Driving.. Anyone do this?

[Doesney]

We have an 18 hour drive with 2 small kids I was thinking of doing this way.. Leave about 7pm and drive all night hopefully the kids and I will sleep. Then check into a hotel about 9am and let my husband sleep while the kids and I use the pool and explore whatever area we are in have lunch etc. Then hit the road again about 3 or 4pm and spend our first night off site somewhere?

Has anyone drove this way or do you think it is doable?

Thank you.


Holly

 

[tinaluis]

We've never done it that way. You may run into a problem checking in so early, usually check-in is 3:00 or 4:00 pm. If you can find a place that will let you check-in early, it seems doable.

 

[JohnnyOldBoy]

At that point you'll already have 14 hours in. May as well drive the last 4 into Orlando where you can usually get an early check in at about 1 pm. This can work if you can drive for about 3 hours or so while hubby gets a nap. Our drive is 18 hrs and that's how we do it. The drive seems much shorter when you arrive at your hotel in the early afternoon.

 

[CarolA]

I am putting on my flameproof suit! But I think this is irresponsible.

The normal person CANNOT do this without getting drowsy. So when you husband gets drowsy and has an accident is it going to be worth it?

I posted this fall about a family in Alabama who was driving from someplace in Alabama to Knoxville, TN for a football gave to see thier family member play. During the wee hours of the morning it appears that the driver dozed off, went off the shoulder, awoke, attempted to overcorrect and sent the SUV flipping. Several family members died.

I know that I will now get TONS of responses about how "everyone does it" an "we have never had a problem", but it only takes once!

 

[Doesney]

But I think this is irresponsible.

I don't understand this response. How is it being irresponsible. If he is well rested whne the journey begins and sleeps for 6 or so hours the next morning?

 

[SpecialK]

I personally think it's hard enough to drive 12 hours when it's light outside. Driving through the night only increases the difficulty. I'd choose daylight driving.

Taking unnecessary chances with your family's safety is irresponsible.

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by Doesney
I don't understand this response. How is it being irresponsible. If he is well rested whne the journey begins and sleeps for 6 or so hours the next morning?

Many (most?) people can't adjust their sleep schedule that way and safely drive. Will you be awake to share the driving? Does your husband normally work the night shift and is used to functioning at night?

Unless your husband has experience driving overnight I'd have to agree with Carol. Even if you get there safely your husband's sleep schedule will be off and he proably won't enjoy Disney.

 

[BrianMonk]

I don't understand this response. How is it being irresponsible

For the average person, you're at a very heightened risk of being too drowsy to drive safely.

It wouldn't be irresponsible if the person normally worked a graveyard shift and slept during the day. While that may becoming more common, it's still not all that common.

Here's a quote from a study, "driving while feeling drowsy or fatigued is a lethal combination, and is no less an impairment than driving while drunk," he adds.

Here's the full link from the University of Michigan:
http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2002/drowsydrive.htm

While I might do some naughty things in the eyes of Disney or some other posters here, I wouldn't do a midnight drive FOR Disney. But that's just me.

 

[CarolA]

Brian,
Thanks for that link.

Unless this is the OP's husbands normal schedule I just believe he is going to get drowsy.


I am fully convinced that someday over on the memorial board there will be a post about some Diser who was trying to drive straight thru to Disney and had a horrid accident. I pray that I am wrong!

 

[Aimeedyan]

We are driving straight through... BUT there will be two of us doing the all night drive, with one sleeping in the back. I would be a tad scared to leave one person awake driving while eveyrone else was asleep UNLESS the person awake is used to that schedule. There are ALOT of accidents with people falling asleep and they just can't help it. Those freeways get long and boring...

My dad always drove us all night, but he worked nights anyways so it was normal for him. The rest of us slept.

You also need to check with the hotel you want to stop in at about checking in at that time... make sure they know youre coming.

I agree, if you already put in 14 hours, why not just drive the last 4 and get there?

 

[crzy4dsny]

How could you possibly call this person irresponsible? Thats pretty harsh. Do you know this person. Do you know whay they are capable of? I thought this was the transportation board not the debate board. Just because you may not be able to do something doesn't mean that some one who can is irresponsible.

The op asked a question related to a transportation topic. Not if you thought they were responsible or not. If don't have an answer related to the topic than don't reply. If you want to debate people go to the debate board.

 

[tinkerbell81284]

I drive to Disney even though I'm only like a maximum of an hour and half away. I could bet anyone I have I-4 memorized! hehe!

 

[BrianMonk]

crzy, here's part of the op's question

do you think it is doable?

That's asking for an opinion and then an opinion was given.

Maybe the answers were a bit harsh, but they were along the same lines as I'd tell someone in the workplace, "It's much easier to fire you, than to bury you." That may be harsh but sometimes reality is much harsher.

It's not debateable that if someone is driving against their normal circadian rhythm that they're at a heightened risk for having an accident. Maybe that's not the case here (they work late night), but more likely than not, the person is normally awake during daylight hours.

Holly & family will be able to do as they please. Whatever works best for them. But at least they have something else to think about that may be meaningful to them, which goes back to her original question, "do you think it is doable?"

 

[manning]

If your normal schedule is geared to daytime you will get drowsy around 3-5 in the morning. Your biological time clock is out of sink.
The rule of thumb for changing the bio clock is one day for each time zone. What you are doing equates to changing time zones.

 

[CarolA]

They asked for opininos. I gave mine.

Just because you don't like it does not entitle me to have it.

If you only want people to agree with you don't ask questions on a public message board.

 

[Doesney]

Thank you all for your responses. Since my husband works until 11:00pm sometimes later, by the time he gets home, unwinds, reads etc. he is never in bed before 4:00am so even if we drive until 7:00am or so, I am sure we will be fine. Now to find a place that will let us check in that early Again thank you for your concern about the well being of my family. I sure hope that you will reconsider the irresponsible thoughts. I am just throwing out ideas. Heck, we may end up flying. Thank you again for ALL opinions.


Holly

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by Doesney
Thank you all for your responses. Since my husband works until 11:00pm sometimes later, by the time he gets home, unwinds, reads etc. he is never in bed before 4:00am so even if we drive until 7:00am or so, I am sure we will be fine. Now to find a place that will let us check in that early Again thank you for your concern about the well being of my family. I sure hope that you will reconsider the irresponsible thoughts. I am just throwing out ideas. Heck, we may end up flying. Thank you again for ALL opinions.


Holly

You asked for opinions. There is a big difference between unwinding, reading and watching tv and having to drive. I suggest you either break the trip in half and stop between 12:00 and 1:00a (guarantee the room for late arrival) or drive straight through. You should plan on getting up 3:00-4:00a so you can do some driving.

Checkin is usually 3:00p. Not sure any hotel will guarantee a room that early unless you pay for the previous night. Your system won't work if you show up at 9:00a and find out you won't have a room until 3:00p. If someone shows up at 1:00a and want a room for the night they won't be holding an early room for you. What will your husband do sleep in the car? Start looking for a hotel that has a room available for early checkin?