Talk to me about driving from Ontario

[abbyndrewmom]

We have just decided to make the trip to WDW at the end of June for DD 5th birthday. it looks like we will be driving as we can find good airfare out of Buffalo but the rental car rates are ridiculous (over $400 for 10 days.) We have a Surburban and are very comfortable driving it there. We drove to South Carolina in March. I just need reassurance that this is a good idea. Also how far should we expect to get the first night (traveling with a 2 & 4 yr old.) Any help, addvise, stories are appreciated.

Allison

 

[Baboo]

Lucky you! a trip to WDW! Driving is very doable. We have always driven down with our 2 kids and it works fine. We leave in the evening and drive straight through. The kids sleep all night in the car. It takes about 24 to 26 hours depending on how long we take for breaks.
The first time we went, the kids were 6 and almost 3. I packed Rubbermaid boxes that are like suitcases for each of the kids to keep them occupied during the trip. I bought new little games and toys, colouring books, puzzles etc. and put them in there for them. They loved having new things to play with, and it kept them quiet for long periods of time. Also be sure to pack snacks and drinks for them in the car. Lots of people use the car TVs and video players to keep their kids quiet, and buy new videos to keep their attention.
Take a ball or something for them to kick around when you stop for breaks. This will help to wear off some of their energy. If the weather isn't good be sure to find a place with an inside playground for them.
Have a great trip!

 

[NancyK]

We've always driven down, and our family actually LIKES the drive. When my kids were little, I did the same things that Baboo suggested - take new toys, books etc. and bring them out when the kids started to get bored. We have driven straight through a few times, and have stopped on other trips. The first trip we made (kids were 3 & 5), we were able to travel 14 hours the first day. We were getting ready to stop around suppertime, and lo and behold, both kids were sound asleep. Needless to say, we kept going. You really have to play it by ear when you have little ones. If they are travelling well on the first day (and you aren't too tired), keep driving. They aren't usually as happy to be in the car on the 2nd day. If they are getting restless, then you need to stop and let them run around. Otherwise, no one will be happy.

 

[Debbie]

I have to concur. I remember our first trip with the oldest 3. At the time they were 3, 4 and 5. I remember referring to it (before we went) as the Trip from He11. But it was wonderful. We did lots of stops, had tapes to sing to etc. We've since made the trip with infants (they make you stop every few hours to nurse) and teens (who sleep like babies).

If you go I-75, be sure to pick up Dave Hunter's book Along I-75 because it has some great tips-and lets you know when a fast food restaurant has a playground- and lists stops for all ages.

One time, we stopped to see Cumberland Pass, the first KFC, the world's best ice-cream, and many others. The kids still talk about that, and are always disappointed when we can't always stop and get an ice-cream cone (hours don't co-incide).

We usually leave @4 a.m. crossing at Windsor about 6:00. The kids will sleep for some time. We always take a picnic lunch to let them stretch their legs, playing soccer or frisbee, or just "run to that tree over there". We make a stopover in Georgia, and it's a rule for us that there has to be a pool. More energy released, and they get tuckered out, too.

You'll also find that just the excitement of going will overrule any negatives on the way down.

 

[maryliz]

Allison, we LOVE the drive to Florida. We prefer it when it isn't a blizzard from Ontario to Georgia, but we can do that too if it means a trip to Disney ! My kids are now 2 and 5, and the oldest has made 6 trips to Florida already. We make lots of stops (you kind of get to know which rest areas are the best to stop at). We have left London ON at 8:00 AM and our goal is to make it to exit 141 in Tennessee. There's a great Comfort Inn there that's very reasonable and gives you breakfast. Our last trip, we decided to install a TV/VCR in the van -- it was an absolute god-send. The weather was great and the kids very co-operative. We actually made it to our stop in Tenn by 7PM that first night. We ate supper, popped in a movie, and drove until just after 10:30 where we were in Dalton Georgia. What a difference it made for the 2nd day of travelling. Our rule is, if the kids are in need of a break, we stop. Even if it means spending 45 minutes with them running around a rest area every few hours. It's worth the extra time 'cause grumpy little ones are no fun to travel with. Our choice would be to leave before 5am, however work schedules don't permit us to get away until a little later. I would say that if you could get started somewhere between 4-6am, you're even better off because the kids will probably sleep and you will get a lot further the first day. I just like being able to take anything I want to -- we would be very restricted taking 2 little ones on a plane.

 

[Suzanne in Canada]

Hi Allison,

I think we know each other from Scrapbooking!!

I just got back last night and the drive was no better or worse than the trip to Myrtle Beach last year. The TV VCR worked, drive while they sleep and realize that the trip down is just part of the vacation.

We had a great time!!! (and even got CRT Ressies at the last minute - bonus!!!)

You can email me if you want more information!

 

[Sandiebean]

Allison...

As you know.. we're taking a tv/vcr in the van. I also scoured dollar stores and zellers etc.. and got Dana a bunch of little toys.. such as phonics books.. math practice books, slinky, travel games such as chess, checkers, and connect four... etc. I wrap these up and put them in a special bag. He gets to open one every so often.

We also are leaving at 6pm. He has about 4 hours to get thru, and that includes crossing the border etc, until he's ready to sleep. When he wakes? We'll already be about 12 or 13 hours from home. I think it'll be much easier on him that way. Now.. you know what they say about the best laid plans.

Sandie

 

[CdnMom2]

Thanks Maryliz for mentioning a decent place with breakfast to stop with kids in Tennessee. Do you have a recommendation for Georgia? Your timing sounds about what we're trying for.

Oh my, do you really get blizzards all the way to Georgia? I'm truly naive about this. I'm imagining seeing Kentucky blue-grass in January, but I guess we'll consider ourselves lucky if we see mud (instead of snowbanks!). Where does it start to like "The South"? Guess we won't try to do tours of the Cumberland Falls, etc. after all on our way!

 

[CdnMom2]

So sorry for the several repeats of my post. Kept getting an error message after several minutes each time that made it look like it hadn't posted. After I walked away and returned I had 4 of them on there all of a sudden. Don't know how to delete them myself.

 

[Sandiebean]

Click on the edit box under your post, and then it gives you a delete box. Click on that.. and click delete now.

 

[CdnMom2]

Thank you. I guess I should have spent some of my many, many (too many!) hours reading these boards reading an FAQ on posting. I thought deleting was something only the moderators could do. All cleared up now.

Now does anyone have personal experience with a good place to stay in Georgia off of I-75?

 

[Sandiebean]

You're welcome. And I'm looking for the same thing. I'd prefer in or around Savannah.

Sandie

 

[abbyndrewmom]

My best advise on where to stay is to stop and get the coupon books at the State welcome center then stop at hotel where you can get a discount. Sandie, as i said in the other post we spent 2 months in the Days Inn in savannah and it was fine it is right off the interstate the same exit as the cracker barrel (can't believe I can't remember the exit number.)

As far as I-75 i would just make sure you aren't going to hit Atlanta at rush hour which is probably from 7:30-9:30 and again from about 3:30-6:30. We lived there for a year and traffic was a nightmare you could literally spend hrs on the expressway trying to get home.

Allison

 

[maryliz]

We only go I-75 so sorry I can't help with the Savannah question. For those going I-75, we stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last Sept in Ringgold GA -- just inside the border. It included breakfast for all of us. My sisters have also stayed in Dalton at botht eh Best Western and Hampton Inn -- again both include breakfast. If you get further south, I have stayed several times off of what used to be Exit 1 on the I-475 Macon bypass. I think they have renumbered the exits, but it's the one with lots of hotels and of course, the Cracker Barrel ! If you get further than my beloved exit 141 in Tennessee, but not as far as Georgia, there are lots of good hotels at exit 60 in Sweetwater TN (Cracker Barrel there, too!) Had to laugh because going down the last couple of times, the hotels have run us anywhere from $55 to $75 US a night, which was more expensive than the AP rate we had at All Stars (lol). Someone mentioned about rush hour in Atlanta -- we've found that since they introduced the "carpool" lane, we never take the bypass anymore and that lane moves quite quickly while the other 6 lanes are at a dead stop! We've gone right thru downtown Atlanta on a Friday afternoon at 4PM and it was great! We'll never take the bypass around ever again -- I just love the sights of downtown Atlanta.

 

[MikeJ]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Ringgold on our way back home this past New Years Eve. We were at the parks in the morning, left MK by noon (by which time they had closed the TTC), and arrived in Ringgold around 8:00pm. Not a bad hotel, but the one saving grace to it (particularly in December) was that it's one of the few hotels in the area with an indoor pool. Most of the rest of the places along I75 in Georgia all have outdoor pools. And trust me - unheated, outdoor pools in Georgia get mighty nippy in December.

We left Ringgold around 8:00am the next morning and pulled into London around 8:00pm that night, with a short (15 min) wait at the border at Sarnia. I've determined that the midway point for us is around Knoxville so that if we can get past there on the first day (north or southbound) the second day is much shorter.

- Mike

 

[NancyK]

I just pulled out my notes from our March, 1999 trip. We stayed in Darien, Georgia (about 45 miles south of the Savannah exit). The Holiday Inn Express served continental breakfast. I believe there is also a Prime Outlet Mall there. It's at exit 49. From there, it only took us about 3 1/2 hours to get to Disney.