UPDATE Drive the Accord..can I fit all this stuff? Or take the high mileage Sienna?

[Lmans77]

We are making our 3rd road trip to Florida next month! Wahoo!
But this will be the first time in our Honda Accord. Tell me if this makes sense.

I (the Mom) have a Toyota Sienna. She has a faithful 165,000 miles and has never had any mechanical issues and has new brakes. Last year, before the last WDW road trip, she got a complete look over, tune up, new hoses, etc. (I commute a lot). She's also seen lots of other road trips.

DH (the Dad) has a 2015 Honda Accord with about 20,000. Naturally no issues.

We have 2 kiddos, ages 8 and 6. Both road trip veterans.
We live outside of Houston, Tx and its about 1,000 miles, broken up. We usually stay over somewhere in Florida panhandle.

Our trip this spring break is 5 days at Disney, and then on to Port Canaveral for a 3 day Cruise and then home.

Feeling like the Sienna is getting up there in mileage, we are thinking of taking the Honda.
The problem is that I like to pack a little heavy. lol I'm paring it down, I promise, but these are some things I'll need to fit. Tell me how to do it.

2 kids suitcases (both Disney themed so they won't be happy if I consolidate those)
1 or 2 suitcases for me and DH. We can share to save space but don't know if we'll fit in one big one. Dh is a big guy with big clothes. But I will do laundry the morning before we go to the cruise.
a large man sized lunch cooler (for drinks - like a big Playmate)
a fan (we neeeeeeed white noise)
a pillow or two (see, we're persnickety sleepers)
maybe a twin airbed for a kid because DH doesn't sleep well with a kid crammed into his back. And we can't fit into a full together (staying at POP) (told you we're difficult)
a small 4 cup coffee maker for room (we like our morning coffee to survive our difficult sleeping)
Other Disney necessities (Park bag, stuff for parks, etc)

I know I really need to get our bags and see how they puzzle together in his trunk. I'm just throwing this out there to see if anyone has experience with an Accord and lots of stuff.
And throwing it out there too see if you think taking the Honda is overall a good idea or should I take the Sienna which is super comfortable and plenty large, and not worry about the high mileage.

 

[Alesia]

Why don't you just take all that stuff out to the car and see if it will fit?

 

[Lmans77]

LOL. I know. It's just that DH carries a lot of gear for his work and it's always crammed back in there. Plus this is a surprise trip for my kids and I work so I am literally never at home without them, and they'll be like "what the heck are you doing??" since they are up in my business 24/7.

 

[NorthernGrl]

If my sister and I can take 5 kids (3 in carseats, 2 in highback booster seats), a double stroller, a single stroller, a pack and play, clothing for 7, swim floaties for all 5 kids plus diapers and formula for 2 of the 3 in a Caravan from Central Ontario, Canada, I think you can do the Accord.

Pillows and cooler in the back seat with the kids for napping and easy access. Pack as lightly as you can, do laundry more than once. Maybe look for a smaller fan. The gas savings will pay for it. Roll up the air mattress and put it under the kids' feet. They might like to have it to rest their feet on.

 

[jdb in AZ]

What the dimensions of your suitcases? We have an Accord-ion (I nicknamed it that after we were rear-ended and sandwiched between two cars) and would have problems getting all that stuff to fit, unless your suitcases are really little. DH is a big guy too, and has a big suitcase.

 

[smiths02]

I think you will just have to try it. We drove with my MIL, FIL, me, DH, and DS-9 months old from Atlanta to Miami in a Buick LeSabre...now that is roomier than an accord and the trip was only 3 nights, but I think you *could* make it work.

 

[Lmans77]

yeah, I am going to try and sneak in the garage tonight with suitcases...I'll let them fry their brains on Minecraft while I swear in the garage. LOL!
Good idea on putting some of this stuff on the floorboard at their feet.

 

[ForeverAlice]

I have a 2012 accord sedan and a family of four -we are all tall people and have been able to drive down from MD a few times so far without being squished or cramped! I am a terrible overpacker but have improved over time!!!! We stay the night in Savannah on the way down and drive straight through on the way back.

 

[Woodview]

Use the Accord

Here goes ...... Sunday ....... Spring clean the car ....... Everything out .

Bring out the 2 big suitcases ....... just say we might be going on vacation .... Try for space ..

Put some small things under front seats .

Cooler can be put between the kids ..... with pillows ....

You will make things fit.

Relax & think of the fun you all will have

 

[Woodview]

Forgot to say

Can you fit a " Roof Box " to the Accord ....... if you can buy one ?

 

[sam_gordon]

Depends on the size of the suitcases for you and DH and the size of the fan and air mattress. If the suitcases are "medium" sized, and it's a "moderate" sized fan, I think you're OK. Cooler and pillows go in the the passenger compartment. Do they not have coffee makers in the room?

 

[Lothlórien]

LOL. I know. It's just that DH carries a lot of gear for his work and it's always crammed back in there. Plus this is a surprise trip for my kids and I work so I am literally never at home without them, and they'll be like "what the heck are you doing??" since they are up in my business 24/7.

Maybe Dad can take them to lunch or something while you do a test run? Daddy/Kid time.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I have a 2013 Accord and I will say, making all that stuff fit is going to be tricky. DH and I usually take one large suitcase and one small suitcase (probably what you are referring to as "kid size") since we stop on the way down and back...we use it as our overnight bag. I think it would be tough to fit another suitcase in the trunk, let alone all of the other things you've mentioned. You may have to put some things inside the "cabin" of the car with you. Good luck!

 

[kirstenb1]

I drove a Camry, so similar size to Accord. With one kid we could do it. However with 2 kids, dh wound up having to put up roof racks, so we could fit everything not in the trunk, up top. Unless the Sienna has known problems, you should be able to drive it no problem. 160k is not too much mileage. We took the Camry with 200k to Orlando and back from Va. Another thought is to rent a bigger vehicle.

 

[Lmans77]

It fits! This is one large suitcase that you can't see in the very back, 2 kids suitcases, 1 carry on size suitcase, cooler, box fan, air mattress and pump. Room for the rest of the stuff too. Yay.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

You still have a ton of room. Good job. We rented a full size car to drive from Houston to Galveston for our cruise with 4 people, 5 suitcases, 3 back packs, etc. It was like Jenga. Everything fit in the trunk except the garment bag, which was placed between the two kids in the back seat. (I had packed the fan in the garment bag. I had heard that some of the cabins could be warm, and thank goodness I brought it.)

 

[manning]

165,000 miles. Heck it is just getting broken in. Have a mechanic check it out (the dealer if that makes you more comfortable). If it checks out your good to go.

Have a relative who has a car with 10,000 miles on it and it quit.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Are you planning to take that big fan on the cruise ship? And how do you plan to get it on board? Are you planning to check it with the rest of your cruise luggage because its certainly not carry on size. I would have opted for something smaller.

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

I was going to say I think it would all fit, then you posted that it did. My only suggestion would be use a phone app for white noise, that would save some space.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

Strap the kids to the roof, they'll think it's fun!

I mean I know you've figured out it all fits, but just imagine how peaceful it will be inside the car!

(I am in no way serious about this)