To not know how to get to the airport

[disneyconfusion]

Posting for traffic.

Booked Disney for next March for 5 of us, we live a few hours away from the airport so planning on booking a hotel for night before.

And this is where I need you smart mummy's of MN

I haven't the first idea of the best way to get 5 of us with 5 huge cases down to the airport. What size car would we hire? Is it better to get the train?

We've got a Vauxhall Meriva so doubt we could fit 5 cases in that

I'm super confused

What did you do when you travelled to Gatwick for your holiday?

For 4 of us we took two suitcases and 4 hand luggage. We didn’t even actually the fill the hand luggage. You don’t need to take 5 cases!

Logically though, you work with the space you have. So take cases that fit in your boot. Being a Meriva and not an Adam I would think it has adequate space for what you actually need.

Literally no one takes 5 huge cases for 2 adults and 3 kids.

You probably wont need 5 cases, recently been with 2 adults 2 children and infant( milk nappies wipes lots of spare clothes) and only took 3 cases. Also the other side is a nightmare with cases if you are flying into orlando as you are not allowed to take trolleys past the luggage collection and you then have to get on a monorail so need to make sure the kids can manage their cases if you take one each( not forgetting car seats buggys if you take them)

One big case for the two adults, a cabin size case per child. Buy nappies, wipes, milk etc when you get there. That would all go in your car, then pay for airport parking.

Either pack light and drive or get a taxi. We’re about an hour and a half from Gatwick and it costs us £80 each way. Airport parking is cheaper but depending on flight times you may be knackered driving coming back.

Also if you’re going for 2 weeks the difference is less. If you have bad flight times and do decide to drive valet parking can make your life a lot easier.

Various hotels in Gatwick area will offer a package of overnight stay, shuttle bus to the airport next day and parking for your car for the duration of your holiday.
It’s a pretty cheap option.

Get roof bars and a roof box

Don't take 5 huge cases! That's ridiculous. You only need 2. The train prices for March aren't accurate either. Set up an alert for advance fares on Trainline. It'll be cheaper than that 13 weeks before.

Not that I'd arse around with a train or hotel or anything. Just pack sensibly and drive

Take two cases if you really need more luggage you can take a large rucksack or other "squishy" type bag that is far easier to get in the boot of the car.
Pay for airport parking ASAP for the best deal.

Trains can be awful when you get back tired after the overnight flight. Take what you can fit in the boot. For 4 of us we take two large suitcases and minimal hand luggage. Or 1 large suitcase and a small carry on each.

Price up how much it would cost to get a family and friends railcard (or use Clubcard vouchers) and getting cheaper train tickets in advance/split tickets as against going by car and paying parking or taking a taxi.

Thanks for all this advice! So helpful!

So I guess the train would be a super ball ache!

Also considering now the drive back would be pretty horrendous as it's an overnight flight back.

So my options are to look into getting a taxi down there and see how much that would be. It's 2h50 mins drive away from where we are.

And failing that to book a hotel with parking or book a premiere inn and book airport parking

Love the idea of nesting cases too!

My kids are 6, 11, 12

We are in the midlands and usually fly from Gatwick to Florida. Had 3 kids, 14,7 and 4 with us last year and fitted everything into a Ford C-Max. 4 suitcases plus 2 rucksacks. We drive down the night before, stay in a premier inn and book parking as a package. All flights home from Florida are overnight. Yes the drive back can be a bit unpleasant but as long as you’ve managed to get a little bit of sleep on the plane you’ll survive, maybe you can split the journey so you do half each?

@Musicalstatues do you book parking with premiere inn? Or a separate company?

The coach is often the best option, there's a direct coach to Heathrow and Gatwick from the Midlands, another from further north. Takes ages but cheap if you book 3 months ahead and no carrying heavy cases. If you can't get a direct coach change at a location with a proper bus station

And failing that to book a hotel with parking or book a premiere inn and book airport parking

A premier inn is a hotel?

You can book hotel plus parking direct with PI. Always check other sources, but they're generally very reasonable.

As for transport, it would be helpful if you say where you are coming from.

Yes we usually book Sleep, Park, Fly direct with premier inn.

www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/locations/airport-hotels.html

rainbow, the OP is asking whether to book them separately or as part of a package. Hotel plus parking packages are generally cheaper.

Sorry I realise that after reading again. We always park at PI so I missed that OP was suggesting parking elsewhere

Definitely check out airport taxis - you might be surprised compared to the cost of train fares, and it’s so easy to just be picked up and driven home at the end of the trip.

Many US hotels have laundry facilities, so that can cut down on how much you need to take. We generally take a week’s worth of clothes in hand luggage, and then just do a laundry load as and when necessary (generally takes about an hour to wash and dry with the commercial machines).

11 and 12 yr olds should easily manage to wrangle their own bags, so it’ll just be the youngest that needs help - or you could pack one larger case for you and DH and the youngest.

If you’re planning on buying lots of stuff, just buy a hold-all and check it in on the way home.

What time is the flight? I'd look at an airport taxi to get you to Gatwick 3.5 hrs before you fly.
And YES to cutting down the bags. 2 large, or my preference, 3 medium cases.

I had 6 cases, 4 hand luggage, me and 2 kids last time I flew (we were moving house internationally, everything else arrived 3 months later). It was an absolute ball ache, and that was with kids well used to flying and what had to happen)

I won’t drive when coming in overnight from the USA as I find it very difficult to sleep on the plane and consider driving to be dangerous. Least stressful (though not necessarily cheapest) would be a taxi and an on airport hotel (Bloc, Yotel, Premier Inn & Sofitel are actually in the airport so you can just walk to security in the morning).
Staying the night before just makes the whole experience so restful (and the holiday mood can start early!). If you’re shelling out for Florida then paying a bit extra for a stress-free start is so worth it.

Where do you live? I'd get the train but it very much depends where you live and how far it is