I don't know where to start for our 2-day drive to DW

[lmbcdb]

Well, our first trip we got round-trip airfare for 4 for $800. Our second trip is the week before Christmas, so of course I can't find it for less than $1300. Needless to say, we figured we could drive for about $600. While I don't mind paying an extra $200 to fly, I can't swing an extra $700.

So, we are driving from Dallas to Disneyworld with a 3-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy. We have never taken such a long drive with our children. (5 hours has been our max) So, obviously we need to split it in to two days.

I don't even know where to start planning for the drive.

What do I take for entertainment?

What are good snacks?

What time do you leave?

How do you maximize your time on and off the road?

Emergency supplies?

Anyone from Dallas got a good suggestion on how far to go the first day and where to stop?

 

[poohbear22]

subbing

 

[KaylaMarie]

Entertainment - a portable DVD player and favorite DVD's! maybe save a few new ones ad gifts along the way!
You could also put together goody bags for the car ride packed with new inexpensive toys, games and special treats. Not only will the new items entertain them they can also be used as rewards! (ex. They are well behaved for x
amount of time they can pick out something from the bag! )

Also if you a can leave late at night or very early in the morning you may have some sleeping children nothing is sweeter then a sleeping child on a road trip

 

[Tanooki]

We are getting ready for our 4th drive to the World (it's a 24 hour drive) with 4 kids (3, 5, 8, 10) so here are the "essentials" for us :

Portable DVD players and LOTS of DVDs.

Any kind of portable video game system you can get your hands on (Nintendo DS, PSP, Gameboy, etc.) We even get the old ones out, it gives them more choice.

Lots of books to read

Coloring/activities books with crayons/pencils

Snacks, snacks, snacks

Have a great trip!

 

[iluveeyore]

When we used to drive with our 3 kids many years ago (22 hour drive) we would leave in the middle of the night so most of their time the first day was spent sleeping. We would drive as far and long as we could the first day and try and stop around dinner time (6pm or so) so we could have a good meal somewhere, relax, get some pool time for the kids if there was one, and then get a good night's sleep so we could start early again and be at WDW refreshed and ready to go!

 

[lmbcdb]

Um, thank for all the replies...really.

However, I posted this in October 2010.

Maybe someone else will get some use out of your replies!

fyi...will NEVER drive again. While the kids were AWESOME, the 2 day drive was a drag both physically and mentally.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Um, thank for all the replies...really.

However, I posted this in October 2010.

Maybe someone else will get some use out of your replies!

fyi...will NEVER drive again. While the kids were AWESOME, the 2 day drive was a drag both physically and mentally.

Wow, I can't believe you never got a response from last fall until now.
I agree about the never driving part. I did it once around age 20, before dh & kids and was exhausted even then. 20+ years later, I'd probably need 2 days just to recover from the drive.

 

[KaylaMarie]

Um, thank for all the replies...really.

However, I posted this in October 2010.

Maybe someone else will get some use out of your replies!

fyi...will NEVER drive again. While the kids were AWESOME, the 2 day drive was a drag both physically and mentally.

I was so excited to be the first person to respond!!

 

[lmbcdb]

Entertainment - a portable DVD player and favorite DVD's! maybe save a few new ones ad gifts along the way!
You could also put together goody bags for the car ride packed with new inexpensive toys, games and special treats. Not only will the new items entertain them they can also be used as rewards! (ex. They are well behaved for x
amount of time they can pick out something from the bag! )

Also if you a can leave late at night or very early in the morning you may have some sleeping children nothing is sweeter then a sleeping child on a road trip

We actually did all of this some form. Every 100 miles they got to open a gift - and DS8 had to watch the trip meter and keep track. LOTS of Disney stuff at Dollar Tree. I had 100s of gift bags that I hadn't used in years (baby boy bags!).

Lots of movies - DD3 watched the overhead DVD and DS7 watched movies on the laptop.

We also brought playground toys for rest stops. They LOVED this. Frisbees, kickballs, jumpropes (also all available at the Dollar Tree!)

We also left around 3 pm the first day. I think they ended up sleeping a good 4 hours in the van that night.

 

[lmbcdb]

I was so excited to be the first person to respond!!

Did you even notice the date?

 

[disneymarie]

I was so excited to be the first person to respond!!

No matter the original date, thanks for the topic bump anyway.

This will be my first Auto train, and drive. We flew 2 years ago and met ds and his family after their Auto train, then made the drive the 1000 miles back to PA. I opened the thread to look for some tips on the drive down.

When doing the 2 hr trip to Phila I am the one are we there yet!!!!! How I will do with this long drive, I am anxious! Dreading it....

I know it will be easier with the train home, but without flying one way this will be a challange. I almost thought about letting dh and dd fly and Iwill go with son and dgs on he drive down not to subject the two day trip on them.

The key for this trip was having the van while down there....any future trips I am sticking t the charter from our area that is a 2 hr flight and ME to Disney. There are some rentals for weekend that we would use for those few days.

Oh did I mention ds and dgs are huge train buffs... thus the flight of $900 for 5 of us went right over his head

 

[iluveeyore]

Um, thank for all the replies...really.

However, I posted this in October 2010.

Maybe someone else will get some use out of your replies!

fyi...will NEVER drive again. While the kids were AWESOME, the 2 day drive was a drag both physically and mentally.

That's too funny - I just saw it as a newer post being on the first page, never looked at the date. Oh well, see you are going again soon, so I'm guessing you are flying this time???