Recommendations for a vehicle to fit a large family with luggage please

[Cinderella2006]

Can anyone recommend a vehicle to hire for our next trip and who with? Must be onsite (MCO) and big enough for 3 adults and 3 children with a small collapsible childs wheelchair and 4/5 suitcases and a few carry ons? I have seen a few that say they sit 7 and 4 suitcases but is that really the case? TIA

 

[wayneg]

A couple of years ago we had 7 seater minivan for 5 adults plus a 5 year old with fold up buggy. We managed but it was a squash to and from the airport, we had to load up the spare seat and have hand luggage between legs etc. Rest of holiday no issues at all, its just the airport journeys.

 

[chmurf]

You say onsite re:mco but is it an onsite stay (wdw) ?

If it is, then magical express for part of your group is an option to transport excess luggage or excess passengers

If not, then a 7 seater might work, but you're going to feel like sardines.
If you don't change hotels it will only be an issue to and from the airport, so you should be fine

 

[Jon84]

Theres actually more luggage space in a 7 Seat SUV than there is a Mini Van (People Carrier). Something like Chevy Traverse is probabaly too small, but a Tahoe, or Suburban would do it I should think, as would a Ford Explorer

 

[wayneg]

Theres actually more luggage space in a 7 Seat SUV than there is a Mini Van (People Carrier). Something like Chevy Traverse is probabaly too small, but a Tahoe, or Suburban would do it I should think, as would a Ford Explorer

With the SUV's it's all down to the model. You can get more or less luggage space than a mini van. Some of the models use the luggage space for the extra row of seats leaving next to nothing for luggage.

 

[cjbcam]

A suburban. We are a family of six and it has a ton of room. We rented one on one of our trips to Disney (actually rented a van and they "upgraded" us because they ran out of vans). I was so impressed with how much room there was and how good (for a vehicle that big) was on gas. We actually came home and bought one. Last year we picked up my parents in Arizona and went to California (all 8 of us plus luggage). It was a little tight but completely doable.

 

[Jon84]

With the SUV's it's all down to the model. You can get more or less luggage space than a mini van. Some of the models use the luggage space for the extra row of seats leaving next to nothing for luggage.

Oh of course

We had a Traverse last year and while there were only 4 of use, we had alot of luggage. The car was picked up with the rear seats up, which easily would have got 3 cases and some hand luggage in.

A friend had a Tahoe when we went in 2013 and they managed to get 4 cases in the back with the rear seats up

 

[scoobydooby2016]

I would choose the car you like best and use Magical Express for getting to and from the resort. Usually we get a 7 seater for the four of us as it's the only way we can fit all the luggage in as well. One year I was penny pinching so we had a small car and me and DD took all the suitcases on Magical Express and DH and DS picked up the hire car and took the hand luggage. We were separated about 90 minutes so no big deal. We used Virgin's DTD check in for the return journey so we were able to all drive back to the airport together. This summer we had a Chevrolet Escalada (sp?) and used two rows of seats only. Behind that we fitted 6 massive suitcases and hand luggage. Had we needed another seat we would not have got all that in though.

 

[ElleBelle88]

Last year we were 'upgraded' as they had run out of our chosen car and we ended up with a huge Dodge Ram. There were four adults and one eight month old and loads of stuff and we were able to pile it all in the back. It was amusing at first but not so much when all our stuff got wet when it down-poured as we had no cover and also when we nearly took a whole car out trying to park it at Epcot lol! If given some kind of pick up- which to be fair did the job- make sure you have someone who is confident to drive it and you ask for a cover!

 

[Minniesgal]

The 7 seat SUVs are great for a larger family but they are a tight squeeze for luggage. We have always managed as it is a short drive to the airport but it is a squeeze

 

[Grimbold]

Had a Grand voyager last time went over to the States. Plenty of room for our luggage (5 of us) and plenty of seating space all spread out as well .

 

[Cinderella2006]

Thank you for all your replies. Sorry should of confirmed that we are having our first trip in a Villa at Highland Reserve so magical express is out. I think we are going to go for a 7 seater, sure we will cram ourselves in, after all will only be for two trips. We may pop down to Treasure Island but only for a night so wont need to take much.
Thanks again and sorry for the confusion, i remember one of our first trips as a family and hertz was offsite ... Never again!

 

[wayneg]

Hertz are onsite now probably the best of the bunch.
I have been getting some really low quotes for our trip in Oct with a rental company I haven't heard of before, nearly half the price of Hertz, Dollar etc but offsite & unheard off I won't be trying them.

 

[Babyboo]

For us it's usually a GMC Yukon XL (Prem Extra Capacity SUV) with Hertz. If I cant get that a Chevy Suburban or Tahoe both still roomy but may be a bit tight for the journey to/from the airport but will be great for the rest of the time

Just booked for Easter through Virgin Atlantic and got a price over £50 less than anywhere else on online, so always worth checking with them.

 

[Minniesgal]

For 5 plus luggage we did 7 seater premium SUVs and got a Buick Enclave twice. They were lovely but massive.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We needed a rental large enough for 6 plus luggage and rented a seven seat Kia Sorrento from Hertz. It was big enough for us and all our luggage.

 

[chelynnah]

oops, ignore

 

[Lottie]

Try a Toyota Sienna, they actually seat 8. We had one in October 2011 for 7 adults plus one baby seat. We all,had suitcases/large hold-alls and a number of carry-ones and a fold up pushchair. We were prepared to get a taxi if we couldn't fit in! But we managed it and on the journey back to the airport too.

Similar story in April last year, but the baby is now 4 so we had 8 seats again and no pushchair but we managed, I'm not saying it was easy but it was certainly doable to and from the airport.

I think we used Virgin last April just to book the car and it was throu Alamo.

 

[bex7583]

just bear in mind aswell you may be returning wth more luggage than you took , souveniers , outlet shopping etc