The DIS Dad's Club X: Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas

[maddiesdaddy]

Welcome to the club and congrats on the upcoming wedding! Post some pictures when you get back!

Thanks Barry...we should. The DF is a photographer.....so,

 

[maddiesdaddy]

Tomorrow is my Friday!!! We are not going to be in Disney next week but Hilton Head is a close second to me!!

Today must be your Friday..have fun. I have never been to HH....but hear it's amazing.

 

[RodBelding]

OK guys, call me crazy, but DW is reluctant to agree to a WDW vacation this year, due to the cost. Flights are just looking to be crazy expensive. But I REALLY want to go back, probably at the beginning of December (to give Squeaker a turn to celebrate his birthday at WDW). So now for the crazy part. I'm seriously considering driving from Kansas to WDW.

Google Maps indicates that this is about a 21 hour drive, which raises a few questions. First, I'm leaning toward the I-75 S route. Any good reasons to take another of Google maps' recommended routes? Second, where should we make our overnight stop on the way? I think 12 hours is probably as much as we're probably going to be able to handle on the road at a stretch - maybe 16, but only if the kids sleep well in the car.

Even with gas at $4/gallon and considering the cost of the overnight stay along each way, driving would be about 1/4 the cost of flying, and might make the difference between being able to afford to make a trip or not. Anything that I'm not taking into consideration here that I should be thinking about?

I've been trying to convince DW to do a road trip one of these years, but she is very much against it. From Mass it would be about 23 hours. Her main concern is the kids in the car for that long a period of time, but my kids are a bit younger than yours...

I think the major issue would be your time, as others have said. But, if you have the time to take off, then why not? I think it would be a blast to drive and stop at some sights along the way...

 

[maddiesdaddy]

maddiesdaddy: Welcome to the asylum. Fortunately the inmates are in charge around here so hopefully you'll fit right in.

Thanks...those are the fun places

Welcome to the club! You've come to the right place for Disney addicted Dads. Congratulations on the engagement and upcoming Disney wedding!
:

I appreciate it..good to be here...thanks for the congrats..should be a fun time!

 

[maddiesdaddy]

It's here!! It's here!! Our car will be here at 4pm my oldest knows we are leaving today but the my ds14 and dd13 do not!! Can't wait to surprise them with the limo waiting!! We told them we are having a nice family dinner before we leave.. So when we come down to go to dinner.. All they will see is the car!

​

thank you all for the well wishes!! If you guys are leaving after we have left.. May your vacation be as magical as possible! If you leave after I come back, I will be here to say goodbye!


​

Congrats..I am so jealous..what a fun surprise!! Enjoy!

 

[maddiesdaddy]

OK, I will roll out the welcome mat and say welcome, Matt.

Thanks!!! So nice of you...that's a big mat to have to roll out..but that's how I feel sometimes!!!

 

[middlepat]

OK guys, call me crazy, but DW is reluctant to agree to a WDW vacation this year, due to the cost. Flights are just looking to be crazy expensive. But I REALLY want to go back, probably at the beginning of December (to give Squeaker a turn to celebrate his birthday at WDW). So now for the crazy part. I'm seriously considering driving from Kansas to WDW.

Google Maps indicates that this is about a 21 hour drive, which raises a few questions. First, I'm leaning toward the I-75 S route. Any good reasons to take another of Google maps' recommended routes? Second, where should we make our overnight stop on the way? I think 12 hours is probably as much as we're probably going to be able to handle on the road at a stretch - maybe 16, but only if the kids sleep well in the car.

Even with gas at $4/gallon and considering the cost of the overnight stay along each way, driving would be about 1/4 the cost of flying, and might make the difference between being able to afford to make a trip or not. Anything that I'm not taking into consideration here that I should be thinking about?

Aaron,

As a vetran road tripper, (we've done Disney once, but have done other long trips as well) I would say keep in mind 2 things:

1) How do your kids handle long drives. We are fortunate to have great car travellers and our girls have no problems doing 12 hours of driving/day. We do have the DVD system in the car and always bring plenty of distractions / snacks to keep them happy.

2) Who will do the driving. Again, DW and I are a well matched pair, I love to drive, and she's a good passenger. Its not that she doesn't like to drive (she does) but we have both realized that she doesn't mind being a passenger, where I am not a good passenger. (some say I have control issues )

If you've considered these factors and are ready to take the leap then route planning is all you need to consider. I would think about stopping in Chattanooga (about half way) and make sure you think about the timing you'd be hitting Atlanta as this would be the only place along the way that would cause any "rush hour" issues.

When we drove last to WDW, we ended up getting a cheaper off-site hotel on the day/night of arrival and then moving into the WDW resort first thing next morning. Save on hotel for the 1 night and get to start the day early at WDW.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask, and also refer to the 2,000 mile round trip driving thread as there are usually some good tips in there. (dvczerfs turned me on to that thread a couple of years ago).
2,000+ mile Round-Trip Thread II

Also here is thread I for some reading material.
2,000+ Mile Round Trip Thread I

 

[IndyDisney]

When we drove last to WDW, we ended up getting a cheaper off-site hotel on the day/night of arrival and then moving into the WDW resort first thing next morning. Save on hotel for the 1 night and get to start the day early at WDW.

+1 on this. We're doing this in July. I got a rate of $79 at the Royal Plaza at DTD (like $95 after taxes and such). Then we have a 10 minute drive in the morning to CSR, check in and make rope drop at MK.

Cheers,
Indy

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

‘Morning all…

Let’s see… What are we into to today?

It's here!! It's here!! Our car will be here at 4pm my oldest knows we are leaving today but the my ds14 and dd13 do not!! Can't wait to surprise them with the limo waiting!! We told them we are having a nice family dinner before we leave.. So when we come down to go to dinner.. All they will see is the car!

​

Have a great trip… Take pictures… Have an extra Dole Whip for us.

Hehheh, we have one in our town called "Straight Flush". Their slogan: #1 in the #2 business.

Air Wolf/Blue Thunder
The Green Goblin Semi from Maximum Overdrive
The Millenium Falcon
The Bluesmobile
The Griswalds' Station Wagon
the Ferrari and Crocket's house boat from Miami Vice
Christine
Indiana Jones' mine cart

Here’s a couple more…

“The Last V8” (form: Road Warrior)
EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle (from: Stripes)

And because I’m older then most of y’all…

1965 Aston Martin DB5 (from: Goldfinger)

I love this place already...bacon gets you extra points. Wow...I love bacon. And by that, I hope you mean actual bacon, the good, greasy, artery clogging kind..not Kevin or his brother..or what they loosely call a band.

We’re defiantly talking about the porcine verity. From a culinary stand point, the humble swine is just about the most heavenly creature.

Welcome to the club. I’d warn you that it’s addictive, but I believe that you’ve already encountered that side effect.

 

[Grooovertoo]

Going to Chicago next week for work and since we are getting in a day early before the conference, I just reserved a ticket at a movie theater to take in The Hangover 2 and they have...


Bacon Popcorn [FONT=Copperplate Gothic Light,Copperplate Gothic Light][FONT=Copperplate Gothic Light,Copperplate Gothic Light]– $5 [/FONT]
[FONT=Copperplate Gothic Light,Copperplate Gothic Light]Savory, Salty, and Sinfully Fulfilling. Fresh Popcorn dances with Butter and Chunks of Bacon throughout [/FONT]

[FONT=Copperplate Gothic Light,Copperplate Gothic Light]Plus, they serve adult beverages!!! I can't wait, it is a business trip after all[/FONT][FONT=Copperplate Gothic Light,Copperplate Gothic Light]
[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[middlepat]

‘“The Last V8” (form: Road Warrior)
EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle (from: Stripes)

And because I’m older then most of y’all…

1965 Aston Martin DB5 (from: Goldfinger)

This and AJRitz's post made me think of the following:

The Wagon Queen Family Truckster
and of course the Ferrari 308 GTS with Christie Brinkley....

Going to Chicago next week for work and since we are getting in a day early before the conference, I just reserved a ticket at a movie theater to take in The Hangover 2 and they have...

Groovertoo, when are you going to be in Chicago and where are you staying. Maybe we can meetup for a quick DisDads official meet? Let me know.

 

[Rental01]

We would also save by not needing either a rental car or an on-property stay for transportation to the parks. Though that savings is somewhat mitigated by parking costs, it's still rather substantial.

Are you staying on campus or off? If you're staying on campus your parking is free. We drive every year because Disney is our first stop before criss-crossing the state meeting family but it also affords us the opportunity to drive wherever we want while we're at Disney. Oh, and we don't have to be "that family" who tries to get a wheelchair onto a bus.

And as a guy who's traveled a ton for work, mostly driving, I recommend NOT making reservations for your hotel. The worst thing that can happen is you getting stuck in traffic/construction or you get tired and still have 2 hours to your destination. There's always a hotel along the road.

I second this idea. You never know how far you'll get - sometimes you'll stop and know that you can make it to the next town without issues.

I strongly recommend a portable DVD system. If you don't have one built-in, you can get something like this. We got ours in 2002 for a trip from Denver to Sacramento and back and it has done beautifully for every trip since.

I don't remember what brand ours is and I've not investigated any new ones because ours has worked so well for us, but ours has the ability to plug a game system into the unit and one person could play a game while the other watched a movie or both could play a game or both could watch a movie. Very cool. For people like us who drive a lot it has been a huge help over the years.

 

[IamTrike]

Um...hello all. I posted a picture of My Disney Princess in the Princess Pic thread and was redirected here to properly introduce myself.

I hope that's enough information

Welcome... Strap in and enjoy the ride. Please keep arms and legs inside the ride vehicle at all times.

Welcome Matt...

Wait a second.... did I just say....oh, to easy... Let's not all walk all over Matt.

Now for the initiation, we will need you to gather a few objects, and meet back here for further instructions. They are...

- A muzzle
- A blindfold
- 3 red M&M's
- A jar of Peanut Butter
- and A woman named Beverly!

Just kidding... make yourself at home, and grab a beer from the fridge.

Nice job.

Tomorrow is my Friday!!! We are not going to be in Disney next week but Hilton Head is a close second to me!!

Have a great time Steve. Are you renting a house or staying in one of the resorts?

Cars...saw a neat Plumbers Truck today.

They were called Union Jack Plumbing...there slogan...

Drum roll......

The British are Plumbing!!!

Awesome

OK, so I've forgotten a few classics, which made me think... what is the ULTIMATE 80s VEHICLE LIST:

A-Team Van
General Lee
Ecto 1
Delorian
Batmobile (maybe a bit more 70s)
KITT
Ninja Turtles Van
Mystery Machine

Let's see what else we can think of...

Great idea.

Hehheh, we have one in our town called "Straight Flush". Their slogan: #1 in the #2 business.

Air Wolf/Blue Thunder
The Green Goblin Semi from Maximum Overdrive
The Millenium Falcon
The Bluesmobile
The Griswalds' Station Wagon
the Ferrari and Crocket's house boat from Miami Vice
Christine
Indiana Jones' mine cart



TL

Came here to post Airwolf or from its cheezy copy cat show Streethawk motorcycle. But you beat me to it.

How about the Camaro with Gullwing door's from the cartoon the Mask
The Lamborghini Countach from Cannonball Run
Starscream and Optimus Prime from Transformers
The Hovercraft from GI Joe

We would also save by not needing either a rental car or an on-property stay for transportation to the parks. Though that savings is somewhat mitigated by parking costs, it's still rather substantial.

If you are staying on property parking is free. I see Rental just beat me to this.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

I strongly recommend a portable DVD system. If you don't have one built-in…

These (although I hate that this is true) are a virtual necessity. Our’s has helped our boy (and many, many companions) “survive” about ten trips to & from Florida, scores of jaunts to the coast, and anywhere else we’ve traveled with an extended drive time. They certainly help curb the young’in boredom factor. The down side? They miss seeing any and every possible site along the way, and (because they not watching where you’re going), they don’t learn the routs to our regular destinations.

 

[Grooovertoo]

Groovertoo, when are you going to be in Chicago and where are you staying. Maybe we can meetup for a quick DisDads official meet? Let me know.

I'll be at the McCormick Hyatt and at the Convention Center from Wednesday through Friday. It looks like all day Wednesday is open for me and Friday afternoon as well. Let me know. If your in the city I can meet up with you somewhere, plus I was thinking of hitting the Disney Store downtown because they closed all the ones near me in Denver.

 

[twokids0204]

No clue about a Beverly...

'Round here - our curse words our Peanut Butter and Beverly.

Like:
I had a Peanut Butter day.

or

What the Beverly!

Beverly is a nasty tasting coke product you can find at Club Cool in Epcot.

 

[GoHerd1028]

Have a great time Steve. Are you renting a house or staying in one of the resorts?

.

I rented a condo in Palmetto Dunes area..We had never been to HHI until last year as we had always gone to Myrtle...has the been there done that feeling and we wanted to try something new...I was disappointed at first that nothing in HH is actual Ocean Front like in Myrtle, but We do have a nice view of the ocean from our condo..it is as ocean front as you can get LOL. I went through the VRBO.com website and got a great rate direct from the owner.

 

[JDBB]

Hi fellas, another new Dis dad to the boards. I meet a number of the criteria in the first post, one of which is listening to Disney podcasts. I will add the disdad podcast to my repertoire ASAP.

I did go to WDW on my honeymoon, but got sick. I'm convinced it was a reaction to giving up my bachelorhood and not something I ate/did at Disney.

Thanks for the laughs in this thread!

JD

 

[maddiesdaddy]

We’re defiantly talking about the porcine verity. From a culinary stand point, the humble swine is just about the most heavenly creature.

Welcome to the club. I’d warn you that it’s addictive, but I believe that you’ve already encountered that side effect.

I agree...it is a heavenly food...

And you so pegged it..addicted already..fun group, fun threads.

Thanks for the membership..

Is it too early to ask when shirts will be avaliable?!! Ha HA

 

[maddiesdaddy]

'Round here - our curse words our Peanut Butter and Beverly.

Like:
I had a Peanut Butter day.

or

What the Beverly!

Beverly is a nasty tasting coke product you can find at Club Cool in Epcot.

Thanks for the knowledge. I think I have a handle on the lingo...

I didn't think there was such thing as a nasty coke product. Hmmm...