Hi Kristin! I love hearing from fellow Tarheels! Now, do you have a DVD player in that minivan?! We have made the drive from NC to WDW in one day many times! The trip is approximately ten hours long for us, and it looks to be about the same for you. Our strategy is to leave very early, around 5 a.m., so that we arrive at Disney in the mid-afternoon. I have the kids go straight to the minivan in their pajamas. They bring a blanket and we tell them to go back to sleep and we'll wake them up when it's time for breakfast. Since it's dark at that time of morning and traffic is light, we can get a good start down the road while the kids sleep. Later in the day, we make quick stops for breakfast, lunch and snacks, and I make sure we have DVDs for them to watch. Handheld game devices and activity books also help entertain the older kids while sticker books and small toys occupy the little ones. When my kids were toddlers, we often stopped for lunch at a restaurant with a play area so they could burn some energy. If you have internet access on the road, the website www.I95ExitGuide.com has a list of the restaurants at each exit.
If you leave early, you should arrive at Coronado Springs right on time to check in. You can shorten that process by checking in online from home, and since you'll have your car with you, you won't have to rely on Disney transportation, so you could be at Hollywood Studios for dinner at 4:50. I do want to caution you however that your toddler might find Fantasmic a little scary, and it may not be the best show for the first night of your first Disney vacation. (Click
here to read more.) You may want to start out with a fun character meal instead, and turn in early so you'll be ready to hit the parks as soon as they open in the morning.
Hope you have a magical trip! Come visit me again if you have more questions!