Best transportation for 85 teens ?!?

[danacath]

During July of 2004, DH will be bringing 85 teens down to Orlando for a Youth Gathering. (DH is the youth director at our church.) He's trying to figure out the best, most affordable way to get 85 plane tickets. Also, they'll need transportation from the airport to the hotel, and from the hotel (DDisney, probably) to Universal Studios for one of their park days. Anyone out there ever taken a group of this size down to Orlando (and lived to tell about it? lol ), and do you have any good tips on transportation, etc.? Thanks!

 

[zulaya]

I have never done this, but here's some thoughts:

Talk with a travel agent about options - right now. A lot of airlines will have price cuts this far out. You want to be able to take advantage of that.

Don't know if this even exists, but see if there is a Group Sales department at the airline you might be flying. Entirely possible there is and you might get better deals going through them.

 

[pumpkinboy]

OMG, 85 teenagers! A truly terrifying thought. Kinda like herding cats, isn't it?
I would suspect that a Charter would be the most time and cost efficient method of getting from where you are (Nebraska is it?) to WDW. You can land down at Sanford and have a couple of buses pick you up and get you where you want to go. But I am sure that some smart travel agent can figure all of this out for you.


Good Luck!

 

[prncess674]

Continental Airlines has a group travel department. See the accompanying website.

http://www.continental.com/specials/group/default.asp

 

[prncess674]

Mears Transportation also has charter service, which is probably cheaper than paying by the person.

http://www.mearstransportation.com/Charters/