"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (IV)

[sharadoc]

OMG I've been SO busy that I haven't even checked in on the new thread yet!!!

Made our first ADR for our December trip last week! It's feeling real again!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

Have a blast visiting w your daughter! 2 1/2 weeks until we leave woohoo!!! So exciting.

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thank you!

Safe travels have a wonderful visit! Post pic's when you can,

thank you!
ill see if I can get some pics of her at work. they are going to be cross training her the week we are there so she wont be in the park to often but I will get some pics.

OMG I've been SO busy that I haven't even checked in on the new thread yet!!!

Made our first ADR for our December trip last week! It's feeling real again!!!

Sharon!!!! I guess we are going to miss each other by about a week in December!!!! we are going down again for over Christmas. we are taking a Christmas tree again with us!! im sure briana will be working a lot but im sure she will get a day off along the week some where.

 

[dvczerfs]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...49456901.55757.240031789457347&type=1&theater

Yikes, tropical cyclone could develop around 6/25!!
UGH we had to drive home through Hurrican Sandy last October. Hoping we aren't on the road or in FL when this one hits!
We're leaving 6/20 and coming home 6/30.

we are hurricane Wilma survivors!!!! it was to hit the day we were driving down. it slowed and hit 2 days after we checked in. we went to check in and I asked, are you still checking people in? the lady said yes, why do you ask?i said theres a cat. 3 coming!!!! she looked at me, said your from pa.? im from boston, a cat. 3 around here is like getting 6 inches of snow at home.
ok, I feel better now!!!! put it in terms I can understand!!!!

i didn't know a palm tree could bend like that and not snap off!!! I have video of it. we were at okw in a one bedroom. if you didn't look outside, you would never know it was going on.

 

[dvczerfs]

Okay been lurking for a bit.... we are in Kalamazoo Michigan and everyone thinks I'm nuts but it looks like it's quite a bit cheaper to drive to Orlando even though we have 4 kids (10,7,2,&4) and we're not gonna be able to go for a year or more but just going to hang out subscribe, read posts and learn for you all.... I'm not nuts to do it right? It seems to be much more economical even though not as convenient, but it's an experience also, right?!

I did it a few times, its all what you make of it. Im in outside sales and I drive almost 50k miles a year. for me, its just another day in the office.

 

[loveysbydesign]

we are hurricane Wilma survivors!!!! it was to hit the day we were driving down. it slowed and hit 2 days after we checked in. we went to check in and I asked, are you still checking people in? the lady said yes, why do you ask?i said theres a cat. 3 coming!!!! she looked at me, said your from pa.? im from boston, a cat. 3 around here is like getting 6 inches of snow at home.
ok, I feel better now!!!! put it in terms I can understand!!!!

i didn't know a palm tree could bend like that and not snap off!!! I have video of it. we were at okw in a one bedroom. if you didn't look outside, you would never know it was going on.

LOL! We drove home through Hurricane Sandy this past Oct. as they shut down the railways at 2:00 pm while we were checking in for the autotrain!
Driving out 78 and being the only car on the road from Hamburg to Fogelsville was pretty creepy!

 

[dvczerfs]

LOL! We drove home through Hurricane Sandy this past Oct. as they shut down the railways at 2:00 pm while we were checking in for the autotrain!
Driving out 78 and being the only car on the road from Hamburg to Fogelsville was pretty creepy!

what day will you be getting down to wdw? we don't leave to come home till early sunday morning. if your going to be there next Friday or sat., shoot me a pm. maybe we can meet up and say hello. you can ask Sharon, im a creeper by my wife and daughter are ok.

 

[loveysbydesign]

what day will you be getting down to wdw? we don't leave to come home till early sunday morning. if your going to be there next Friday or sat., shoot me a pm. maybe we can meet up and say hello. you can ask Sharon, im a creeper by my wife and daughter are ok.

We are heading down June 20th and arriving the 21st in the evening.
Planning on hitting MK on 6/22 as it is out 17th anniversary! I know it'll be packed but we're gonna take a break from 2-7!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

We are heading down June 20th and arriving the 21st in the evening.
Planning on hitting MK on 6/22 as it is out 17th anniversary! I know it'll be packed but we're gonna take a break from 2-7!

What time of day were you married on June 22, 1996? LOL My son was born at 5:32 pm that day!! Just found it funny!! Happy almost anniversary BTW!!!

 

[hebbynan]

Have any of you fellow travelers ever purchased a pre-paid visa/mastercard to use during your travel to and from Disney? We used our cc when we drove to Miami, but I was always so hesitant due to increasing cc theft and fraud. I was doing research online and I know that there are fees associated with the purchase/use and that really doesn't bother me. What I am concerned about is actually being able to use it for lunches and dinners as well as gas. Any comments or experiences would be appreciated. TIA!!

 

[NYDadof3]

My wife my 3 children (14,8,6) are leaving in 1 week. We are driving down from Long Island. We are planning on driving straight through. My kids get out of school at 11:00 am and we plan on hopping in the car and leaving from there.
Any suggestions to keep the kids from killing each other and us from killing them?

 

[loveysbydesign]

My wife my 3 children (14,8,6) are leaving in 1 week. We are driving down from Long Island. We are planning on driving straight through. My kids get out of school at 11:00 am and we plan on hopping in the car and leaving from there.
Any suggestions to keep the kids from killing each other and us from killing them?

Our kids are 14, 10 and 6 and we'll be hitting the road on the 20th! I bring lots of snacks, portable dvd player with a couple new movies, headphones and new books for them. Older 1 has a Kindle Fire and 10 y.o. an refurbed ipod touch, 6 y.o. a leapPad so this trip will be easier I hope!
My little guy loves maze and puzzle books so I got him new ones from amazon, they were buy 3 get the 4th free! Dry erase baords and markers are great too.
these Mad Art books are fun too. http://www.amazon.com/Beach-Mad-Art...=UTF8&qid=1371234335&sr=1-11&keywords=mad+art

 

[sandynd]

My DD11 and I are driving down from Mid-Western Ontario in October. We're going to try out "car camping" at large truck stops along the way instead of paying for hotels - we're practicing in the back yard tonight! We've done a couple of long-distance drives like this together - Myrtle Beach and Eastman Georgia. Myrtle Beach I cracked up my car hitting a huge pothole in the dark. I hate driving in unfamiliar places in the dark! So my strategy is to start out in the tiny wee hours of the morning, as I am pretty familiar with the roads down to the border, and then drive until I am really really tired (once it starts to get dark) and then find a big travel plaza to hole up in for the night. Start out again at first light and hopefully be at Bonnet Creek before dark the second day! Wish us luck!!

 

[LadyBeBop]

My DD11 and I are driving down from Mid-Western Ontario in October. We're going to try out "car camping" at large truck stops along the way instead of paying for hotels - we're practicing in the back yard tonight! We've done a couple of long-distance drives like this together - Myrtle Beach and Eastman Georgia. Myrtle Beach I cracked up my car hitting a huge pothole in the dark. I hate driving in unfamiliar places in the dark! So my strategy is to start out in the tiny wee hours of the morning, as I am pretty familiar with the roads down to the border, and then drive until I am really really tired (once it starts to get dark) and then find a big travel plaza to hole up in for the night. Start out again at first light and hopefully be at Bonnet Creek before dark the second day! Wish us luck!!

Hmm. I don't know if I can sleep upright for more than one night at a time. I'm glad you're trying it out in the backyard before actually doing it on the road.

Where do you enter the border? Detroit? Sault Ste Marie? Or somewhere in Minnesota?

If my calculations are correct, our dates at Bonnet Creek may overlap. We're getting there on October 27th.

 

[goofyfigment]

Have any of you fellow travelers ever purchased a pre-paid visa/mastercard to use during your travel to and from Disney? We used our cc when we drove to Miami, but I was always so hesitant due to increasing cc theft and fraud. I was doing research online and I know that there are fees associated with the purchase/use and that really doesn't bother me. What I am concerned about is actually being able to use it for lunches and dinners as well as gas. Any comments or experiences would be appreciated. TIA!!

The only issue I had is you can't pay at the pump with the per paid cards

 

[sharadoc]

Sharon!!!! I guess we are going to miss each other by about a week in December!!!! we are going down again for over Christmas. we are taking a Christmas tree again with us!! im sure briana will be working a lot but im sure she will get a day off along the week some where.

I can't believe it's been 3 years since our last meet-up. Lauren is doing marching band, chorus, performing arts camp, camp musical (Fame Jr.), and is trying out for a "big" show - Shrek the Musical which will be the entire month of December. If she gets in, then we'll have to postpone our trip to after Christmas. We'd arrive 12/28 if we do that - will you still be there? I'm thinking of making the reservation and then cancelling later if we don't need it. I don't want to get stuck without a room (or should I saw a room we can afford LOL). The prices at Christmas are ridiculous!!

 

[Mom*3]

New to this board and just checking in. Our first time driving to Disney although we have driven to other parts of Florida many times!

5 of us - Me, DH, DS16, DD13, DD11
Overland Park, KS - Disney
1260 miles - one way
18.5 hours - one way

 

[sandynd]

Hmm. I don't know if I can sleep upright for more than one night at a time. I'm glad you're trying it out in the backyard before actually doing it on the road.

Where do you enter the border? Detroit? Sault Ste Marie? Or somewhere in Minnesota?

If my calculations are correct, our dates at Bonnet Creek may overlap. We're getting there on October 27th.

Hey!! We're actually going to be there at the same time - we start out the 25th and start back the 2nd! I think we'll hit the border at Detroit - still pondering the best down. That would be cool to cross paths!

We're camped out in the car right now! We folded the backseats down, put pillows down and are sleeping with our feet in the trunk lol!! I'll let you know how we're feeling in the morning!

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[sandynd]

Ok, so it's 3:20, and we've learned:

* no laptop in the "bed" - it's amazing how much room that thing takes up in a subcompact car!

* we need camping mats!

* more blankets on cold nights!

* he who locked the side door of the house is in big trouble !!!! Lol

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[LadyBeBop]

Ok, so it's 3:20, and we've learned:

* no laptop in the "bed" - it's amazing how much room that thing takes up in a subcompact car!

So it's going to be you and your 12 year old sleeping in a subcompact. I still think that's going to be crowded.

Have you tried it with all your luggage in the car? That's going to be a lot of room right there.

* we need camping mats!

At least. At my age, I'd need an air mattress, and thats too big. (BTW, we're experienced tent campers). We've only slept in the car once. That was 12 years ago in NY state. We started looking for rooms too late, and we couldn't get one for less than $150/night. We were driving a full sized van at the time, so it wasn't too bad. At the time, there were two adults, and two above-average-sized teen-aged girls.

* more blankets on cold nights!

Yup. Huge thing. I'm not sure if you're sleeping in the car for one night or two nights. But October/November nights north of Florida is going to be cold.

* he who locked the side door of the house is in big trouble !!!! Lol

Can't help you there.

Sent from my iPod touch using DISBoards

Yeah, a laptop would be too clunky to use in a subcompact. But I would think an iPod touch would be OK.

Did you say you'd be taking one day down (leaving the 26th) or two days (leaving the 25th)?

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Are you familiar with traveling and stopping at truck stops in the US? They are not all safe. Pick carefuly ahead of time. What will you do about ventilation? Close all the windows and things get damp. But if you leave a window open, bugs or rain.

It may be very difficult to get a good - and safe - night sleep in a subcompact. Why not take a tent and stop at a campground. If you plan ahead you could find a state park not far off the road that would be cheap with limited facilities.

$20 or $30 might be worth the nights sleep and safety.

Just my opinion. Good luck either way!