Help w/taking DSis n kids,Travel, car rental, no Credit card!!

[dsnycrzy]

Hello Everyone,
I was trying to think through some ideas for a trip next year for my sister and her family of 10. All together will be 14 people

I take the auto train every year and I have a full size SUV so my total R/T is about $750 for 2 adults and 4 kids(one of the kids is my niece which would be added into my sisters budget if I can get them there next year).

I have everything figured out hotel and ticket wise but I'm hitting a wall with transportation. There is NO WAY 14 (and maybe 15 if my boyfriend goes) will fit in my car. My sister and her husband do not have a car. So I did consider putting them on regular amtrak (times available would be 2p.m-9:35am next day and 7:20p.m- 5:02p.m, I would prefer the 1st) and I jump on the auto train, (getting there by 2 so leaving my house at 11:30 a.m). Or renting a mini van and have them follow me and we all take the auto train, which I would prefer. The 2 problems with that is 1. I don't have a credit card but I have gotten a family friend to rent one with hers for me before and if she does then the next problem is... 2. I would turn the car in when we get to Orlando because we would take the shuttles provided by the hotels to get us to the parks but will need to re rent it to get them back on the train only the family friend will not be there. Also means we will need a rental co. that is both in Delaware and in Florida.

So anyone have any suggestions? Please I am going nuts trying to figure it out.

[natnelliesmom]

It is SO tough trying to figure out the cheapest way to do anything these days! I feel your pain.
I would suggest you taking the auto-train with your family. Can they just take a cab to the station, ride the same train and then take another cab to your hotel?
If not, then having them take regular Amtrak would be the second best option. Again, take a cab from the train station to the resort. I know the transportation section here has some great pointers for transport to/from the airport, I am sure those same car services transport from the train station as well. You can get a town car for as little as $109 from the Orlando Airport. A regular cab would be even cheaper.
It's tough to travel without a credit card. You might want to consider putting some money on a pre-paid Visa just so you have that convenience while traveling.
Good luck, and I hope you have fun!
-Sarah

[dsnycrzy]

natnelliesmom,
Thanks. It is hard but I think I will just put them on the train here. I may need that before and after peace time (she has 7 kids and a grandson ). We live in Delaware and we'd have to board the train in Lorton, VA for the Auto Train, so no cab there. I would take all of their luggage in my car to check into the DE train station then load my car and head down I-95 to VA by 11:30. She would just need to get herself and her family to the train station before 2p.m.
I still may luck up and find a cheap mini van at tax time to buy them.
I dont need a pre-paid Visa because I have my Visa Debit Card but car rentals dont take that. Those prepaids charge you monthly and everytime you reload. I had one before, $5 to load,$5 the next month fees and then another $5 to reload. $15 in a month is alot of disney money I could have spent in my eyes,.
Thanks

[powellrj]

Not sure if this is any help, but I do know you can rent a car with a debit card, it just isn't easy.

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-ca...-card-1268.php

[santa's surpriz]

Try National, I used them 2 years ago for a rental car that I did have a credit card to use, I called in advance and they did not upcharge on debit cards, nor did they on my transaction. As a precationary measure, I put it on a debit card for a seprate account than my primary spending account so that in the event I was misinformed it would not block huge chunk of Disney spedning money.

[kaismahma]

I don't have a real credit card any more. What I do is put money into my paypal account and they have issued me a paypal credit card (debit) that comes out of my account. You can easily transfer money from your checking account into your paypal account. I have had the card for a few years now. I only throw money into the account when I need to use it.

[mom2faith]

I urge you to consider keeping the rental for your trip and just parking it at the hotel. The reason I suggest this, is because Rental Rates with return to another location include excessive fees. The fees will probably be more to do this 2 times than it would be for you to just keep the rental. It will also give you the freedom of going off site - for dinner, sightseeing, etc.

Anyhoo...just something to consider.

Amy

[tlh0726]

If you are looking at just getting them from their home to the train station and then the train station to WDW and the same in reverse. I would think it would be more cost effective to contact a local transportation company (that has large passenger vans) at each location and arrange the pickup and drop offs than to rent a van and pay for that van to be transported to Florida only to turn it in at the rental counter.
Also, do you use your vehicle while at WDW? If not, if you decide on doing a transporation company why not all go together and save the cost of transporting your vehicle on the auto train.

Good luck!

[dsnycrzy]

I spoke to enterprise and they would do it with a $400 hold and the cost for the whole 2 1/2 weeks would be around $500 (Geico discount) but after posting this question (last Saturday I believe) I had a MINOR accident, scrapping a pole that cost $2050 to fix (my deductable was $500) but I would just take their luggage to the Wilmington Train station in the morning. Then go home, put my stuff in my SUV and drive to VA. They will all have their money for the city bus ($1.50 I believe) which is one block from their house and lets them off at the train station, only a 10 minute ride with all the stops. And I'll reserve mears to pick them up from Orlando Station.

Mistakes happen, I would be responsible for someone elses mistake if I rent a car for her family to ride in, her fiance would be driving because I'd be driving my own.

I cant put her in my car, they are a family of 8-10 (her DD15 and grandson live in NY now and I'm not sure if they would go) but she has 6 children with her and her fiance. I have myself and at the very least, my 3 kids. We would never all fit in my car

[tiggspring]

We always use our debit card with master or visa card logo for car and hotel rentals. Never had even a question about this. They take number and security number on back and that's it. I even paid the 4800 disney bill this way and no issue. I did call my bank to let them know a large debit was comming out. Some banks have a daily limit of $1000-1500.