12 hour drive for one day... Crazy?!

[Lindz518]

Okay DISers, I need either good arguments to give my husband or to be convinced that I am nuts! We have an 8 day trip booked for end of September, 230 days away. My 13 month old has started to LOVE Mickey and Minnie... I mean her face LIGHTS UP when she sees them on ANYthing.... She kisses and hugs our Mickey credit card. We are spending a TON on Spetember trip, but now that I see her with Mickey I don't want to wait that long!!! I am trying to convince my husband to drive 12 hours there, go to MK, stay a night in cheapish hotel and then drive back like next month. It would be a little more than $300 and can count as my bday present. Has anyone else done this???? Help convince either me or him please!!!

 

[dminnie]

It can be so unpredictable driving with a kid that age, I'd wait until the planned trip.

 

[Lindz518]

We would drive through the night and she would sleep fine, not her first long car drive!

 

[g-dad66]

It can be so unpredictable driving with a kid that age, I'd wait until the planned trip.

Also unpredictable that what she loves now will be the same thing she will love a month from now. Or that love of Mickey pictures may necessarily translate to love of a real human-size being.

I enjoy long car trips, and I love WDW, but man, I don't think I would do the 48-hour endurance test that OP is thinking about.

I might do it for a 4-year-old for whom it could be an unexpected treat, but a 13-month-old isn't really going to care one way or another whether OP does it or not.

 

[cmsnyder77]

I'm very sorry, but that is crazy. Maybe it would work out, but there are a lot of unknowns and I definitely wouldn't try it. You never know how a 13 month old is going to react. How about just taking her to a Disney store?

 

[mdsoccermom]

Your child could get down there and be scared to death of seeing Mickey who will appear to be a giant to her. You can't guarantee she'll act they way you want her to.

I have no problems with taking kids that young to Disney for a vacation, but there is no way I'd do that trip.

 

[rwdavis2]

I agree, it is nuts. Stop and think, why are you taking the child to WDW? Your enjoyment or hers? Realize she will not remember a thing from the trip.

 

[delmar411]

I wouldn't ever consider this. It's insanity to think that this would even be fun at all. And I don't think you understand the costs. It will be nearly $200 to get in the park plus another $200 in gas plus a hotel plus park food plus you'll want to buy things. You are really looking at $600+ for just a few hours. There isn't argument you can give that would convince me.

 

[DaveCN]

That is rather a lot for one day with a child that age.

My wife and I did the 13+ hour drive for a three day weekend at Food & Wine last fall. No big deal. And when we owned our condo in FL, we did a couple of long weekend trips with the kids, who would have been 7, 8 and 12 at the youngest when we did it.

But with a 13 month old? We did the drive when our were that little, but only when we were going to be there for a week. You are asking a lot of your little one.

 

[Jennasis]

Sounds crazy to me. Is there maybe a Disney Store nearby you could take her to instead for a Disney fix? Otherwise grab some Mickey cartoons and have a Disney day at home.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

You're nuts. She's one. She won't realize she waited a whole 230 days. A full size Mickey wil probably scare the crap out of her anyway. My DD is 4, loves all the characters. Sings the songs, watches the shows and movies, still doesn't want to get within 5 feet of them.

Save the money, go in September.

 

[MickeyCanada715]

Crazy ... Don't do it. Wait for your upcoming trip.

 

[Rosanne]

We live about the same distance away. I started bringing (driving) my kids when the were a little less than 2 years old. I think the shortest trip was three nights. Even a good traveler would find it difficult to make that drive, have one/two days in the world and then turn around and do the drive again.

I totally understand the desire to do it. Sometimes I think about a taking a day to make it a three day weekend but then we'd be driving almost all Friday, park on Saturday, then driving almost all Sunday. Not so fun.

The thing is... even if she would remember it, (and I actually do have vivid memories as young as 14 months, as does my younger daughter), she doesn't know that she's missing anything by not going unless you tell her she is. September feels like a long time away but it would be far better to save that money to make your September trip more comfortable. At the price of gas, the gas alone will be about $200, let alone park tickets and lodging.

I do think everyone will have a far superior trip in September. If you were to go in a month or so the crowds will probably be quite awful.

I asked my girls (6,11) if they would rather go on short trips more frequently or stay longer when we do go (say 4 day trips every 8 months or 6 day trips once a year. They both said they would rather go less often and stay longer because of the drive down. They are good car riders (we drive 1300 miles each way each summer to visit family) but it's good to have a nice long tushie rest between there and back.

Finally, what if that one day ends up being a bad weather day. That would be too sad.

I do understand wanting to go sooner. I think about it a lot but the days are creeping quicker to our August trip. I do have a June one booked to WDW too but I'm not sure we'll go on that one.

Great that she's loving Mickey!

 

[Disney_Princess83]

I'm going against everyone else here If it's something that is important to you, then I would give it a go. Just keep in mind that things might not go to plan. She might not have the same reaction to Mickey and the gang in person than you might be hoping for.

Do what you think is right for you and your family.

Okay DISers, I need either good arguments to give my husband or to be convinced that I am nuts! We have an 8 day trip booked for end of September, 230 days away. My 13 month old has started to LOVE Mickey and Minnie... I mean her face LIGHTS UP when she sees them on ANYthing.... She kisses and hugs our Mickey credit card. We are spending a TON on Spetember trip, but now that I see her with Mickey I don't want to wait that long!!! I am trying to convince my husband to drive 12 hours there, go to MK, stay a night in cheapish hotel and then drive back like next month. It would be a little more than $300 and can count as my bday present. Has anyone else done this???? Help convince either me or him please!!!

 

[Bethenny]

I don't think there's a good argument for it. So just tell him that's what you want for your birthday. If he doesn't want to go, then go by yourself. Not sure what you need from us.

One thing to think about though. What if you get down there for your ONE DAY in the park and it's pouring rain or storming?

 

[mom2rtk]

If the one year old could talk, she would probably tell you she'd rather be at home with her stuffed Mickey, a bowl of cheerios, and a regular nap in her own bed.

Have you thought about how disappointed you will be if you finally get to Mickey and Minnie and your little one just bursts out in tears? They're fickle t this age. Santa is a much loved figure in the lives of little kids. Yet how many of us have photos of our one year olds crying on Santa's lap?

Even this crazy Disney loving person would pass on this.

 

[nooneshome]

I wouldn't do it. I had a hard time rationalizing driving 10.5 hours for a 3 day trip. Even now I feel we need to have at least 5 full park days to warrant a trip.

 

[declansdad]

I'm going against everyone else here If it's something that is important to you, then I would give it a go. Just keep in mind that things might not go to plan. She might not have the same reaction to Mickey and the gang in person than you might be hoping for.

Do what you think is right for you and your family.

I think the bold is the key part here.

Personally I wouldn't do it if you have a tripped planned. I certainly wouldn't want to drive 24 hours for a 1 day trip either.

 

[Allison]

No way would I do that.

 

[scoutie]

I guess I'm trying to understand the rationality of this. Why just for one day? Why not make it a longer trip? If it's finances/vacation time, etc. that's preventing you from staying longer, this does not make any sense at all--especially when you have a trip coming up later this year.


Driving 12 hours for a day with a toddler in the car, and then turning back around would be miserable.

Hold off on the instant gratification--your trip will be more magical if you wait.

Do what you think is right for you and your family.

But her DH thinks it's crazy, and her daughter is going to be in a car for 12 hours, and then another 12 hours with little downtime in between.

I can't see a good argument for this.