Driving to Disney

[snowman1035]

Oh so jealous of you guys going in August, wish November would hurry the heck up. Enjoy the drive down in August to WDW and enjoy Savannah, Love the area.
We get to add another expense to our trip portable DVD player went out on daughter. Does any one have a suggestion on a good in expensive one to replace the busted one with?

I would check Walmart or Target. One of them had the dvd players in the sale flyers for $80.00.

 

[coffeehousemom]

We also drive(dh airplane phobia) but we drive from the great white north Wisconsin. It takes up about 23 hrs. But I have to wait till next Jan!! Not fair (as DD9 would say)


We also do the power drive thing straight thru. We leave about 7 or 8pm then stop for fast food(yuck i know) & the kids get into jammies pop in a movie and get them settled for the night. Dh & I take turns catnapping & driving. We get into Orlando about 6 or 7 the next night.

In Ill most of the troopers drive unmarked & I mean unmarked cars they turn convenscated cars into trooper cars. So always be on the look out.

 

[snowman1035]

I thought I would let everyone know that gas prices along 95 are not so bad! My sister just arrived in Disney this morning (driving from the Poconos, Pa) and she said the gas prices were around $3.96 - $4.10. So really not all that bad, I thought they were going to be worse. She left at 12:30 am on Thrusday and arrived in Daytona about 4pm and then finished up the little bit of driving today. So for those of us driving, I still think the gas prices are cheaper then airfare prices.

 

[eyor44]

We always drive from MS.

 

[dvczerfs]

We always drive down on a Friday early afternoon and start on I-81 to 66, 17 and pick up 95 in Virginia. The traffic isn't bad at all. I'm not sure how Saturday's are.
dvczerfs, can you help out with that answer?
Coming home we leave on a Saturday, also early afternoon and drive up I95. The traffic isn't bad then either...not even in Jacksonville.

sorry i was away for awhile. rt17 around warrenton and opal can get busy on sat. if you can plan to get to that spot early in the day you would be better off. we always hit it around 2-2:30 on tuesdays and never had a problem.

 

[TSMAMI]

I thought I would let everyone know that gas prices along 95 are not so bad! My sister just arrived in Disney this morning (driving from the Poconos, Pa) and she said the gas prices were around $3.96 - $4.10. So really not all that bad, I thought they were going to be worse. She left at 12:30 am on Thrusday and arrived in Daytona about 4pm and then finished up the little bit of driving today. So for those of us driving, I still think the gas prices are cheaper then airfare prices.

Thank You! I have been wondering how much we were going to pay along 1-95.

 

[snowman1035]

When she told me the gas prices I was very shocked! I thought they would be alot higher. She has a pacifica. I am glad she made the trip before me! I know it will be a bit higher for us since we have big suv. Everyone have a safe trip driving to the world!!

 

[kappman]

I was looking at air travel for us in November. It is faster to drive since on expedia I could not find a direct flight. I know Southwest and Allegiant offer direct flights for us. I am leary of Allegiant and how long they will fly out of NC, just waiting on Southwest. If they are unreasonable we will drive. I like the idea of driving since it is more personnable. Wife wants to fly, she hates to drive.

I told her riding today for kids is not what it used to be, driving in cars with no A/C AM only radio and other items that Sci-fi can remind us of. Kids today with DVD players, Gameboys, interstates and highways compared to old 2 lane roads and such driving is not as bad as it once was. I know I will not putt along like the moped either.

 

[snowman1035]

We drive to WDW all the time and make sure the kids are well equipped with things to do on the drive. It is alot easier to drive now then years ago, I agree. Our kids take the gameboy, portable dvd player with lots of movies and each time I make a Disney pack for them. It has word search puzzles, coloring pages and question games on each park. We did fly once but just can't get over how much it cost to fly vs. driving. I'll drive and save money.

 

[Kaler131]

We are driving down....but not until September.

 

[dana1003]

hi-just found this thread an guess im jumping into it a little late but any feedback would be great. airfare from where we are would be about 1200 r/t for the 4 of us from newark. hubby wants to drive but when i mentioned it to my mom she said that us doing that is "abuse" and torture for our 4 year old twins...what are your opinions? im not crazy about driving but it would save us allot $. she tells me that them sitting for so long damages their bladders?? i feel guilty even thinking about driving now...my hubby is pissed at her negative comments? what do you all think?

 

[tiggerx3]

Abuse??? I think not. This is our 5th trip from PA with our DD now 3 1/2. Granted usually once down and once back my DH and I need to make an unscheduled stop, but aside from that, the ride is fine - long, but fine.
I also have friends that have driven quite a few times with their children ranging in ages from 3-11 and did not run into issues.

My DH used to drive down with his family when he was young. That was the only way to go back then he said. As far as I know, he doesn't have bladder problems. I opt to drive and phooey on what mom says. Enjoy your trip!

 

[tiggerx3]

: )

 

[coastermom]

OK I must abuse and torture my kids then ... Every year too ..

I have three kids 16,13 and 6 . We have ALWAYS driven to WDW as a family . MY son was as little as 11 months the first trip and well as far as I can tell he is pretty normal.

WE live in Staten Island not too far from Newark and for a family of 5 to leave from there we could pay for almost our whole trip . I say .. Drive it save the airfare and get those kids a DVD player for the car. Have your DH sleep all day and drive at night . Then you can drive during the next day and enjoy the trip.


Have Fun ...

 

[Ashley Kees]

hi-just found this thread an guess im jumping into it a little late but any feedback would be great. airfare from where we are would be about 1200 r/t for the 4 of us from newark. hubby wants to drive but when i mentioned it to my mom she said that us doing that is "abuse" and torture for our 4 year old twins...what are your opinions? im not crazy about driving but it would save us allot $. she tells me that them sitting for so long damages their bladders?? i feel guilty even thinking about driving now...my hubby is pissed at her negative comments? what do you all think?

Your mother must be crazy! I went on super long car trips at least once a year when I was a kid, and do the same with my kids now. It is not abusive, and it is completely irrational and WRONG of her to say it is. And the bladder damage comment is absolutely crazy. You HAVE to stop at least every 3 hours to gas up, and I don't know many people that can't wait three hours between tinkles. Even if they can't wait that long, how hard is it stop when they say they have to go??

Frankly, I am offended that your mother would call a car trip abusive. She CLEARLY has no concept at all about what actual abuse is.

 

[dvczerfs]

hi-just found this thread an guess im jumping into it a little late but any feedback would be great. airfare from where we are would be about 1200 r/t for the 4 of us from newark. hubby wants to drive but when i mentioned it to my mom she said that us doing that is "abuse" and torture for our 4 year old twins...what are your opinions? im not crazy about driving but it would save us allot $. she tells me that them sitting for so long damages their bladders?? i feel guilty even thinking about driving now...my hubby is pissed at her negative comments? what do you all think?

you should have grammy spring for the airfare if driving is so bad. did you tell her they would be in the car and not tied to the hood?

 

[dana1003]

you should have grammy spring for the airfare if driving is so bad. did you tell her they would be in the car and not tied to the hood?

lol!

 

[FtWildrns5]

hi-just found this thread an guess im jumping into it a little late but any feedback would be great. airfare from where we are would be about 1200 r/t for the 4 of us from newark. hubby wants to drive but when i mentioned it to my mom she said that us doing that is "abuse" and torture for our 4 year old twins...what are your opinions? im not crazy about driving but it would save us allot $. she tells me that them sitting for so long damages their bladders?? i feel guilty even thinking about driving now...my hubby is pissed at her negative comments? what do you all think?

We just got back early this morning. Drove down from the MA/RI border on
06/13. We left the driveway at about 8:30pm on Fri night towing our camper and arrived at Fort Wilderness at about 9:00pm Sat night. Our 5 year old twins and 7 year old survived just fine. The gas round trip was $1028.80, still cheaper then air fair for 5. If you want to drive just do it and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

 

[snowman1035]

hi-just found this thread an guess im jumping into it a little late but any feedback would be great. airfare from where we are would be about 1200 r/t for the 4 of us from newark. hubby wants to drive but when i mentioned it to my mom she said that us doing that is "abuse" and torture for our 4 year old twins...what are your opinions? im not crazy about driving but it would save us allot $. she tells me that them sitting for so long damages their bladders?? i feel guilty even thinking about driving now...my hubby is pissed at her negative comments? what do you all think?

Abuse? We leave the Poconos at around 12:30 - 1 am. The kids sleep! We stop when they have to use the restrooms and let them run around for a bit just to stretch the legs and then back in and on the road! How does she figure it is abuse? Airfare prices are out of control and driving is so much cheaper even with the prices of gas. You need to make sure you have things to keep your children happy. Take movies or coloring pages or whatever you can think of. We also make sure we have snacks and drinks with us. I don't consider driving to WDW abuse at all on our children. We enjoy the drive even though it is long. Good Luck but in no way is driving to WDW abuse on your children!

 

[kappman]

Riding is not that bad today as when we were younger as I said before. It is not abuse till you have to peel your skin of the vinyl seats in the Florida sun as we did back in the 70's. I can still feel the pain.

I know NC and VA for the most part have decent rest areas that are clean and come fairly often in areas without a lot of stops off the interstate.

Does anyone have any great ideas for DD to kill time as we drive? Other than DVD player and color sheets? She is 5