Thomson Large Family car allocation

[ROBEAR84]

Hi,

I'm pretty new to this board as we're only just starting to plan our first family trip to WDW for 2014!

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of car hire through Thomson Holidays for large families.

It's looking likely that my in laws will be coming too and the holiday booking will be as a group of 7 (5 adults and 2 children) as we'll be staying in a villa (I already lost that fight! booo!)

I'm well aware that booking 2 cars direct would most probably be cheaper than having the 'free' car and be easier once we're there as we will be doing things separately as well as together. I worked in car hire and have priced it up but as the in laws are pros when it comes to Florida... what do I know?!

OH said he's sure they didn't have to pay insurance last time as MIL is disabled.. that can't be right surely?!

It states that an 8 seater will be provided but I'm worried that this won't be big enough when accounting for luggage as well as people!

They are off there in 3 weeks anyway so will hopefully have a look whilst they're there but thought I'd see if anyone else on here had any thoughts too!

Thanks

 

[bazzanoid]

Hi,

I'm pretty new to this board as we're only just starting to plan our first family trip to WDW for 2014!

Welcome to the UK boards!

I'm well aware that booking 2 cars direct would most probably be cheaper than having the 'free' car and be easier once we're there as we will be doing things separately as well as together. I worked in car hire and have priced it up but as the in laws are pros when it comes to Florida... what do I know?!

OH said he's sure they didn't have to pay insurance last time as MIL is disabled.. that can't be right surely?!

It states that an 8 seater will be provided but I'm worried that this won't be big enough when accounting for luggage as well as people!

Thomson Holidays use Alamo for their car hire, you should have a hire voucher and your original booking should show what is and isn't included - post it here along with your dates and we can have a dig for a good deal / see what's missing you'd have to pay for with the freebie.

EVERYBODY has to pay insurance regardless, it may just be last time it was included on the car hire, hence my previous paragraph...

An 8-seater 'family' car is most likely a minivan (think Grand Voyager but slightly bigger, you would struggle with that much luggage. In fairness, unless you've got a 15 seater, you will struggle with 7 people's luggage no matter what car you have! I would however say that you're only lugging the luggage to and from the airport, the rest of the time the car will be people and shopping only, so bear that in mind as well, and it may be that some of your party will be best off hugging smaller cases on their laps on the airport trips!

You could find out about the price of an upgrade to a premium 8-seat SUV, they are extended wheelbase and have a huge cargo area on them, and you'll be travelling in style

Hope that helps!