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We are planning on driving to disney from boston in August. We have 3 kids, 7,9 and 11and we are looking for suggestions as to what to pack for them to do in the car. we are alsotrying to decide to leave at night or in the morning, where to stop and stay and any other suggestions that someone might have. Are we crazy?
Hi! We've done the drive with out kids several times from CT to FL. (We used to live in FL, and are moving back there, so we'll be doing the drive again next month!) We went the first time when they were 3 and 5, and this last time, they were 7 and 9.
Do you have a DVD player in the car? Or do they have DSs to play with? We stopped at a discount store and picked up little surprises for them to play with at various points during the trip. We do the trip in two loooong days... what's worked best for us is to leave in the early afternoon and drive until 10 or 11 at night (so we make it to the bottom of Virginia), then get up early the next morning and do the rest of the trip. We were able to get through New York before rush hour, and didn't get to Washington DC until after rush hour. Once you get through Richmond, there is very little traffic except for part of Georgia where we always hit traffic. For you, though, you'd need to leave earlier in order to carry out that plan, because you're about three hours north of us. When we move down, the plan is to leave at 5:00 in the morning and drive until dinner time, then do the same thing the second day. That should bring us to at least the bottom half of North Carolina.
DVD lots of them, Red Box rents them for $1/day you can pick up a bunch, in boston and exchange them as you go along. redbox Have lots of snacks, drinks, stop for a run around the parking lot ... break every 2 hours. 11yo might not like the dvd's so a ipod loaded with would be good to. Avoid 'messy' food for snacks, and try to keep the suger intake low. Get a package of baby wipes for hand cleaning. Should you stop and how far can you drive? If you go at night then stopping when you tire will be 4am, then get up at 9? and head out is not worth the hotel room. I would start off real early from boston. Have car all pack night before and get early start, 5? am. The kids will sleep in the car for the 1st few hours (keep them up late night before so they sleep some in the morning) round 9am stop for bfast. then a 1pm lunch. stopping 4 snack/run around 3/4p dinner round 7p and if you can do it drive nother 2 hr to hotel getting there round 9p somewhere in NC. Pack 1 suitcase with just the stuff you will need for that 1 night so you dont have to bring in lots of bags. 5 people in 1 room + bags will be tight. Next morning try to get out early, have bfast 2hr into morning. do lunch somewhere in georgia. Try to find a playground in one of the town round lunch time to let the kids blow off some energy. Arrive in orlando Just intime for your checkin.,
I would rather fly-I know it's expensive but you don't really need a car- the bus system is great down there- is there not a decent Sw flight?
definitely a DVD player and those fun invisible ink books are great - car bingo cards too
We used to go back and forth between Michigan and Wisconsin when I was growing up and there were five of us children. We ALWAYS left very early in the morning with the back seat having pillows and blankets. We slept for a few hours so the trip didn't seem so long.
Now we drive 800 miles to visit family and still leave early in the morning. Try making up a surprise bag for each child with a number of wrapped games and surprises in each bag. Calculate about how long the trip will be and have them choose one every so many hours or miles. Stop to sleep early so the kids can unwind and stretch out, maybe swim in the hotel pool.
Portable DVD players last just so long because it's difficult for young children to sit and focus in a car for hours at a time.
Stopping frequently for them to run helps a lot on the whining and complaining. We always pack sandwiches and snacks, freeze a couple 12 packs of small bottles of water for the cooler, stop for a picnic or eat in the car (not recommended), and have dinner in a restaurant along the way.
We are planning on driving to disney from boston in August. We have 3 kids, 7,9 and 11and we are looking for suggestions as to what to pack for them to do in the car. we are alsotrying to decide to leave at night or in the morning, where to stop and stay and any other suggestions that someone might have. Are we crazy?
Yeah, b/c back in the days prior to everything being made so easy no one took vacations farther than 20 minutes w/ well-grown kids
No, not crazy & also not unreasonable to expect this age group to be able to handle the drive.
I've driven across the country so many times w/ TODDLERS that I can't keep track. We have survived
1)Buy each child a cheap portable DVD player w/ headphones (I mean you can get these as low as 19.99).
2)Go to the library and have them pick out DVDs
If these are into DS or have the systems, that is always an option
3) Plan to stop in some cool places along the way. There is a wealth of neat places along the east coast
I did the drive in the middle of night from OH to FL. Pros and cons. If your kids are good car sleepers, this might be the best option.
I say make a trip of it.
Some of my best memories from childhood are trips w/ my family. We didn't have the cash for airplanes and my parents would stop in fun places along the way.
Of course many times (there were 3 kids) we'd beat on each other and yes, my dad did pull off the side of the road.
Make it fun. THey are at GREAT ages to just have such a good experience. No, it is not going to be all roses and lollipops, but if you plan it smart, it will be a lasting GOOD memory!!
We used to do drives like that all the time when I was younger. Before the days of personal DVD players and all that. I have to say me and my sister absolutely hated it after the first 2 hours. We drove from Cleveland to myrtle beach many times. Although we loved stopping and spending the night somewhere.
I've really never understood why people are so afraid of car trips with their kids We bring DVD's, books, toys, snacks, and their kid CD's, and plan to stop often (every 3 hours or so). We've done many road trips with our (ages 4 and 6 now), and really never had a problem.
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We bring DVD's, books, toys, snacks, and their kid CD's, and plan to stop often (every 3 hours or so). We've done many road trips with our (ages 4 and 6 now), and really never had a problem.
