Single Moms - Driving to WDW with just you and the kid(s)

[delmar411]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only mom willing to pack up the kids and make long distances drives. Lol

We just got back from a long weekend where it took me 13hrs to get there and 12 to get back. I'm the driver for our trips to wdw and it takes me 14.5hrs to get from Indy to WDW. (Yes I have a heavy foot!). We only stop for gas and potty breaks. No stretching or food stops. We eat in the car with food I pack and I stop every 2-3hrs, longer if no one is desperate for the bathroom.

I drove overnight this fall and that about killed me, especially being exhausted in the GA mountains in the fog where I couldn't see even a foot in front of me. That was dangerous. We normally leave the house by 5:30am and pull into our hotel by 8pm. That's really not a bad day of driving IMO.

We do almost all of the tips listed plus when my boys were younger and in diapers or freshly pt'd, I lined their carseats with plastic garbage bags covered with towels. That way when there was a blow out or pee accident or puke, the carseat wasn't ruined and the car didnt have to stink the rest of the trip. And there were always some sort of accident! Lol. They make plastic lined seat covers that would do the same thing if you didn't want to use a garbage bag.

Also we don't allow milk for the kids during car trips. Seems to cause more puke than other things.

We also give chewable Dramamine to our carsick kiddo. Works fantastic and allows him to play with his electronics during the trip too.

 

[Sheaboys]

I drove from MA to FL in June 2008. The boys were 10, 8, 6, and almost 2. We only had 4 at that time.
I packed everything in two laundry baskets, luggage. I packed jammies, clothes for 1 day, and swimsuits in a bag, along with toiletries for an overnight stay. I put this on top of course.
Inside the van, a large beach bag with snacks, and a small cooler for drinks.
We left at 6am. We stopped in Dunn, NC around 6pm., ate at Cracker Barrel, stayed at a Holiday Inn with free breakfast. Swam a bit before bed, all asleep by 8pm.
Back up, and headed out around 7am, later than I wanted too, but it worked.
We arrived in Hudson, FL (north of Tampa), around 8pm.
I stopped for gas of course, and for lunches I went to places the kids could get out and roam around and play.
It worked out just fine. I did the same coming home. In fact, on the way home, we stopped in D.C., got out, walked to Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam, the WWII, etc., then hopped back in the car home. Only mistake was it was July 3rd, hot, hot, hot, no stroller, and the traffic coming back into CT was incredible.

We had a great trip, very relaxing, go with the flow. A dual DVD player for the way back, a single for the child in the middle rows. MP3 players. Books. Now it would be kindles. a GPS that tells you where the next gas, food, or hotel is was perfect, and it tracked traffic, I just thought I was smarter than it. LOL.

 

[lttlmc3]

Not a mom, but my sister and I are thinking about driving from TN in 2014. Just an idea at this point, especially since it's a loooong time from now. Can anyone tell me if driving around Atlanta is hard? I love this thread!

 

[fr spodo komodo]

I have one word of advice:FLY!!!!!!!!!

 

[uccats97]

I'm not a single mom but I did take all 4 of my kids by myself one summer. I drove from Ohio to Atlanta on day 1, then to WDW the next day. I did the same thing on the way home. I made hotel reservations both directions at Hampton inn & suites to make it easier and took advantage of free breakfasts. I also stopped at Stone Mountain, GA for a day on the way home.

Since you only have yourself and one child it seems as though flying would actually be cheaper and obviously faster!

 

[delmar411]

Not a mom, but my sister and I are thinking about driving from TN in 2014. Just an idea at this point, especially since it's a loooong time from now. Can anyone tell me if driving around Atlanta is hard? I love this thread!

You just drive straight throughAtlanta. It's very easy, just avoid rush hours.

 

[Wynnebee]

I am taking a trip with my three 12, 10 & 8 in September. Hubby hates crowds and is staying home. We are driving from PA to FL. I've been debating whether or not to drive my Saturn Vue which has okay gas mileage or the gas guzzling Van. The van has tons more space and each child could have a row to call their own.

They will have their iPads, music and DS with them as we'll as art supplies. I love the idea of getting them lap desks as well.

My kids plan on watching disney movies on our drive as well.

 

[NotUrsula]

NEVER wing it on a hotel. Make an advance reservation at least on the morning of your travel day. The reason for this is that you never know if there is going to be some sort of event that will fill up hotels in a given area. I said never again after I encountered a major children's sports tournament in a town where I meant to stop, and had to drive an extra 2 hours before I could find an available room.

As to cell phones, a couple of things: never leave the car charger plugged in on an overnight stop, because it attracts breakins, and always plug in the direct number of your planned hotels to your contacts list; that way if there is a problem or delay you can call to make sure that your room is held.

Most important: make SURE that your kids know how to dial 9-1-1 on your cell phone. If you normally use a security code that your children don't know, disable it while you are in the car. If, God forbid, something did happen to you, it would not be good if your child could not call for help because he could not remember the security code, or if it confused him because the phone was asking for one (I know most phones will let you dial 911 without the code, but on a phone where the keypad is on the screen, if you can't unlock the screen, you can't access the keypad to dial.)

If you don't have a biner clip on your ring of keys, put one on it, and always clip the keys to your belt loop or purse handle when you are out of the car; that way you are much less likely to misplace them anywhere or accidentally lock them in the car, and you can see them at a glance.

Last thing: sunblock or some kind of shade or light cover. This is especially important if you are driving N-S, because the sun will be shining through your side windows for hours on end. If I'm driving in shorts or a skirt during summer, I always put a light towel over my lap to keep the sun off my upper legs, and apply sunblock to my arms and neck so that I don't get burned. For the kids, I also put up side-window sun shades. (Note that normal window tinting does NOT block UV rays, so tinting alone will not protect you from sunburn.)

 

[vicki_c]

I agree on the reserving the hotel in advance. That is our way ever since we were stuck one night trying to find somewhere to stay on our way home. We ended up in the last room somewhere, at midnight, with DH, me and our elementary school aged kids in one king bed! I felt lucky they even let us have the room since there were four of us. I would have really lost it if I had been in that situation alone with my kids.