Where should we make our stops and stay the night NW Indiana to WDW?

[mrseace711]

We have never driven over 3hrs with our kids, this is our 1st vacation and driving trip. Ive been searching online and have used mapquest and gasbuddy. Any great spots to stop along the way to see some neat parks or anything really? We live near Notre Dame College we will be leaving around 7am on a Sat. maybe even earlier depending how the night before works out and how tired we are in the morning its about 3 hours down to Indianapolis and I am trying to go right through Indy. Also any hotels to recommend before or after Atlanta? We are a party of 6 =) Thank you

 

[cemeb4dk]

we live 45 miles west of Chicago, so you maybe a bit closer but we make the drive all the time. What works for us, is to leave at about 9:30 at night. This way the kids can sleep in the car at night. This past trip we stopped at Ruby Falls, basically in Chatanooga, TN we got there about 8 am and had breakfast and then did the tour. It was a great way to stretch out legs and break up the drive. We hit Atl at about lunchtime and flew thru it. then we arrived at WDW about 7:30 at night, slept at a hotel near DTD then that morning well rested checked into our hotel and hit the parks.

If you choose to still leave in the morning, plan on about 11-12 hours to ATL, and you don't want to hit ATL anywhere near rushhour times. So plan accordingly. Also a lot of people drive to Valdosta or just over the FL border to lakecity or so and sleep. Then you just have a 3- 3 1/2 hour drive to WDW. But for us, we just safely pushed it to get to WDW, as the last thing we wanted to do was sleep then get back in the car again for 3+ hours. But that was us.

As far as the kids driving they usually do fine, just keep them occupied either by dvds. DS's or new books, puzzle books or what not that are new for the ride to keep them occupied.

Good luck

 

[mrseace711]

we live 45 miles west of Chicago, so you maybe a bit closer but we make the drive all the time. What works for us, is to leave at about 9:30 at night. This way the kids can sleep in the car at night. This past trip we stopped at Ruby Falls, basically in Chatanooga, TN we got there about 8 am and had breakfast and then did the tour. It was a great way to stretch out legs and break up the drive. We hit Atl at about lunchtime and flew thru it. then we arrived at WDW about 7:30 at night, slept at a hotel near DTD then that morning well rested checked into our hotel and hit the parks.

If you choose to still leave in the morning, plan on about 11-12 hours to ATL, and you don't want to hit ATL anywhere near rushhour times. So plan accordingly. Also a lot of people drive to Valdosta or just over the FL border to lakecity or so and sleep. Then you just have a 3- 3 1/2 hour drive to WDW. But for us, we just safely pushed it to get to WDW, as the last thing we wanted to do was sleep then get back in the car again for 3+ hours. But that was us.

As far as the kids driving they usually do fine, just keep them occupied either by dvds. DS's or new books, puzzle books or what not that are new for the ride to keep them occupied.

Good luck

Thank you, OHHHH Ruby Falls!! I went when I was in GirlScouts (wayyy to long ago) I forgot all about that beautiful place!! Hubby and I would not do well driving thru the night we all will be at work that Friday and the kids will have attended school maybe leaving at around 4:30 am would work a little better for us now I want to make the stop in Ruby Falls!!