For those of you who drive to DW, specifically long drives...

[TinkerbellRules]

Robin: Oh, to be that close to WDW! Fly, never Like I said, it takes us about 16 hrs to get there and drive straight through. We have the TV/VCR combo as well which makes it much more pleasant. Truthfully, everyone with kids should get one especially with younger ones. They are so nice and you rarely hear "when are we going to get there"! I always buy a new video before we go.

I'm paranoid about safety, though, and had my dad build us a tilted platform for the 13" combo. It is wedged between the front seat (will probably never get it out of there!) with really strong straps around the TV. We have a custom van and use it to pull a camper. Now, driving to WDW with the camper was even longer! We stopped at a Walmart on the way down since they allow RVers to stay overnight.

 

[Buzzz]

We are inthe tidewater Va. area about 14 hrs away and we have run down for a weekend but we love the ride. we have been known to leave on friday morning and get home sunday night. back to work on monday. this makes for a long monday but a weekend in a dream makes it worth it to us. May sound a little crazy but hay you take your breaks where you can. we do this on the spir of the moment . a couple time we had left for Nags Head NC. and ended up in Fl. I have WDW in my phone book on my cell phone so we call from the road and set up the room. One time we even called a freind had the log onto mousesavers and find us a discount code and use that to book the room from I 95 a unplanned trip for a day or two have been just as much if not more fun the the long trips we take. Ok i've goten a little long winded here so i'm going to stop now. But before i go let me say surprise your self and go for a weekend stop at the disney store get some hopper passes and just put them away for quick trips .

 

[bobcat]

Wow Buzzz! How long is the drive for you? I wish I lived about 6 hours closer and I would take a road trip too!

 

[Buzzz]

Here is the problem Bobcat if i lived 6 hrs closer i would stay broke from the weekend spir of the monment trips
ha ha Ha

 

[Deb & Bill]

We always drive from NE Louisiana. The trip is about 14 hours each way. We leave after school, get halfway there (Mobile Bay-Daphne AL) and then drive the rest of the way the next day. We arrive about 2:30 PM, check in and head to a park. The hotel we stop at in AL has a microwave and refrigerator in the room, so we either heat up something or get fast food. The return trip is similar - leave the park at noon or 1 PM and drive until AL. We usually get home about 2 or 3.

We used to live in Eastern Montana, so when I wanted to go shopping, I had a 2.5 hour trip to go to Target and the mall. I'd leave in the morning, shop for a few hours and then drive back home. As soon as our son was about 1.5 yrs old, he would make the trip with me. We looked for watertowers and animals along the way. He'd take a short nap and we'd be there. The return trip was the same. We'd hit Taco Bell and Cinnabon and bring some back with us. This is how he learned to be a good car rider and entertain himself or play games with mom and dad in the car (he's 8 yrs old). We've thought about buying a TV/VCR combo for the car, but we really don't need it. He usually brings crayons, paper, his gameboy and a walkman along with some CD's or cassettes to listen to.

 

[RumpleMom]

Our trip to WDW is about 19 hours. We wanted to save money this past summer by driving, instead of flying. We were in a rainstorm in VA and hydroplaned off the road shortly after lunch. Thankfully no one was hurt because that's really all that matters. Also we were not apart of the 9 car pile-up further down the road. We had purchased 2 new tires the day before our trip; they were destroyed. We hit a road sign which smashed DH door and window, glass everywhere... you get the picture. Anyway, it has cost more than plane fare, for 53 days of car rental, plus deductible. We have plane tickets already purchased for next trip, won't be driving for awhile.

 

[TinkerbellRules]

But you can, unfortunately, be in an accident near home as well. I was in one 2 yrs ago that caused $4,500 to my minivan. A man ran me off the road and I hit a sign. Those darned signs can cause lots of damage! It hit the windshield, and all windows on the side. I've been in 4 or 5 accidents and all have been within mins to an hour of my home. I hope they are the worst I'm ever in!

Bottom line, you must do what you feel comfortable with doing....

 

[Minnie's Mate]

Hey TinkerbellRules,

Let me know the next time you are going on the road! Your magnetic field must be in flux or something to be in that many accidents. I'm just kidding of course and I really hope no one was injured in any of them.

Just wanted to add a little levity to what appears to be heading into a downer if we start comparing accident histories.

 

[TinkerbellRules]

Minnie's Mate: Don't worry, luckily, they have all been minor without injuries! None, BTW, have been my fault either although the one I spoke of was considered my fault because I didn't have any witnesses. No one stopped, not even the other person he almost ran off the road! ALWAYS be a good American and be a witness if you see one. It went against me. Let's see, hit a guy headon (in MY lane) or swerve. I think I made the right choice Also, don't be like me and let the cop fool you into believe you don't need a witness. You do! He wouldn't go look for the guy the jerk was passing in a No Passing Zone. I hit that sign!

Sorry, I still get a little ticked off at that one. But, my DD and are were safe. That's all that matters.

 

[MikeP]

We drove the first time we went to Orlando, since then my wife opened her own business and based on what she looses for the 4 days spent on the road it is actually much more economical for us to fly. I think we drove about 14 hours the first day then stayed at a hotel and drove in the rest of the way. So we burn 2 days each way, and fankly speaking the sights weren't that great from Dallas to Orlando. LOL

 

[veraletta]

this may sound silly but I love the drive down to florida, it will take me 16 hours as I drive straight to disney from ohio... but if you asked me when I was young, I would have flown down to disney in a plane... as a child we flew every where.. my step father was a flight instructor and he own his own plane..
He even made us kids learn how to land the plane just in case some thing would happen to him while in the air... but after his plane crashed 28 years ago.. I just get so worried once I'm in the air, that I find my self to scared to enjoy flying any more...so for me at least I think I should drive..

seems funny to me because my step father would say its saved to fly that to drive... and in my heart I know its true... I'm the only one of the 4 children that will not fly... while in the air all I see is what his planed looked like.. and its silly because it really is safer to fly than drive.. but I just cant get over it while in the air.. last time I flew a lady held my hand the whole time because I couldnt stop crying.. so for you that are afraid I do understand... and I think if you are afraid, some times the long drive just isnt that bad.. heck you really get to see the U. S. when you drive..

 

[Pryncess'mom]

When it was just the two of us we flew, after the kids came we drove. Flew in November 2000, it cost us $4000 for 5 nights in FW cabins. August 2002 will cost only $2500 for 6 nights at POR. Since the youngest kids don't like flying, and we always have such trouble getting from airport to WDW with all the luggage and car seats, we like to take our own vehicle. We now have a full size van with tv/vcr. We take our time (2-3 days) stopping whenever we want to to see something we might otherwise have missed! Although flying is quick and convenient (and usually expensive for 5) there is nothing like a road trip!!

 

[Tigger1]

We drive from Oklahoma (home of #1 college Football team , OU ). It takes about 24 hours including stops for gas and food to travel the 1400 miles. Our first trip in 97 we tried to go straight threw with 5 children. The kids did fine, they slept the whole way. We were to tired to drive. The next trip in 99, I found a state park near Pensacola. We then camped out there the first night and traveled the remainder of the trip the next day. We now take 2 mini vans, camp out at a state park on the gulf for a few nights on the way and 1 night on the way back. The kids still sleep most of the time we are driving, they are in there teens but help to drive at times.

Tigger