Three generations, one vehicle plan.

Start with the count, then the bags

Write down every person who will travel together, then every bag, then every stroller. Eight people is already past what one taxi, or even two, handles well. A standard taxi seats four, so a family of eleven means three cars, three fares and three arrivals at slightly different moments. That is the point where one vehicle starts to make sense.

A bag is a medium suitcase. Strollers, folding chairs and shopping take space too, so a family of eleven with nine suitcases and two strollers is close to the 13-seater’s limit. Say so in your request and we confirm the fit in writing. Spare seats are better than a full aisle.

Who sits where

On a long family day, the seat plan matters more than people expect. The V-Class has captain’s chairs, so everyone has their own seat and a little room around it. Sliding doors on both sides make loading a stroller simple. The 13-seater van has rows of forward-facing seats with belts and a luggage area behind the last row.

Decide the order before the driver arrives. Some people want the front row, others the aisle, and children often want to sit together. Tell us if anyone has a seating need, and we confirm in writing what we can arrange. If a grandparent has any mobility needs, ask us about them before booking, and we say in writing what we can do for that trip.

Child seats are free on request in our cars, SUVs and vans. Give each child’s age with the booking and the right seat is fitted before the driver arrives.

Splitting the family without splitting the trip

Not everyone wants the same day. The teenagers want a theme park. The grandparents want a morning in the souks and a long lunch. You do not have to pick one plan for fourteen people.

The first option is two vehicles on the same quote, for example a Sprinter for the main group and a V-Class for the smaller one. It is how a relatives’ reunion is often handled: a Sprinter meets the largest group at the airport and a V-Class collects the others as they land. The second option is one vehicle with two shifts. The driver drops the active group at the park, takes the others to a long lunch, then collects everybody at an agreed time.

Both options suit hourly hire as well. Hourly hire starts at four hours within Dubai, so a morning for the grandparents does not need a full day. Tell us the plan for each group and we show the hours in writing.

A day plan with rest built in

The same rule works for all three generations: fewer stops, longer at each, and a cool place to sit between them. Our drivers keep the vehicle cooled before pick-up and kept cool between stops, and chilled water is on board as standard in the cars.

• Morning: one outdoor or active stop, then back to the vehicle.
• Midday: a long lunch indoors. A day of up to ten hours leaves room for it.
• Afternoon: a second stop that suits the youngest, such as the Legoland and theme park gates, while the oldest rest.
• Evening: the fountain or a waterfront walk, and back to the hotel.

A child will nap in the vehicle if the driver is happy to wait ten extra minutes. Tell the driver at the start of the day, not at the car park.

The long day: Abu Dhabi

An Abu Dhabi day is about 90 minutes each way. That is a long time in a seat for the smallest and the oldest. Plan a comfort stop on any trip of more than two hours. Drivers know the service areas along the E11 and E66 and will build a stop into the timetable if you ask.

The Grand Mosque day trip notes that late afternoon is the gentlest time for older visitors. If anyone has limited mobility, tell us when booking so the driver can drop you as close to the entrance as the mosque allows. We confirm what we can arrange before you travel.

For a family that wants one day in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi, the family holiday guide shows which days need a driver and which are fine with a taxi or the hotel shuttle.

Arrival day for a large family

Three generations rarely land together. One part flies from Sydney, another from London, a cousin comes in from the United States. Send each flight number and we track it. A landing that is early or late moves the pick-up.

Plan 60 to 90 minutes from landing to the kerb for a big group. An older traveller who needs extra time or help should be named on the booking. Our airport transfer page explains how split arrivals work, and the big group arrival guide covers the meeting point and the luggage count.

Asking for a quote

Tell us the number of people and their ages, the number of bags and strollers, the hotel by name and a rough plan for each day. We reply with a fixed written quote naming the vehicle and the hours. Ask for the same driver for the whole stay and we plan it where the schedule allows. Use the booking page.

Related: Family holiday in Dubai · Van with driver · Dubai airport transfer for groups · Big group arrival at DXB · Car with driver for a day · Get a quote

Keep reading

• Family holiday in Dubai: A family week in Dubai: which days a van with a driver earns its place, which days taxis or the Metro are fine, and a simple way to work out the cost.
• Family reunion transport for 15 to 40: Planning a Dubai family reunion for 15 to 40 relatives: vehicle arithmetic by headcount and bags, then the three jobs of arrivals, the main event and departures.
• Transport for 9 to 13 people: Nine to thirteen people and their suitcases: when the 13-seater van is enough, when the bags tip you into a bigger vehicle, and when two vehicles beat one.
• School trip bus cost: What a field trip bus costs a Dubai school, what pushes the price up, and how to turn it into a cost per pupil for the parents’ letter.
• Transport for 100 or more people: A method for moving 100 or more people in Dubai: coaches counted from seats and bags, a loading order, a spare, and what to send so vehicles are confirmed against your dates.
• Yas Island parks, group day trip: A day at Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World or SeaWorld for a school, club, family or company group from Dubai: what the parks say about groups, bags, parking and the drive.