In one week, the family truckster will be burning dust, forcing all others left behind to eat rubber. There will be no time to stop and visit Cousin Eddie or to pick up Aunt Edna. It will be an epic 22-hour voyage from the tundra of the mid-west to the warm glow of the sunshine state. Joining me on the trip will be the wife and my two sons. Oh yeah, my mother is going too (yikes!). And the mother-in-law (double YIKES!). Hey, two backseat drivers are better than one, right? Cousin Eddie and Aunt Edna sound pretty good about now don’t they?
All joking aside, it will be such fun listening to Mom scold me for driving too close to the semi in front of us while having the mother-in-law scream for me to pick one lane and stay in it. Only a fool and the fool who follows him are foolish enough to travel a whole day and night with two moms. Of course, I’m joking. Mom and I get along great and I’ve learned to somewhat tolerate the mother-in-law over the years (again...joking). It won’t be so bad. This is why some smart person invented earplugs. Besides, a great deal of the driving occurs while they sleep. My music will drown out their snoring, gurgling, burping, and gas passing. Nose plugs anyone?
OK, now that I have all the humor out of my system, it’s time to get serious and offer a few suggestions for making the car ride to Walt Disney World live up to Clark W. Griswold’s claim that “Getting there is half the fun.”
Start with entertainment. A well-entertained family is a happy family. Make sure the Ipod or MP3 player is charged and loaded with several playlists. Start the trip with music the whole family enjoys. I play Walt Disney World music or songs from Disney movies to get the family in the right mood. Once everybody starts doing their own things or fall asleep, I switch the playlist to my favorite songs.
To keep children (and adults) entertained throughout the long journey; portable DVD players do the trick. Just pack their favorite movies and shows and the kids will be set for hours. Portable game systems work well also, as do books, and a pad of paper or coloring book with crayons. For repeat visitors to WDW, I highly recommend “The Walt Disney World Trivia Books Volumes 1 & 2” by Lou Mongello. Make a game of it by having one person read the questions (hopefully, not the driver) while the others try to be the first to answer, or take turns reading and answering them. Walt Disney World guidebooks are a fun way to kill time. If you have park maps from a previous visit, bring them along or print some from the many websites available on-line. Kids enjoy looking at the attractions they’ll soon be visiting and it is a great way to spark a planning session or a top 10 favorite attractions discussion. Iphones and other portable electronics entertain for lengthy periods as well.
Now that I’ve glorified portable devices and electronic gadgets as a way to entertain during the car ride, it’s time to discourage their use once the family truckster reaches its WDW destination. With so much to see and do at the resort, I encourage all to leave their DSI’s at the hotel and their phones in their pockets or carrying case. The main point of a WDW vacation is to enjoy the attractions and build lasting memories with the family. So instead of “Little Johnny” gluing his eyes to the DSI screen while Mom or Dad play “Crazy Birds” on their Iphones, take a good look at the queue lines or strike up a conversation about favorite attractions or where the family should go next or where the family should eat lunch.
For part 2 of “Getting There is Half the Fun,” please scroll up to the next entry.
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