We used to use a car top carrier. But we haven’t needed one in years because always stay in a rental with laundry, so we wash laundry almost daily. This time around, it isn’t so easy, staying on property, so we had to pack more. We are also bringing a lot of pop and snacks rather than buy when we get down there to avoid Publix, etc.
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I’m always afraid if I used a car top carrier that I’d hit an overpass or something and lose all my luggage on the interstate! Thankfully I haven’t needed that much room yet.
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You’d need a gigantic carrier for that to happen.
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Ha ha! Irrational fear, I know. I think I’ve seen too many Griswold family vacations.
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are the BEST!
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Unless one is a Griswold 
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Chapter Four - Masks Were On Securely
In which Poseidon makes an appearance, and the drive begins
COVID, now fearful that Isaias would fail to be effective in keeping the family at Bay, decided to call upon another fearsome force… Poseidon’s fury! The family awoke to his raging against Michigan…but it was clear no one knew with certainty where in Michigan the family was, for Poseidon decided to attack the entire stage with equal veracity!
Undeterred, the family remained until it was time to leave…even finding normalcy in their online church service.
After filling up on pizza, and stuffing in the few last items into the van (themselves), they were off and headed south. A couple hours later, stopping by at McDonalds for a restroom break and dinner.
Fearing COVID’s spies, they ate in the van then headed back on the road for a couple more hours. By 8:00 they arrived at their first stop…a Comfort Inn and Suites where they would hide out until their long drive day to follow.
But while aside from Poseidon’s fury to start the day, everything went smoothly until arriving at the hotel, where not only were other guests not masking themselves despite the posted mandate, the husband was verbally made fun of for wearing a mask by a group of three twenty-somethings. Needless to say, the family remained as earnest as ever and made sure masks were on securely!
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Love your storytelling! Poseidon be damned and those 20-somethings
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How far South did you get day 1?
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Top of Kentucky. We easily could have gone further, but we are timing things so that on day 3 we arrive in Orlando same time as DS and DIL arrive at MCO…about noon.
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Three days in a car?? Just shoot me. Disney is a 12-14 hour drive from our home in central KY. We can fly for about $250 or less, usually nonstop, per person and it’s worth every penny. By the time we paid for a hotel on the way down and on the way back, packing and unpacking the car/suitcases, gas, and food for our family of 4 on the drive, not to mention being in Orlando in just over two hours, it’s an almost break even situation. Safe travels!
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Man, safe travels. Your drive took you right by us yesterday. Survive the migration down
The bigger your family, the less affordable flying becomes. We are a family of five, and last year we drove from NJ because it would’ve cost us $1500 dollars to fly. We did it in two days for half that. It was hell though, this fall when it’s just 3 of us, we’re flying.
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A 12-14 hour drive is a one day event for my family. We wouldn’t need a hotel on either the way down or back for a drive that short. Gas would be no where near $1000 and we’d pack at least one meal.
Do you not rent a car when you get there?
We do the 22 hour drive from NY to FL in one shot, too. On the way home we normally split it into two days because it always feels longer on the way home.
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Yes - we are a family of 8 from NY. Even at $200 pp for airfare we are starting with $1600 and it is rarely that low for us. Then a rental van large enough for us and all our luggage -coff-coff- is upwards of $1000 a week.
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Perspective of time and distance between the US and the UK amuse me.
I would never want to drive more than about 3 hours in a day. 200 miles seems like an awful lot to me. If I do drive three hours, it’s in two blocks with a decent break in between.
I’ve stayed overnight in a hotel to break a 300 mile journey.
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Following on my @ryan1 tracker app.
Safe travels, and looking forward to following along with this long-awaited adventure.
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Here it would take about 6 hours to go 300 miles. We often drive that far before taking a Bathroom break depending on time of day.
Frankly, if there is land between me and my destination, I prefer to drive.
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