Disney Bound: Driving to Walt Disney World
My family and I usually prefer to drive to Walt Disney World whenever we plan a trip there. Since there are six of us and we require two strollers, driving provides us with the flexibility to travel according to our convenience. We have tried all possible routes for this journey, and it usually takes us around 14.5 hours from Pennsylvania to Florida. In this text, we will discuss the three different routes we take, and the essential supplies we carry along to ensure a stress-free journey.
The Essentials
When we go on road trips, we always bring a cooler for our drinks and cool snacks. Our dry snacks, plates, plastic utensils, and a roll of paper towels are kept in a snack bag. I use a thirty-one-style bag that I've had for over eight years, but it works perfectly because it has walls and an insert with pockets.
Each of my kids carries their own backpack with their activities and technology. To keep things organized, we have a technology bag where all items are collected and turned in when it's time for bed. This way, we don't have to worry about digging them out when we stop for the night.
We also make sure that each kid's bag includes a car blanket and pillow. Even in the winter, we all wear Crocs and take them off as soon as we enter the car to keep things tidy. The Crocs are lined up at the edge of the car, as shown in the pictures.
Some other things you may consider having in the car are back of chair hooks and trays, we have travel trays we use but I am looking at some that attach to the back of the chair. We also have a turtle shell for extra space. Then we have an emergency bathroom bag which I will go into more detail at the end of this post.
The Carry-On Bag and Tech Bag
These are two of the most essential items that we pack outside of taking my purse. These are the only two things you will take into the hotel if you have to stop. You may have heard me talk about this before, but whether we are driving or flying, we always pack a carry-on bag. With kids, having the minimum you need if your luggage is lost is necessary. And then, if you were driving when you exit the car to stop at the hotel, all you will need to do is take this carry-on bag into the hotel with your technology bag, and you can leave the rest of the stuff in the carry-on suitcase.
The carry-on bag should include:
- One pair of pajamas for everyone
- One change of clothes
- One swimsuit for everyone
- Everyone's travel toiletries
- A pair of underwear and a pair of socks for everyone
Our family keeps all our electronic devices, like the kids' tablets and our work computers, in one designated technology bag. We also store all the cords and chargers required to recharge these devices in the same bag. We aim to reduce the bags we carry while traveling, so we put everything in one bag. If we're traveling by air, the kids may carry their backpacks with their tablets and activities, but they never carry their chargers or cords to avoid misplacing them during the journey. Similarly, when we're traveling by car, the kids may have their own backpacks, but their cords and chargers are kept in the technology bag. When we reached our hotel, the kids give me their tablets, and I put them in the technology bag.
Let’s Get on the Road…
To ensure you have a stress-free trip, I suggest you pack your car 72 hours before your travel date. Believe me, you don't want to leave packing until the last minute and have unnecessary stress. The only two things you should have left to pack are the carry-on and the tech bag but everything else should be done. I will literally drive around with the turtle shell all week, just to make sure we are prepared and do not forget anything.
Route 1: 3 - 4 am Departure
This is my favorite routine because it makes it easy for me to transfer my kids from their beds to the car. We all go to bed around 9–10 pm and leave the tech bag, my purse, cooler of food, and carry-on by the garage door so that we remember everything.
At 3 or 4 am, depending on how well we slept, we load the car first, then grab the kids. After making sure that the car light is off, we all get in and start our journey. I usually drive until we get breakfast around 9 am, and the kids sleep for around 5-6 hours before they wake up.
We only allow them to use tech after lunch, which means they only their activities in the bag such as coloring, trivia, or read for less than 4 hours. We take a lunch break for about an hour and let the kids run around.
Then we keep driving until dinner, and we are about two hours away from Disney, where we stop for the night. This way, we are refreshed, get up early, and are happy.
You may think it's crazy to stop when you are only 2 hours away, but we have learned from our kids numerous times driving is their limit. Kids start vomiting, and it's not good if we push them anymore when we drive this way. They can't handle it. So if we leave at 3 - 4 am, we stop about 6 - 7 pm.
Click here to get the exact Cargo box we have.
Route 2: Leaving After School
Actually, I'm not too fond of this route, but sometimes it's the only option. The same thing goes for the car already being packed. But when we have to pick up the kids from school, we are ready to hit the road and leave straight from there. We usually start driving around 4 pm and drive until 7 pm, then stop for dinner and eat in the car. We typically let the kids have tech until dinnertime then put it up when we stop because we put a movie in since we only have a few hours of driving before we stop. We typically drive until 11:30 pm because checking in after midnight can sometimes cause issues when entering your room. We book the room when we know where we are going to stop.
After taking a break of about 6 hours to sleep, we try to resume our journey by 5–6 am. Since we only drive for 7 hours, we still have about 7-8 hours left to reach Disney. While it makes for a long day, technically, it gets us to Disney in 24 hours.
After taking a break of approximately 6 hours to sleep, we plan to continue our journey by 5–6 am. We only plan to drive for 7 hours, which means we will still have around 7-8 hours left to reach Disney. Although it may make for a long day, sticking to this plan will get us to Disney in 24 hours. It is important to note that we have a strict rule of switching drivers as soon as one of us gets tired. We should not push ourselves beyond our limits.
Route 3: Overnight
We have found that driving through the night works well for us, too, as long as one of us can sleep well in the car. To prepare for this, we usually leave right after dinner around 6–7 pm. I immediately try to go to sleep as soon as possible, aiming to be asleep before 9 pm. The kids usually put away any crafts around 8:30, and we put the car into sleep mode. My husband then drives until around 12–1 am.
After sleeping for around 5 hours, I took over driving at 1 am and continued driving until 7 am. To stay awake, I listened to entertaining audiobooks and music. If I felt tired at any point, we stopped at a gas station and rested until I felt ready to drive again. This strategy helped us reach Disney as quickly as possible. At around 8 am, my husband took over driving, and I went to sleep. Meanwhile, the kids had breakfast and used their tech devices since they had been asleep most of the drive. We usually reached Disney by lunchtime, and I would be annoyed if our room wasn't ready. But most of the time, we would get into our room before 4 pm, and I can rest. For dinner, we usually go to Disney Springs or stay at the resort, get a good nights rest. Then, the next day, we would hit the parks!
My family and I usually prefer to drive to Walt Disney World whenever we plan a trip. Since there are six of us and we require two strollers, driving provides us with flexibility. We have tried all possible routes for this journey, and it usually takes us around 14.5 hours from Pennsylvania to Florida. In this text, we will discuss the three routes we take and the essential supplies we carry to ensure a stress-free journey.
I need more details…
Okay, so let me help you with ALL the supplies we use on our trip.
Click on picture for link to items
What is in the Kids Bags
When going on a road trip, we ensure that each of our children brings 2-3 books. Even our toddler brings her books because she likes looking at pictures. Along with books, each child can bring a tablet or iPad and a Nintendo Switch. They also have the option to get an activity book, a trivia or Sudoku book, and a bag of colored pencils or crayons. We provide them with a lap desk, but if they prefer, they can use clipboards instead.
While traveling, our youngest still eats at the table because it's easier for her to eat while we drive. To keep them entertained, we allow each child to pick three movies for the car, so we have plenty of options for them to choose from. They each have a car/airplane blanket, neck or small pillow for comfort, and headphones.
We don't allow our kids to use tech for 12 hours. It can overstimulate them and cause carsickness. So I outline in our driving methods when we give them tech.
What is in the Snack Bag & Cooler?
We pack mostly water in the cooler for our trips. My husband buys two Red Bulls for energy boosts, and we sometimes add juice or soda based on the time of day. I don't want to pay for extra drinks. We pack yogurt and cool snacks in a ziplock bag and place it in the cooler. So if you want to make sandwiches, etc., I will pack the deli meat and cheese in the ziplock so it does not get wet from the ice.
In addition to the paper products I mentioned earlier, we also pack a snack bag containing everyone's favorite snacks that would work well in the parks. Some examples of the snacks we pack include chewy bars, Lara bars, pirate booty, and smart popcorn. If we plan to make food during the drive, we also pack any necessary condiments.
Emergency Bathroom Bag
Traveling with little ones can be both fun and challenging, especially during long and tiring journeys. One essential thing to have is an emergency potty bag. I never realized how important this was until I had multiple kids who needed to use the restroom. This bag comes in handy, especially when there are no restrooms available or if a child suddenly gets sick and has diarrhea.
In my emergency potty bag, I carry a variety of items to ensure that my kids are comfortable and clean. For my toddlers, I have a mini collapsible toilet seat that fits easily into the bag.
I have Travel Janes and Travel Urinals for both boys and girls. These items are perfect for when restrooms are not available or if we are in the middle of nowhere. They are also easy to use and clean.
In addition to these items, I also have a Suds2go container to wash our hands properly, Charmin wipes, and wet wipes. These items are essential for keeping our hands clean, and they are also perfect for wiping down surfaces.
Finally, I have a pop-up tent that is easy to fold and assemble. This is when we use the folding toliet seat that stays in the trunk. This tent is for when we are in the middle of nowhere and someone needs to take care of some serious business. It provides privacy and is also easy to clean.
Click on the picture for link!
Why Crocs?
Because they are easy to slip on and off, they provide more protection from the elements since they cover the toes and can be worn with or without socks.
Where do you stay?
We are Hilton Diamond members, so whenever we need to stop somewhere, we prefer to stay at lower-tier Hilton properties such as Hampton by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Tru by Hilton, Spark by Hilton, or our favorite, Embassy Suites by Hilton. Typically, we opt for the cheapest option since we only need a place to sleep for 6-8 hours. It's simply a place to rest our heads.
General Tips on Keeping Kids Entertained while Driving:
For toddlers (ages 1-3):
- Pack some sturdy board books with colorful pictures and textures to keep little hands busy.
- Bring along a variety of healthy snacks in easy-to-reach containers. Snacking can be entertaining and a way to pass the time.
- Small toys like plush animals, rattles, or stacking cups can provide endless entertainment for toddlers.
For preschoolers (ages 4-5):
- Invest in some travel-friendly games like magnetic board games, bingo, or scavenger hunts designed for car rides.
- Bring along a lap desk and some coloring books, stickers, or a simple craft kit to encourage creativity.
- Play audiobooks or their favorite songs through the car’s sound system to make the journey more enjoyable.
- Delay any activities for as long as possible if driving during the day or give them something small and new every couple of hours.
For school-aged kids (ages 6-12):
- Classic games like “I Spy,” the license plate game, or 20 Questions can keep older kids engaged and entertained.
- Load up a tablet with movies or educational apps, or bring a portable DVD player and their favorite DVDs if you do not have one in your car.
- Puzzle books, mazes, and activity pads can provide hours of entertainment without electronics.
For teens (ages 13+):
- Let them choose podcasts or audiobooks that interest them to listen to during the drive.
- Allow teens to curate their own road trip playlist with their favorite music.
- Encourage teens to document the trip by journaling or creating a travel blog using a smartphone or tablet.
General tips for all ages:
- Plan regular rest stops or short breaks to stretch their legs, use the restroom, and burn off some energy.
- Make sure each child has their comfort items like blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals for naps or relaxation.
- Involve kids in planning the trip by letting them choose activities or attractions to visit along the way, encouraging excitement and anticipation.
BUC-EES!!! If you have never stopped at a Buc-ees its a right of passage and you need to go ahead and stop on by!
If you have ANY questions or want to add some tips on driving with littles to Walt Disney World be sure to leave a comment!
