Driving to WDW tips?

[Hoyt31]

We are driving to WDW in Septmeber from CT. What are some of your best tips for the trip? We have a DVD player in the minivan. Our plan is to leave at about 8PM when the kids are just about asleep and drive through the night so the majority of the trip they will be asleep. The next day we will drive to Orlando and stay offsite to get a good rest before going to checkin at our resort.

 

[stacy6552]

The best thing I heard about on our driving trip was usastar.com (sometimes this gets blocked, so if you can't read the site name its 7 letters, the initials of our country and star). It gives you exit by exit info, so you can know things like "ok BUrger King is the next exit and if we dont want that its an hour til Subway....."

 

[TinaLala]

Ok we drive down to Disney from MA all the time, just did it last April. Here's what I recommend.

1. Get a Trip Tik from AAA with directions going in both directions.
2. Get a Cracker Barrel Map - at any local store - great place for cheap meals - opens 6am-10pm - EXCELLENT bathroom stop!!
3. Tolls - get your coins ready - if you have the Easy Pass bring it and use it to save time.
4. Get a map of US, make a little picture of you in the car and a picture of Mickey. As you enter a new state move your picture down a state and show the kids where you started and how many states you've gone through and how many states you have left to go to see Mickey. This helped stop the "are we there yet" for my kids.
5. Bonine - this motion sickness medicine you can get at Walgreens worked great for us driving 20 hours straight on the first day.
6. Pillows and blankets - for you not just for the kids.

 

[KevinW]

Watch out for DC after 9pm, they do road construction. We hit it one night around midnight and 4 of 5 lanes were closed, just as bad as rush hour! AAA trip tik will show construction, but you have to get the hours from the state transportation dept.

 

[tadamom]

When we go, I always pack each child a bag of "new goodies" they get each time we have to stop. You can buy some Disney stuff from Dollar Tree now. I usually get the magic washcloths that they can use in the tub on the trip, a new cup for the resort, a coloring book & crayons, a little snack, for the 3 yr. old she might get a kick out of a disposable camera that is only for her to use, a brand new movie for the van and I usually buy some new pajamas that they get to wear on the first night in Disney. My kids always look forward to these and make the trip a little easier.

 

[Hoyt31]

These are great... I definately have to make use of the AAA triptik.