Oh how I hate that drive-make it better!

We have a 16 hour drive that we break up over two days but we try to do at least 12 hours the first day (with gas/bathroom breaks and a stop for lunch it's closer to 14-15 hours on the road that day). We have 5 kids and they've all made the trip several times -- usually from the time each of them turned 4. The youngest one is now 10, so for the last 2 trips, the kids have taken care of packing their own things to keep them occupied in the car (mostly electronics). When they were younger, the portable DVD players were a godsend. They each had one so they could watch whatever they wanted. I'd pick up a few new movies before a road trip. I also had a headphone splitter so that if 2 kids wanted to watch the same thing at the same time, they could. They also had CD players (now MP3) and I'd buy a few new "kid song" CD's before a trip. Each kid would have a small drawstring backpack with a few things to play with on the trip (paper tablet, colored pencils , stickers, small figurines, pipe cleaners/Bendaroos, etc.) I would also keep a stash of extra "fun" things in a bag in the back of the car so that if they were getting bored with what they had in their bags, I could pull out something new at the next rest stop. I also kept some things for the drive home so they had something new. I picked up odds and ends of things at Dollar Tree, Five Below, and the birthday party favor sections at Walmart and Target. The website momsminivan.com has a lot of good ideas as well.

We don't rush through our bathroom breaks or meals. When the kids were small, I'd take bubbles, a small frisbee, and a tennis ball or two so that we could spend a few minutes letting the kids run off some energy whenever we'd stop. If we stopped for lunch at a fast-food place that had a play area, we'd let the kid play there while DH & I would eat lunch at a table nearby. When we were ready to leave, we'd order lunch for the kids and they'd eat their food while we drove. That combination was good at inducing a nice nap when they were finished eating. :-)

I also gave each kid their own bag of snacks for the drive. Actually, I would set up a buffet of mom-approved snacks the night before the trip and give them each a large ziploc bag to fill with the treats they wanted from the buffet (with limits -- "you can choose 4 snacks from this group; 6 snacks from this group; etc." They never eat everything they pack -- they have enough for the drive there and back and plenty left over.). That way I'm not constantly handing out snacks. I do control the drinks, though -- we don't want to make a bathroom stop every 5 minutes. :-)

Each kids also has their own travel pillow and blanket to use in the car. My kids tend to sleep a lot when we're in the car -- even now that they're older. We did the drive to Disney a few weeks ago and I think the 3 kids (ages 10, 14, & 15) slept several hours during our long day of driving. I will admit, when they were younger I'd try to get them really tired the day before we were leaving and kept them up a little later than normal that night. Then we'd get up and leave by 5:00 a.m. and they'd usually sleep for the first 2 or 3 hours of the drive.

We've found that the more things they have to make their trip comfortable (toys, snacks, blanket, etc.), the happier they are. And giving them the ability to get out of the car and run around every 2 or 3 hours really helps as well.

We drive from Arkansas , thats 18 hours straight through.. We start out in the Afternoon and get to Disney mid morning.. I take my laptop and DVD's and watch movies.. My hubby likes to do all the driving.

Another vote for in car movies

I usually did a plastic container with coloring books, crayons, color pencils, paper dolls, snacks, etc. Each container was tailored for what each child liked.

When movies came along - that was a saving grace!!!!

We drive from Texas. 18hr total. When our kids were small, I left super early like 4am. The kids would sleep till about eight. I know it takes longer, but we found stopping to eat helped a lot. Breakfast out of the car at a restaurant of some kind. Fast or whatever and lunch at a rest area with sandwiches and a ball or frisbee to throw around. Just getting out helped. Our kids are in their twenties now. We still drive, but we have to stop at the bigger rest areas because they can throw a frisbee a long way now.

We're stopping a little over halfway this time because I had enough hotel rewards points to get a free night. We usually drive straight through though. We pretty much drive all night so the kids will be sleeping most of the way there. DH will nap most of the day so he can drive the first part and I sleep in the car so I can drive most of the last part. DVD players are our friends and we always make sure the kids' tablets and iPods are charged.

Stickers and notebooks are a life saver. The tv with every movie we own always helped too. And lots of snacks.

I don't think we will drive anymore, after last time DH said it would take a miracle to get him to drive again. I think it could have been a lot better had we not tried to make it over night in one shot. The kids did fine actually, they could have been a LOT fussier, it was us who were the mess. I was sick the last couple days at Disney and I felt like I had pneumonia on the way back. DH drove most way and I think he almost had a breakdown. Looking back it wasn't safe for us. I KNOW you just want to get there and get it done, but, look at the option of taking couple short spurts. Start driving during day time when they are not ready to lose it from exhaustion and when they are in better moods. Spend the night somewhere, I guess if you can afford it?. It will be worth it. Then eat an awesome breakfast somewhere fun, get the best pancakes you can, and start off again and those 5-6 hour drives are not as bad. I thought taking breaks was for the weak but oh lord I would never drive without breaks again. It's just not worth it.

Echoing what others have said ... a DVD player and movies were perfect entertainment. Our SUV did not have a built in DVD player but we had a portable player that my DD put on her lap with headphones. She was 5.5 years old when we took our longest road trip (to WDW of course !!).
She also had a Leapster electronic game, coloring books, colors, sticker books to keep her occupied. I bought things at the dollar store that would occupy her.

Good luck!

mandaep;2463422 wrote: I don't think we will drive anymore, after last time DH said it would take a miracle to get him to drive again. I think it could have been a lot better had we not tried to make it over night in one shot.

Funny how I say that we will never fly again like others say the same thing about the drive. I LOVE to fly, it is just the airport masses that get to me. First thing about driving is to not drive overnight. Stop, have a good meal and a good night sleep and get up in the morning well rested. Rushing through tired is no way to safely travel on the roads. I know folks are excited and just want to get there but if you drive through you arrive at WDW exhausted and have basically a wasted day ahead of you. We like to stop one night and then have a "short" drive to arrive at Disney in the early afternoon rested and ready to go!

mandaep;2463422 wrote: I don't think we will drive anymore, after last time DH said it would take a miracle to get him to drive again. I think it could have been a lot better had we not tried to make it over night in one shot. The kids did fine actually, they could have been a LOT fussier, it was us who were the mess. I was sick the last couple days at Disney and I felt like I had pneumonia on the way back. DH drove most way and I think he almost had a breakdown. Looking back it wasn't safe for us. I KNOW you just want to get there and get it done, but, look at the option of taking couple short spurts. Start driving during day time when they are not ready to lose it from exhaustion and when they are in better moods. Spend the night somewhere, I guess if you can afford it?. It will be worth it. Then eat an awesome breakfast somewhere fun, get the best pancakes you can, and start off again and those 5-6 hour drives are not as bad. I thought taking breaks was for the weak but oh lord I would never drive without breaks again. It's just not worth it.

Totally agree with you, I use to do a 6 hour drive from AZ to DL with just DD and I. This was when she was around 12. First time we went just the 2 of us, I got the hotel for just 2 nights. At the end of the last day (day 3) got in the car and drove home. Will never do anything so stupid again, I was exhausted and falling asleep, had to pull into a rest stop for a nap. After that trip I always paid for a 3rd night and left first thing in the morning.