7 people, 1 wheelchair, 1 stroller and a whole lot of luggage. What would you do??

[D L and K's Mom]

We always rent a mini van for our trips to WDW. We are usually a family of 5 with one wheelchair and one stroller. We drive to the parks for DS. It always seems like it is easier with the wheelchair and the stroller and "stuff". Well, now we are going to be a party of 7 (grandma and aunt are coming too!) We are going at Christmas. We will be staying at the Dolphin (teacher rate but no Disney Transportation). What would you do...mini van and a small car? Town car and rent a van at the Dolphin? Anyone have any great ideas??? We are going Dec 23-31 so I know rates will be $$$$$$

 

[poohbear7]

You can't use the Magical express if you are staying at the Swan and Dolphin.
You can use Disney transportation to the parks and Downtown Disney.

 

[SueM in MN]

We have done a wheelchair, a minvan and 6 people, but to fit all the people in, the farthest back seat had to be all the way back. That meant we had to take apart the wheelchair to make it fit. That was only for trips from our resort to other resorts, parks. If you have some small people who can sit in the back seat even if it's pretty far back or if you can fold the wheelchair and stroller pretty small, it might work for getting to the parks (although I'd probably just use WDW transportation for the parks).

I'm sure you can't get the people, all the luggage from that many people, a stroller and a wheelchair into a van for your trip from the airport. If you move the back seat forward so there is space for all the luggage, you won't have room for 3 to sit in the back seat. If you don't move it forward, you won't have room for the luggage behind the seat.
We've done 5 people in the van with all that stuff from the airport and it was a close fit with suitcases and backpacks on the seats we were not using.

If you want to have a van or car available, I'd probably send part of your party and their luggage on the Mears bus and send the rest to the resort with the rental vehicle.

 

[Bill From PA]

We were a party of 9, 8 adults and one toddler, staying at Swan on March '04. We booked a Tiffany van and it took ourselves, considerable baggage and the contents of a grocery stop with ease. The driver was a huge help and I'd do it again in the same circumstances.

Bill From PA

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I am looking into Mears and maybe doing 2 intermediate cars. I really wish they could just let us all off in WDW......make a nice terminal in MK hee hee.

 

[travlnman1]

I have 8 in my party for June and we have rented a full size van (seats 11) from Thrifty at a decent rate of $265.00 per week. It will fit us all and all our stuff.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I think we are going to do Happy Limo to and from the airport and rent a van from The Dolphin to use to go to and from the parks and DTD. This will make life so much easier for DS who is a special needs guy and who will not so the buses. Thanks for all the great info.