For those who drive to Disneyland- road trip traditions

[rentayenta]

We'll be driving from SLC to Anahein with a stop in Vegas overnight. Just wondering what some of your road trip traditions are from food to movies, game, music, anything.....

- Viav Las Vegas by Elvis on as we head into Vegas
- We always seem to watch Mary Poopins and Aladdin
- Beef jerky and sliced apples with fruit dip are a staple. As well as cheez n crackers though that's painful to admit. Lunchables too. And sunflower seeds.
- A Whole New World playing when we pull into the DLR
- pin trading with each other in the car before we even arrive
- chatting about who wants to ride what first
- spotting the Matterhorn from the freeway.


What are some of your favorite road trip traditions?

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

I drive down from Fresno about twice a month (unless I take the train).

I always have a bag or two of sunflower seeds for the drive....they keep me awake.

I always stop at the same places to use the bathroom and if I stop to eat it's typically In 'n Out Burger.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

I drive down from Fresno about twice a month (unless I take the train).

I always have a bag or two of sunflower seeds for the drive....they keep me awake.

I always stop at the same places to use the bathroom and if I stop to eat it's typically In 'n Out Burger.

Haha I drive from Tulare and my tradition is saying, "I should've gone at In N Out" when I try to make it 2:45 without stopping then inevitably hit traffic 20 miles from DL.

 

[rowan1813]

LOL this is kinda funny. I drive from Visalia and its always tradition to stop at In N Out either at the bottom of the hill or in Castaic, even though we never go to the In N Out in town.

 

[Thundergod]

Driving 1200 miles to reach Disneyland, one might think we could find some traditions but we don't

Seems the only tradition we may have is stopping in Barstow at IN & OUT burger and we always have to eat Jack n the Box and weinersnitchel

 

[lana772]

We drive down from the Modesto area. We have a few "traditions". One is playing the alphabet game (you find a word that starts with each letter). Kids have figured out that they need to be on X in Bakersfield. There is a club called X-treme Sports there. Also, we always stop at the Jack-in-the-Box on top of the Grapevine for milkshakes. My kids (and DH) giggle every time they see the sign advertising the Los Pinos Mexican Restaurant. Yes, I am the only one in my family that speaks enough Spanish to not giggle at this. I took a picture last Christmas of the sign. I figured it needed to be in a scrap book.

Lana

 

[rentayenta]

Cute photo Lana.

These are great! We always hit up Jack in the Box in St. George, Utah come to think of it.

Keep them coming. Love reading about our fun traditions.

We have a contest of who can take the best photo of each of the state signs as we enter. I always lose.

 

[merrysmom]

We drive from Utah, too, and we usually stay in Las Vegas and start the second morning with a buffet breakfast, to make sure the minions are full and happy.

I always make my kids a bag of "surprises" they can open along the way. Last time I appliqued Mickey Ears with their initials on black canvas bags- they looked cute and were sturdy. My littles get things like princess Polly Pockets, crayon sets, packages of bandaids (seriously, do you have any idea how long a three year old can stay entertained with a package of bandaids to play with?) and my big kids might get a new DS game or DVD to watch, notebooks and pens, stuff like that.

We stop for photo ops, too- the big gold panning miner in Prymm, NV, the giant thermometer- it's fun to have pictures of my kids there every other year to see how much they've grown.

My husband is a "drive straight through until you get there with no stops and no sidetracks" kind of personality, and I'm more of a "oh, look- what's that over there- don't you think we should go see it?" kind of road tripper, so there is sometimes a little frustration on the drive. I'm thinking this year I may try to get him to agree in advance on a few specific stops on the way, so he can feel like we're going straight to a destination for each stop!

Other than that, we're boring- we do the usual Disney music in the car and watch a Disney movie thing. Mostly, we are just happy to get there with all five children still alive and happy!

 

[zendisney]

Hello There.
This is Carla.
My soulmate and I are planning a super trip this summer.
We are driving from Texas to Fresno to Canada (TO GET ON DISNEY CRUISE-ALASKA!!!!!) back to Cali to Disneyland, D23.(Hence roadtrip on steroids)
We are super excited about our trip.
Some traditions we have already... but I know that new traditions are going to happen. This is the longest trip we have ever taken together by car.
When ever we leave on a vacay that includes Disney (is there really any place else to go?)...we always pull out of the drive way with the Four Parks One World CD playing. We love it. The first track is the Disney Rail Road train whistle.
Then there is always podcasts and several audio books that are carefully chosen.
The only thing about audio books is that I get so lost in the books that it may not be safe while I am driving.
I still love the idea of the "sabbatical on wheels"... the unplanned -planned trip to somewhere with stops that are memorable if only for he moments you spend together. The idea of " Remember when we stopped at ________. That was so much fun" That whole idea is just so delicious to me.
I have fond memories of my mother driving my sister, niece, and I to Central florida to see our Aunt. I loved her but I also was always thrilled to know that we would go to Disney World if only for a day. So awesome. Back then I didn't know what that "feeling" was but it was a feeling that never went away.
So even if my mom only stopped at rest stops and never slept in a hotel and we ate peanut butter sandwiches in the back of the Volare station wagon. The road trips were ours and they were awesome.
I guess the whole idea for me related to road trips is plan but be open to stop at the place that has the largest spit ball or whatever. Cannot plan wonderful memories, they just happen on their own.

There are several Diser's going on this cruise... JOIN US!!!!!!

 

[Thundergod]

My husband is a "drive straight through until you get there with no stops and no sidetracks" kind of personality,

This is me!!

I'm pretty sure if I was riding along with me I would hate me. But since I do 90 percent of the driving I'm all about getting there.

 

[merrysmom]

This is me!!

I'm pretty sure if I was riding along with me I would hate me. But since I do 90 percent of the driving I'm all about getting there.

Isn't it funny how different "driving" personalities are? My husband is the kind of person who will stop at a gas station for gas, and be annoyed that I want to unload the kids and let them go to the bathroom and walk around.

I'm sure I make him plenty crazy, too, asking him to do things like, "Let's stop at that Family Dollar and see if it's different from the one in our town." I'm guilty of inventing things I desperately need ("Oh, shoot- I forgot to pack toothbrushes. I'll just run in that Walmart so we won't have to worry about it at the hotel.") just to escape from the car!

 

[rentayenta]

My hubby is like the rest of yours. You'd think asking to pee was a crime or something. I never get an eye roll like that unless we ask to stop to use the restroom. Now if its coupled with a fuel stop, it's okay.

I'm the same way, I like to check out the silliest stuff. He's like let's just get there. He's the one though that wants to stop in Vegas and roll some dice. I'm glad for that.

When packing snacks like beef jerky and real coveted snacks, I do divide and label their baggies so I don't have to hear *so and so ate my jerky*. They're 16, 14, and 11 and beef jerky is a hot commodity on road trips.

 

[Aspoonfullofsugar]

We also drive from the Central Valley and our only tradition is In N Out. It's enough.

 

[Thundergod]

Isn't it funny how different "driving" personalities are? My husband is the kind of person who will stop at a gas station for gas, and be annoyed that I want to unload the kids and let them go to the bathroom and walk around.

I'm sure I make him plenty crazy, too, asking him to do things like, "Let's stop at that Family Dollar and see if it's different from the one in our town." I'm guilty of inventing things I desperately need ("Oh, shoot- I forgot to pack toothbrushes. I'll just run in that Walmart so we won't have to worry about it at the hotel.") just to escape from the car!

If you traveled with my wife you would think that touring every Wal Mart in the nation was her vacation.

 

[rentayenta]

If you traveled with my wife you would think that touring every Wal Mart in the nation was her vacation.

Hilarious!

 

[merrysmom]

If you traveled with my wife you would think that touring every Wal Mart in the nation was her vacation.

Okay, it's settled- you guys need to drive through central Utah. My husband can hop in with you and your wife can drive with me, and we'll meet you in California in a week. (I added a few days in case we have to walk in some Targets in addition to the Walmarts...)

 

[rentayenta]

Okay, it's settled- you guys need to drive through central Utah. My husband can hop in with you and your wife can drive with me, and we'll meet you in California in a week. (I added a few days in case we have to walk in some Targets in addition to the Walmarts...)

Are you in central Utah? We're in North Davis County.

 

[merrysmom]

:

When packing snacks like beef jerky and real coveted snacks, I do divide and label their baggies so I don't have to hear *so and so ate my jerky*. They're 16, 14, and 11 and beef jerky is a hot commodity on road trips.

We TOTALLY label all snacks. My kids are 12, 10, 7, 4, and 19 months, and e everybody knows that my 4 year old will share. She frequently gets "shared" right out of her favorite treats. So I usually double her allotment! My kids would be in heaven if I would pack beef jerky for them. The smell kills me, though- reminds me of being carsick in a truck on the way to go camping!

 

[merrysmom]

Are you in central Utah? We're in North Davis County.

We're in the sprawling metropolis of Delta, actually!

 

[rentayenta]

We're in the sprawling metropolis of Delta, actually!

Delta! I have a good friend from Delta. That explains his bowl hair cut. He says you can take the boy out of Delta but you can't take the Delta out of the boy.