Okay, I have read all the replies and don't think I am repeating anyone. I will however, give you my kids backpack contents adn the "gift list" to give an idea of what we bring along the way.
We drive 28 hours from MN and have done this three times. Our fourth road trip to WDW is coming in Feb. We start out generally in the early evening (though this trip we will be leaving late afternoon as there is some sightseeing we want to fit in along the way.) So, DH has the whole day off of work and he gets up and has breakfast and such and this year he will be going to pick up the van we are renting adn then coming home and going back to bed. We then drive through the night. The first trip, we thought the kids would go to sleep and stay asleep most of the night. Well, they went to sleep at about 10:00 but then at like 2 a.m. after we stopped for gas, they were wide awake and little chatter boxes. It was quite funny, really and they were all happy so that was fine. They did sleep a bit the next day. So, by the next morning we are in Tennessee and stop for a break and breakfast. We have stopped at a rest stop and then gotten in the car for poptarts and we have stopped at a full restaurant. The poptarts are the way to go. They did not want to sit in a restaurant after sitting all night. It wasn't pretty! That day we drive until we hit So GA somewhere and people are a bit stir crazy. Get a hotel and sleep. Preferably with a free breakfast. Most we have ever spent for a hotel on the road is $68 and that was Friday of Thanksgiving weekend. Next mornign we are ideally about 7 to 8 hours from Disney.
On the way, we have never had a DVD player before but are probably borrowing one this trip. (our kids are 9, 5, and will be 4) Each child has a backpack with stuff in it to include a few snacks each day that they can eat when they are ready, a juice box (everyone can also have water and each have their own water bottle.) They always have a variety of activities some of our favorites being colored pencils and paper, magnet boards and tangrams, and mini etch a sketch. I trade out the contents and rotate stuff around when we stop for breaks so the three kids have a variety but I haev to bring less stuff overall.
Our big time busters are books on tape, new music CDs that Daddy makes by taking their favorite songs from various tapes or CDs and putting them into compilation CDs. I like that as it helps with the just as you are getting ready to smack one of the Wiggles, they go away and you get a few Veggie tales songs. Really, the variety makes allllll the difference! And we play guessing games in the car and the kids love that. (I am thinking of an animal.....) We also sing songs which my family did when we were on road trips too.
We stop pretty often at rest stops to run around and go potty. Everyone goes potty!!! This is a hard and fast rule in our car. No way no how are we stopping half an hour later because somebody claimed they didn't have to go! We avoid the gas stations for bathroom breaks once we get south of IL whenever humanly possible. I do't want to offend anyone, but they are just not the same down there as up here. Ucky. On our first full day of driving, we stop at lunch time and have a picnic that I have packed from the day before. I generally make pb&j sandwiches there jsut having brougt the bread and fixins with us. Then we have apples or grapes as they travel well and some chips or cookies. The kids love that part! The next day, lunch is at a fast food place as someone mentioned with playtime first and then food. There is also a point along 75 and I am thinking it is right after the FL border just beyond the first FL rest stop. The next exit has a McDs and we have stopped at the rest stop, played there and gone to the Broom and then driven through McDs and gotten lunch. (Might be the last GA rest stop--I am not sure.)
As for the stroller and seating arrangements, knowing my own little people, I would place the youngest in the back with the oldest adn the middle one in the middle row by herself. I know that would work best for my own kids as the middle one can fight with either side, but the oldest usually gives the youngest a break. The stroller I would not even bother bringing along. To me, the wasted space or dealing with a rooftop carrier is just not worth it. Go to
www.abbf.com and rent one. They will have it at the luggage room of your hotel when you check in and you leave it there when you leave. I have rented a double front to back, a double side by side and a sit and stand from them in the past and always been totally happy. They have great customer service, are easy to work with and have great rental items. The extra space you will have in the car on the way down will be well worth the cost of the rental.
HAve fun and be safe!
) and many times we'll talk about the movie as we're watching it.
I was so joyful when my dh got transferred to GA and now we only have 8 hrs...much better!!
