DH vs DW....u help decide our fate!

[Junebugwv]

End of September? If you begin your trip at night you will miss the beautiful fall foilage! I have to agree with the others who talk abou the safety issues, too.

 

[Kilted_Yank]

I would say drive during the day.

 

[ocd4disney]

If the kids were younger it might be easier to drive at night, but since they are a little older my vote would be for the day driving. That was you do not start your trip too tired to enjoy it. I have taken a 12 hour night trip with my DD (then age 3) to my grandparents home and then driven back during the day. The night trip was much easier with my 3yo than the trip back! My mom and I took turns driving and sleeping and it worked out fine. Now that my daughter is older driving for long trips during the day isn't so hard.
Also consider the quality of sleep the kids will be getting in the car and how they will feel when you arrive to WDW.
Either way take care, be safe, and have a wonderful trip!

 

[SugarMomma]

c) - grab a quick (cheap) flight out of Louisville on Southwest. (for what you'll be paying in gas, you may break even)




Hey, I'm from the 'nati, so I didn't even venture to say book a flight from CVG.

Mrs. PB

I am in Dayton and we book our flight out of indianapolis, in on northwest thru hotwire. Had to try several days in a row to get a good price. just kept checking back. worth a shot. We drove all night from nashville, tn and did Sea World next morning. so very tired hard to have fun. but if you can drive w/o falling asleep go for it

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Come on ladies - Don't you have my back on this one?
Support my side.
We would never put anyone at risk- If we got sleepy we would switch drivers or stop for the night. Otherwise we won't have time to go to DTD . I need Ghirerdellis!!!!!!!!!!

Nope--sorry....my kids do not do well at night in a vehicle...they need their bed as do I. There is no driver swap---hubby will fall asleep at the wheel as will I if we are the only one awake while the rest of the van is snoozing.

I'm sorry---chocolate bribe or not...it just isn't worth it.

 

[SugarMomma]

ok, if you agree to stop if you get to tired i say go for it. We have driven from Dayton and there are some great Motel 6 hotels on the other side of Atlanta and an ok one in Jacksonville fl. Good luck.

 

[summersfam4]

We are in the minority. Having two DD's ages 6 and 2 night driving is the only way to go. Our trip is only 6 hours but we leave about 1 or 2 and arrive in time to have Breakfast in Downtown Disney. We head to our resort aroound mid morning and explain that we are very early and would appreciate being able to check in early if possible. We then head to the resort pool and play untill the room is ready. We unpack, nap, and by evening we feel normal and ready to do Disney! We try to all nap on our off park days so this isn't really any different except we get to do fun Downtown Disney and the resort pool earlier than we would if we drove in during the day. If your crew can handle the daytime drive great, but I wouldn't expect to arrive feeling much more refreshed after driving during the day, a car trip is always exahusting. Good Luck!!

Kelly

 

[OhioTony]

On the way down:
We will leave at 4:00 am and drive through.

On the way home:
We will stay in the parks until late afternoon and TRY to drive through , switching drivers as needed . We promise to get a room if neccesary.

We'll post the results of our decision when we get back - (I still need chocolate however preferably Girardellis)

 

[jann1033]

we have usually driven at night with a group of drivers and thankfully have made it there in one piece. this last time we did it again( had to as husband had an appointment in FL and as things worked out we had to leave later than desired or anticipated) with just the 2 of us and NEVER again. we drove during the day on the way home stoppped for the night and i refuse to go again unless we drive during the day. it is to dangerous driving tired so unless you are a true night owl drive during the day

 

[purplepixie]

We're actually starting our vacation in two weeks. We're driving down from MN. My DH is taking a half day at work. We're picking up our DDs from being with their grandma. Telling them about the trip. (It's a surprise...shhh). Then we're driving straight thru. I'll start so my DH can sleep. Hopefully until late evening them my DH will drive overnight. He's a major night owl and I should be able to go at least six hours so he gets a good nap. The the next morning I'll take over and we'll try and do some shorter turns thruout the day. We're planning on getting in around 8 pm. We always stop when we get tired. My DH smokes but never in the car with the girls so he'll stop every couple of hours to do that. That helps him stay awake. I talk to the girls and will stop to just walk around every two hours or so. We really prefer night driving but only because my DH can. What ever you decide make sure you're comfortable with it and stop if you need to. Have fun on your vacation.

 

[mel63]

I say day. Safety issue with falling asleep. We actually drive at night. But My DH works the overnight shift, so he is able to drive all night. He is used to staying awake and alert during those times. Since he works night, he sleeps the day we leave, and I try to get everything packed and loaded, get the house ready then wake him up for a shower and off we go. Then I try to stay awake with him, to give directions until we get to a highway we will be on for a long stretch. Once we get to 95 I doze. Usually stop early for breakfast then continue. I usually try to schedule a night at a motel, that we get to anytime after breakfast until about noon. Then we check in, have lunch (I pack stuff), DH sleeps, and I take the kids to the pool. Hang out there until dinner. Go get DH, eat, more swimming, then early bed. This works for to reasons: One, I am dragging by then, and two, it puts DH back on a sleep at night/awake during the day schedule. If we do have anymore driving, we get up the next morning and drive to our destination. DH usually drives the whole trip, he gets carsick and loves to drive long stretches. We have been doing it this way for the past few years with stopping at a motel. It adds a day, but before, it used to take DH 2 days to recover from the drive. Now he is able to enjoy "the whole" vacation.

Now, about that plane. We drove to Disney from Pittsburgh, the first time we went. We swore we would never drive that again. This time we flew. Only 2 Hours!! Loved it. DH didn't like the flight. Was a good flight, but he has always had problems with his ears. The altitude and pressure on his eardrums. So he was in pain for a couple days after the flights, each way. He is back to wanting to drive next time. So, he can drive and I will fly. The DD's can decide what they want to do, ride or fly.
Check the flights at surrounding airports. You may have to drive a little ways to get there, and back but it might be worth it for a good price. Check Columbus, or even Pittsburgh. Not sure wyou would dive that far for a plane ticket, but I got 4 tickets with Airtran during "primetime for flights"(8am flight, 10:15 arrival, non-stop both ways on Fridays) for $500 total, for 4. That was tickets both ways, taxes, and all fees etc. To me, it was worth it. Now with gas so high, probably cheaper.
JMHO

 

[OhioTony]

Neither one of us are what I would call "night owls" so we have to be very careful on our compromised solution for the trip home . If the driver is getting tired and the other is also, we will get a room.

I just keep picturing the scene in National Lampoons Vacation where Chevy is snoring away at the wheel . (funny in the movie--Real life- not so funny)

 

[wrldpossibility]

for daytime driving. If you both are able to get by with little sleep (or can easily sleep in shifts in the car) go for it. It DEFINITELY makes the ride better with kids. But I cannot sleep in the car, so I'm always useless the next day. No point in ruining a day of vacation from lack of sleep. Now, on the way HOME, I'm always all for it, since I can recover from the trip at home. Just my 2 cents. We've done it (on nondisney trips) both ways.

Amy

 

[bubba73]

I would say night driving. As a vet of the same, I speak from experience. Our last four trips were driving at night and everything went fine. Plus, you get there early enough so you can get plenty of rest to be ready for the next day. Also, there is so much less traffic at night so you can make great time. Just my personal recommendation. Enjoy your trip!

 

[jtopp]

Drive during the day. Driving all night means a driver misses a day(or doesn't enjoy it from fatigue). was never worth the lost day to avoid a small amount of traffic.

 

[OhioTony]

We decided to leave @ 2:00 AM sunday morning, ariving around 5pm @ POP. Dinner then DTD.Early to bed for MK on Mon....still workin on the exit strategy???

 

[dijid]

I would have voted for day driving. Safety is paramount. Not to mention that when you try to drive and have everyone sleep, they don't sleep well and everyone is just plain cranky the next day!

 

[bubba73]

I like the plan of driving during the night. It is the same thing that I have done for several years and it has always worked out well. The only thing I don't like (and you may be fine because of when you are going) but I wouldn't recommend going to MK on Monday because Monday and Tuesday are typically the busiest of the week for that park. Now, you may be fine because kids are back to school and parents are back to work but I would also make sure that I had the park hopper option just in case it is to crowded for you. Just a suggestion.

Have a magical and great trip!!

 

[mom2cookies]

we've gone 3 times and DH has driven everytime. (he is a truck driver and works at night so he has some advantages ). We are from Phila, pa. We leave near midnight,(usually on fri) drive to somewhere near NC and SC border. He sleeps, kids and i sleep and shop, swim, etc. When he wakes, we eat and continue travelling usually around 10 or 11 pm. We get to WDW very early. Check in ( tho rooms aren't usually ready) find what building we are in (won't give room #'s yet)and park the car near it. Explore the resort a bit, then go to DTD to look around and get some dinner. It is usually an early night (as far as WDW hours go ) so we go to bed and get rested up and ready to hit the parks on monday. So far this works because we get the "appetizer' (DTD)to whet our disney appetite and sleep knowing in the morn will be the entree'.

 

[momimouse27]

There are lots of people citing safety reasons for doing a day drive, but my humble opinion is that it really depends on you and your personality. Until we moved to GA, we lived in MS and AR. Those were 12 and 17 hour drives and we would always leave around 10 pm so the kids would sleep. We had my mom with us, so we would do it in 3 shifts.

My husband and I are both night owls. Also, if I get a cup of coffee in me, I am good for quite a while. The kids always slept like logs after about an hour of driving and it was pretty quiet. Like I said, I think it has alot to do with who you are and what you are capable of. One things for sure, the traffic late at night is great...there is none!!