Decorating Car for Long Trip - Suggestions?

[montblanc]

Hi,

This year I am investing much more time in planning and part of this is figuring out how to make the nearly 13 hour drive to Florida more festive and entertaining. I am creating a customized recording combining sounds of Disney with my voice (example: "welcome aboard to the Disney express, magazines for your reading pleasure are in the rear seat compartments, etc. etc.) and a few custom DVD's with family favorites from Cable TV. Besides reading material and media I have many games (some with prizes) for the kids as well.

Any suggestions on how I could decorate the interior of the car in a Disney oriented theme? Thanks!!

 

[pumba]

move it over to the Community board......hope you have a great trip

 

[monkeyboy]

Turkey legs...lots of turkey legs

 

[#1Mouse]

I print out Disney clip art (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto etc..) onto window cling sheets and then cut them out, peel them off and stick them in the corners of the windows. You can buy the cling sheets at Office supply stores.

Gail

 

[klmklm]

maybe you could
take a map of your drive, and designate certain landmarks, maybe one an hour, as different locations within WDW. So, when you reach city x, announce that you've just got to Splash Mountain, play the appropriate music, and pass out stickers or treats that fit the theme.

 

[Wendy_Darling_2001]

Maybe stuffed Disney animals in the back window, you could write "We're going to WDW" on the back window, put on a Mickey antenna topper? I can't think of anything for the interior of the car!

You mentioned you have games. I found a cool site www.puzzlemaker.com (a Discovery Kids site) where you can make customized games like word searches. You could make word searches using Disney words. I don't know how old your children are but this might be a fun thing for them to do in the car!

And (if you don't already have one), order the WDW Planning DVD to watch along the way, that will get everyone excited!

Have a great trip!

 

[RNMOM]

How about attaching the map to the ceiling of the car over the kids. Or an extra map, in case you need it! I would try with long straigt pins (depending on kids ages) or small safety pins. Some double stick tape might work too. That way then can look up and you can have them find the locations on the map after you have highlighted the way.

 

[Saffron]

Oh my gosh! I love this idea! Now I'm gonna wanna do this. You're going to get me in trouble!

I think you need some crape paper streamers! Red, black, a little yellow and a little white! You can hang them all around your car, inside and out. You could make red and black crape paper flowers too! Think of decorating the car like a wedding type thing!

Then you need some of these products found here: follow this link! I think the steering wheel cover, the air freshener and the window shade is a must have I think! Along with an antenee topper as someone else suggested. The car seat covers and the floor mats would be cool, but probably overkill. The over the seat organizer looks cool if you don't already have a way to do that!

And if you really wanted to get creative I guess you could make a pair of giant ears for the top of your car! LOL! Now I want a pair for our next driving trip!

Good luck and I hope you have a wonderful, safe road trip!

 

[Trish Bessette]

Do you have a portable DVD player? If not, it is worth every penny. You can play Disney movies along the way. What better way to get in the mood

Have a safe trip!

 

[montblanc]

Wow...this board is great, thanks for the ideas so far!

I'm going with another parent and we have two girls who will be 9 and 11. The 9 year old (and her mother) have never been to an amusement park so WDW will be an amazing experience. When I mentioned the idea they thought WDW was a one park amusement area, hehe. The 11 year old will be going to WDW for the 4th time and is very excited to be the "tour guide" for her friend.

Ideas I am incorporating so far:

Disney Clip Art for Windows
Mickey Antenna Topper
Crepe Streamers
Mickey Mouse Floor Mats (2)
"Grand" Mickey and Friends Backseat Organizer
Mickey & Friends Sunshades

I am thinking of a map concept and will probably design a custom one overlaying a metal board. Progress could be charted by moving a pair of magnetic mouse ears or something like that, lol. On the 2003 trip I had a portable GPS unit which showed remaining miles to destination, current speed and estimated arrival time, it was helpful for the "are we there yet?" questions.

I don't have a portable DVD player yet but will buy one a month or so before the trip (as they keep dropping in price, I'll wait). I will have 3 custom DVD's for the trip, one showing my daughter's 99', 03' and 04' trip highlights, one with cartoons etc. and one with a Disney movie. My computer is hooked up to cable tv so I can record shows then create my own DVD's.

I like the idea of little prizes for each segment of the trip and will be looking for items to stock up on.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[nana2tots]

Interior, no idea, but we draw on our van's back-window, different sayings, like Walt Disney World , Here We Come, also draw mickey faces.You would be surprise how many Disney families you will run into on the trip there.My license tags says, Disneykd, plus Disney plate on front, Mickey dangler, and Mickey Topper, plus we watch disney movies or some old Disney vacations on the way there.Loads of Fun!!!!!!nana2tots

 

[liznboys]

This is a great thread!! I never thought about decorating the INSIDE of our van, I'm getting some cool ideas from you guys! I had already planned to decorate the outside with car chalk (this I learned about from another DISer recently!! )

 

[Karel]

This isn't Disney oriented, but I like to print out maps of the USA with the states outlined. When they see a licence plate, they color in the corresponding state.

Not to be a party pooper, but I would also be careful advertising where you're going and that you are tourists. ( Obviously, with luggage and stuff, people are going to know you are traveling.) Two women traveling with two girls may equal an easy target.

 

[Antonia]

I saw a van that was decorated in June and it was so cute. I was jealous. We're going next week - maybe I'll get creative! What is "car chalk"?

 

[montblanc]

"Two women traveling with two girls may equal an easy target."

Actually it is one man and a woman. We are both single parents who are easygoing and share the same values about putting children first.

While I do my best to be entertaining I decided it would be a lot more fun for my daughter if one of her friends came along next year. I asked her friend's mother and she loved the idea, we can book adjacent hotel rooms and the kids will have a blast. The kids are very excited to say the least. This is one trip I really want to make memorable.

 

[montblanc]

Just had an idea for the map! I will design a custom map that snakes around for the trip (like Candyland) with the final destination being WDW. The map will be covered with paper or magnetic squares along the whole route.

At certain mileage markers and each time when we cross state lines the kids can take turns pulling off another "tab". Under the tab may be one of the Disney Parks (in which case they win a prize) or a joke, picture of Minnie "better luck next time" or something showing how long there is to go. I can print off images from the internet as well.

 

[Saffron]

I love this thread! LOL! I book marked it so I can refer back to it for our next road trip!

I love your map idea montblanc! And your map idea gave me a map idea! I love your metal map idea, but now I'm thinking along the lines of cork board and push pins! And it's for me. I'm always the one asking, "How much longer? Where are we now?"

 

[Saffron]

I wonder if this ( follow the link ) is what someone that posted meant by "car chalk"? This is a cool idea too! You can draw Mickeys or something on the windows!

 

[pjlla]

I've seen car chalk at Walmart and I believe at Micheal's craft store.....P

 

[Saffron]

What is "car chalk"? Can you draw on your car, like the hood or top or trunk, with it?