For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (III)

[harris family]

We prob not next but...lol we leave may 3rd from nw Indiana 29 days !!!!!

 

[armsom]

Leaving 4/17 from CT

 

[Mandilyn]

We are driving from OKC to WDW at the end of May. DH, me, and 4 kids. We have driven to Destin before, but this will be our first time driving to WDW. Have fun on your trip!

Anyone here planning a drive from the midwest, eg Oklahoma/Texas/Kansas vicinity in the near future?

Have done it a few times, now...and looking forward to ours later this summer, just looking for road trip war stories from fellow travelers.

Our family loves the trip, I've got the drive all-but memorized....can hardly wait.

 

[cruisingkat]

We are leaving sometime after April 15 as soon as hubby finishes his last tax client and I get the okay from my doctor following foot surgery.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

We are driving from OKC to WDW at the end of May. DH, me, and 4 kids. We have driven to Destin before, but this will be our first time driving to WDW. Have fun on your trip!

Awesome!! How long are you planning for your drive down? Looking like we're both coming from the central part of OK!!!

 

[Mandilyn]

Awesome!! How long are you planning for your drive down? Looking like we're both coming from the central part of OK!!!

Originally, we were planning on 2 days, with a stop around Mobile. Now DH is wanting to do it straight through. We will have a 1 year old and 2 year old with us. Hoping they will sleep if we drive straight through. When are you going?

 

[OklahomaTourist]

Originally, we were planning on 2 days, with a stop around Mobile. Now DH is wanting to do it straight through. We will have a 1 year old and 2 year old with us. Hoping they will sleep if we drive straight through. When are you going?

Sounds like you're taking the route I always promise myself I'll take next time . Now a straight-through drive is brave!!! We've done 14 hours from OKC to Macon, GA, then the next day about 6 hr into WDW proper the last few times and its worked out pretty well.

Sneaky parent trick we learned when we took our kids the first time: If you leave in the weeeee hours of the AM, wear them out the evening before, let them get excited, wake 'em up long enough to get them in the car, and once you hit the road they'll be out like a light inside an hour - maybe even less since yours are even younger than ours were the first time. Worked like an absolute charm for us, and the kiddos didn't wake up until we were pulling into a McD's for breakfast about four hours later.

This time, we're heading out middle part of June. Can't wait!

 

[pwdebbie]

So...who is next on the road to WDW, besides glo who is departing on 4/10?

All the best.

Hitting the road after church 4/14..

 

[letthewookiewin]

Sounds like you're taking the route I always promise myself I'll take next time . Now a straight-through drive is brave!!! We've done 14 hours from OKC to Macon, GA, then the next day about 6 hr into WDW proper the last few times and its worked out pretty well.

Sneaky parent trick we learned when we took our kids the first time: If you leave in the weeeee hours of the AM, wear them out the evening before, let them get excited, wake 'em up long enough to get them in the car, and once you hit the road they'll be out like a light inside an hour - maybe even less since yours are even younger than ours were the first time. Worked like an absolute charm for us, and the kiddos didn't wake up until we were pulling into a McD's for breakfast about four hours later.

This time, we're heading out middle part of June. Can't wait!

Which way are y'all driving to WDW?

Luckily, our DS were 13 & 14 at the time of the trip, so we didn't have to worry about them being too hyper in the minivan. We just had to change out their movie in the DVD and they were quiet. We only had an issue with the boys once and that was over the ice chest. My DH made the youngest DS "King of the Ice Chest". Which basically meant, if someone wanted a drink from the ice chest, it was the youngest DS's job to get it. Well the oldest DS wanted a drink, but didn't want to bother the youngest since he could reach the ice chest just as easily. The youngest was not too happy about the oldest getting his own drink.

We're driving to WDW again in September from Justin, Texas, which is between Fort Worth and Denton on 35. Last year, as soon as the DSs got out of school, we left and drove straight through to just the other side of Memphis on the first night. We were stopping to see one of my DH's cousin's on the way to WDW. After visiting with his cousin's family most of the day, we drove to Tallahassee before stopping for the night. Then we made it to Orlando the next day, which was the day before checking into our WDW resort. The first night we attempted to find a room in Memphis, but couldn't find anything until New Albany, MS thanks to a huge baseball tourney. Then we had a hard time finding a place to stay in Tallahassee thanks to the same issue.

Like last time, we'll leave as soon as the DSs get out of school. Then we'll take 20 to Shreveport, 49 to Lafayette, 10 to the Gulfport/ Buloxi area. We'll take a night there to tour the Jefferson Davis house. Once back on the road we'll stay on 10, until we get to 75, and then 91 into Orlando.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

Which way are y'all driving to WDW?

Luckily, our DS were 13 & 14 at the time of the trip, so we didn't have to worry about them being too hyper in the minivan. We just had to change out their movie in the DVD and they were quiet. We only had an issue with the boys once and that was over the ice chest. My DH made the youngest DS "King of the Ice Chest". Which basically meant, if someone wanted a drink from the ice chest, it was the youngest DS's job to get it. Well the oldest DS wanted a drink, but didn't want to bother the youngest since he could reach the ice chest just as easily. The youngest was not too happy about the oldest getting his own drink.

We're driving to WDW again in September from Justin, Texas, which is between Fort Worth and Denton on 35. Last year, as soon as the DSs got out of school, we left and drove straight through to just the other side of Memphis on the first night. We were stopping to see one of my DH's cousin's on the way to WDW. After visiting with his cousin's family most of the day, we drove to Tallahassee before stopping for the night. Then we made it to Orlando the next day, which was the day before checking into our WDW resort. The first night we attempted to find a room in Memphis, but couldn't find anything until New Albany, MS thanks to a huge baseball tourney. Then we had a hard time finding a place to stay in Tallahassee thanks to the same issue.

Like last time, we'll leave as soon as the DSs get out of school. Then we'll take 20 to Shreveport, 49 to Lafayette, 10 to the Gulfport/ Buloxi area. We'll take a night there to tour the Jefferson Davis house. Once back on the road we'll stay on 10, until we get to 75, and then 91 into Orlando.

I've gotten pretty darned comfortable taking I-40 to Memphis, then I22/US78 all the way to Birmingham, then looping around to I-20 toward Atlanta, then south on I-75 to Macon for the first leg, then from Macon on into Orlando/WDW the next day. The first day is a little long, but it makes the second day short and ramps up the anticipation for getting into WDW in the middle of the day.

Tried to reconcile avoiding Atlanta, but that inevitably led me through a bunch of lesser-known Georgia highways and byways, and I frankly did not want to test any rural speed trap legends. Only had one really really bad time going through Atlanta, and our GPS got us around the worst of it, so I'm keeping Ye Olde Fingers crossed!

Never been brave enough to not have hotel booked both ways (the one night out/back). I remember as a kid riding in my folks car to the NE where we didn't have reservations, and a snowstorm booked up everything from our stopover to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. That taught me well.

The key for us is to keep the 17-year-old DS OUT of the ice chest long enough to let everyone ELSE have a snack before HE confiscates it all!!

 

[PEImom]

Leaving April 19th from Prince Edward Island looking forward to the drive.

 

[chipper10]

We leave on May 2nd from the St. Louis area. I'm getting a little nervous on how our just tuned 2 year old will handle the drive. .
28 days!

 

[nono]

We leave on May 2nd from the St. Louis area. I'm getting a little nervous on how our just tuned 2 year old will handle the drive. .
28 days!

Make a foot rest out of a smaller bag. It helps keep shorter ones much more comfortable along the way.

 

[MamaJessie]

Make a foot rest out of a smaller bag. It helps keep shorter ones much more comfortable along the way.

I have never thought of that, wonder if my youngest had somewhere to rest her feet she wouldn't kick the back of DHs seat on long road trips. Thanks for the tip!

 

[linzbear]

All right, I've been lurking long enough! We're driving from eastern MA in one month! I'll be doing most of the driving (I usually make the 6-7 hour drive to my in-laws solo), with DH subbing in when I need it. My 4 and 2 year old boys will be with us.
So, are there any playgrounds along rt 95 besides at McDonald's and Chick-fil-a? We'll be stopping to let them run off energy a few times, I'm sure!

 

[letthewookiewin]

I've gotten pretty darned comfortable taking I-40 to Memphis, then I22/US78 all the way to Birmingham, then looping around to I-20 toward Atlanta, then south on I-75 to Macon for the first leg, then from Macon on into Orlando/WDW the next day. The first day is a little long, but it makes the second day short and ramps up the anticipation for getting into WDW in the middle of the day.

When we went last year, we took I-40 to Memphis. That drive between Little Rock and Memphis was such a terrible drive. It might have been since there was a lot of construction.

Tried to reconcile avoiding Atlanta, but that inevitably led me through a bunch of lesser-known Georgia highways and byways, and I frankly did not want to test any rural speed trap legends. Only had one really really bad time going through Atlanta, and our GPS got us around the worst of it, so I'm keeping Ye Olde Fingers crossed!

I don't blame you. I would rather be on major roads than on lesser known roads, unless it's an area you are used to. Fingers crossed you get through Atlanta without any major traffic or construction headaches.

Never been brave enough to not have hotel booked both ways (the one night out/back). I remember as a kid riding in my folks car to the NE where we didn't have reservations, and a snowstorm booked up everything from our stopover to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. That taught me well.

I wasn't comfortable with it either. It was the DH's idea. He wanted to be able to drive as far as we could. His thinking was that if we booked a hotel, we were stuck with only going that far. If we didn't book one, and we felt that we could keep going, we could. We're night owls anyway, so as long as we have Monsters, we're good to go. I think when we finally got a hotel in Tallahassee it was about 2:30 AM.

The key for us is to keep the 17-year-old DS OUT of the ice chest long enough to let everyone ELSE have a snack before HE confiscates it all!!

As far as drinks go, we made sure we over bought and actually had some left over when we got home. With the snack food, we didn't put it all in one place. The middle row in our minivan has two captains chairs. The oldest sat in one and most of the snacks were in the other. The stuff we wanted to make sure the kids didn't eat all of was put up front with me. The DH was afraid they would just eat and eat until it was all gone while they were watching a movie as we drove, so the DH made a rule about snacks. If the DSs got a snack without permission and we caught them eating said snack, we would pull over, through all the snack away, and the cost of the wasted snacks would be taken out of their spending money.

 

[Goofygirl17]

Just booked our two weeks at Disney for July! 98 days until our 4th ladies only road trip! Poor DH has to work.

 

[Goofygirl17]

Where's my countdown signature?

nvm- it's here

 

[OklahomaTourist]

When we went last year, we took I-40 to Memphis. That drive between Little Rock and Memphis was such a terrible drive. It might have been since there was a lot of construction.

On our very first trip in 2001, the entire length of I-40 through Arkansas was being entirely rebuilt. It was in various stages of reconstruction across the state. Parts of it were three or four feet differing in elevation as the lanes were being reconstructed, parts of the surface were really rough, and there were very short (if any) shoulders. Didn't go last year, so didn't know there was any construction along the way. Here's hoping its clear this time around!

I don't blame you. I would rather be on major roads than on lesser known roads, unless it's an area you are used to. Fingers crossed you get through Atlanta without any major traffic or construction headaches.

Yeah, I'm going in optimistic.

I wasn't comfortable with it either. It was the DH's idea. He wanted to be able to drive as far as we could. His thinking was that if we booked a hotel, we were stuck with only going that far. If we didn't book one, and we felt that we could keep going, we could. We're night owls anyway, so as long as we have Monsters, we're good to go. I think when we finally got a hotel in Tallahassee it was about 2:30 AM.

Ugh. First night for us is Macon, GA or bust. First time we went, we made the drive out three days instead of two, because we stopped to take the kids to the Huntsville, Alabama Space Center. It was every bit of a half-day, but a little disappointing for me. Lots of abandoned or forgotten "historic" sites from the space program, left to overgrow, rust, and spoil. Most exciting thing was a prairie dog who jumped out along side the tour bus and raced us for a time. So the 1st night was Huntsville, 2nd night was Birmingham, then on to Orlando. Its been a two-day trip ever since.

As far as drinks go, we made sure we over bought and actually had some left over when we got home. With the snack food, we didn't put it all in one place. The middle row in our minivan has two captains chairs. The oldest sat in one and most of the snacks were in the other. The stuff we wanted to make sure the kids didn't eat all of was put up front with me. The DH was afraid they would just eat and eat until it was all gone while they were watching a movie as we drove, so the DH made a rule about snacks. If the DSs got a snack without permission and we caught them eating said snack, we would pull over, through all the snack away, and the cost of the wasted snacks would be taken out of their spending money.

[/quote]

LOL Great strategy!!!

Have a great trip!

 

[BC1836]

Another two-cent drop in the price of regular in these parts. We're hoping for one more drop by next weekend.

We need three full tanks to get to WDW.

All the best.