Tips For Driving To Disney World With Children

Are you planning a road trip to Disney World with your children? Driving to Disney with children can feel like a daunting task, but it can become a fun adventure with the right tools and mindset. I have personally completed a few road trips to Disney World with my children and I’ve learned a few things along the way! Whether you are driving 6 hours or 16, a road trip to Disney doesn’t have to rack your nerves. Here are my tips for driving to Disney World with children!

Prepare Your Children

One of the most important tips that I’ll share is to prepare your children as much as you can for the drive ahead. Start talking to your kids about the drive several days before you depart. For my toddler and preschooler I would say things like: “We will be driving all day long from the time we wake up until the time we go to bed.” and “We are leaving for Disney World but we won’t get there for a long long time.” The more your kids understand about the drive before you depart the better! Kids generally feel better about situations when they are prepped beforehand, especially if it’s something new like a long road trip.

Get Out of The Car for Meals

While it can be tempting to just hit the drive-thru and continue driving while you eat, this might make for more antsy children as the drive goes on. Stopping for meals is a good opportunity for your kids to stretch their legs and get their wiggles out. Try and look for restaurants that have play areas or outdoor seating so your children can really stretch and get ready for more driving.

Stop at Rest Areas

Rest areas exist for a reason so make use of them! Rest areas generally have grassy areas for running, and rest areas at state borders also come with information about the state you are about to drive through. My kids love collected pamphlets at the rest areas we stop in. The Florida Welcome Center in particular is a fun stop, as it has several palm trees to welcome you into the state, and even free orange juice and grapefruit juice!

Split The Drive And Stay at Hotels

If your road trip is on the longer side then consider splitting the drive into a few days. My family and I drive roughly 14 hours to Disney World, and we split the drive into two days and stay at a hotel overnight.  This lets the kids have a good break from the road, and it gives us a good break from driving as well.

Have Surprises Prepared

Before you leave for your Disney road trip stock up on surprises for your kiddos that you can periodically pull out for them when they begin to get antsy. Things like coloring books, figurines of their favorite Disney characters, sticker books, and fidget toys are all perfect for keeping them entertained. If possible, have another adult sit in the backseat with them from time to time to read stories, play, and maintain the peace.

Hype Them Up With A Disney Music Countdown

Putting together a playlist of your kids’ favorite Disney music is a fun way to spend the last leg of the trip. My family likes to switch to a Disney music playlist countdown once we cross into the Florida border!

Do you drive to Disney World? Let us know what your road trip tips are in the comments below!

Featured Photo: Megan Woodard