Are you road trippin’ to Walt Disney World for the big 40^th Anniversary celebration? My husband and oldest son do not like to fly, so four out of the five times we’ve been to Walt Disney World, we have driven the 18-hour trek from Texas.

The first year, 2006, my kids were 9 months, almost 3, and 11. We left about 9:00 PM and drove through the night, stopping only for gasoline and bathroom breaks, as well as diaper changes and baby feedings (I was nursing the baby at the time). We stopped at Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Good food, clean restrooms, a fun shop and a rousing round of checkers, then back in the car til we reached another about 4 hours down the highway.

Each trip has been a little different, except for the Cracker Barrel obsession, but we’ve found these general “road rules” get us there and back pretty smoothly.

1. Get some good rest before you leave. Even if you’re too excited to sleep the night before, try to close your eyes and let your body relax.
2. Pack a small cooler with caffeinated beverages to keep the driver alert, and bottles of water and/or juice boxes for the passengers.
3. Keep a box of snacks handy. No need to pack too much, because you can always stop at a convenience store en route to replenish the supply.
4. Provide younger kids a backpack of small toys and crafts. Some hobby shops sell lap trays designed for car travel to keep crayons, etc., from rolling off.
5. If your vehicle is not equipped, buy or borrow a portable DVD player and bring with you lots of movies or videos. Make sure you also pick up a headphone splitter and multiple earphones to allow several passengers to tune in together.
6. Bring an iPod loaded with the kids’ favorite Disney music.
7. If you’ve got little bitties, stock up on diapers, wipes and other baby necessities.
8. Older kids will likely text all the way to Florida, so remind them to bring their cell phone chargers.
9. Have paper towels ready to clean up the inevitable spills and a trash bag to clear away the mess.
10. And anti-bacterial hand sanitizer is a must. After all, Cracker Barrel’s only open from 6:00 AM til 10:00 PM. Some of those after hour rest stops just don’t compare!

Basically, drive until you need a break. Trade drivers so noone gets too sleepy to drive safely. Load up on the things that will prevent “I’m bored!” and too much “Are we there yet?” from being uttered from the back seat. Enjoy the scenery. Sightsee. Play car games, like mapping out all the Cracker Barrels you hit along the way. Most of all, relax and keep in mind that your destination is the Most Magical Place on Earth!

What do you pack for your road trip?