"Are we there yet?" - Do I need to worry?

[grinningghost]

Driving from NY to WDW with two 14 year olds. Should I expect "Are we there yet?" from them.

 

[disneysteve]

Depends on the kids, of course. We've driven from NJ several times with our daughter, now 7. We hardly ever hear that because we make sure she's got plenty to keep her busy. We bring books, puzzles, games, Game Boy, etc. We also have her keep a travel diary - something I think everyone of any age should do when they travel. Be sure to bring music that they want to hear (or let them bring portable players to listen to. Consider stopping at an attraction or two along the way that is of interest to them. Eat at places they like. I don't have a teen so I can't give first-hand experience, but I think there are plenty of ways to stay occupied on the drive. If either of them do any transportable crafts, like cross-stitch, be sure to bring it along. If you have a video camera, put them in charge of making a video diary of the journey.

Maybe some parents of teens can give some better ideas.

Steve

 

[momof2sons]

The next best thing to sliced bread is a DVD player. Only thing we heard last year is "the movies over put in a new one please." We were traveling with 2 15 year olds and a 4 year old.

 

[tiggersmomof4]

Ditto on the DVD player! We first drove down to Florida two years ago and my DH insisted on having DVD players installed in our truck. I thought he was crazy (too expensive and all that) but...somewhere in South Carolina I was praising him for his genius!

My older daughter (10 at the time) played playstation 2 the whole way, and the 3 younger ones, watched one disney flick after another! Never heard a peep out of them!!

We are driving this year too, so I'm stashing any new DVD' s that come out and bought DD (now 12) a used copy of Grand Turismo 3 that she has been wanting for PS! Now they can just put on the headphones and do their thing and DH and I can listen to OUR music!

Have a great trip!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

We just purchased a Chrysler mini van and KNOWING we have the MA-FL drive coming up in November, we took the plunge and had the DVD player installed. I know that will help tremendously.

My kids are great travellers. They SLEEP. Maybe you can plan you trip so that the bulk of it is being done during the overnight. I know for us, I am a day sleeper, so DH will start out, and I will sleep and then take over around 10-11 pm and he can sleep until morning. We plan on leaving around 1PM, so that will give us only about 7-8 hours with the kids, then they will zonk until about 6-7 the next morning. we are hoping to be checking in by 1PM...so that gives the kids another 6 hours to endure. It will help break it up for them.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

My DD was 8yo when we drove to WDW. We traveled overnight, an attempt to avoid traffice and arrive in the evening hours. We simply told her that it would be a very long trip and she should not even ask that question. She did really well, sleeping through the night and not once asking "Are we there yet?".

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

This will also be our first time driving with kids. I am so nervous! We have a DD age 5 and DS age 4. We bought the TV/VCR and are going to rent books on tapes and classic radio shows such as the Lone Ranger and Abbott and Costello. You can rent them from Cracker Barrel. I am hoping that these, along with the usual dry erase boards and hand held games, our trip will be tolerable.

Also remember to bring items for the reststops, such as a ball, frisbee etc. It may be good to get out and really play for a short time.

Hoping you all have a "magical" day!

GF Sago Cay Lagoon View 2000
POR 10/03

 

[allshookup]

We drove 2 years ago and DD 7 at the time and DS 4 did great with the VCR and activity books. We also had a DVD installed in our MPV van for our drive this August plus they both have Game boys.

Since you are driving with 14 year-olds how giving them their own maps and let them mark off how far you've come and how far they have to go. This way they can tell if they are there yet or not.

Good Luck!

 

[Barb D]

The last time we drove, I gave each of my kids a map with our route marked. They were not allowed to ask, "Are we there yet?" but they were allowed to ask "Where are we?" Then they could find it on their maps and see how much farther we had.

They WERE allowed to ask, "Are we there yet?" when we passed through certain purple gates*!

*(At the main entrance to WDW)

 

[winniedapooh]

I agree with the DVD player. As the Mom of 5 DCherubs ages 14, 13, 10, 7, and 5 a DVD player is better than sliced bread.....lol! When we went to WDW last January we got our rental and woke up the next day to a flat tire, this on top of finding someone's dirty comb and an ashtray full of butts in the van made me want to gag. Dollar rental was great, sent us to downtown Orlando and gave us a brand new van complete with DVD player. We went out and bought a movie on a whim and bless my soul I never heard from my DCherubs again, lol! When it came time to get a new van this spring, I bet you can't guess what we had put in it????? Yep, went to Maine and never heard a word the whole way up. Can you tell I love my DVD player and my cherubs a whole lot more when driving? Good luck and have a great time!

 

[thumperjr9]

I don't think 14 year olds should be much of a problem especially with cd players possibly a dvd player etc. If given the choice my DS-15 would sleep all day and be up all night. So all he would need is a comfy pillow. I do have a question for momof2sons though, how do you please 15 year olds and a four year old? Whatever movie my DS-15 would want to watch (or admit to wanting to watch) would not be appropriate for my DS-4.

We are planning a trip in Nov. with DS-4, DS-15 and maybe his girlfriend (they wil be 16 by then) We won't be driving (my DS-4 would be saying "are we there yet " after an hour on the road) I do worry about keeping everyone happy because of the age difference but I guess that's another thread.

 

[momof2sons]

Thumperjr9

We are in disney mode for our magical trip. Everything is disney. We watch Disney DVD most of the trip last year (exception Harry Potter). Hand held electronic games (Mickey racing for DS4 who is 5 now). CD Disney music. Older DS15 now 16 brought his own music, CD player, video games. We never new they where in the van. Unless they were hungery or wanted the movie changed. DS15 (now 16) brought his girlfriend along last year. Everything was great. We just set a few ground rules and we had no problems.

 

[harperwi]

Wow, I think every post said get a DVD player.

Well, we'll be driving in August with a 10 and 7 year old, and I've looked into a portable DVD, but wouldn't be able to afford one until Christmas, so forget that idea.

One way we found to avoid the "are we there yet?" question, or at least to make it more lighthearted, is that we answer all questions, and I mean ALL questions with "20 minutes!"

When's lunch? 20 minutes.
Bathroom break? 20 minutes.
Slugbug Red! 20 minutes.

O.k., so that last one's not a question. What can ya do...?

The 7 year old actually asks us more often when we'll be stopping for one thing or another, because he thinks it's hilarious how everything's 20 minutes away. We're really not bothered by the questions at all, because now they're fun.

Incidentally, the 20 minute rule evolved from a church tour I took on buses holding about 40 high schoolers each. You thought you got a lot of questions on a Disney trip? Try that! My point of course is that the 20 minute rule works on teenagers as well.

Jon

(P.S. Be sure to play the alphabet game - I'm sure most of you know what I mean. Our 10 year old plays it over and over again, non stop, for hours. We never miss a single sign no matter where we go!)

 

[AreWeThereYet]

HAH - I saw the thread title and thought this was a question in response to something I had posted. Such vanity.

Well, we come from GA and only have a 7 hour drive, but I bought a portable tv/dvd player and it's made our trips much more pleasant for all of us. My DD's get to watch their favorite movies and usually don't spend the time arguing or asking "Are we there yet?", at least not while the movies are on.

We thought they would outgrow this, but they're 13 and 11 now and the questions still comes up - even from DW.

Well, have a safe and pleasant drive.

 

[Crazy4mandms]

We had the same dilemma because I couldn't dole out the $200-300 for a portable dvd player. However, I found a cheaper way!! We already had a 13 inch tv/vcr combo and a PS2. I went to Staples.com and for $40 (inc shipping) bought an ac/dc power converter that plugs into the cig lighter. Was 300 watt and had 2 outlets on it..one for the tv/vcr and one for the PS2. Put the combo on the cooler behind the passenger seat in the minivan and strapped it in with bungee cords. So, with access for 7, 11 and 15 yr old boys to lots of vcr's, dvds AND PS2 games, I never once heard the very annoying ARE WE THERE YET on our 20 hr trip from NY.

 

[DisneyWonderGirl]

Answering everything with 20 miutes works! I'm a teen, and this year, a group from school frove from PA to southern VA for a camp. (7 hours) Every question we asked was answered by 15 minutes! It was annoying at first, but then it got funny...so try it!

 

[debbie655]

We've been driving to Fla from NY almost every year for the last 9-10 years. I have kids who range in age from almost 10-23, obviously 9 years ago they were much younger. I don't have much problem with the "Are we there yet" from them as they are so used to the drive and know what's ahead. We did get the tv/vcr combo last year and that made the trip go a lot faster for them. Two summers ago though I thought I was in for a llooonnnngggg drive when my then 7 y/o asked that question on the New Jersey Turnpike..UGH...she was fine the rest of the way though. We do what a lot of others do, try to time things so about half the drive they are sleeping.

Actually, I'm more of a problem than the kids, I hate the drive (won't fly) but my husband who does most of the driving, loves it!