7 hour car journey with 2 dc, Help!

[lookatthatmess]

can anyone think of ways to keep 2 dc busy/happy in a car for up to seven hours?
I have 2yr old and 7yr old and will soon be doing a long drive with them. we normally stop at the motorway services quite a few times on the way for toilet breaks, food and just to stretch our legs but its more how to keep them busy while we are in the car and also they can get a bit noisy which is a worry cause I really need to concentrate.

DVDs?

Usborne wipe clean activity cards are great, various different sets available eg 100 things to do on a car journey
I spy books and reward the points total with bribes at the end of the journey
Story cds, tho' will have to teach them negotiation skills over which story comes next (try just so stories, dr seuss for wide age range appeal), sticker books

We've done journeys like this loads, used to live in Scotland but partner is from Essex, and I'm from overseas so do a lot of plane journeys
so,
-lots of little healthy snacks, carrot sticks, cut up little sandwiches, grapes, cut up apples, cheese chunks, not stuff like crisps or crackers that will make them thirsty, and stay away from lots of drinks, makes them want to wee and stop every service station!
-singalong music and stories cds
-the map for the older one, my 6 yo daughter has a fascination with the road map atlas, so we "consult" her on where we are on the map all the time
-pad of paper/notebook and colouring pencils/markers etc
-puppets/finger puppets... having said this, one day the eldest decided to make a finger puppet out of a used wet wipe, they drew faces on their fingers and poked a hole in it, so it was like a cape. Kept them occupied for hours, they still do it from time to time!
-portable dvd player if you have one.
-i buy a special magazine for each child for the journey, cbeebies/pony mag for girl/bob the builder, whatever, usually comes with a crappy toy, keeps em occupied for ages.
-a sense of humour and realization that the journey will end!!

Do you have to leave/arrive at a certain time? For something that long it might be worth doing at least part of the journey at night or early morning.

Otherwise I'd borrow DVD players but only use them for the last half. Is there somewhere interesting en route where you could stop off, rather than the hell that is service stations?

Thanks everyone, you've come up with some good ideas, I will have to stock up on some magazines, books etc.
Jareth- we can set off whenever we are ready so might think about early morning if we are all sorted.

We did a 14 hour trip with 2yo and 4yo this summer. We used:

In-car DVD players - on for about a quarter of journey.
CD walkman for DD (4) with story CDs on for when DS went to sleep.
Pencils and pad for DD.
One of those magnetic drawing things (can't remember the name!) each - £1 each from poundland.
Magazine each.
Sticker book each.
MANY snacks and drinks.
Bag of toys each (chosen and packed by them).
Stopped about every 2 or 3 hours.

It was okay actually. Good luck.