For those who drive to Disneyland- road trip traditions

[merrysmom]

Delta! I have a good friend from Delta. That explains his bowl hair cut. He says you can take the boy out of Delta but you can't take the Delta out of the boy.

So true! Hmmm.... we haven't given our son the infamous bowl hair cut yet... maybe I better get on that before they revoke our citizenship!

 

[carisa81]

We drive up for the Bay Area of CA. We always start our trip with a Starbucks. Always stop at Harris Ranch, either for lunch, or just a bathroom trip. We always stop in at the Starbucks right before the Grapevine. That's about it. Oh, and I always pack a bag full of fun stuff and treats for my toddler twins. Our trip coming in April we are flying. That should be fun. First time flying to Disneyland.

 

[mysteriouspnai]

I think part of the reason to the change in touring styles is due more to the role than to the personality. The driver wants to get there quicker because the drive isn't fun. The co-pilot wants to look around because they don't have to concentrate on the road.

Or I could be completely off

Regardless, tradition is driving REALLY early in the morning (like we're talking 5 or 4 am) to make rope drop. If possible, we also like to have Disney CDs playing during the drive, as well as loosely plan our itinerary.

 

[Heymy]

Our tradition has been to leave in the middle of the night (between 2 and 3 am), even though DH swears he's never going to do that again, to get in the parks by 9 or 10. We buy the latest Disney movie for the kids to watch while they're suppose to be sleeping. We don't stop until we get to the Grapevine. Restroom, change out of jammies for the kids, gas and Starbucks for breakfast. This trip, I'm compromising and we're driving down the day before we get to the parks (leave around 11 am) and staying somewhere in the vicinity. Then the next morning we only have to be out the door by 6 am.

 

[Thundergod]

Regardless, tradition is driving REALLY early in the morning (like we're talking 5 or 4 am).

pft.

we start out about 4pm and drive through the night to get into Barstow by 8 or 9 the next morning.

 

[merrysmom]

pft.

we start out about 4pm and drive through the night to get into Barstow by 8 or 9 the next morning.

But is there a Walmart in Barstow?

 

[Thundergod]

But is there a Walmart in Barstow?

you know there is!

 

[WDWfantasy]

We live in Redding (northern California) and make the I-5 drive once or twice per year always leaving home on a Saturday. We always get gas in Santa Nella, eat dinner at Chipotle or at In n Out just before the Grapevine, and stay the night at the Holiday Inn Express in Lebec, on the Grapevine. We get a great breakfast, included at the motel, and we hit the road again by 9am. This gets us to the Grand Californian by 11am, where we stay as DVC members from Sunday-Friday (cheapest use of our points avoiding Friday and Saturday nights, plus our Deluxe APs are usually blocked out on Saturdays anyway). We then check-in, leave the luggage with bell services, lunch at Whitewater Snacks and we're off to California Adventure until we get the text that the room is ready! Only 5 weeks and 3 days until our next adventure!!

 

[Butterfly123]

We come from the bay area and always stop at Casa De Fruita on 152 for coffee (parents) and sweets (kids). And we always fill up with gas and do a fast food lunch before we head over the grapevine. Of course there is the all important first spotting of Matterhorn...my 15 year old son and I are still discussing who really saw it first!

 

[mickeysgirl1129]

We drive from Seattle and always stop for dinner at Grandma's House in Yreka and for lunch at Pea Soup Andersens in Santa Nella!

 

[mysteriouspnai]

pft.

we start out about 4pm and drive through the night to get into Barstow by 8 or 9 the next morning.

LoL, I guess 4 AM is early for us because we're college kids who sleep in. I wish I had your stamina!!

 

[spellhex]

When it's just my family, we leave around 6am from San Jose. For a period of five years or so, we had a small TV and the Dreamcast set up so my little brothers didn't fight/annoy my parents with the incessant question of "Are we there yet?" We always stop three times on the 365 mile journey: first at a McDonald's to get breakfast for my dad the driver and so my mom can go to the bathroom, second at Harris Ranch to fill up the minivan and so my mom can go to the bathroom, third at Valencia for lunch and so my mom can go to the bathroom. As we enter Orange County us three kids try to see who can see the Matterhorn first/spot the Harbor Blvd/Disneyland Drive exit signs first.

When it's me and some friends, I'm usually leaving from Downtown Los Angeles, so it's a bit different. We leave around 8am (as it's a day trip on the weekend) and whoever has shotgun controls the music. We play two games: who can see the Matterhorn first, and when are we in Orange County (it becomes super easy to tell once you've driven in LA County a lot). As we take the exit for Disneyland Drive, I switch my ipod to my playlist of Disneyland ride songs. I always play Splash Mountain as I get to the booth for the Mickey and Friends lot.

 

[Thundergod]

UM, I don't care who's riding shotgun and who's driving.. If I am awake I control the radio. lol


I bet I'm a real jerk to ride with

 

[awdsmama]

I love finding a corny touristy pitstop.

When we drove down to DL last year, it was The Olive Pit in Corning, CA. My DS loves olives, so it fit. Did some olive and olive oil tastings, it was a nice break to stretch legs and do something fun.

When we went on a road trip to the Redwoods 2 years ago, it was a picture of DS by "Captain Jack" wood carving (yes it was outside of a liquor barn, don't tell LOL)

Just corny, break up the monotony of driving stuff ;-)

 

[LisaSunshine]

My DH and I drive down from Sacramento. Our tradition used to be a stop at Harris Ranch on the way back home, but now we've found we prefer 99 just because there's more to do along the way. Last year, we left a day early, made a few stops to see things along the way, and stopped at a hotel in Tulare. It was great to break up the driving and made it seem much more bearable.

This year, our budget is a bit tighter, so we're going straight through. But we'll probably make a new tradition of stopping at Bravo Farms in Traver, CA for lunch. It was one of our stops last year and we both really enjoyed it...especially the treehouse!

 

[MermaidHair]

I cant believe this thread is on page 3 and no one has mentioned the license plate game! We HAVE to do this - I print out the states and we cross them off as we go. Next time I am going to add Mexican states and Canadian provinces because we always see some of those as well. We keep the list after we get home and see how long it takes to complete the whole thing.

I actually like the drive from the Bay Area to Anaheim but this time we got a good deal from Jet Blue so we will fly. I am a little bummed about missing the drive but not that much because it means more time in the parks!

 

[zoeandjacks]

When it's just my family, we leave around 6am from San Jose. For a period of five years or so, we had a small TV and the Dreamcast set up so my little brothers didn't fight/annoy my parents with the incessant question of "Are we there yet?" We always stop three times on the 365 mile journey: first at a McDonald's to get breakfast for my dad the driver and so my mom can go to the bathroom, second at Harris Ranch to fill up the minivan and so my mom can go to the bathroom, third at Valencia for lunch and so my mom can go to the bathroom. As we enter Orange County us three kids try to see who can see the Matterhorn first/spot the Harbor Blvd/Disneyland Drive exit signs first.

When it's me and some friends, I'm usually leaving from Downtown Los Angeles, so it's a bit different. We leave around 8am (as it's a day trip on the weekend) and whoever has shotgun controls the music. We play two games: who can see the Matterhorn first, and when are we in Orange County (it becomes super easy to tell once you've driven in LA County a lot). As we take the exit for Disneyland Drive, I switch my ipod to my playlist of Disneyland ride songs. I always play Splash Mountain as I get to the booth for the Mickey and Friends lot.

Disneyland ride songs? I had no idea you could get these!!!

We drive from Las Vegas, but we don't really have any traditions, unless you include the tradition of me thinking "No, we won't have to stop in Baker for me to go to the bathroom, I can make it all the way to Barstow..." and then 30 minutes outside of Baker I'm ready to pee into my McDonald's cup. So yeah...starting with the next trip, I'm making a new tradition, that says ALWAYS stop in Baker and go pee. And Barstow. and then I'm good until Anaheim. We never try to leave early in the morning and do Disney that day, even before we had kids, my DH is too much of a grump and complains about the drive. We like to leave in the afternoon from Vegas, get to Anaheim and check in, then have dinner at GCH and walk around Downtown Disney and be fresh and ready when the parks open the next day. The only time we ever did day trips was when we were still living in the LA area.

 

[Jenn1116]

I bet I'm a real jerk to ride with

I don't care who's navigator/radio control. As long as no one interrupts the connection between the gas pedal and the floor board. Though I have to say, if I get a chance at input I do have a 5-disc box set of Disney CDs. Aaaand not to mention my driving method is offset by the time spent graciously accepting my speeding ticket somewhere between Fresno and Bakersfield.

MY way means being out the door by 4:30am and we're coming from the Bay Area which means I give us plenty of time for nice long afternoon in the park that first day. Plus everyone's too sleepy to beg for stops and I can get us to Bakersfield at least before the complaints...er I mean breaks begin.

Everyone else wants a ridiculously late start, or what they call "more reasonable," like 6:30 am. This turns me into Grumpy cause I've already been up waiting to leave for HOURS. For some reason a later start also seems to coinside with more frequent and lengthier stops.

 

[spellhex]

Disneyland ride songs? I had no idea you could get these!!!

I think most, if not all of them are on youtube. There are also videos that have the different lands' music (i.e. Main Street, Tomorrowland, Critter Country, etc.) I often listen to these during work.

This video is what I listen to for Splash Mountain, for example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY0MdLzmwjk
And here is Main Street's music loop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bttykRzIHl4

I believe there are CDs you can get that has all the music, but I usually just pull things up on youtube.

 

[Autty40]

We drive from the Modesto area. I drive to Bakersfield and my DH drives the rest of the way. We always stop at Bravo farms to eat and hang out for a bit. We also play the ABC game. I would love to listen to disney music the whole time but I think my DH would throw himself from the car if I did that. We also always stop at the In n Out at the grapevine.