Road Trip! Family of 7 - It's Only 1600 Miles - June 2016 TR (completed)

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Road Trip! Family of 7 - It's Only 1600 Miles - June 2016 TR​

Pre-Trip Report: It's only 1600 miles! - First Road Trip to WDW - June 2016 PTR.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Way to go Einstein

A. We're Going on a Trip
B. Favorite Rocket Ship
C. Start the Countdown
D. Climb Aboard, Get Ready to Explore
E. Everyone to Rocket, Come on, Let's Go!​

Chapter 2: Set Sail

A. A Compass that doesn't Point North
B. Amish you Minnesota
C. The Never Ending Sea
D. Curse Like a Sailor
E. Gateway to the East
F. Navigational Charts
G. Taking on Water
H. The Galley
I. Island of the Dead
J. Davy Jones' Locker
K. Belay That
L. Land Ho!
​

Chapter 3: Epcot

A. Dinner Time
B. Around the World
C. I Scream!
​

Chapter 4: Magic Kingdom

A. Mainstreet USA
B. Wishing you were here
C. The East Side
D. Never again in June
E. Poly
F. Sleepy Dwarf
G. Dark Magic​

Chapter 5: Animal Kingdom

A. 3 and out!
B. Yakety Yak
​

Chapter 6: Hollywood Studios

A. Glimpse of the Force
B. Room for 7 Please
C. Rebel Spy
​

Chapter 7: Magic Kingdom

A. Extra Magic
B. Whip'd
C. Give me the 'Works
D. Shut it Down
​

Chapter 8: Life's a Beach

A. Hot Cocoa
B. Cake by the Ocean
C. Storm Approaching​

Chapter 9: We're Going Downtown

A. Bongo's
B. Goofy is Goofy does
C. Beer:30
​

Chapter 10: Hollywood Studios

A. Fueling Up
B. Return of the Jedi's
C. Intellectually Not True Mid-Day Meal
D. The Muppet Show!
E. For the First Time in Forever
​

Chapter 11: Animal Kingdom

A. Just Lion Around
B. The Sea Mollusk says to the Cucumber
C. Let's go, let's go! Carnotaurs!
​

Chapter 12: Polynesian

A. Family is All Together
B. Caption This
C. Now Seating, Party of 7
D. My View Point
E. Makani pāhili
F. Lapu Lapu
G. Gluten Free
H. Fun & Games
I. Room for Dessert
J. Stuffed!
​

Chapter 13: Magic Kingdom

A. Happy Father's Day
B. Mine
C. Call the Mechanic
D. On the Platform
E. Heigh-No
F. Cinderelly
G. Aurora
H. Fantasyland Wrap-up
I. Adventureland
J. Hole Cheese Group Deciduous Abode
K. DOLE WHIP!
L. Picture Perfect
M. Miles from...
N. Tangled Up
O. Princess and the Princess'
P. Dippy Dawg
Q. The Astounding Snake Charmer
R. Miss Fortune
S. Magnifique
​

Chapter 14: So Long, Farewell

A. Final Walk
B. Auf Wiedersehen
C. What's that Smell
D. XO has the Conn
E. Batten Down the Hatches
F. Rise and Shine
G. Pit Stop
H. Sweet Home Minnesota
I. Welcome to the Jungle
J. Tally
K. My Favorite Things
​

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Chapter 1: Way to go Einstein​

We're Going on a Trip

That's right, me (DH-2-mamaduck), Mamaduck and our 5 ducklings are going on a trip, a road trip to Walt Disney World! Minneapolis Minnesota (MN) to Orlando Florida (FL) - 24 hours, 1600 miles!

Who we are: We are a family of 7 that live above the 45th parallel in Minnesota. We love going on trips and love our road-trips. Mamaduck has been wanting to take a road-trip to Florida, so what better adventure then to drive to WDW!

The last day of school is Thursday June 9 and we hit the road on the 10th.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Favorite Rocket Ship

Every road trip needs a rocket ship, right?

Of course it does! This is our Rocket Ship! Fits the 7 of us very nicely. Not only does it hold a group of circus clowns, but also a ton of gear and a ton of fuel. We surprisingly get very good gas mileage when fully loaded. The 7 of us and all our stuff easily adds 1200 pounds of weight. Most trips I'm over 20 mpg but less than 22 mpg. Once you get above 65-70 mph, the mpg exponentially drops.

Nicest Road-Trip Features:

• Satellite Radio
• Dual-Screen DVD

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Start the Countdown

Today, the countdown started. 5 days to go to mission launch. You can follow the 5 day count down in the Pre-Trip Report.

• T - 5 days
• T - 4 days
• T - 3 days
• T - 2 days
• T - 1 days

 

[pkondz]

Minneapolis Minnesota (MN) to Orlando Florida (FL) - 24 hours, 1600 miles!

Nice! I wish I lived that close. I'd make the trip more often.

Every road trip needs a rocket ship, right?

Not only does it hold a group of circus clowns,

Geez. You already have enough to feed them... but are they really necessary?

Dual-Screen DVD

Those, on the other hand, are necessary.

 

[KnK]

looking forward to the trip with you.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Nice! I wish I lived that close. I'd make the trip more often

Drive on down to the Twin Cities, I'll put the roof rack on and stuff you in it.

Geez. You already have enough to feed them... but are they really necessary?

It's not my fault. They just keep coming out....

Those, on the other hand, are necessary.

So is the duct tape dispenser (aka silencer).

 

[pkondz]

Drive on down to the Twin Cities, I'll put the roof rack on and stuff you in it.

Careful what you wish for...

It's not my fault. They just keep coming out....

Stupid clowns.
How many can you fit in there, I wonder?

So is the duct tape dispenser (aka silencer).

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Climb Aboard, Get Ready to Explore
Started loading up Rocket. Wondering if I forgot something as I have more room...maybe I'm getting better at packing.

12 days of clothes for 7 including:

• Beach bag with blanket and beach towels.
• Bag of food/snacks for when at WDW.
• Food bag and Cooler for the trip down - we eat out of the trunk! No dining out, no fast food.
• There is a bag with the extra gatorade, water, and juice boxes.
• There is a bag with road-side emergency stuff as well.
• Soft-side cooler goes at feet up front.
• Each kid gets a travel activity bag/bin.
• DVD's go in small CD holders that fit nicely in the center console.
• Up front, the doors hold stuff too and usually get misc items put in there.

Some things I learned:

• Use duffel bags and not suit cases. Most suit cases have a lot of wasted space, thick padding, bulky wheels..etc, and do not compress in size. So use soft-side bags.
• Use low-profile plastic totes. My 14yo and 16yo daughters have all their clothes in those totes.
• Organize everything else in nice neat bags. Mamaduck is a 31-bag fanatic and it pays off. Everything goes in a bag!
• Keep your on-the-road clothes one one bag so you are not unloading anything but the cooler and one bag.
• Pack little kids clothes as outfits in 1 gallon ziplock bags.
• Bring it all down and load like a jig-saw puzzle, but keeping what you need out as you travel on top and easily accessible.
• Bring plastic grocery bags for garbage. Do not let it pile up around the car, floor, drink holders, cubbies...pass it all up and put in a bag the toss when getting gas, at destination, or when getting home.

 

[KnK]

My DH would love this. We like the packing cubes. You can get a lot into them, plus, they take up very little space.

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

Looking forward to your report. It sounds like you've got the packing thing down!

 

[KnK]

I just realized today was your travel day. Hope you didn't get caught up in the traffic going through Louisville. The funeral today took over the city.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

I'm impressed! When our 3 children were little, we filled up every available space inside our old Town & Country Van plus the largest luggage carrier we could fit on top. It was not a pretty site even at the beginning of our trips. You look so organized.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

I just realized today was your travel day. Hope you didn't get caught up in the traffic going through Louisville. The funeral today took over the city.

Oh we made it...if I remember, I'll add the details as I get to those parts.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Everyone to Rocket. Come on, Let's Go!

We got up at 4:45 am and started loading around 5am. We woke up the sleeping bear (the 4yo) at the last minute. She was pretty excited to go. We made it out the door by 5:30am - not bad!

We're going on a trip in our favorite rocket ship,
Zooming through the sky... Little Einsteins
Climb aboard, get ready to explore
There's so much to find, Little Einsteins.
We're going on a mission, start the countdown 5, 4, 3,2,1
Everyone to rocket, rev it up now RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
We're going on a trip in our favorite rocket ship
Zooming through the sky, Little Einsteins
climb aboard, get ready to explore
There's so much to find, Little Einsteins
come On - Let's Go - Little Einsteins

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Chapter 2: Set Sail​

A Compass that Doesn't Point North

Well, we are not trying to find north now are we?

1600 miles voyage .

Arrr yah lusky land lubbers. Since t' rocket ship doesn't exactly fly, and bein' from t' Land o' 10,000 Lakes, I guess we be more o' a sail boat. We be not in a hurry, and takin' a more scenic route, we be sail along vs fly down t' road. So climb about yah swabs.

Hoist the colors!


 

[pkondz]

We made it out the door by 5:30am - not bad!

With a four year old??
Not bad at all.

1. Good looking group!
2. Look at those smiles! Bet we don't see those on the drive back!

1600 miles voyage .

Ah, to be that close.

Arrr yah lusky land lubbers. Since t' rocket ship doesn't exactly fly, and bein' from t' Land o' 10,000 Lakes, I guess we be more o' a sail boat. We be not in a hurry, and takin' a more scenic route, we be sail along vs fly down t' road. So climb about yah swabs.

How long did it take you to write that?

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

With a four year old??
Not bad at all.



1. Good looking group!
2. Look at those smiles! Bet we don't see those on the drive back!



Ah, to be that close.



How long did it take you to write that?

Yep, the 4 yo, aka the sleeping bear. She is usually grumpy when she wakes up.

Yeah, we will see if there are smiles on the way back!

Only took 5 minutes to write but 15 to get the photos off photobucket on my iPad as the app has issues. Oh, and I cheated and used a pirate translator.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Amish You Minnesota
As we sail towards the boarder, we pass through Amish waters. SE MN is home to the Harmonay Amish Community.

The Harmony Amish community was founded by Swartzentruber Amish from Wayne County, Ohio, who began settling in this corner of Fillmore County in 1974. Like other Swartzentruber Amish, this conservative group uses only limited technology in their homes, businesses, and buggies.
-- Amish America

Good bye Minnesota. Amish you (I'll miss you if you are struggling today).