luggage for 6 in rental minivan

[kileybeth]

help! I'm Mom of 6 (2 grown and out of our home) who has never flown to Disney before this trip. while I've never had any problem packing our Aerostar with luggage for 6 or 7 or 5 or however many that particular year for our 7-10 day trips to Disney. . .I am officially stumped with flying! My DH, DS13, DD10, DS21/2 and DD4months will be joining me in the air for a nice quick 2 1/2 hour flight (verses 20-24 hour drive)with tons of baggage allowed on the airline but precious little space in a rented minivan to get it to the hotel! The van is already rented for pickup/return at airport ($190 a week wow!) . Biggest problem seems to be the double stroller. . .absolutely can not do without it. . .any suggestions? 2 strollers won't work since I will be left alone often while hubby and older kids do rides. . .I'm guessing luggage may end up on our laps for the trip to/from hotel (downtown disney doubletree resort) . . .Help

 

[Delilah Bleu]

Have you considered renting a double stroller at the parks?

 

[mello]

Just brainstorming ideas here... they might not be feasible, but here goes:

Renting a double stroller seems like a good possibility.

How about making a couple trips for the luggage? (Yeah, waste of time, I know, and where could you leave the stuff at the airport. Locker? One parent stays behind with the stuff?)

If you're staying onsite, how about one of you driving some of the luggage in the rental van while one of you takes the rest of it on Magic Express?

Or, one of you drive the van and one (with some of the luggage) take a shuttle service that only charges by the person? (If there is any such thing?)

Mail your clothes and/or other stuff down in a couple boxes ahead of time?

There must be some other good ideas...

We're using Magic Express when we get there, but right now I'm working on how we're going to get all of us and our luggage in our minivan to the airport here!

 

[debm]

Those were all great ideas. I'll tell you what happened to us.....we usually drive in our conversion van but flew down the 2nd week in January. We flew into Sanford so had a minivan rental set up. I was figuring at least the size of our minivan. Oh no! It was the size of a Mercury Villager. They seat 7 but have WAY less room in the back. We had a suitcase(semi-small rolling one) for each of the 6 of us and each kid had a carry on backpack. Then I insisted on the carseat for the little one and the two boosters. They are a necessity but of course take up more room than not having them. And we have an umbrella stroller and another bigger umbrella type stroller for our son with special needs. We almost didn't fit. It was really a puzzle getting everything into the van. Not to scare you but ask what type of van it is. We literally had to put kids IN the van and pack around them!!! Not the safest thing but it got us to the resort. Later we ended up returning the van part way through the week and then getting it again later. It ended up saving us a wee bit of money but it was a pain to deal with doing that. We are going to try flying again in December but hope to use ME. It won't give us the flexibility of our own van but then we won't have to spend the cost for it. Also relatives will have to come see us at the parks because we won't have a way to get to them.

I would just make sure I tell the car rental company the situation exactly. Those vans can be small!!! Good luck! It will work out even if you have to ride on the roof!

 

[dawnball]

No hotel shuttle, which would have been my first option. Baby is too young to link two umbrella strollers together, which would have been my second option. Rent a second single stroller, abandon it and sling the baby when you've got the two of them to yourself? Rent a double? Would the double stroller (folded) fit in the footwells in front of your two in carseats? Or in the aisle along the side? Strap it to the rear bumper with bungee cords?

 

[alicenwonder99]

We've done it. We flew to California a couple of years ago. Out of the 6 of us, 2 of the children were teenaged girls...so you can imagine how much luggage we had!! If anyone has flown to LAX before, you know that you have to walk with all your luggage to an area outside to get the shuttle to take you to the car rental area. We still laugh whenever we talk about how funny dh looked pushing ONE cart with all of our luggage. DH is 6'2" and the pile of luggage was well over his head (not to mention the car seats). LOL!

Anyway, we upgraded to a Grand Caravan which has a little bit more room. Dh got everything to fit, but the kids had luggage under the feet, and in between their seats. We didn't bring our strollers with on this trip.

Why don't you look into bringing one of those large suitcase type things that secure onto the luggage rack. We have one made by Samsonite. It folds up and would fit into a duffle bag. You would also be able to use it for future road trips.

Have fun on your trip.

Mary

 

[Jacksmom99]

In August we had 6 in a minivan from the airport, 4 adults and DS6, DD3, including a stroller and a carseat. Do you know what kind of minivan you have? Will you have a choice at the airport? FIL is a member of National Emerald Ailse, so he and DH walked up to the first minivan, opened the back, and asked for my approval. (I'm the packer, DH is NOT allowed!) It was a Grand Caravan that had the well in the cargo area for the fold away seat. We fill all the luggage and carryons in the back, then put the stroller along the side by the door. This van had a bench seat in the middle, not two individual chairs. However, it's probable that a double stroller would fit fine there, too. Most of the new minivans have this extra space, as the fold away seats are offered on most models. Don't forget, you can use the floor space under the kids feet for luggage, too.

Good Luck,
Kim

 

[Colinsmom]

Pack half as much and do laundry halfway through the trip??

 

[kileybeth]

I actually got some help out of all those replies! this site is truly the best. I spend way to much time reading on here before each and every trip.

we'll have a crysler mini van, no extended length I'm afraid but at least it's not a nission, mazda, honda, mercury kind of thing. . .

yes, we already own a soft car top carrier (just returned from dropping 18 year old off at college and left him with vehicle we drove out 1200+ miles one way~ we folded soft carrier up, stuck it in our luggage and flew home with it!) DH hates it with a passion and refuses to deal with it at an airport! he's considering bungie cords but I'm worried about my seat pads getting wet. . .

renting has been considered, kind of a big expense for us though and not much comfort for kids.

not familiar with newer crysler minivan, maybe there will be room next to slider for luggage.

currently looking at umbrella stroller options, something that reclines for 8 pound preemie infant on heart moniter and comfy enough for her 2 1/2 yr old brother who is truly still pretty small as well (20 lbs,). Can you hook 2 umbrellas together somehow? do they push okay when they are "unbalanced" weight wise?

going to babiesrus tomorrow to test drive something not to expensive! jeep brand has a double for $69 I think. I know umbrellas would fit next to door.

LOL about packing around the kids! been there done that! My DH says we always show up looking like Beverly Hillbillies at these 4 and 5 star hotels I manage to book for a fraction of cost!

oh, not staying on site but in Downtown Disney with bus system (done that before and really enjoyed those buses) not sure how that will go with double stroller either. . .

thanks so much ! oh yeah, 2 car seats also. . .at least they can sit in those!
we will gate check stoller and infant seat and let other one get tagged through with checked luggage~ 'nother question, does anyone know if I have to bag my booster car seat to check it or can they just tag it?

and I thought flying would be easier. . .

 

[DisneyBill]

One more thought that I've had to do for business travel when displays and literature over taxed the vehicles we had. Call a local delivery service or courier to transport your luggage onto the hotel to the bell service while your group makes their grocery stop. I've done these for $20-40 bucks in many major cities. Plus you won't need to lug all that stuff in & out of your vehicle. Good luck!

 

[Mommy Poppins]

There used to be a company that would deliver baby items to the resort for rent. I know a lot of people used them for full-size cribs, etc., and I know they had double strollers as well. Maybe someone will remember the link.

 

[momxx5]

With a young baby, I don't think renting a stroller is a good idea. Also, you will want to have the stroller with you at other times - at resort, at DTD, etc.

I think you can make it all fit into the van. First of all the trip from the airport to WDW is not that long....especially compared to your usual 20+hr drive.
Just toss everything in the van however you can.

At the third row, there is tons of leg space where suitcases, etc can be put for the ride to the resort.
Remember, everyone is going to be so excited to be flying in an airplane and then be even more excited to be headed to WDW, they won't mind being smooshed in the van for a short drive.

Good luck.

 

[kileybeth]

thanx all. we are taking the full size double as of now. we plan to do 2 days at Disney water parks and baby sleeps well in that stroller. Toddler can also nap in afternoon in back seat which he will need at least once a day.

looked at double umbrella one jeep makes, really liked it because the reclining feature was nice but another $80 right now ($70 w/coupon) . . .

we will ship some things ahead to hotel as well so that helps keep luggage managable.