Roof Top Carriers

[NALA 24]

As I am finishing packing, I am trying to decide if we should use a Roof Top Carrier on our minivan. At this point, it may be inevitable unless I unpack some things and do laundry in WDW. Does anyone have any information on driving to WDW with a carrier?
We have a softside carrier and can borrow a hard side carrier if needed.

Thanks.

 

[Lewisc]

It'll kill your gas mileage (at least a 10% reduction) and make the van harder to drive if you get winds. If you don't attach it just right you'll be picking up your stuff from the side of the road. Some companies (U-Haul for example) stopped renting them because of problems.

Do laundry. You'll have a car, if you need more space buy your HBA when you get there. Wal Mart, Target, Costco are probably about the same price as home.

 

[welovedis]

Well, I've never driven to WDW at all since we always fly, but we have used both hard & soft carriers and had no trouble with them at all. While the gas mileage reduction will definitely vary from vehicle to vehicle we have usually seen a 5% reduction at most when we drive from NY to VA or NY to MA.

I like to added convenience of the extra room for those little souveniers that add up over the length of any trip. Our soft sided carrier just got removed from the rooftop after our 17th trip with it and I can say that we never have had a problem with anything coming undone or falling off.

If you have a soft sided carrier and there is any rain forecasted you might want to put the suitcases (or whatever) in some garbage bags first, then put them in the carrier as some are weather-resistant and not necessarily weather-proof. We only use our hard-top carrier when we need to for sporting equipment or other equipment that does work well in the soft carrier. The soft carrier definitely will get you better gas mileage that the hard-top will though.

Anyway-HTH!