How bad is it to drive 1,000 miles to WDW with small children?

[jyotisharma]

It probably sounds like a no-brainer. Isn’t Disney World designed for kids? Yes and no. There are plenty of tricks and tips to get the most out of your stay, especially with young children. I made my first trip to Walt Disney World in Florida when I was 3 years old and since then I have been back at least another 30 times. These are my answers to the questions I am always asked about planning a trip with preschoolers.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

It probably sounds like a no-brainer. Isn’t Disney World designed for kids? Yes and no. There are plenty of tricks and tips to get the most out of your stay, especially with young children. I made my first trip to Walt Disney World in Florida when I was 3 years old and since then I have been back at least another 30 times. These are my answers to the questions I am always asked about planning a trip with preschoolers.

Sorry you misunderstood the thread, but this is about deciding whether or not to drive 1,000+ miles to WDW with small children, not about whether or not to go to WDW at all with small children.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

No thank you. LOL We did it once from the Pittsburgh area. It took 18 hours and we drove all night. I drove the whole way(my bad) and by the end I was a complete and total wreck. The kids 2 and 4. It takes so long to recuperate and it takes up a couple of the fun days I could have spent at Disney World. Right now we dh, myself, 8yo, 6yo, 2yo and 4 mos old and have to buy 5 air tickets, but it will be 6 in less than 2 years. We paid 967 this time around. With gas, food, and hotel stay for all of us, I convince myself that it is well "worth" it. When they are all older, say...5yo and up, driving would be doable for us and really fun. For now, I'll suck it up.

This is what I am concerned about too. Not only if my kids can handle such a long time, but the effect it will have on me and DH. The time is takes to drive would take 1-2 days away from the time we would otherwise spend in the parks and we would certainly need time to recuperate after both long drives. I know a lot of people make the long drive all the time and do just fine, but I think my better judgement is catching up with me with respect to my family's limits . If we can't afford to fly, then I think we will unfortunately just have to wait to go

 

[WDWLODGE]

This is what I am concerned about too. Not only if my kids can handle such a long time, but the effect it will have on me and DH. The time is takes to drive would take 1-2 days away from the time we would otherwise spend in the parks and we would certainly need time to recuperate after both long drives. I know a lot of people make the long drive all the time and do just fine, but I think my better judgement is catching up with me with respect to my family's limits . If we can't afford to fly, then I think we will unfortunately just have to wait to go

We have never had issues "recuperating" after any of our 6 drives. I have driven every mile in all 6 of these trips. One of the trips we left for WDW after I worked a full shift. We pulled in PO Riverside at 7AM and made the rope drop at the MK. Then we had dinner at 5PM at Chef Mickey's. I was up for 39 straight hours . I guess we were just so excited to be at Disney that the adrenaline was enough to keep us going. The next day we were up early and completly fine. Like I said before though, everyone is different and you know your limits.

Have you looked into the Autotrain? It is operated by Amtrak and leaves from a station just south of Washington DC. It travels from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL. It leaves Lorton around 4PM and arrives in Sanford in the morning. We leave in 8 days for our first trip on the Autotrain. There is a thread in the transportation section about it. I have heard that it is cheapest to book it 11 months out. Also it is cheaper when the "snowbirds" are not using it.

 

[WeLoveM1CKEY]

We have a 13 hour drive as well coming our way in January. That does not include stop times so add on a few hours for that. We are planning to start early but also stay over somewhere along the way also. I had already planned to give the kids spending money so I decided to make them earn it by telling them that for every hour they do not ask "Are we there yet?" or "How much further?" as well as not arguing I will give them $2.00 spending money. They will also have their dvd player and I have purchased some books like mazes, find a picture, ect that you can get pretty cheap. I plan on holding onto these though until they seem to be getting a little restless so that it will be something new for them along the way.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We have never had issues "recuperating" after any of our 6 drives. I have driven every mile in all 6 of these trips. One of the trips we left for WDW after I worked a full shift. We pulled in PO Riverside at 7AM and made the rope drop at the MK. Then we had dinner at 5PM at Chef Mickey's. I was up for 39 straight hours . I guess we were just so excited to be at Disney that the adrenaline was enough to keep us going. The next day we were up early and completly fine. Like I said before though, everyone is different and you know your limits.

Have you looked into the Autotrain? It is operated by Amtrak and leaves from a station just south of Washington DC. It travels from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL. It leaves Lorton around 4PM and arrives in Sanford in the morning. We leave in 8 days for our first trip on the Autotrain. There is a thread in the transportation section about it. I have heard that it is cheapest to book it 11 months out. Also it is cheaper when the "snowbirds" are not using it.

I did look into Amtrak's auto train for our trip this past August. Even with the kids deal, the cost to fly was only a few hundred dollars more than it would have cost us to do the auto train. Our logic was that if we are going to spend $1K on autotrain tickets then we might as well fly; and if we were going to drive 4-5 hours to Lorton, VA for a 17 hour train ride, then we might as well drive ourselves and save a lot of $$. I guess there is no real winning scenario when you live so far from WDW You are either going to dish out a bundle of $$ to fly or you are going to have a long arduous drive. I always say those that live in FL, GA, or even SC are so lucky to be within such a reasonable driving distance to WDW!

 

[Tandksmom]

We drove from northeastern, PA to Boynton Beach (3 hours south of Orlando) at the end of August. My kids are 5 and 3. There were 3 of us who could drive. It was TOUGH to drive straight through, as none of us were used to being awake at 2-6am. If you are able to stop overnight, it would really be better.

We left at 9pm, and got there around 6pm. The kids slept overnight, and were up during the day. It really wasn't that bad for them. If we ever do it again, we'll definitely stop overnight even for just 4-5 hours of sleep. I don't think I slept the whole time (I don't sleep well in cars).

 

[sparks19]

We live in Lancaster, Pa and we make this drive usually twice a year (my in laws also live in florida so we go to visit them too and drive). My DD is 4 years old but she is an excellent traveller. I don't fly well so we just don't fly anymore. We make sure to bring stuff to keep her entertained but really as long as she has the DVD player she is content to sit there and veg between stops.

We try to stop at least every two hours. That way we can all get out and take a little walk and stretch our legs.

The key for us is we try to leave EARLY so we can stop early We try to make it to Florence SC at least but sometimes we'll push to make it to Savannah. This last trip we left at 3:30 AM (that aws mostly to miss DC and beltway traffic... worked like a CHARM). We made it to Savannah GA at 3:30 pm. so we had HOURS of time to stretch our legs and relax for a while before it was time to go to bed and then get up and start all over again.

I definitely recommend an early start time and that way you can stop for the night at a time when you will have lots of time out of the car and before bedtime. plus starting early the kids may just sleep for the first few hours. not my DD lol once she's up she's up. she'll fall asleep later during the trip but if we move her from her bed to the car at 3:30 AM she's content to stay up for a few hours lol. But seriously an early start time is the key to keeping our road trips tolerable for everyone. It stinks to leave late, get stuck in traffic in DC and probably richmond too and not make it to your hotel until late, go right to bed and wake up and start again. Leave early... stop early. get to the hotel early, go for a swim, grab some dinner and just relax for a few hours. get a good rest and do the rest the next day

 

[Schmeck]

We've done the 22 hour MA to WDW drive three times - as long as there's enough space in the vehicle for the kids to spread out, it's doable, IMO.

The least painless way we did it was to leave very, very early in the morning - around 4 AM - and drive 2/3 of the way that first day. Definitely stop someplace to sleep for the night. We've seen too many accidents on the way down to risk being tired behind the wheel, especially with precious cargo (our kids!) in the van.

Lots of breaks to stop and stretch, especially for kids strapped in like astronauts in those multipoint harness carseats. The last 1/3 of the trip is boring, down 95S, but it goes a bit faster if you count the south of the border signs! Just be aware that the SC and NC state police are very, very present on that stretch of highway.

I got a plastic bin for wch child to fill with whatever they wanted to bring from home. It had to fit under the seat, and the lid had to fit on tight. I also stocked up on crap from the dollar store, stuff I didn't mind throwing out later on. I also made up Disney-themed puzzle books from online sites. On the trip down, it was fun to do them out loud, together. We did them again on the way back, and the girls were so proud of what they remembered from the trip.

 

[veraletta]

We drive it all the time and have been doing it for about 27 years.
This year my daughter and I took 5 children with us ages from 2 years old to 13 years old. We only drive about 900 miles, but we did just fine.
We did a lot of breaks, and of course brought laptop computers for the old children and movie player for the younger ones. We do leave about 12 noon, and some times we will leave at 12 AM, either way we do some night time driving.

Most the time we drive right thru to disney, but there has been times that I was too tired to drive, so we stop over night. I do all the driving, as my daughter just got off working a 12 hour shift at work.

Just don't push yourself, and remember to take your time. when you stop to get gas, I would make sure the kids all get out and use restroom.
They need to walk around some. We would make all the kids get out while we got gas or food. Plus we stopped at rest stops too. Younger children need to get out and walk a little about every three to four hours.

It takes us at least 16 to 18 hours to get to Disney. Depends on the 2 year old, if she needs to get out of the car seat, we will stop!

 

[tigger1bounce]

We have driven to WDW and VB too many times to count since our twins were 9 mths (they are 6 now). Tne trip usually takes us 13-16 hrs. Sometimes we do it in 2 days. Sometimes we do it all in 1 day. Like others have said, we have a routine. We leave early, eat at the same restaurant on the way down for breakfast, stop in the same town for a late lunch, arrive around 8pm and eat at ESPN for a late dinner. They have done great, especially now since their older sisters and brothers have moved out and do not go with us. LOL! The next day is rest and relaxation for everyone at the pool before our days at the parks.

 

[melser13]

We've driven 2 times with kids. Both 17 hours from the Cleveland, Ohio area. Once when they were 3 and 5 and again at 1, 5 and 7 (the baby flew with grandparents on the way down, but drove home with us) We are contemplating doing it again in April. We consider it our upgrade in hotel, ticket, or whatever else that can be done with a portion saved from flying.

Our 1st time was better than the second, as we stayed off site the first night at a really nice holiday inn (it was free on my husband's pts) the second time we went straight to the parks at noon and totally regretted it. We drive through the night with only a stop around 2 - 3 for a "nap" at a rest stop. We will stay offsite the first night next time OR just lounge at the hotel.

The kids were fine both times and entertained when they were awake with DSs and DVDs.

We'd do it in a minute if it meant another Disney trip. Of course, our annual passes are burning a hole in our pockets right now too, so we just might!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

we did the drive last summer with 5 adults and 6 boys16 months to 9 years old. we had 2 cars. did lots of stops to let the boys run at rest areas. we also stop for the night and leave early each morning. we drove from Lancaster, Pa. in fact it was easier than flying with 3 of the boys this summer. 2 hours can be very long when you have to stay seated, no bathroom because of weather. would much rather be able to make an extra stop if needed than have to force child to remain seated when bathroom is needed. they frown on you tapping pilot on the shoulder and ask him to pull in to the next rest area. you are going to be tired either way, flying or driving. you have to be at airport early to get thru security. 3 boys at the airport, 3 hours before flight then flight delayed 1.5 hours and no place to let them move around. had a 2 hour ride to airport, 4.5 hours at airport then 2 hour flight, so it was about 5pm when we got to resort. just something to think about.

 

[mfp]

We will be making a long drive from OH down to WDW for the first time in December. The farthest we have gone so far with our youngest (2 yr old) is to NC. So, we are splitting our drive into two, stopping at bil's house on the way down as our midway pt. What helps for us is to pack at least one meal. The kids can eat in the car and save some time or you can just stop at a rest stop and let them eat a quick sac lunch, while allowing them more time to stretch their legs in the picnic area, instead of wasting time (and $) in a restaurant. DVDs, books, nitendo DS for my older boys (6 and 7 yr old), leapster for my youngest all help to keep the kids occupied. The great thing about driving is that if the kids get too antsy, it's easy to just stop somewhere for 20 min for them to stretch their legs.

 

[jtopp]

As long as you remember Gods gift to parents-- a DVD player--you will be fine. We usually take 2 days, the first being long, getting into southern S.C. or GA, then the balance for the second day. We have also done it in one day, leaving at 5 or 6 am, and arrivingaround midnight. When the kids were younger, we made sure we had lots of finger snacks--pretzels, grapes, fruit snack-- to keep them occupied and not hungry until the next stop. Be sure not to pack anything messy--chocolate stands out here--and make sure they are individual sizes. This way each kid can have his own snack and you don't have a full bag of doritos spilled in the back! Have a great trip.

P.S.--Remember the trip down is fun! The trip home is where you swear you will never make the drive again.

 

[Julia Says]

We may drive next year. We are a little over 1100 miles away. Our current plan is that we will leave round 3 pm on a Friday (as soon as the kids get out of school), drive until 9-10 that night. Driving all day Saturday would put us near Disney about 9 pm & we would stay offsite, possibly 60 miles or so away. That would give us all day Sunday at the parks.

My kids travel pretty well (they are currently 8 & 6) but they do not ever sleep in the car. They just can't, so driving over night is really not an option for us. I wish we could do that!

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

We are from the philly area and no way would I drive. It would be pure torture for all of us! Nothing beats getting on the plane at 8am and getting into my bathing suit at 12 noon already settled into our resort.

If I couldn't afford to fly I would just save up and go when I can afford it. Another thing is it may be ok driving to WDW but can you imagine the awful drive back! No way not for us.

 

[dbarker]

We have driven from Texas (1,000 miles).

My tip is to stop often and let everyone out of the car to stretch their legs. When the boys were smaller, we would stop at McDonald's and let them play while DH & I got something to eat or drink. (The boys would get their's in the car.)

Also, we would stop at each State's welcome center to walk around.

I would pack things to do in a backpack. I wouldn't let them have it all at one time though. I would hand out something "new" every once in a while. This kept it interesting and gave them something to look forward to.

Of course, the ride to WDW was more exciting than the ride home. Coming home we were all tired and worn out and needed to stop more often.

 

[SCGDisney]

We just drove from MA to WDW a few weeks ago. Our boys are 8 & 5. It was okay. We did the drive down in 2.5 days (stopped to visit a friend along the way for a 1/2 day) and did the drive home in 2 days. The kids did well but the ride was LONG. I wouldn't do it again if given the choice. I don't think it saved us any money since we rented a minivan for the ride, hotel costs, food costs, gas, etc. I would do it again if there was no other way, but I prefer to fly.

 

[SarahJN]

We drove a year ago from MA with our 3.5 year old triplets. It wasn't all that bad - it was harder on the kids than I thought it would be. I thought that they would sleep more but they didn't.

We left our house around 4 AM to avoid rush hour traffic in CT, NY and NJ.