Passenger Van or 2 Minivans/SUVs?

[PrincessasMommy]

There will be 9 of us in total, 4 adults and 5 kids, 4 in car seats.

I am thinking of renting a passenger van but it has been suggested to me that it may be cheaper to rent 2 minivans/SUVs.

What are your thoughts and who would you suggest I use and how far in advance should I book?

(Used a travel agent last time and was ripped off badly in unforeseen and untold charges - paid $1500 USD for 1 week for an Envoy!)

Thanks!

 

[Goofy Minnesotan]

I am in the same boat, there is 8 of us 4 adults and 4 children. I booked an 8 passager van in January for 6/09 - 6/17 for $269. Now everyone has decided it would be better to have 2 cars, but the prices aren't as good as they were. I see now that $269 is pretty good. Sorry, can't help you much!

 

[n2mm]

When we travel with our adult children, we ALWAYS have 2 cars (unless it's only a weekend visit to WDW). We have all gone so many times, we don't feel the need to spend every minute of vacation together. We do a few rides as a family and spend at least one meal together, but we find it helpful to have 2 different vehicles. We are going in april/may, and my daught, SIL, GS, GD are arriving 5 days later, so will pick up her car when she gets to the airport. I offered to get a bigger van (4 adults, 1 junior(11), 1 infant), which means she would have to take DME--I got a big "no way" on that offer. We just rented the mid-size SUVs that Alamo was offering for April 23-May 5 for us and April 29-May 5 for her and the prices were so cheap. We both have a base weekly amount of $90. Her total was $106 (after tax for 1 week) and our total was $228 (after tax for 2 weeks).

 

[ktglads]

If it were me, I would rent the 2 cars. We have 6 adults and a 1 y.o for May and are renting a SUV and a compact car. With that many car seats, it would be much easier to get in and out of the minivans. Plus, if you wanted to split up at any point in time, the option would be there

 

[EdDome]

(Used a travel agent last time and was ripped off badly in unforeseen and untold charges - paid $1500 USD for 1 week for an Envoy!)

Thanks!

Please tell me that you didn't actually have to pay the $1500. That'd be criminal!

 

[horseshowmom]

I had a similar situation in November. I had to book for seven adults (and their luggage) attending a conference. I thought about getting the larger van but really didn't want to due to the bulkiness of the vehicle. I wound up getting a minivan and a car for much less than I would have paid for the large van (plus it gave us more options for splitting up for dinner, shopping, etc.).

 

[PrincessasMommy]

Please tell me that you didn't actually have to pay the $1500. That'd be criminal!

Yep - once bitten.....

I paid for and ordered a minivan for hubby, I and our 3 daughters from Toronto. With all insurance and taxes I paid $700 for the week. Once we arrived at Fort Lauderdale airport my hubby took the shuttle to the car rental place and apparently I rented a small minivan that he knew our big double jogging stroller wouldn't fit into with all the luggage we had too so he had to upgrade - all they claimed they had left was a luxury SUV and they conned him into some gas charges and additional taxes! When he showed up with the vehicle to get us and told me he paid an additional nearly $500 I was very upset. We also paid extra because we picked up in Fort Lauderdale and were dropping off in Orlando and this was for 10 days. Sorry, so it was $1300, I had added gas into that amount. Sad, I know. Hence why I am planning this myself - no longer use the travel agent who got us into that predictament to begin with.