3 day drive with a 2 year old... Help!?

[WDWlife]

We are driving from New York to Disney with our rather pleasant 2 year old. (though will he still be pleasant after multiple hours in a car?) We want to take it slow to not torture him too much and plan to stop as needed. So this is a call out to those seasoned WDW parents who drive to give tips for our amateur itinerary for the road.

Note: This is a one way trip as the family will be relocating for my job with Disney. All times are "Google Map Guesses." And we want to see a few "sites" on the way.

Friday
~ 10am - Leave NYC
~ 3 pm - Break (3-6) in Washington DC to run/ play/ stretch at the National Mall (any good playgrounds?)
~ 6 pm - drive to Raleigh, NC
~ 12am - Arrive & sleep in a hotel (Raleigh, NC)

Saturday
~ Morning - Breakfast with friends in Raleigh
~ 1 am Leave Raleigh, NC around D's regular nap time
~ 8 pm Arrive in Savannah, GA. (Stay in a hotel near downtown)

Sunday
~ Morning - See a little of Savannah (Emphasis on little) ** Any good toddler spots?
~ 12pm - Leave to WDW - Again around D's regular nap time (include a few stops as needed)
~ 6pm - Arrive in WDW Apartment

Please let me know if this may be not be do-able. Though we are very "go with the flow". Particularly interested in good toddler stops along the way and in Raleigh and Savannah.

Thanks!

 

[TrentMom]

No 'butts' at all. I believe these are a different kind of Puppet. (Though I have yet to see them finished) Think more "Lion King" on Broadway I will be playing Marlin.

My son is watchin Nemo right now in bed. I have not seen it in awhile. Who is Marlin in the movie? I forget. Your new job sounds very exciting. My cousin was on the Disney Cruise shows a couple of years ago in the Beauty and Beast Musical. She loved that.

 

[WDWlife]

My son is watchin Nemo right now in bed. I have not seen it in awhile. Who is Marlin in the movie? I forget. Your new job sounds very exciting. My cousin was on the Disney Cruise shows a couple of years ago in the Beauty and Beast Musical. She loved that.

Marlin is Nemo's Dad. And we are very excited. And to work with these amazing composers with original music is an amazing experience. I love how the whole show is put together. It has a real emotional journey. With Marlin loosing his whole family, finding the little Nemo egg, Losing his son again, the journey across the sea, to the final reuniting at the end. It gets me every time. Can you tell I really like the show?

I probably have the Nemo watching record. Right at the time I was auditioning I got the DVD and watched it with my son. Well it quickly became his favorite. So much so that it was the only way we were able to get him to breath into a Nebulizer to treat a recurrence of RSV virus. He called it his Nemo Medicine.

I think this show is so close to me because I have a child. And even more exciting...during the run at WDW my wife and I will have another baby. (well - I really won't be doing much) I wonder if he/she will come out with mouse ears?

 

[pinkrose]

Marlin is Nemo's Dad. And we are very excited. And to work with these amazing composers with original music is an amazing experience. I love how the whole show is put together. It has a real emotional journey. With Marlin loosing his whole family, finding the little Nemo egg, Loosing his son again, the journey across the sea, to the finally reuniting at the end. It gets me every time. Can you tell I really like the show?

I probably have the Nemo watching record. Right at the time I was auditioning I got the DVD and watched it with my son. Well it quickly became his favorite. So much so that it was the only way we were able to get him to breath into a Nebulizer to treat a recurrence of RSV virus. He called it his Nemo Medicine.

I think this show is so close to me because I have a child. And even more exciting...during the run at WDW my wife and I will have another baby. (well - I really won't be doing much) I wonder if he/she will come out with mouse ears?

When's the baby due? (or is this just a plan as of right now?)

Congratulations on the show! We'll be down there the end of Nov. and look forward to trying to catch a preview show. My kids LOVE Nemo.

 

[blackerbys17]

I wonder if he/she will come out with mouse ears?

:lol: That's funny! I just wanted to say congrats on the new baby on the way and on the new job at WDW. I hope you have a safe trip home! You r going to love Florida. I have lived here all my life and though it can get real hot in the summer, most of the time it is paradise. I wish I could work at WDW but I have to wait until DH retires from the police dept. Only 10-15 more years to go! :brick:

Anyways, good luck on all your new adventures! :wave:

 

[Nemo14]

We used to drive from RI every summer with the 2 kids. DH would catch a nap after dinner, then we'd leave around midnight so the kids would sleep til 6 or 7. We'd stop for breakfast when they woke up, the we'd drive til 7 or 8 that night. This was before DVD players, but we always packed "surprises" in the car for them - nothing major - stickers, books, or things of that nature. I'd wrap them in Disney paper and keep them up front with me. Then when they'd get cranky, I'd pass them a surprise. We also kept a snack box between them and let the older one be "in charge" of that, wehile the younger one was in charge of the cooler. It was really amazing to see how careful they were with controlling the supplies!

 

[WDWlife]

When's the baby due? (or is this just a plan as of right now?)

Congratulations on the show! We'll be down there the end of Nov. and look forward to trying to catch a preview show. My kids LOVE Nemo.

Due in January / Early February. Our two year old says he wants a "Bebe sist-a". Yes, come see the show!

 

[TrentMom]

Marlin is Nemo's Dad. And we are very excited. And to work with these amazing composers with original music is an amazing experience. I love how the whole show is put together. It has a real emotional journey. With Marlin loosing his whole family, finding the little Nemo egg, Loosing his son again, the journey across the sea, to the finally reuniting at the end. It gets me every time. Can you tell I really like the show?

I probably have the Nemo watching record. Right at the time I was auditioning I got the DVD and watched it with my son. Well it quickly became his favorite. So much so that it was the only way we were able to get him to breath into a Nebulizer to treat a recurrence of RSV virus. He called it his Nemo Medicine.

I think this show is so close to me because I have a child. And even more exciting...during the run at WDW my wife and I will have another baby. (well - I really won't be doing much) I wonder if he/she will come out with mouse ears?

Last night was the first time my son would watch Nemo. He really seemed to enjoy it. Last year, it was all about Toy Story.

My son had the same problem with rsv viruses last winter. We had to go to the hospital twice and once he had to sleep over. He too, has a nebulizer and it is a godsend. Turns out he has a slight case of asthma, which make his winter colds worse. But, the nebulizer is making it all better. Much better than the hospital.

Congrats on the baby....If it comes out with Mickey Ears and is a girl, like your son wants, are you going to name her Annette? JK

Good Luck and Have Fun!!!
Trentmom

 

[ErickainPA]

I live in NJ and to get to VA takes about 4-5 hours. To get to NC we use to leave at midnight and get in before or by noon the next day. If you leave NY at 10am, you are going to hit major traffic anywhere you go along the way)

Your best bet would be to leave later at night (right before bedtime would be best), when your child can sleep through most of the night. DC is not really a good bet as a playground stop for a toddler. It's a mess with traffic, if you can get through that area before rush hour (totally possibly as long as you leave at night) and get into VA you will be better off. Find an area to hang out at for a while so your child can get some energy run off and if you need to get a hotel room, one play with the child while the other sleeps (one that drove preferred) so that you can switch out drivers, I assume there is more than 1 driver. Head back off after getting some food or if you want take the trek down to Raleigh (think it's something like 10 hours from NJ) and see your friends.

You don't really want to be on the road for 3 days with your child, he will get cranky and miserable by dragging the trip out longer than it really would need to be. Take DVD's and books and toys for your child and all should be fine. My cousin did the trip many times from FL to PA with my twin cousins when they were only 6 months old, they never stopped over anywhere for long. The would leave FL at night and get to PA about 16 hours later.

Good luck.