to drive more than 4-6 hours. 8 hours if we really need to be somewhere. So I'm all about stopping. What if you were to leave real early one morning, say 5:00 am, and drive for 14-15 hours and then staying at a CG for two nights and then one more big day of driving and arrive at the Fort. Or, leave at 5:00 am and drive 10-12 hours hit a CG or a hotel with a pool. Then the same thing the next day. And then your at the fort. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Classact....Mike 17 Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Depends on your threshold for the amount of driving in a given day. As for time from Nashville to the Fort - it's certainly not 20 hours. We live in Nashville, and make it to the Fort in 14, and that's with two dogs, multiple stops along the way, etc. New we don't always (in fact rarely) drive it in one shot, but as for drive time, it can be done in 12, 14 if you lollygag. Our timing is dictated on when we want to drive through Atlanta (10pm - 2am). That means I run out of steam shortly south of Atlanta, then drive either all the way to the Fort, or close by the following day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Keenfamily 0 Posted March 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 OK - So let's make this more specific. We've now booked the vacation, and booked at FW. We'll be looking for a campsite for Halloween, about 2-4 hours North of WDW that will be our target for October 31. Worst comes to worst, we'll stay in a hotel. Any suggestions? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lightbikes 73 Posted March 31, 2015 Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 We are planning a trip from Dryden, Ontario, Canada (north of Minnesota) to FW, and we will be driving. The route will take us into the U.S. via International Falls, Bloomington, Nashville, Atlanta, Macon. We have four kids, ranging from 7 to 1 years old, and will be towing a pop up. The drive is about 30 hours. We are thinking of a 14-16 day trip, with 10 days at FW, and a 7 day Magic your way ticket (the other days we'll explore FW, or visit some local attractions). Our options for driving are - straight shot, starting around 4pm, or doing one or two stops along the way. If we do a stop, we may stay for a day in the cg (so a 2 night stop). What are your reccomendations - straight shot or stop, and if we stop, where would you suggest along that route. We drive from Winnipeg to the Fort every year - have done straight through and with stops. For us it depends on when we get away and how much time we have. Usually we wind up getting away later then we plan!!! Our last trip we had three drivers so we did a straight through drive. Left Winnipeg at 5:30 PM on the Friday before Christmas and turned on to Western Way at 6:13 AM Sunday morning. BUT the caveat was this time we had three adult drivers who are all comfortable with driving/sleeping and eating fast food!! If we can leave early in the morning (like 5 AM) then we go as late as we can, usually to somewhere around Paducah, maybe Murfreesboro. Usually a motel that night because we usually go down in the winter, late November early December and a lot of campgrounds aren't eve open. Again an early start in the morning and as far as we can make it that night. Most of the time that means Orlando area and into a motel. Next morning is grocery shopping and into the Fort as soon as our site is available. If it's later in the day or early afternoon when we leave and just the two of us we will usually drive all night, just switching off drivers ever 5-6 hours and all day the next day. The other one sleeps. That means a stop that night, usually somewhere past Nashville or depending on the weather after Atlanta. Always into a motel, by that time we don't want to camp - just eat and sleep LOL The next day it will again be an early start and again straight in to the Fort. Years ago hubby and I used to do straight through drives with four kids in the car too but all our kids had a really high tolerance for road travel and were good at entertaining themselves and each other - if we ignored the periodic squabbling and she/he poked me!. The were also a bit older - our first trip to the Fort with them they were 4, 6, 8 and 10. It could be lot harder with younger kids to do a straight through. It is also tough call depending all too often on weather and highway conditions. We've only been down in October/November twice, usually when we go we can wind up with some horrible weather. October should be much better for you. OK - So let's make this more specific. We've now booked the vacation, and booked at FW. We'll be looking for a campsite for Halloween, about 2-4 hours North of WDW that will be our target for October 31. Worst comes to worst, we'll stay in a hotel. Any suggestions? Sorry just saw this - a number of folks on here have recommended a campground just inside Georgia - sorry don't remember the name of it - can someone else chirp iin Have a great trip, the Fort is always fun at Halloween. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveInTN 3,247 Posted March 31, 2015 Report Share Posted March 31, 2015 Sorry just saw this - a number of folks on here have recommended a campground just inside Georgia - sorry don't remember the name of it - can someone else chirp iin I think you are thinking of Eagles Roost in Lake Park, GA....about 3 hours from the Fort I think. I'd highly recommend the place. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Keenfamily 0 Posted April 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2015 Lightbikes - that's nice to see someone 'local' doing essentially the same trip. Google maps says you are an hour further away than us... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lightbikes 73 Posted April 1, 2015 Report Share Posted April 1, 2015 Keenfamily - it is a long drive but we'll do anything to get out of as much winter as we can dodge!!!! We're about 90 minutes west of Kenora so we drive down through Grand Forks on I 29 straight south to Kansas City then east to St Louis then south/east until we hit Orlando. Assume you'll pick up the I-57 through Paducah to Nashville? We pick it up at Mt Vernon - it's very nice now that the construction is done. Slowest/worst part of the trip is always Atlanta - traffic there is always heavy -doesn't seem to matter what time of the day or night and all it takes is one accident or slow down and you're even longer. We always take the by-pass as soon as we can get on it but other people say they're are quicker to go straight through the centre. Have no clue which is better - both are busy. I think you are thinking of Eagles Roost in Lake Park, GA....about 3 hours from the Fort I think. I'd highly recommend the place. Thank you DaveinTN - I knew someone would know that name Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Keenfamily 0 Posted April 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2015 Honestly, we'll plug in our starting point and destination and follow Google Maps....that's pretty much the extent of our planning. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Keenfamily 0 Posted April 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2015 Anyone been to Reed Bingham Park in GA? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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