Traveling with Kids

[shari71]

Heading out for Disney in 36 more days!!! I am trying to plan the drive down since we have a 14-15 hour drive depending on traffic and construction. We are heading out the day before around 3:00 AM CDT to get a head start with the children still sleeping. We have a 18 month old and a soon to be 4 year old. Question: How long do you generally go between stops? I have the major cities mapped out and I am trying to make sure we get breaks in and meals also, but there is a stretch in the trip I am having a hard time finding someplace to stop at and it goes for about 4 hours which I think is a little to long for the little ones. Any rules of thumb you use while traveling with young ones.

 

[Lauriebar]

What part of Indiana are you coming from?

We travel from Nashville and it usually takes us 11 hrs. We leave around 3 am as well. We stop just outside of Atlanta, then Valdosta, then at one of the travel islands on the Florida Turnpike. Our kids are older though!! Which stretch is the long one? I always have the most trouble between Atlanta and Valdosta, very boring!!

 

[Buzz Lightyear]

We travel from just outside Knoxville, TN. We try to leave at 3:00-4:00am to get as many of those sleeping miles behind us. We usually stop before Atlanta, around Macon, around Tipton to get gas, once more around Valdosta, then the travel islands on the Turnpike. Of course, dirty diapers will cause you stop at any second. :hurl: We have traveled with a 2 month old for a 9 day trip to WDW and she did great. Just do it and don't set rigid schedules. Just go with the flow.

 

[shari71]

Originally from Evansville, IN but now a transplant to Jasper, IN which is about an hour away from Owensboro, KY or 3-3 1/2 hours from Nashville, TN.

Last year we made the trip with then 6 month old and 3 year old. The 6 month old slept most of the trip. We had movies to entertain the 3 year old. I just remember stopping one afternoon and being so disgusted by the stop. I don't want to do that again, especially with changing diapers.

This year I am mostly trying to make sure we don't keep them in the car too long but also make good time since we have so far to travel.

I forgot about Tipton, but I do have Macon on there.

The stretch that is the hardest is between Atlanta and Valdosta. We are stopping for lunch either right before Atlanta or right after. Then there is the long boring stretch from Atlanta to Valdosta which I think I have the four hour stretch which I think will be too long if they aren't napping. Napping/movies will only keep them entertained so long

I am being pretty flexible but there are stretchs in the trip where there is nothing for miles so I want to plan meals around stops I know and then some breaks in between.

Our plan is to stop at Ocala for the night, then it is only a 1 1/2 hour drive to WDW so we can check in early and get to the parks. Don't want to wear us out on the drive down...that just would be too much fun

 

[Buzz Lightyear]

If I remember correctly, there is a very nice gas station with clean bathrooms in Tipton. The main thing I remember about the gas station is the TV screens on the gas pumps. (I know, that's pretty silly). But my wife says the bathrooms and changing stations are nice. We try not to stop between Atlanta and Macon. Not many clean bathrooms or nice stops. When all else fails though, find a Cracker Barrell. They are usually well kept!

 

[Lauriebar]

My husband is from E'ville!! He went to Reitz!! We lived there for the first six years of our marriage!!

 

[shari71]

Isn't it a small world? I went to North and my husband to Mater Dei HS. Both of us graduated from USI in town and unfortunately we could not find jobs in E'ville, but had to move to Jasper. That was a culture shock for us (decent size town to a very, very small German hardheaded town), but we are finally getting over it after living here for eight years.

Marking Tipton on my list. You would think after 7 trips down this road we would know the path, which we do, but our first child was so easy going we didn't have to stop much, but the second one is a demanding child We call her the bull because she doesn't let anything get in her way. Trying to make sure it goes smoothly for her or we will hear about it :animwink:

 

[Dwarful]

If all else fails, you could do what I do...
bring along, ziplock bags, an old bath towel and the diaper bag. That way any seat in your vehicle can serve as a decent changing area as long as a trash can is nearby..which you could have at any rest area or truck stop. If you don't have a seat available, use the floorboard w/ the towel. much better than a filthy restroom.

 

[SewIn2Disney]

We always plan our trips around Cracker Barrels ( http://www.crackerbarrel.com/ )
In case you don't know what it is, it's part down home cooking, part store. I've never met an unfriendly person in there, the prices are extremly reasonable, and the food is amazing. And most importantly, the bathrooms are clean.
Its a great place to get out and stretch, esp if you shop while you wait for your food.
If you click here and put in your address and Orlando, it will tell you all the cracker barrels along the way.
It's great!
http://direct.where2getit.com/cracker_atw/

Have a great trip!