I agree with this... If you have been thinking about getting an iPad2, then now is your chance. If you are unsure about the long-term utility of the iPad2 for your needs, then go for an inexpensive DVD player. In about 10 days, we are driving to Disney World - about 14 hours - with our 6 y/o daughter. We borrowed a portable DVD player from my parents for the trip.
I'm leaning towards the cheap DVD player option. My wife and I both already own iPhone/iPod touch and a shared home laptop, so there's no real need for a tablet, and there's the possibility of things getting crushed and tossed around is very real. Oh, and for the 14-hour trip, I'd look into getting extra batteries if you can't power it from the cigarette lighter. Battery life seems to be pretty poor across the board.
It depends on the airline. I assume you're going to Japan; Asiana, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific have a ton of in-flight entertainment, while North American-based carriers - and, oddly, JAL - have much more limited options. I haven't flown ANA.
I flew with ANA then, flying with Continental this time. There wasn't much in the way of toddler-friendly entertainment. She ended up watching this 15-minute animated thing with a bear doing nothing but walk and stop occasionally. Like 18 times over. Plenty of grown-up fare, not so much for the under-5 crowd. Oh, and the food. They starve you in the middle of the trip to account for the time change. Works for adults, makes children unhappy. We'll be packing a shitload of food for the flight.
We have both a portable DVD player and an iPad for travel with child. The DVD player is probably better -- the kid can get into a show or movie for longer than the iPad keeps him entertained, but then again, we haven't bought any shows or anything through iTunes. The last international flights we took with little guy -- SFO to Zurich and back, 12 hours non stop, on Swiss Air -- we barely needed to pull out the DVD player. Little guy watched a movie (Swiss has a good selection of entertainment) then changed into his pajamas and went to sleep. It helped that the flights leave in the late afternoon / evening. Jet lag on the far end was horrible -- he was up at 2 AM in the hotel room saying "I want to go home now" -- but the flight was great.
Hee hee -- we're going back next month. My kid loves the trains -- there are street trains, and fast trains, and mountain trains...
So less than 48 hours before takeoff. I think we're prepared. We're packing: * DVD player with kids favorite Nick Jr shows * iPhone and iPod touch loaded with kid-friendly apps * Coloring books. * Play-Dough * Snacks. Shitload of snacks. * Meals. Because there's a pretty good chance the airline food goes untouched * Familiar books We got a couple of good tips from friends. One, is to bring some disinfectant wipes and take the baby to the bathroom, wipe down the sink and let him splash around to semi-simulate the bath and help calm him down. Also, to get really cheap toys (I was told one for each hour of the flight), and open them one at a time during the flight. The novelty should last at least 3 minutes each. Finally, does nobody sell children's Benadryl any more? I was hoping we could drug the little ********ers, but Big Pharma is not cooperating.
Costco sells oval tabs of Kirkland Allergy medicine ( diphenhydramine ), which you can break in half, but you have to buy 400 pills at a crack.