Group Transportation Question

[msfredna]

I am taking a group of 30 4-H'ers and parents to WDW in June. We are staying at Windsor Hills and will be flying into Sanford. I have limited them to one piece of luggage and one carry on. What is the best vehicles for us to rent- 2 large vans or 5 minivans. Anyone know where to get the best rate for either of these.

I know that parking for a car is $11, is it the same for the large vans?

Thanks-
Melanie

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

I don't have an answer but I will bump you to the top. Hopefully someone will answer you.

 

[dopeyfanatic]

I can tell you right now neither will work. The two large vans might seat you, but it won't hold your luggage. I know because we already looked into them for airport transfers. In addition I have a minivan, and even though I could seat 7, there's also NO way I could put 7 suitcases in there. You'll need several cars. It will cost more, but the other options won't work. Unless everyone only has a carry on sized suitcase. Good luck finding what you need!

 

[Jestocost]

I can tell you right now neither will work. The two large vans might seat you, but it won't hold your luggage. I know because we already looked into them for airport transfers. In addition I have a minivan, and even though I could seat 7, there's also NO way I could put 7 suitcases in there. You'll need several cars. It will cost more, but the other options won't work. Unless everyone only has a carry on sized suitcase. Good luck finding what you need!

But if you put 7 in three minivans, five in one and four in the last you would have full cargo capacity in one with both back seats folded down, most of the cargo capacity in the other, with half the back seat down (provided you get one with split rear seating), and enough space for at least two suitcases in each of the other three. That probably would work.

Now, can you find five mini vans available from one rental car company at Sanford? Hmmm.

 

[dopeyfanatic]

I have a Caravan and I would only be able to fit two large suitcases. IF you were to get a Grand Caravan (which I had until July when we had to replace it) you MIGHT get 4 suitcases. And that's a big might depending on size. So realistically for planning you'd have to figure that van 1, 2 and 3 (with 7 passengers) has only 2 suitcases each. That would leave you with 24 suitcases to fit in the other two vans. Now, here's another option. You can probably hire a cargo van as shuttle service to take your luggage to and from the hotel, and then the two large vans would be fine for you. We're renting a limo bus for our trip, but originally we looked at a Hummer. Every where we called said we would need to also pay for a cargo van to take our luggage. So you might do that. It's probably cheaper that way! And if it makes you feel better you could have someone take the shuttle van with the luggage.

 

[aquaticmom]

How many families are going? Why not consider having each family be responsible for their own rental? If you can find a decent rate on a car, it is sometimes less expensive to rent several cars than it is to get into the van price range. Then each family would have the flexibility to come and go from the parks at their own leisure. I can't imagine the nightmare of attempting to get that many people organized going to and from the parks everyday. Just a thought. We rented a mid-size next week from National EA for $69.26 total price. I have rented midsize in June for the past two years for under $150 for a week. Good Luck!!

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

We have a Ford Expedition and we can only fit 4 adults, possibly 5 comfortably, remove the 3rd seat and then have room for 2 large, 2 small suitcases and 2 folded strollers. With 30+ people and 30+ suitcases (keeping in mind some people consider a smaller rolling suitcase a carry-on), you are going to need some serious room.

You are brave! I am having a breakdown trying to get us, our 4 kids, my mom and my sister to/from the airport here in May and then to/from the airport here and to/from Port Canaveral in Oct.

 

[ducklite]

One thing I think you'll have a problem with is extra drivers on the rental agreement. Unless one person is going to be the only driver for each van, you could run into a problem. And I'll tell you flat out, if it the rental were going on my name and credit card, there's no way I'd let anyone else drive. Your two or three drivers will be very unhappy playing chauffer to everyone the whole time.

I like PP's idea of each family being responsible to rent their own car. If two small families want to go in together, that's up to them. But in reality, it will cost less to rent eight compact or mid-size cars that will comfortably accomodate a family and luggage than two 15 passenger vans--which generally run around $850/week (plus milage!) and still won't hold all the luggage, or even five minivans which would probably be about what you need. Another thing is that if some "families" are only a parent and one child, while others are two parents and three kids, if you are splitting the cost of the van rentals on a per family basis, smaller families are subsidizing the larger ones, which IMHO leads to a lot of resentment.

If you have an Entertainment book, check out some of the deals in there. I just saved about $80 off rack rate for a four day rental in California next month with an Entertainment rate and code!