We always drive now. WE do two 24 hour (or close to) driving trips per yearone to WDW. We drive because it is cheaper with a family of 5, but also because we enjoy it. Never underestimate the power of having your own car when you arrive, especially if you have children in car seats and/or in a stroller. You have to have the right mindset: The point is to have a good time, not make good time. Then, be prepared.
Have portable DVD player if you dont have a flip down. Cant afford one? Use a laptop or borrow one. But do not bring it out until other activity options have been used. Also, have a turn off time; it can keep many kids awake at night.
Have favorite toys available and bring out some new ones. Give them to the kids every so often. They do not have to be expensive. Think dollar store. Put together a three ring binder that has different print offscoloring pages, games (crosswords, picture bingo, etc. There are plenty of downloads/pintables on the internet; try to theme to your vacation). The binder makes a great hard surface for writing. Make sure to supply crayons/pencils/pens. Never underestimate the power of a magna doodle. Handheld video games also work wonders. Bring books on tape or read aloud yourself. Practice making up stories. There are several internet sites have great car game recommendations.
Have small trash cans available by each seat. Pack a roll of paper towels that is in easy reach. Bring a can of Lysol, Oust, package of baby wipes (you dont need to have a baby to make great use of these), fabreeze, and maybe a roll of toilet paper. In baby aisles you can often find toilet seat covers, they might be well worth it. Amazingly, all of this stuff takes up very little room and can fit under a seat or in a small Rubbermaid container.
Have a pillow (travel/neck work best) and a throw blanket for each passenger, except the driver of course. It makes sleeping much more comfortable.
Stop often. I suggest every 2-4 hours for about 15-30 minutes. Do not get caught up in getting there. Again, the point is to have a good time, not make good time. It might add driving time to your trip, but it makes the trip feel faster. Everyone getting out and stretching keeps the crankiness away. Get out and eat when possible. Lots of rest stops have playgrounds. Fast-food places are great for this too. Or let the kids play while the adults eat (although adults running around are good for moral) and then have the kids eat in the car. Stop if you come across an item of interest. We did an impromptu stop at Graceland one time even though it was an hour out of our way; it was so much fun (surprisingly) and something we wouldnt have done otherwise. Same with a trip to a unique museum and a tour of historical homes & civil war battlefield.
If possible, use a top of the car luggage rack if short on room in the vehicle. It will make everything feel roomier, which goes along way to make things pleasant. I suggest a hard top carrier; see if you can borrow one. The water resistant ones are OK, but place bags in trash bags before putting in the luggage carrier, just in case. I also suggest packing the clothes in the 2 gallon Ziploc bags under these circumstances. On the same note, duffle bags lend themselves to car travel much better than suitcases.
Inside your car, have a change of clothes for each person, two for the 3 and under set. Also, keep your toiletries in the car with you. This is also great if you stop for the night; you wont need to go unpacking everything, just grab the overnight bags.
Bring food and snacks. A cooler is wonderful. You can pack healthy items. Stay away from caffeine and lots of sugar.
When you stop, clean out the car. Just do a big sweep to keep it clean. Fold up blankets and put away items as needed.
Time your trip right. For us, we leave late afternoon. The first driver gets a good nap during the day. We then drive until dinner. We get out for dinner and then hit the road again. The kids then sleep the bulk of the night. The first driver drives until tired. The passenger (second driver) naps. When the first driver is tired, switch. The first driver will then nap while the second driver drives. You must be honest though, you cant drive if tired. If both drivers are tired at the same time, you must pull over and stop for the evening. When we go straight through, we stop at a rest stop in the morning and brush teeth and change clothes. Amazingly, nobody has ever been tired when we arrive. Part of that is the excitement of the trip ahead.
Another good theory is to get up and leave very early in the morning. The problem with that is that often time kids are then awake. Its nicer to have them sleep through the bulk of the drive, if you are trying to go straight through. Still also, some leave at a normal hour in the morning and drive x amount of hours or distance and stop for the night at a predetermined spot. You can get a great deal on a hotel through price-line or other hotel discount sites this way.
Afraid your kids might jump out of the car? That is what child locks are for. Same with window locks. You might also want to think of joining an auto club
AAA is wonderful. But check with your car insurance; many offer car services with their policies that are good nation wide. Some car warranties also have them. Also, dont forget that flying isnt as fast as you think. You have to spend the time getting to the airport, checking baggage, clearing security, waiting for luggage, arranging for time to get to hotel, and there are possible delays and flight cancelations. Then you have to do it all in reverse! And if you get caught needing food in an airport, YIKES! That can be expensive with limited choice. You also have the cost of getting to the airport or paying for parking while youre gone.
Now add a bunch more NEVER's now that I have a toddler and you can get an idea of how much I hate the idea of driving.
