Well, seeing as how you'll be driving right along with us, I can at least tell you what to expect coming through WV all the way down to HHI. I should note that if you suffer from panic attacks -- don't go over the Maryland Bay Bridge, LOL -- that sucker freaks me out. <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSzeb04242US' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_6_100.gif' alt='Afraid' border=0></a> These days, I just refuse to drive it -- DH does it instead -- because my hands hurt so badly from clenching the wheel! talk about white knuckles.... I should also note I am terribly prone to motion sickness as is my DS, age 10. So first I'll tell you what to expect -- then what we have done that has (or hasn't) helped.
Coming through Parkersburg to CHarleston on I-77 is no big whoop. Some hills -- but not really "mountainous". There is some mountain driving between charleston and Wytheville (right around beckley to Princeton area) but understand it is interstate, meaning the roads are wide and the steepness not as severe as some of your smaller roads or highways. I should also note there are 2 tunnels you will go through in the drive from Princeton to Wytheville. Once you get to Virginia, it's a lot of up/down hills (but not twisty, so much) UNTIL you get nearer to Fancy Gap -- there is one stretch there that is twisty and typical mountain driving (yes, it's a white knuckles time for me!) I recall a bridge I don't like -- but nothing as bad as the one in Maryland. I believe this is the bridge over the New River -- long and straight and well, it's a bridge, nuf said. ONce you get out of Virginia and into NC, it's pretty smooth sailing. No more tunnels, no more real mountains -- just mainly rolling hills.
SOOOO... what have we done to combat the motion sickness. Well, I've tried Bonine (it didn't work for me) and wrist bands (no dice). I've tried Dramamine -- (which works, although only if you don't mind being in a drooling comatose stupor for the whole ride!) Basically I follow the rules I used when I had morning sickness -- nibble the ENTIRE WAY, as does my son, on tame things like crackers, ginger snaps (ginger is good for nausea), protein items like nuts or cheese sticks, and keep a Coke or ginger ale to sip. I have given my son Dramamine. As with any of those type meds -- do it an hour in advance, with a bit of food. It won't work right away. My son does not watch the TV in the van -- he watches the world go by instead. No reading, no looking at anything stationary within the van. We give him a "snort port" of fresh air (the little vent windows in our van). If it gets bad, we move him to the middle seat, if need be, and put dd in the back (she doesn't seem to have inherited the motion sickness gene, haha!) I have also tried giving him 2 Benadryl chewables about 1 hr before we drive -- this does 2 things. (1) Makes him drowsy. A sleeping child usually is not a carsick one. (2) Clears his sinuses. (Dramamine does roughly the same thing -- it just wipes him out even more, though.) My kids are allergic to dust -- he would get snuffy after several hours on the road anyway, this helps alleviate the after effects of road dust. Also -- clearing the inner ear canal of fluid helps nausea. ANother thing we do -- leave the house VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING. LIke, 3 am when we're Disney bound! THis means the kids will invariably sleep, and we can get through the worst "curves " of the trip while they doze. They usually are awake when we stick them in the van but doze off right around Charleston. By the time they awaken, we're 5 hrs down the road, right around Statesville or Charlotte! Good time to stop at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Make frequent stops, if you must -- we found the state welcome centers to be a "welcomed" stop by our crew. The grounds are usually large enough to permit them to snort some fresh air and run around a bit -- this really helps them regain their equilibrium faster, I think. As for me, I find being in control helps me with my nausea and fears to some degree -- I often drive as a result... unless, as I said earlier, it's Maryland. Bridges give me the heebies. I just visualize going right off the brink... the whole time DH is driving us over the bridge, I'm thinking, "Ok, when we go over the edge, I'll grab Caroline from her seat and DH can get the boys..." It's pathetic to think I'm already planning our escape route, but I do it EVERY time and by the time we reach the other side, I'm mentally and emotionally relieved -- but exhausted!
<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSzeb04242US' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_6_218v.gif' alt='Nervous 2' border=0></a>
We will probably break our trip to HHI up into 2 segments -- we will drive to S.C. to my Mom's house on the Friday night (late -- so kids will sleep in car), then stay with her a day, then leave early SUnday morning to drive the 3 hrs to HHI.
If you have any other questions about the HHI drive -- let me know -- we always drive to Disney and my family lives in S.C. so we do the I-77/I-26/I-95 trek QUITE often! As for anxiety -- my niece takes meds for it -- I would see a physician. Life is too short to curtail enjoying the "good stuff" due to fear... and HHI and
DVC are definitely the GOOD stuff! (Besides -- if you don't go to HHI that week, how will our families ever meet? Me, BWVDenise and all those other Aug 7-14 week DVCers are counting on you to be there!)
Hope you find a solution that works for all, with safe travelin', and we'll see you SOON!
all the way there (thru the mountains) I also tend to have trouble myself in the car around walls, bridges, cliffs and I had 3 panic attacks 
on the way myself! It was so bad that DH flew DD and myself home (can't wait to get that bill) 
and he drove home by his self! (It's going to be a VERY LONG week in this house, if you know what I mean.) I don't know how we are going to make the trip to HH from Ohio...... West Virginia has lots of mountains...I assume that's why they call it the mountain state!!!??? Should I cancel our ressie and if so do we lose all of the points? Do I try to trade the 2 bedroom for a studio (yeah...I know...good luck!) and rent the 100 points that we would not use to pay for airfare? Do I try to find a nice Dr to prescribe alot of valium for me so DH doesn't throw his crazy 
But we always pack a plastic garbage can & paper towels for the trip .
)
"drunken stuper" passed out 
by the pool!!! 
