Approx. 3.5 months out. What to take?

[jessg]

Hi all! We are approx 3.5 months out from our trip. We will be a group of 8 driving to and from the NYC area. We are 3 adults 3 teens and a 11 and 9 yr old. We will be stopping to spend the night somewhere on the drive down and on the drive back as to not drive straight through. Give me some ideas of things we should bring along not just for the drive but also for our 2 full week stay in an airbnb. We will be going at the end of Aug. We will have a washer and dryer in out air bnb so that SHOULD help cut down on packing. But still give me all your ideas and advice. Teens ages are 17,13,13 at time of travel.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

You should have about 5 Kindles, 5 Nintendo Switches, 5 Chromebooks and a couple wifi hotspots.....

Good luck.

 

[jessg]

You should have about 5 Kindles, 5 Nintendo Switches, 5 Chromebooks and a couple wifi hotspots.....

Good luck.

LOL the kids would live that but not a chance. I'm thinking of 2 portable dvds that have 2 headphone connections each and renting some dvds for the library lol

 

[Betty Rohrer]

LOL the kids would live that but not a chance. I'm thinking of 2 portable dvds that have 2 headphone connections each and renting some dvds for the library lol

that works if no one gets car sick. better have a back up plan if this is first long car trip for any of kids

 

[jessg]

that works if no one gets car sick. better have a back up plan if this is first long car trip for any of kids

My daughter gets carsick BUT I will be starting motion sickness medication a few days ahead and ginger candy/mints. As long as she is well fed she tends to do better its empty stomach that tends to mess her up.

 

[PittPantherfan]

When we drove we always took something physical to do when we stopped for breaks - soccer ball, football etc. Crockpot (if family likes Crockpot stuff) if AirBnB does not have one. I can't remember all we made but definitely pulled pork. Easy to pop something in Crockpot, head out to do things and dinner ready when you return.

 

[MrsPete]

Hi all! We are approx 3.5 months out from our trip. We will be a group of 8 driving to and from the NYC area. We are 3 adults 3 teens and a 11 and 9 yr old. We will be stopping to spend the night somewhere on the drive down and on the drive back as to not drive straight through. Give me some ideas of things we should bring along not just for the drive but also for our 2 full week stay in an airbnb. We will be going at the end of Aug. We will have a washer and dryer in out air bnb so that SHOULD help cut down on packing. But still give me all your ideas and advice. Teens ages are 17,13,13 at time of travel.

- Are you driving in one big vehicle? I'm wondering whether you have ample space for packing all you want? If so, bring along sale-purchased sodas, bottled water, and snacks. Not just for the drive, but for the whole trip. Over-pack snacks and drinks; at the worst, you bring them back home -- they will definitely be cheaper at home than in Orlando.
- Discuss ahead of time whether you'll allow the 17 year old to drive part of the way. Let him or her know your expectations.
- Pack a cooler with road-trip drinks and snacks, and pack it in such a way that the kids in the back seat have access to it. Pack frozen grapes, carrot sticks and cheese cubes for the road -- don't get the kids sugared up and then expect them to sit nicely in the car.
- Pack plenty of sunscreen, Tylenol and other such necessities. These things will be exponentially less expensive at home. Think about sunscreen, tampons, water shoes, bandaids, laundry detergent, batteries, and anything else you think you'll want.
- Pack your Disney clothes and your road trip clothes in separate bags. When you arrive at your on-road hotel, leave your big Disney bags in the car. Bring in one large duffle bag with one pair of PJs and one set of clothes for tomorrow -- for everyone. Less in your hotel room to step over, less to pack up again the next morning.
- Will you have a kitchen in Orlando? Consider ordering your groceries ahead for pick-up. Why waste your vacation time shopping? Whether you have a kitchen or not, grocery store deli food is a nice "in between" choice; that is, in between eating out and cooking.
- Remember what they said in driver's ed: "Take ten out of two." That is, a ten minute stop /stretch break every two hours. It'll keep people sane. Someone else suggested a soccer ball, etc. for breaks -- excellent idea.
- When our kids were small, we used to do something that really looked mean to outsiders, but wasn't: We'd stop at a McDonald's with a play space and let the kids play -- while we ate. On the way out the door we'd buy their Happy Meals for the car. Win-win for the kids, but to strangers it looked like we were getting food for ourselves /not the kids.
- All these children are old enough to understand "long drive", and they each own a school backpack. Discuss ahead of time your expectations for a quiet, calm drive, and encourage them to start packing a drive-bag soon. I'd give them each a small budget for magazines, puzzle books, card games, etc. for the road.
- We used to get audio books from the library for car trips.
- These are KIDS, and road trips get long for them. Consider a visual for them -- something like a string of post-it notes strung across the top of the front windshield. Mark them with 50-mile interval numbers OR towns you'll pass through. Every time you take down a post-it note, have a dance party in the van. Make one for the trip home too.
- Your first driving day will be easiest -- riding fatigue will hit you the second day. Try to put 2/3 of your miles behind you the first day; this will also mean you can arrive at your hotel mid-afternoon and have time to scope out the place, lay in some groceries, and hit the pool before dinner.
- Choose a hotel with a pool. This'll give everyone a needed physical outlet after sitting still all day. Encourage the kids to stay up late-late at the hotel -- they can sleep the next day in the day, which willl be a win for everyone.
- Choose a hotel that includes free breakfast. It's so much easier for everyone to go downstairs at their own pace and get something to eat. Once they were 10-12, we started letting the kids go down to breakfast in pairs, leaving the bathroom open for the adults. Makes for an easy morning.
- Coming home can be a bummer. Leave the house sparkling clean with fresh sheets on everyone's beds and an instant dinner in the freezer. If you have a neighbor whom you trust to help you out, ask him or her to go by early on your return date to turn on your air conditioner and leave fresh flowers on your table.

My daughter gets carsick BUT I will be starting motion sickness medication a few days ahead and ginger candy/mints. As long as she is well fed she tends to do better its empty stomach that tends to mess her up.

My girls and I sometimes get car sick -- it's unpredictable. I highly recommend candied ginger from the produce section of the grocery store. I can always find it at Harris Teeter under the name brand Sweet Melissa. I cut it into bitty pieces/pack it in a small Tupperware container. The relief is INSTANT but not particularly long-lasting.
My RN daughter turned me on to emesis bags from Amazon -- I always have them in my glove compartment -- throw up, twist the top to secure the mess, then throw the bag away. She calls them "Punch and Pukes". https://www.amazon.com/MP-Mozzpak-Vomit-Bags-Disposable/dp/B08C3Y8T5W/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1D9TEZN9GMT0O&keywords=throw+up+bags&qid=1651946538&sprefix=throw+up+bags,aps,112&sr=8-5

 

[Betty Rohrer]

My daughter gets carsick BUT I will be starting motion sickness medication a few days ahead and ginger candy/mints. As long as she is well fed she tends to do better its empty stomach that tends to mess her up.

just aheads up nothing works for me other than driving. I was the reverse of your daughter had to have an empty stomach

 

[Stormalong Smiths]

For a stopover idea -- check out the Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC. This is about the halfway point of your drive and is worth a stop for some fun eats/brews, pretty walking trails, and even tiny houses for rent as an alternative to the usual roadside hotel. The Imperial Centre has art galleries and a science museum that would be of particular interest to your younger passengers.

 

[jessg]

just aheads up nothing works for me other than driving. I was the reverse of your daughter had to have an empty stomach

I definitely plan on trying a few different things ahead of time. She doesn't ALWAYS get carsick just sometimes.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Hi all! We are approx 3.5 months out from our trip. We will be a group of 8 driving to and from the NYC area. We are 3 adults 3 teens and a 11 and 9 yr old. We will be stopping to spend the night somewhere on the drive down and on the drive back as to not drive straight through. Give me some ideas of things we should bring along not just for the drive but also for our 2 full week stay in an airbnb. We will be going at the end of Aug. We will have a washer and dryer in out air bnb so that SHOULD help cut down on packing. But still give me all your ideas and advice. Teens ages are 17,13,13 at time of travel.

So my kids are teens, 15/13 and for the drive they usually have their phone, airpods, a book or two, blanket and a small pillow. For the stay, we aren't the type that hang around our room/resort too too much since we're usually on the go, but if you do plan to hang at the airbnb, bring one or two fun games you all like to play or cards, something like that. We usually can log into our netflix or D+ at the resorts so that's how we watch shows if we want to watch tv/movies. As for the car ride, we keep snacks/waters handy and we usually do some sort of letter/word game when they feel like it but mostly they either read, sleep, snack or listen to music.

As long as your airbnb has the essentials like hair dryer, linens, etc, you shouldn't need much. And by having the W&D you can pack fairly light. Going in August it will be hot so make sure you're good with hats, sunblock, cooling towels, fans, etc and enough swimsuits. The biggest reminder for us to make sure my kids wear shoes that they can walk a lot in and for my kids, two girls, to not pack stuff they know they won't even wear. Not packing for little kids anymore so it's a gamble what they'll bring. Have a great trip, it sounds like an awesome time.

 

[jessg]

So my kids are teens, 15/13 and for the drive they usually have their phone, airpods, a book or two, blanket and a small pillow. For the stay, we aren't the type that hang around our room/resort too too much since we're usually on the go, but if you do plan to hang at the airbnb, bring one or two fun games you all like to play or cards, something like that. We usually can log into our netflix or D+ at the resorts so that's how we watch shows if we want to watch tv/movies. As for the car ride, we keep snacks/waters handy and we usually do some sort of letter/word game when they feel like it but mostly they either read, sleep, snack or listen to music.

As long as your airbnb has the essentials like hair dryer, linens, etc, you shouldn't need much. And by having the W&D you can pack fairly light. Going in August it will be hot so make sure you're good with hats, sunblock, cooling towels, fans, etc and enough swimsuits. The biggest reminder for us to make sure my kids wear shoes that they can walk a lot in and for my kids, two girls, to not pack stuff they know they won't even wear. Not packing for little kids anymore so it's a gamble what they'll bring. Have a great trip, it sounds like an awesome time.

Yes I plan on making packets for all 5 kids each with their own coloring books (I know I know but it beats being bored) some word search/sudoku type books, and a travel bored game each that way the can switch out and share between them and a few other things (share any ideas) 2 bathing suites each and maybe 2 pairs of tennis shoes and a pair of sandles each (at least for mine and suggest the same to the others)

 

[jessg]

- Are you driving in one big vehicle? I'm wondering whether you have ample space for packing all you want? If so, bring along sale-purchased sodas, bottled water, and snacks. Not just for the drive, but for the whole trip. Over-pack snacks and drinks; at the worst, you bring them back home -- they will definitely be cheaper at home than in Orlando.
- Discuss ahead of time whether you'll allow the 17 year old to drive part of the way. Let him or her know your expectations.
- Pack a cooler with road-trip drinks and snacks, and pack it in such a way that the kids in the back seat have access to it. Pack frozen grapes, carrot sticks and cheese cubes for the road -- don't get the kids sugared up and then expect them to sit nicely in the car.
- Pack plenty of sunscreen, Tylenol and other such necessities. These things will be exponentially less expensive at home. Think about sunscreen, tampons, water shoes, bandaids, laundry detergent, batteries, and anything else you think you'll want.
- Pack your Disney clothes and your road trip clothes in separate bags. When you arrive at your on-road hotel, leave your big Disney bags in the car. Bring in one large duffle bag with one pair of PJs and one set of clothes for tomorrow -- for everyone. Less in your hotel room to step over, less to pack up again the next morning.
- Will you have a kitchen in Orlando? Consider ordering your groceries ahead for pick-up. Why waste your vacation time shopping? Whether you have a kitchen or not, grocery store deli food is a nice "in between" choice; that is, in between eating out and cooking.
- Remember what they said in driver's ed: "Take ten out of two." That is, a ten minute stop /stretch break every two hours. It'll keep people sane. Someone else suggested a soccer ball, etc. for breaks -- excellent idea.
- When our kids were small, we used to do something that really looked mean to outsiders, but wasn't: We'd stop at a McDonald's with a play space and let the kids play -- while we ate. On the way out the door we'd buy their Happy Meals for the car. Win-win for the kids, but to strangers it looked like we were getting food for ourselves /not the kids.
- All these children are old enough to understand "long drive", and they each own a school backpack. Discuss ahead of time your expectations for a quiet, calm drive, and encourage them to start packing a drive-bag soon. I'd give them each a small budget for magazines, puzzle books, card games, etc. for the road.
- We used to get audio books from the library for car trips.
- These are KIDS, and road trips get long for them. Consider a visual for them -- something like a string of post-it notes strung across the top of the front windshield. Mark them with 50-mile interval numbers OR towns you'll pass through. Every time you take down a post-it note, have a dance party in the van. Make one for the trip home too.
- Your first driving day will be easiest -- riding fatigue will hit you the second day. Try to put 2/3 of your miles behind you the first day; this will also mean you can arrive at your hotel mid-afternoon and have time to scope out the place, lay in some groceries, and hit the pool before dinner.
- Choose a hotel with a pool. This'll give everyone a needed physical outlet after sitting still all day. Encourage the kids to stay up late-late at the hotel -- they can sleep the next day in the day, which willl be a win for everyone.
- Choose a hotel that includes free breakfast. It's so much easier for everyone to go downstairs at their own pace and get something to eat. Once they were 10-12, we started letting the kids go down to breakfast in pairs, leaving the bathroom open for the adults. Makes for an easy morning.
- Coming home can be a bummer. Leave the house sparkling clean with fresh sheets on everyone's beds and an instant dinner in the freezer. If you have a neighbor whom you trust to help you out, ask him or her to go by early on your return date to turn on your air conditioner and leave fresh flowers on your table.

My girls and I sometimes get car sick -- it's unpredictable. I highly recommend candied ginger from the produce section of the grocery store. I can always find it at Harris Teeter under the name brand Sweet Melissa. I cut it into bitty pieces/pack it in a small Tupperware container. The relief is INSTANT but not particularly long-lasting.
My RN daughter turned me on to emesis bags from Amazon -- I always have them in my glove compartment -- throw up, twist the top to secure the mess, then throw the bag away. She calls them "Punch and Pukes". https://www.amazon.com/MP-Mozzpak-Vomit-Bags-Disposable/dp/B08C3Y8T5W/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1D9TEZN9GMT0O&keywords=throw+up+bags&qid=1651946538&sprefix=throw+up+bags,aps,112&sr=8-5

Love all of your ideas especially from someone who has done the drive with kids/teens. We will definitely be doing 10/15 mins breaks every 2 hrs so everyone gets to stretch their legs and get fresh air regularly. Love the soccer ball idea also thinking about getting those tennis ball pad games what ever those are called. And maybe a pair of jump ropes for some "jump rope competition" with a prize.

 

[JoyfulHeart]

My kids are 11 & 8, so similar to your ages as your young ones. we are doing the WDW drive agin this year... roughly 14 hours. We have split the trip in two days and done it all in one. We are doing it all in one agian this year. We leave early and get there late, but its just easier. My ODD gets carsick. Sometimes its great and we have no issues, other times its nonstop sickness. We also keep the bags. After dramamine, we do no dairy, and nothing fried ( yes even french fries) and this has helped a lot. I will usually buy fresh fruit for her at one of the gas stations. She will eat a muffin once we get going and we keep light snacks throughout the trip. As for stuff:

1. Portable DVD player x 2 with headphones. Bunch of DVDs. You can try Game Exchange, sometime they will do 10 DVDs for $20. We did this last time and I bought a bunch of DVDs from my childhood so they were new and fresh for the girls.
2. AudioBook: They each have a kindle and I will download some audiobooks ( but you could do this on any phone or anything and the library offers free options) in case ODD gets sick and DH can't deal with the audiobook. She still has something to do while we drive.
3. Kindle: I will also add a new game they have never played before.
4. Book each
5. Coloring/activity pages with fun markers/ gel pens
6. Surprises: I wrap up a few things for every few hours( I started this for car trips when they were little and they love it), it may be a travel game to play (Guess Who & Travel Bingo are what they will get this year) and I always include one fun candy that I usually say no to in the store I will give it when we are closer to the end in case it amps them up ( we are doing push pop suckers and the baby bottle ones this year). Most things come from the $1 store. It gives them something to look forward to and break up everything. And then we have things like the Guess Who for the hotel if we need it. You can do anything for this, we have done puzzles with a cookie sheet, activity books, silly putty, etc...
7. folder with a few car games we can play together and fun fact about where we are going. Disney is easy because there is so much trivia out there
8. Snack, snacks & more snacks. My YDD and husband will eat the WHOLE time. It makes it go by easier, by all means- Snack.

 

[gudenufmom]

I tend to make my kids each a pack of Disney novelty items before the trip, and give it to them on the trip. One year I gave them each a drawstring bag (that they could use later for swimsuits, etc) full of things to do, like games and snacks. The snacks in individual bags kept the big kids from hogging all the good stuff! The little ones got art supplies, small toys, and Mickey fruit snacks. The older kids also got something fun to wear on the trip like Disney socks or a T shirt. It helps keep the momentum going and can be saved for later in the trip when people get bored and start picking on one another. We play Disney movies on the way to get pumped up.

One thing we have tried is to wake up super early on driving day 1so they fall asleep for hrs during the longest stretch. This makes for less stops and more quiet.

 

[Disneychick75]

Comfortables shoes and clothes
Electronics for the kids
and $$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[jessg]

I tend to make my kids each a pack of Disney novelty items before the trip, and give it to them on the trip. One year I gave them each a drawstring bag (that they could use later for swimsuits, etc) full of things to do, like games and snacks. The snacks in individual bags kept the big kids from hogging all the good stuff! The little ones got art supplies, small toys, and Mickey fruit snacks. The older kids also got something fun to wear on the trip like Disney socks or a T shirt. It helps keep the momentum going and can be saved for later in the trip when people get bored and start picking on one another. We play Disney movies on the way to get pumped up.

One thing we have tried is to wake up super early on driving day 1so they fall asleep for hrs during the longest stretch. This makes for less stops and more quiet.

I already have a amazon cart full of items LOL activity and coloring books for the 5 kids a travel game each so they can exchange throughout the trip each their own pencil case with markers, colored pencils and a pencil sharpener. I also got a pack of dry erase boards so they can use them as lap desk lol and I'm thinking of also going the 5 below and getting a pair of the full sized headphones for each kids since I know they all have their own phones and both of mine have tablets and I know at least one of the other 3 kids have tablets also. I figured I could charge 2 older laptops I have and download some movies incase the other 2 kids don't have tablets so that everyone has something to watch. I have cooling towels in my amazon cart too. One for each of us and a portable charger for each myself and hubby. I have a 8 pack of lanyards with I'd holder's and retractable clips. I have these cool things I found that you can take your case off your phone this thing has a sticky side you stick it to your phone close to your charging port put your case back on and stick the end of that thing through the charging port hole on your phone case and you can stick it on the lanyard. And carry your phone around your neck. I also have adult coloring books and sudoku for me and the other mom. (Hubby sleeps everytime in the car unless driving lol so he gets nothing )
I plan on giving everyone a survey asking their fav snacks/drinks for trip.

 

[StevieB81]

Depending on when you are leaving, I would recommend using I-81 instead of 95. It looks like it will cost an hour, but unless you're going to hit DC before 5am or after 7pm (during the week) taking 81 could actually save you a couple hours. Traffic around DC has done nothing but get worse every time I'm in the area. Even my old "short cut/avoid traffic" routes don't work so good anymore. It's not a whole lot better on the weekends, sometimes.
When you get the car ready for the trip (oil change, etc) make sure to check the AC and at least make sure it has a good charge. It will be hot in NY when you leave, but it will be flaming hot in Orlando (as well as SC and GA). A couple weeks without AC would be pretty miserable.

 

[Lilsia]

We traveled with our kids their whole lives. By the time that go to be that age, we just told them to bring what they wanted to keep themselves occupied on the trip. We were not going to worry about entertaining kids that are more then old enough to figure out how to entertain themselves. Maybe take the younger 2 to the store and have them pick out a new book or activity. For the road, I would just make sure that there are plenty of snacks and drinks.
At the condo, I would do grocery shopping when you get there and settled in. You know what your family likes to eat but I would make it as easy as possible for you, after all, it is supposed to be your vacation too. Not just you doing the same cooking, cleaning, laundry but in a different house. Make lots of easy stuff, like crockpot meals, sandwiches, frozen pizza, etc.

 

[Feberin]

We just drove from Baltimore and back with 12, 9, 7 and 4. My older kids packed a backpack with things for them. My 7 and 9 year old packed small toys and paper dolls. All my kids packed books but thankfully none get car sick. My oldest loaded his tablet with audiobooks. We listened to Disney music on the way down including the entire Hamilton soundtrack. I had snacks accessible to me to distribute when requested. I also had some sticker books that I passed out when kids were getting over the trip. My kids also each had a neck pillow and a blanket. They wore flip-flops in the car. My kids all have tablets that we used when they were over everything else.