I am starting to plan our 2014 Summer vacation and need some advice/feedback. California coast option (2 days) Southbound and Speed trip I-15 to I 84 northbound (18 hours with alternating drivers)
This option allows a leisurely trip along the California Coast (Monetery to San Luis Obispo) and takes 2 days to arrive at Disneyland on second night. Coming home is just a time saving speed trip to allow us to maximize vacation time.
Welcome to the RTA Forum!
I understand trying to "maximize vacation time" but doing at the expense of rest and safety is just not worth it.
First, Boise to Anaheim in two days via the coast is nothing close to a leisurely trip. Monterey to Anaheim all by itself requires two days for a leisurely trip. The coast is a very slow going road, and while you might be able to complete the entire trip in one day - it would mean being on the road for about a good 14+ hours, and that's if you hardly ever stop.
That doesn't even factor that Boise to Monterey is about 750 Miles, including many miles of non-freeway driving. That is well beyond what we recommend, and far beyond what professional drivers are allowed, because of safety laws, to do in one day. After the 14 hours that drive is likely to take, you are not going to be in any position to enjoy another hard day driving down the coast all the way to Disney.
If this trip will be with children, it's an extra bad idea, as you'll have tired and cranky kids after being locked inside a tin can for so many hours. They're not likely to have any fun during these day on the road - since you won't have time for enjoyable stops - and that will carry over when you arrived at Disney, where their patience will be exhausted well before you wait in that first long line!
Going back - driving 900 miles in one day - is way too much to be safe or reasonable, even with multiple drivers. You're looking at about 18 hours of real world travel time, assuming you don't hit too much traffic getting out of LA. Doing this at the end of a vacation in Disney (which while a ton of fun, is much more likely to be a tiring few days than a relaxing break, especially if you are "maximizing" your time there as well) is really a recipe for disaster that will put people's lives - including your own - in danger.
I get trying to make the most of the time you have, but you're much more likely to actually get something out of your trip, if you keep your days on the road to a reasonably long distance. Doing 600 miles a day, when sticking to Interstates, is really the most you should be planning to do. Even that doesn't leave much time for stops, but it will keep you from driving so many hours that you don't have the energy to enjoy anything else.