anyone ever drive 14- with little ones?

[stahshee]

I am thinking on driving 14- from va to disney. Am I crazy? I do not know how the 2 yr old will do????? I have lots of new dvd and new toys for the car ride but I am just wondering how they will do? have you ever done that?

 

[daisyduck123]

We drive from Maryland each time we go...it takes about the same amount of time as your trip will. The youngest our kids were was 5 at the time though. Maybe do most of your driving at night...when your ds would be sleeping? As long as he would sleep, then that should not mess up his sleep patterns for the rest of the trip.

I'm sure someone else on here will have first-hand experience with this.

 

[Nikel]

We'll be making a 12 hour drive with a 3 year old and 2 year old in Dec. We're leaving at around 3 AM, so they'll sleep for quite a while. We're also planning a couple of stops for them to run around and play, and I'm going to be working on a "bag o fun" for in the car with new stuff and favorite toys.

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

We are 20+ hrs from WDW, and the first day we drive to SC, about 15 hours, stay over and then finish up on day 2. We have done this with DD when she was 11 mos, 23 mos, and with DS when he was almost 6 mos and are doing it again this year.

We leave here about 3 am, just pick the kids up out of bed and put them in their car seats in pjs. They pretty much barely wake up and are out again by the time we get to the corner. We can usually put AT LEAST 4 hours behind us before they even wake up.

We just prepare to make more stops and always let our DD get out, and run around a bit at the rest stops while DH went to the bathroom, bought pop, whatever.

I would bring Tylenol, just in case, but it really is not the nightmare people think it is when we tell them we are driving all that way with the kids.

 

[TinkerKim]

I just got back from almost 14 hours driving last night.........NOT FUN!! I have an 8 year old and a soon to be 15 year old. They fussed, played gameboys, fussed, napped, fussed, ate, fussed some more. I will never drive straight thru again. We will drive part way, stay overnight and finish driving the next morning.

 

[Twingle]

When are you going? I'm driving from Central Virginia to WDW in June with my DS6 and my twin DD's2. I'd be happy to let you know how it goes.

 

[momofdbsdc]

We drove over 20 hours on our last trip with 5 children. We are leaving in a few weeks, and this time with 6 children. I planned a ton of activities, movies, songs... I am in the planning stage again!

 

[mjmcca]

I drive from NYC and I drive alone with my kids a lot ( hubby hares Disney) My kids are now 4 and 5 and have been driving since they were babies. they each have a backpack that I put some new toys in and some old favs. ( I used the backpacks the 2 times we flew too because there is a lot of down time on a flight). I never drive straight through but my drive is longer than yours. I would say stop for all meals so they can run around a little. They are ususally btter ont he drive there cause they know they are going to disney than on the ride home.

 

[gianna2006]

How many people are driving? If more than one DRIVE AT NIGHT!! We left Long Island, NY at 5:30pm with my (then) 4 and 2-y-o. Packed some new movies (a VCR or DVD is a really good idea to have) and some new car toys. The kids played and watched TV until about 9pm when it was bed time. Then we drove and drove and stopped only to go to the bathroom and get gas. I took over for my husband at about 4am and we got to Orlando by 1pm the next day. The drive home, however, was much more difficult. We left later in the day then we wanted (really, who wants to leave Disney?) and stopped for the night somewhere in the Carolinas. All in all, though, the kids were great and as long as you plan to make frequent stops while they are awake you should be fine. Also, pack something to keep you interested while you are driving. We brought a few new CDs of some comedians we like and also brought a book on tape...these really helped the time go by.

 

[dsnymomof4]

I totally agree with the above poster - drive at night while the kids are sleeping! We did that in July (18 hour drive) - left around 7:30 pm, drove through the night (including a 2-hour traffic jam in VA) and by the time the kids woke up we were 3/4 of the way there. The DVD player was definitely a life-saver! I had also packed lots of activities, crafts, coloring books, etc. The older kids had there gameboys, but the DVD player was used the most.

 

[JudimouseNC]

We drove 12 hours from NC to WDW in October with an 18 month old and three year old. We left at 2 am so by the time they woke up we were almost there....alos, a DVD player is GREAT!!!! They watched several Disney DVD's the rest of the way. The hit was watching the planning video....lol.

 

[asktriplets]

we've driven down for the 16 hr. drive 3 times with our kids (at 2, 2 1/2, and 3), and we're doing it again next month at 3 1/2....i LOVE the idea of driving at night/early morning, but before you plan on that, please make a practice run!!!! our kids, sadly, do not sleep well in the car and it would be SO miserable to have whiny, tired kids on the start of a magical vacation (thankfully, we learned this lesson NOT on our trip down, but much earlier on other, shorter trips!)

that said, we all try to get a decent night sleep and get the kids up and hour or so earlier than usual (in the hopes that naps will be unavoidable!). we try to be ready to leave within 10 mins. of getting the kids up, but we do take time to find the gift that tinkerbell leaves for us (i don't know how she knows each time that we're leaving to go to WDW, but she always does!)...we have to follow the trail of pixiedust to the gift(s). the morning of our last trip, she left each of the kids a little bag with a small game inside for the car ride. i have it on good authority that the morning of this NEXT trip, she'll be leaving the Peter Pan DVD for the kids to watch in the car on the way down!

i usually pack way more garbage than i need for the trip (tons of little toys, a bajillion snacks, small wrapped presents, etc), and i generally find that i need about 1/8 of what i bring! a dvd player, i'd say, is essential. we also stop every 2 hrs. or so to let the kids get out and stretch (can't say enough good things about stopping at a hotel to use a clean bathroom and have the little ones walk up and down some stairs...my kids love this and it tires them out---we always ask hotel staff when we walk in if it's ok, and we make a HUGE deal out of reminding the kids to be quiet).

we do not drive straight through, though, and stop about half way down. it adds SO much more time to the trip, butmy kids NEED to get plenty of good sleep prior to a WDW trip where they just go, go, go(oh, how i WISH they were like me and could sleep anywhere at anytime!)

have a great trip!

 

[mjmcca]

How many people are driving? If more than one DRIVE AT NIGHT!! We left Long Island, NY at 5:30pm with my (then) 4 and 2-y-o. Packed some new movies (a VCR or DVD is a really good idea to have) and some new car toys. The kids played and watched TV until about 9pm when it was bed time. Then we drove and drove and stopped only to go to the bathroom and get gas. I took over for my husband at about 4am and we got to Orlando by 1pm the next day. The drive home, however, was much more difficult. We left later in the day then we wanted (really, who wants to leave Disney?) and stopped for the night somewhere in the Carolinas. All in all, though, the kids were great and as long as you plan to make frequent stops while they are awake you should be fine. Also, pack something to keep you interested while you are driving. We brought a few new CDs of some comedians we like and also brought a book on tape...these really helped the time go by.

I am driving by myself so I cant drive at night. If i am in the car hubby cant drive at night either cause i cant sleep inthe car and get vary antsy at about 1 or 2 in the morning, needing sleep. The kids are well used to the drive so they will be a non issue this si the 8th ( DD4)and 9th (DS5) time they have taken that long car ride to see the mouse. Until this trip they didnt have a dvd player but they were pretty good considering. From the time they were babies I would pack them up and we would go to the mall to LI to see my aunt to PA to go to the outlet pretty much anywhere so they are used to trips in the car now.



This trip we are leaving after school is over on Friday and I will drive as long as I dont feel too tired. We will stop whenever and then continue. I hope to get to orlando not too late in the day on Sat.

 

[TSM1993]

We left at night when my son was smaller and drove straight thru. Still do this now when he is 12. We live in PA. Drive everytime we go to WDW. One drives the other sleeps. And most importantly he sleeps durning that time aswell. Not as much now because of his age. But he is also not the Mommy are we there yet person.

 

[djett626]

I tried to reply earlier to this and it said I had too many URL, but I didn't have any. Let's try again!

I loved the Tinkerbell idea. That is so sweet.

I'm driving 11 hours with a 3,4 and 5 year old. I'm worried about what to do when they tire of the DVDs. I also plan on taking snacks and as many breaks as necessary. We are also splitting it in 2 days. I just think they will handle that better.

Anyone have any good ideas for entertaining that age group on the drive?

 

[mjmcca]

I tried to reply earlier to this and it said I had too many URL, but I didn't have any. Let's try again!

I loved the Tinkerbell idea. That is so sweet.

I'm driving 11 hours with a 3,4 and 5 year old. I'm worried about what to do when they tire of the DVDs. I also plan on taking snacks and as many breaks as necessary. We are also splitting it in 2 days. I just think they will handle that better.

Anyone have any good ideas for entertaining that age group on the drive?

Do your kids have Pixter leapster or v smile pocket or game boy? I would bring any and all of those along with you if they do.

 

[WAHMto5]

We drive every time with our kids at all ages from 8 months on up. We always leave at midnight, so we can get some good driving time in over night before we have to stop for breakfast Through the day, we stop at many rest stops so they can get out and run around a bit, bathroom breaks, ect..

 

[dzorn]

Last year we drove 23+ hours with my girls 3 & 6. We left about 5pm and drove striaght through. A portable DVD player is great. They can load up on Disney Movies. Druing the day we always stopped at places with play areas or rest stops frequently. When we got there next day unpacked car and crashed and were fine. Did not mess sleeping schedual to much. Unfornuatly my daughter gets car sick. First 16 hours were pretty rough. Tip for someone who gets car sick. Do not read it will make it worse. I also bought little toys thay the kids did not know about to play with in car. Magnetic doll to dress. When we were in DTD we got Mr. Potato head and then bought a rubbermaid container and they played with thay quite a long time on trip home. We bought the band that go on the wrists and not any illness on the way home at all. I would drive again but hubby said no way. We are not staying in Florida as long this time and we did not want to waste two days driving. Though I would have loved to save the money we used on air fair for a deluxe resort.


Denise

 

[INDISMOM]

Just posted this on another thread, thought it would be helpful on this one too!

We are also driving -- 18+ hours with an 8 year old and 5 year old. We are stopping 14 hours into it to spend the night, but still a LONG drive. Here are somethings that I am going to do:

Stickers above each girl on the ceiling of the car. One for every hour (or 1/2 if you think it would be better) we will be in the car. They get to take a sticker off when I tell them and put it in a sticker book. This give them an idea of how much longer they have in the car. It also works great when they wake up grumpy from a nap and get to take off 2 or 3!!

Found a CD on Ebay called Road Games Sound Effects. It play different sounds (i.e. bowling alley, power tools,etc.) and you have to guess what it is. I am hoping this one keeps them happy!

Their own CD player - I can only listen to Hilary Duff and the Cheetah Girls so long!!

For the 8 year old (almost 9) I am going to get the book Along Interstate 75 for her to "follow along" on where we are. Each page has 25 miles of the interstate on it and lists things that might be of interest. It also lists restaurants along the interstate that have playlands -- which will be perfect for them to get out and stretch.

I also am looking for the Swiss Family Robinson video--I know they will want to go to the tree house there, and now they will know what it is about.

I am spending a lot of time getting ideas (friends, internet, books) As I find more, I will post.