You've got 3 hrs to plan/pack, 3 days at WDW & 50 hrs of driving...GO!

[lisatx04]

I'm on board! Can't wait to read more!!

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

I am in too. We tease the kids all the time that we are going to do this too. Some day we will...

 

[ccgirl]

I'm subbing too. Sounds like SOOO much fun!!!

 

[jbm02]

LOVE your TR!!

 

[tinytreasures]

I'm coming along for the ride

 

[quadsthen1]

I'm in! We are planning a surprise trip for our kids' birthday...I hope we can pull it off and let them feel like it was spontaneous! What fun!!!

 

[jenanderson]

I'm in! I can't wait to hear all about your adventure!

Hello! Glad you want to follow along because it was a total adventure!

I'm so in and can't imagine what anxieties were going through your mine. This will be a good one.

To be honest, we did not have much anxiety. We basically just went with the feeling of what ever happens...happens. What really went through our mind was...are we crazy???

I'm in too!

Hello Elena! Glad you found me here!

Your family just lived everyone's dream - just do it! I can't wait to read all about your last minute trip!

We do feel like it was a dream! The kids are still amazed even though we are home and can't believe that mom and dad "just did it"!

Great start Jen! Can't wait for all the details

Hi Jhoanna! I hope to get to more details soon!

Hey Jen. I love reading your TR. I felt like I was part of your trip since you called me as you were leaving and I was like your going where??????

Kristin - I just had to call someone and you were it! I knew that you would be able to appreciate the excited craziness of the trip! It was just too bad that our Spring Break did not line up with yours...you could have really shared in our vacation!

I'm in. Ugh 24 hours drive. Can't wait for the rest of the story.

The drive was LONGGGGGG! I know some people drive it and stop midway but we have done it before and know that it is better for us to just drive.

Can't wait to read the rest of your trip.. how exciting.. !!

It was exciting...and crazy...and fun...and so much more!

I wish I could so what you did, lucky kids you have. Can not wait to see how your trip went.

Everyone should try it one day if they can. Our kids do know how lucky they were. They were great about how we said it was going to be a total budget trip, great for the whole ride, great when we were there and really just were thankful we took them. I think they will remember this trip forever! Who could forget the day DS said..."I will pretend I am at WDW," and we actually just pack up and go!

oh wow can't wait to hear how you got on.

I hope to add more soon! There were really great things, really funny things, challenges to overcome and things that I feel I should write Disney about.

I'm in! We drive every year to Walt Disney World from Minnesota! I wish we could do a spur of the moment trip to Disney World!

Hello! Great to see another person from MN who drives! We have driven it before and it is not all that bad. The worse for us was the 3 AM - 6 AM shift. It made the trip so much more affordable then when we fly and we might drive it again next summer.

This sounds amazing, I cant immagine a trip at such short notice

I can't imagine taking a trip on short notice and still can't believe that I did this!

Sounds like my NYE trip there, but at least I gave myself a night to pack! Can't wait to read the rest.

Hi Terri! Looks like the cruise group is going to follow along on my journey! I could have really used a night to plan and pack a bit more. I am amazed at all the things I forgot but pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get along without all the things I think I have to have when I go to WDW!

omg! this sounds so great. i am a planner too, but the few times we have taken a spontaneous trip, those were the best, i think! it's almost like there are no ridiculous expectations, so no meltdowns if things don't go on schedule.... because... there is no schedule! maybe you will inspire us all to be more spontaneous and flexible! can't wait to hear about your trip!

We loved how we felt about the no expectations! For us, every single thing we were able to do was a big bonus and so we just went with the flow and enjoyed every moment. It was a great feeling and I agree...we should all try to be spontaneous at least once at WDW!

You are my HERO!!! That's just the craziest, coolest thing ever!

Aim

Thanks! My kids are saying the same thing!

can't wait to hear all about it!!

I have a crazy night tonight but I will work on the next part and hope to post it soon!

I can't wait to find out if you will ever "drive again".

Yep...I would drive again. I wasn't sure I felt that way yesterday when we got home...25 hours coming home is always hard. Today though as I think about it...I would drive again.

Hello, are you my long lost twin????????

Can't wait to read more

Maybe we are twins?!!! Too funny! I do love to plan and it was so strange to go without plans.

I would love to do a last minute trip like that, only minus the whole 24 hour drive thing. I can't wait to read your TR!

I will say this to everyone...try a last minute trip once in your life if you can. It was a truly exciting experience!

I'm on board! Can't wait to read more!!

Hi! Welcome aboard...hopefully I will post more soon!

I am in too. We tease the kids all the time that we are going to do this too. Some day we will...

We thought we were just teasing...then suddenly DH and I just looked at each other and said alright, let's go. One day you will too!

I'm subbing too. Sounds like SOOO much fun!!!

It was soooo much fun! Disney is always fun and this trip was no exception.

LOVE your TR!!

Hi Jude! Thought you might show up and want to hear the details! I loved being able to text you on the ride down...it so helped pass the hours!

I'm coming along for the ride

Hello! Glad you could join in!

I'm in! We are planning a surprise trip for our kids' birthday...I hope we can pull it off and let them feel like it was spontaneous! What fun!!!

How fun! Your kids will be so excited and I hope they have the same feelings as my kids did. Just the look in their eyes and watching them jump up and down with excitement was amazing and totally worth the whole trip!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Oh I am SO totally in for this one!!! You just lived my ultimate dream! I have a fantasy of doing that some day! We live about 6.5 hours NORTH of you! It would be a 60 hr round trip for us!

Bring on the details - I am just dying to hear how it all went!

 

[JanetMom]

I'm in for this report. I dream every day of just dropping everything and running off to Disney. You are an inspiration to us all!

 

[jenanderson]

Oh I am SO totally in for this one!!! You just lived my ultimate dream! I have a fantasy of doing that some day! We live about 6.5 hours NORTH of you! It would be a 60 hr round trip for us!

Bring on the details - I am just dying to hear how it all went!

WOW! You would have a really long drive! I know I could have done 6.5 more hours going down but think we would have had to stop on the way home. We were just so tired at that point.

I'm in for this report. I dream every day of just dropping everything and running off to Disney. You are an inspiration to us all!

I dream of it all the time...I just can't believe we really did it! My next dream is to just pack up and move to FL!

 

[jenanderson]

Part Two: Driving Data

I am all about data! Most people could care less about collecting data about everything they do but for me it is pure bliss to collect little bits of information about the trip and analyze it all. Most people want the wonderful, creative narrative report…which I will get back to…but for those of you who like little bits of data…this entry is for you!

Cost of Gas Driving from MN to FL
Stop #1 – Just outside of Madison, WI = $28.00
Stop #2 – LeRoy, IL = $31.58
Stop #3 – Metropolis, IL = $34.80
Stop #4 – about 30 miles from Chattanooga, TN = $34.43
Stop #5 – Forsyth, GA = $25.52
Stop #6 – Just over the FL border = $20.02
Total Cost for Gas = $174.35

Food Stops
Stop #1 = Supper at Arby’s in Menomomie, WI = $28.80 (this included my sister’s meal as she was with us at this point). We all ordered full meals with fries and drinks.

Stop #2 = Breakfast from a grocery store in Calhoun, GA = $13.49. We did not feel like eating fast food for breakfast. We bought muffins, milk, juice, bananas and strawberries.

Stop #3 = Lunch at Subway in Forsyth, GA = $19.26. DH and I bought foot-long subs (only ate 1/2 of it and put the rest in the cooler for later). DD and DS bought 1 foot-long sub and shared it.

Stop #4 = Supper for the kids at Burger King in Gainesville, FL = $7.56. The kids got food here and DH and I ate the rest of our subs.

Total Cost for Food = $69.11

***Note about food: We did pack a cooler and snacks before we left so we were able to eat from what we brought as well.

Food I Ate - For anyone who is interested, I am dieting and so I logged all my food on the trip to help me keep on track. My goal was to gain as little weight as possible. Here is what I ate on the way down…

Large roast beef (Arby’s), 5 curly fries (Arby’s), can of Coca Cola, 30 almonds, 4 Red Vine licorice, 2 Jolly Ranchers, banana, poppy seed muffin, 1 pt. 2% milk, roast beef sub with the cheese (subway – 1/2 for lunch, 1/2 for supper), 20 hot Cheetos, red grapes and several bottles of water.

Other bits of data recorded as we drove:
• We left Woodbury, MN at 4:06 PM with DH driving
• We drove through Madison WI at 8:00 PM
• At 9:00 PM we paid at $1.00 toll as we crossed into IL
• We passed Bloomington, IL at 10:45 PM
• I started driving at 11:00 PM
• We filled our tank in Metropolis, IL at 2:24 AM and I started driving at this point.
• In Metropolis, they had cut outs of Superman and Wonderwoman…we got out and took phots of our heads on the bodies.
• I drove until about 3:00 AM and DH drove from that point until 6:30 AM.
• We drove through Nashville, TN at 5:30 AM
• I drove from 6:30 AM until about 11:30 AM. DH drove the rest of the trip.
• When we stopped in Gainsville, FL we took the 1st exit…we shouldn’t have. The traffic there was insane and the service at Burger King was horrible. We should have taken the 2nd exit where the Target was (we wanted to go to Target but ended up skipping it)…there was no traffic there as we drove by.
• We paid a $2.50 toll and a $1.25 toll on the FL turnpike.

Well, it is late again and I need to get to bed...I promise to post a new entry (one that is more entertaining and narrative) tomorrow!

Thanks for reading,
Jen

 

[princessbride6205]

You guys are the coolest parents! Just reading your first post in this TR makes me excited - like I'm anticipating my own trip.
And I'm loving your data - I like numbers, too.
I can't wait to read your next post!

 

[sissy_42]

Amazing start and drive! Cant wait to read more.

 

[3lilpiggies]

This is cool. I know my kids wish they had you guys as parents. At least for Spring Break week.

 

[tinkerbells mum]

love the data. i've sat with my calculator transfering it all in to pounds!!

 

[flipflopmom]

I really, really, really want to do this one day! When you posted on BL, I read back about 5 pages to see if you had mentioned a trip. It made me smile all day just thinking about it!

I do the same sort of cost analysis, and planning. Can't wait to hear how the rest goes!

 

[cajunfan]

Ok, you are my travel hero! I could never do this! I am one of those people that enjoy the "data" also.

Can't wait to hear more!

Lynn

 

[mikamah]

You trip sounds like it was amazing, and how spontaneous and adventurous of you and your husband to just up and go. I don't think I could do it. I'm secretly planning our trip for august and my son will wake up the day we leave and be surprised, but I can't imagine doing it all last minute. I can't wait to read more.

 

[lisah0711]

Joining in the fun -- can't wait to hear more!

 

[grstink]

Hi Jen,
Just popped on over to read your TR. Fantastic. I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip. I would love to just pick up and go to WDW. What an adventure. So glad you and your family had this experience.