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

[ddluvsdisney]

http://s901.photobucket.com/user/dv...8-4B0B-80AE-91BB967773B3_zpssyofrs58.jpg.html

What a great memory that makes!!

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[MulanMom]

We drive from the Columbus Ohio area when we go to Disney. We usually leave around 6 AM and stop around nine 9 or 10 PM. Then have just a little ways to go the second day. Once in a while we drive straight through coming home. But we get home so late that we are just dead to the world the next day. So I really prefer breaking up the trip.

We will be driving again this September. We like road trips so we don't dread the trip. But it is very long. We use the DVD player in the car for the kids who are 10 and 6. The movies are our saving grace for the kids.

Would love some suggestions for snacks and drinks to pack in the car to cut down on stops.

We are thinking of packing lunch this time to have at a rest stop. We've never done that in the past. What are some suggestions for meals that are easy to pack?

Thanks!

Hi Toy Story 3,

My kids are quickly growing up. When they were your kids' ages, we would fill snack size ziploc bags full of different treats, and each of us had our own bags so no fighting over who got more, etc. Some of our staples were small pretzels, grapes, goldfish, teddy grahams, granola bars, baby carrots, celery sticks, small apples, clementines. For drinks, it ranged from juice boxes to small bottles of water. At one point, they had their own water bottles with straw tops to reduce the chance of spills. We would sometimes make a stop that had an indoor play area for them to burn off energy. Or have a quick picnic at a rest area where they could play. If we did fast food, it would usually be wendy's or chick fil a. Subway as they got older. We also have a Wegman's near us that makes great sandwiches and would sometimes pack them in a larger cooler to eat on the road.

What's really neat is our kids love road trips and look forward to them! Happy travels!

 

[Momma2PrinceNPrinces]

Thanks, not heading to Turnpike, we live close to 78 near PA so I think we will do 78 to 81. My Jeep is brand new so that helps I am sure. Admittedly, I am old but haven't yet started to enjoy car rides(2 years ago, I actually had my first/only panic attack ever when driving on bridge from Philly airport after Disney.) We plan to leave about 7 pm and drive at night. I am a night owl and DH is used to waking for work between 3-4 am regularly(drives 5-12 hours for work to Mass and Maine.) We plan to arrive on Saturday but are using points for a hotel so we can stop if had to. Kids are 6 and 8 1/2. I have a road scavenger hunt for the kids. Not sure how else to make it fun.I worry about comfort too, in boosters, so they sleep. I tried pillow pets, they stink. Thanks for encouragement, I hope it goes as good as your experience

My kids are 4 and 7. They just started the fight in the car phase so I feel your pain! I'm so worried this drive is going to be hell on earth! As far as pillows, I found these at justice (of all places!) for like $8: https://www.seatpets.com. The kids already use them and DS has already fallen asleep on his.

 

[jm106]

My kids are 4 and 7. They just started the fight in the car phase so I feel your pain! I'm so worried this drive is going to be hell on earth! As far as pillows, I found these at justice (of all places!) for like $8: https://www.seatpets.com. The kids already use them and DS has already fallen asleep on his.

Those seat pets are what we have, they keep falling off for some reason and only help if kids sleep slumped forward. We took them out if the car because I got tired of trying to put them back on the seatbelt. I'll give them another shot.

 

[nono]

My kids are 4 and 7. They just started the fight in the car phase so I feel your pain! I'm so worried this drive is going to be hell on earth! As far as pillows, I found these at justice (of all places!) for like $8: https://www.seatpets.com. The kids already use them and DS has already fallen asleep on his.

Mine stopped that nonsense after we were cruising down I-95 and I pulled over to a dead stop and said to my dh, "Get the map. We need to figure out where to turn around. It's unsafe to drive with all this commotion. We have to go home."

They still get on each others' nerves, but the noise level has been curtailed. (Of course, if your kids don't love WDW, this strategy won't work!! )

Also, starting around that age (they're 10 & 7 now), I had them pick out books to bring, coloring books, DVDs, etc. They did a really good job of figuring what they would and would not use, and it was one less thing for me to do before the trip.

Good luck!

 

[sharadoc]

thank you!!! had a great breakfast, went to sharons favorite place, cracker barrel!!! it was even better because I didn't have to pay, dd bought breakfast!!!

You always make me laugh out loud at work!

We took Mike out to a local brunch that was only okay. I would have rather gone to Cracker Barrel!!!!

 

[sharadoc]

Hi all, I am hoping for some reassurance- we have just under 4 months and I am freaking out about the drive from NJ!
I am more worried that I will be more miserable then the kids.

Hints or suggestions to ease the torture? It's keeping me up at night. I do not want to stop over night as I hate that it takes 18 hours, I imagine adding an over night would be worse to me(more wasted/lost vacation time.) We do audio books already, I do not sleep in the car normally. The last time I drove to Fl was 1990.

We have an 8+ hour drive for summer vaca so I am hoping it will go well and make me feel that Fl is doable.

I think the most important thing you must have is acceptance. It WILL take 20 hours, you can't make it go any faster, but you can make it "better."

We realized that the drive is the only time our family is completely together for an extended period of time. We try to talk, or listen to music that we haven't heard in forever. We pick movies that we love, or haven't seen before, and we play games. It's totally a positive aspect of the drive.

One thing that we had fun with last time was the game of Life on DD's Nook. She and I played during the drive, then we played in the room on the overnight, and even finished the game at the hotel breakfast. She also downloaded some trivia games that we could all play.

If you plan on stopping at a nice restaurant on the way (not a chain like Cracker Barrel DAVE), then drive pretty late to the hotel and stop overnight, you will have a MUCH better day two. You feel like a normal morning, rather than no sleep, exhausted, checking in to Disney and sleeping instead of going out to a park, or restaurant, or pool. And your kids WILL have slept in the car, so they're going to be raring to go and you're going to be exhausted.

Just my two cents

 

[ddluvsdisney]

I think the most important thing you must have is acceptance. It WILL take 20 hours, you can't make it go any faster, but you can make it "better." We realized that the drive is the only time our family is completely together for an extended period of time. We try to talk, or listen to music that we haven't heard in forever. We pick movies that we love, or haven't seen before, and we play games. It's totally a positive aspect of the drive. One thing that we had fun with last time was the game of Life on DD's Nook. She and I played during the drive, then we played in the room on the overnight, and even finished the game at the hotel breakfast. She also downloaded some trivia games that we could all play. If you plan on stopping at a nice restaurant on the way (not a chain like Cracker Barrel DAVE), then drive pretty late to the hotel and stop overnight, you will have a MUCH better day two. You feel like a normal morning, rather than no sleep, exhausted, checking in to Disney and sleeping instead of going out to a park, or restaurant, or pool. And your kids WILL have slept in the car, so they're going to be raring to go and you're going to be exhausted. Just my two cents

I agree. We done it both ways straight through ( only once) in April and never again!! It was miserable. My DS16 and myself couldn't sleep. So if you don't sleep and are exhausted the extra day doesn't count anyway.
I much prefer stopping halfway, eating dinner and getting an early start the next day.

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[jm106]

Thanks. Ugh so you prefer 2 days each way over just getting there? I don't know that I'll want to get back into the car once we stop.
Wishing I could really pinch pennies and just fly, rent a car.
I do love the family time with my kids when traveling. That's why we camp and do beach trips. just down time.
(ETA)
Ok, trying to figure out when would we leave if we drive? DH has to work friday so we planned to drive fri night.
If we drive and stop, I would think friday night is too late to leave so Saturday morning would be better? We will have to drop a park day in order to do that. I assume same returning, we would have to leave first thing Sunday Morning to stop for a night and skip any plans for Sunday. We have a hotel stay on either end of condo stay(its a friends time share, free to us.) I could use those free nights for a place over night on the way.
Do you know where you are stopping in advance?

 

[MulanMom]

Thanks. Ugh so you prefer 2 days each way over just getting there? I don't know that I'll want to get back into the car once we stop.
Wishing I could really pinch pennies and just fly, rent a car.
I do love the family time with my kids when traveling. That's why we camp and do beach trips. just down time.
(ETA)
Ok, trying to figure out when would we leave if we drive? DH has to work friday so we planned to drive fri night.
If we drive and stop, I would think friday night is too late to leave so Saturday morning would be better? We will have to drop a park day in order to do that. I assume same returning, we would have to leave first thing Sunday Morning to stop for a night and skip any plans for Sunday. We have a hotel stay on either end of condo stay(its a friends time share, free to us.) I could use those free nights for a place over night on the way.
Do you know where you are stopping in advance?

When our kids were younger, we would drive Friday night and stop in a hotel down near Wilson, NC around 2-3am. It got us past most of the trouble spots on I95. Another option that we've done is leaving home at 2am and driving straight through.

Last summer, I left at 4am. Scheduled a stop near Hardeeville SC. We got there around 4pm. Traffic was lessening on I95. I had the energy to go further and we decided to keep rolling to Orlando. Worked out great.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[ToyStory3]

I think the most important thing you must have is acceptance. It WILL take 20 hours, you can't make it go any faster, but you can make it "better."

We realized that the drive is the only time our family is completely together for an extended period of time. We try to talk, or listen to music that we haven't heard in forever. We pick movies that we love, or haven't seen before, and we play games. It's totally a positive aspect of the drive.

One thing that we had fun with last time was the game of Life on DD's Nook. She and I played during the drive, then we played in the room on the overnight, and even finished the game at the hotel breakfast. She also downloaded some trivia games that we could all play.

If you plan on stopping at a nice restaurant on the way (not a chain like Cracker Barrel DAVE), then drive pretty late to the hotel and stop overnight, you will have a MUCH better day two. You feel like a normal morning, rather than no sleep, exhausted, checking in to Disney and sleeping instead of going out to a park, or restaurant, or pool. And your kids WILL have slept in the car, so they're going to be raring to go and you're going to be exhausted.

Just my two cents

I completely agree and that is our philosophy as well! Especially about stopping and splitting up the trip. When we drive straight through we're so exhausted when we get there that it takes us one or two days to recover and we lose time. When we stop we wake up, shower, eat breakfast, and we're at WDW by lunch time. It's perfect for us!

 

[MulanMom]

dvczerfs or anyone else around the Lehigh Valley PA area....

As luck would have it, my 180+10 day to make dining reservations happens to fall on the day we're leaving for a summer Disney trip!!! Great planning, huh? Anyway, it will require leaving a bit later in the morning than I'd like. I had considered going I95...via rt. 15/270/495/95 since I'll probably leave around 10am. Figured I might be okay if I can get to Richmond VA by 3pm. Considering the 81/77/26/95 route, but a bit gunshy because I have hit heavy traffic on that drive. We'll be leaving on a Thursday if that makes any difference.

Any opinions on which I should take?

Thanks so much!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

dvczerfs or anyone else around the Lehigh Valley PA area.... As luck would have it, my 180+10 day to make dining reservations happens to fall on the day we're leaving for a summer Disney trip!!! Great planning, huh? Anyway, it will require leaving a bit later in the morning than I'd like. I had considered going I95...via rt. 15/270/495/95 since I'll probably leave around 10am. Figured I might be okay if I can get to Richmond VA by 3pm. Considering the 81/77/26/95 route, but a bit gunshy because I have hit heavy traffic on that drive. We'll be leaving on a Thursday if that makes any difference. Any opinions on which I should take? Thanks so much!

You're leaving bc it's your day to make dining ressies!???

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[dvczerfs]

You always make me laugh out loud at work!

We took Mike out to a local brunch that was only okay. I would have rather gone to Cracker Barrel!!!!

I think the most important thing you must have is acceptance. It WILL take 20 hours, you can't make it go any faster, but you can make it "better."

We realized that the drive is the only time our family is completely together for an extended period of time. We try to talk, or listen to music that we haven't heard in forever. We pick movies that we love, or haven't seen before, and we play games. It's totally a positive aspect of the drive.

One thing that we had fun with last time was the game of Life on DD's Nook. She and I played during the drive, then we played in the room on the overnight, and even finished the game at the hotel breakfast. She also downloaded some trivia games that we could all play.

If you plan on stopping at a nice restaurant on the way (not a chain like Cracker Barrel DAVE), then drive pretty late to the hotel and stop overnight, you will have a MUCH better day two. You feel like a normal morning, rather than no sleep, exhausted, checking in to Disney and sleeping instead of going out to a park, or restaurant, or pool. And your kids WILL have slept in the car, so they're going to be raring to go and you're going to be exhausted.

Just my two cents

I don't stop to eat anywhere. ask the passengers.

 

[dvczerfs]

dvczerfs or anyone else around the Lehigh Valley PA area....

As luck would have it, my 180+10 day to make dining reservations happens to fall on the day we're leaving for a summer Disney trip!!! Great planning, huh? Anyway, it will require leaving a bit later in the morning than I'd like. I had considered going I95...via rt. 15/270/495/95 since I'll probably leave around 10am. Figured I might be okay if I can get to Richmond VA by 3pm. Considering the 81/77/26/95 route, but a bit gunshy because I have hit heavy traffic on that drive. We'll be leaving on a Thursday if that makes any difference.

Any opinions on which I should take?

Thanks so much!

if you think you will hit less traffic going 15/270/495/95 I would go that way.
in September, im going 81/66/17/95..... we will be leaving at 12:30am and ill be on the other side of Richmond by 5:30am. im going that way to avoid i26 construction at rush hour. there is construction on i95 north of Richmond but ill hit it in the wee hours in the morning.

 

[dvczerfs]

just to toss my hat in the ring....... I go straight through with only stopping for gas and restroom breaks. but im only looking at a 15 1/2 - 16 hour drive. you folks in new England have what..... a good 20hours? that's a haul.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Thanks, not heading to Turnpike, we live close to 78 near PA so I think we will do 78 to 81.

My Jeep is brand new so that helps I am sure. Admittedly, I am old but haven't yet started to enjoy car rides(2 years ago, I actually had my first/only panic attack ever when driving on bridge from Philly airport after Disney.)
We plan to leave about 7 pm and drive at night. I am a night owl and DH is used to waking for work between 3-4 am regularly(drives 5-12 hours for work to Mass and Maine.) We plan to arrive on Saturday but are using points for a hotel so we can stop if had to.
Kids are 6 and 8 1/2. I have a road scavenger hunt for the kids. Not sure how else to make it fun.I worry about comfort too, in boosters, so they sleep. I tried pillow pets, they stink.
Thanks for encouragement, I hope it goes as good as your experience

81 is a great route! 7pm will be good. I think a key trick to long trips with kids is to get small dollar store gifts, books, toys, games, puzzles, whatever, and DON'T give them to the kids. Plan to give them out one at a time at different points during the trip. Several hours after you start, an hour after a stop, etc. Plan for a nicer gift, maybe something related to Disney, towards the end when nerves are frazzled but you are still hours from Disney. Play games, tell stories, sing. Take a picture book of Disney parks and some Disney story books that relate to rides and show them pictures while you make plans. think of the trip like a school activity day and fill it with stuff to do.

If you have the room take extra blankets and pillows, but kids seem to be more flexible and can sleep in all kinds of positions.

And remember: This too shall pass!

 

[Momma2PrinceNPrinces]

Thanks. Ugh so you prefer 2 days each way over just getting there? I don't know that I'll want to get back into the car once we stop. Wishing I could really pinch pennies and just fly, rent a car. I do love the family time with my kids when traveling. That's why we camp and do beach trips. just down time. (ETA) Ok, trying to figure out when would we leave if we drive? DH has to work friday so we planned to drive fri night. If we drive and stop, I would think friday night is too late to leave so Saturday morning would be better? We will have to drop a park day in order to do that. I assume same returning, we would have to leave first thing Sunday Morning to stop for a night and skip any plans for Sunday. We have a hotel stay on either end of condo stay(its a friends time share, free to us.) I could use those free nights for a place over night on the way. Do you know where you are stopping in advance?

Personally I wouldn't leave on a fri after work only to drive a few hours before stopping again. I'd leave super early sat morning and get the majority of the drive out of the way. I'm in the STL burbs, so it's like 16/17 hrs to Orlando. We have done both...stopped for the night and drove straight through. The drive where we stopped, no one slept much. Last summer trip we drove straight through...left here around 6 am got into Orlando around midnight. No one slept much that night either but we didn't do a park the next day so it was spent lounging around the resort and swimming. Personally I liked that drive better.

 

[dvczerfs]

I know we are not driving tractor trailers. but here is a simplified article on what the tt drivers by law have to follow. state to state the laws vary just a bit but this will give you an idea what the states feel are safe, alert driving times for people who drive for a living. we run into this at work a lot with or drivers. again, drive all that weight and size is a little more stressful then driving the minivan but just to give you an idea:

http://freight.about.com/od/Glossary/tp/Hours-of-Service.htm

 

[jm106]

81 is a great route! 7pm will be good. I think a key trick to long trips with kids is to get small dollar store gifts, books, toys, games, puzzles, whatever, and DON'T give them to the kids. Plan to give them out one at a time at different points during the trip. Several hours after you start, an hour after a stop, etc. Plan for a nicer gift, maybe something related to Disney, towards the end when nerves are frazzled but you are still hours from Disney. Play games, tell stories, sing. Take a picture book of Disney parks and some Disney story books that relate to rides and show them pictures while you make plans. think of the trip like a school activity day and fill it with stuff to do. If you have the room take extra blankets and pillows, but kids seem to be more flexible and can sleep in all kinds of positions. And remember: This too shall pass!

Thanks. I agree about not leaving Friday then stopping- we only planned to leave Friday night if we were going straight through alternating and sleeping as needed. I'm like you, I don't sleep well when I first arrive at a hotel, really not well if I'm anxious it excited. We have stated at hotel at airport before and it's a terribly nights sleep in anticipation.