How do you handle the drive home?

[MommyRobin]

As of right now, we are planning on driving down the I75 (22 hrs o/w). I'm not too worried about the drive down since we'll be so excited about getting there. But I'm starting to worry about the drive back - everyone will be in the worst mood! How do you handle the looooong drive back when you are already bummed out about leaving WDW?

 

[stasijane]

The ride back for us is never fun due to us being so tired. The thing that keeps me going is how ready to be home I am. We usually stay busy talking about the fun we had and all the stuff we did, and alot of sleeping for the little one

 

[Goofygirl17]

We stopped in Myrtle Beach and went swimming Needed to do something fun on the way home!

 

[LadyBeBop]

Whereabouts are you? I'm thinking Upper Pennisula...or maybe Ontario. Also, how many days are you taking to get back?

I'd take at least two days to get back. Stay someplace with a nice pool or a number of attractions. My home area (Cincinnati) has a few nice hotels/waterparks (Wildwood Inn, Coco Key, Great Wolf Lodge). However, it's a hard day's drive from WDW (about 15 hours). Might be a good stop if you're taking three days back (Atlanta on day 1, Cincinnati on day 2).

 

[ParrotBill]

We have a two-day drive each way. We are pushing the first day in both cases, driving 60% of the way, leaving a shorter second day.

On the way home, I have planned a detour off I-81 to Skyline drive to explore and do a little bit of hiking.

The last time, we stopped in Washington DC and visited the Air & Space museum annex near Dulles.

I find these distractions on the trip home help with the "let down"!

 

[minnie mum]

We have a two-day drive each way. We are pushing the first day in both cases, driving 60% of the way, leaving a shorter second day.

On the way home, I have planned a detour off I-81 to Skyline drive to explore and do a little bit of hiking.

The last time, we stopped in Washington DC and visited the Air & Space museum annex near Dulles.

I find these distractions on the trip home help with the "let down"!

This is exactly what we try to do. One year it was a detour to visit friends on our first overnight stop. Another was a detour to Williamsburg. This year we're thinking Washington DC. We seem to never come home on the same route that we travelled down on.

 

[grafxgirl]

We leave our destination in the evening after a nice dinner. This allows the kids to sleep all night instead of whining and fighting the whole way home. Our drive is usually 14 hours one way.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

When driving back home along I-75 we always like to leave our resort between 6:00 AM - 6:30 AM, because it's still hard actually leaving WDW and I say the faster we leave the better. Plus on our first day of driving back home we spend the night in Dalton, Georgia and it's a full day of driving just getting there.

 

[MommyRobin]

Yes, we are in Ontario, so we'll be taking the I75. We are on a budget (hence the driving and not flying), so anything big is out. We will be taking 2 days, 3 days is doable if worse comes to worst, but I'd prefer to be back in 2 days. I thought that we'd leave Disney about noon. We should have enough credits to get a counter service brunch, and then we won't need to eat until an early dinner, and maybe the kids can get in a quick swim. I am just dreading this depressing drive!

 

[Tanooki]

Getting ready for our 4th drive down in a month or so
Leaving is depressing but I only stay sad until we are out of Florida. After that, I'm reall ready to go home so we just drive, and drive. We always stop overnight in VA and the excitement of being home helps to keep us upbeat for that last long day.
The past 2 times have ended in a snowstorm, which made it even longer and tiring, but it hopefully won't happen this time around!

And it helps to talk about and plan the next trip while driving back home...
Have fun!