gardenmom5 Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 supply and demand. I suffered a lot of sticker shock on plane tickets (and was glad dh and dudeling are flying companion fares. 1&2 dss - are also flying companion fares, but are paying for it themselves.) I really needed to book a car. Finally did it this morning. I don't want to pick dh up at 5AM!!! (45 minutes away! I can see it making me physically sick at that time of day interrupting sleep.) . . . . but costco is sold out of rentals. So, I said fine, and book through the airline! (cancel anytime . . ) I told dsil if he was going to replace their third car that was totaled, I'd rather give him the money and let him apply it towards a car . . . . we went back and forth so he knew where I was coming from. (and it was my 'selfishness' 😜 of not wanting to pick up dh at 5am - or drop him off at 4am! when he flies out. (it's 1 1/2 hours round trip to/from the airport) my fights are much more civilized hours . . ) In the end, he's using his work account for a rental car near their house FOR A WEEK - for what ONE DAY from the airport/through the airline would cost!!! he has to drive it (since he's renting it through his work account). Fine, I can drive one of the other cars (they have two SUVs) not a problem. We can have a lot of fun with how much we're going to save . . .(trampoline park, texas bbq, more bbq . . . . ) I can still have dh and dueling take a taxi/shuttle/limo to dd's house the morning they fly in, and IT WOULD still BE CHEAPER! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 We've found that renting a car at the airport is more expensive than elsewhere. The airport tends to tag on all sorts of fees. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/is-it-cheaper-to-rent-a-car-at-the-airport Add in work accounts usually have some sort of deal/discount with the rental car places, and again - significantly cheaper. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet2ndchance Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 Our small town is in the band of totality. We should get 4 minutes or so of darkness. The town is hosting an eclipse festival that they are hoping will bring a lot of tourists and money to the town. Schools are out that day as well for the event. It's really a big deal here that they are hoping will boost the local economy. Higher prices during that time around here wouldn't surprise me at all. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartstrings Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 We’re in the path of totality and right off the interstate with a small airport so we’re in a really convenient location for visitors. My area is putting out notices that we expect so many visitors that we should anticipate poor cell reception, poor water pressure and possible power outages that whole week. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 4 hours ago, Bambam said: We've found that renting a car at the airport is more expensive than elsewhere. The airport tends to tag on all sorts of fees. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/is-it-cheaper-to-rent-a-car-at-the-airport Add in work accounts usually have some sort of deal/discount with the rental car places, and again - significantly cheaper. I've always found the airport more expensive. (but not normally 5+ X's more expensive!) It's paying for the convenience - but when the plane is landing at 5am and I don't want to have to drive to the airport 45 minutes away to pick them up . . I may still have them take a shuttle/taxi/uber/etc to 2dd's when they land (and dh can pick up 1&2 dss when they fly in a couple days later). . . . 'cause I'm going to have to drive them back and drop them off at 4am for their return flight. even the offsite places by 2dd's are more expensive than normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 I know a couple who are flying to Texas within the next few days, staying for a week. They said their rental car costs more than their round trip airfare. So I don't think it's eclipse price gouging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 I'm in TX. For the last 3? years, rental car prices have been outrageous. Think $800 for a weekly rental - that used to be like $300. It has gotten some better, but rental car prices are still high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 6 hours ago, sweet2ndchance said: Our small town is in the band of totality. We should get 4 minutes or so of darkness. The town is hosting an eclipse festival that they are hoping will bring a lot of tourists and money to the town. Schools are out that day as well for the event. It's really a big deal here that they are hoping will boost the local economy. Higher prices during that time around here wouldn't surprise me at all. dd's on the edge of totality, so, we'll drive a bit further (not much) to get the full four minutes. The entire travel industry has raised prices . . . dh and 2ds went and saw the last eclipse - they had to drive four hours (so stayed over night with a friend who lived much closer). the backups were horrific. But . . . some very entrepreneurial youngin's were selling bottled water on the side of the road. (they were in an area werent' many roads.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 14 Author Share Posted February 14 1 minute ago, Bambam said: I'm in TX. For the last 3? years, rental car prices have been outrageous. Think $800 for a weekly rental - that used to be like $300. It has gotten some better, but rental car prices are still high. what part? dsil got one for a week for $300 through his employer - he's in FW. I haven't rented a car when I've gone for at least five+ years. I've always just driven one of theirs. (but dd totaled one, so they're down to two.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 2 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said: what part? dsil got one for a week for $300 through his employer - he's in FW. I haven't rented a car when I've gone for at least five+ years. I've always just driven one of theirs. (but dd totaled one, so they're down to two.) We are in east TX is a mid-sized town. I think rental cars are cheaper in the major cities. We are on the edge of the totality. We will be driving about 40 miles west to have a better observation point. And buy your eclipse glasses now because they are going up in price too! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet2ndchance Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 (edited) Just got back from our town's Walmart and they are already selling eclipse tee shirts with our town's name on them lol. Edited February 14 by sweet2ndchance 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 18 minutes ago, sweet2ndchance said: Just got back from our town's Walmart and they are already selling eclipse tee shirts with our town's name on them lol. our town is doing that too 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartstrings Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 I think the car rental companies really messed up their Covid response. They seem to have decided that Covid was The End of travel and just dumped all their cars, then had to re buy fleets during the highest part of the car market when people continued to travel. I think that’s why prices are high. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 13 hours ago, sweet2ndchance said: Our small town is in the band of totality. We should get 4 minutes or so of darkness. The town is hosting an eclipse festival that they are hoping will bring a lot of tourists and money to the town. Schools are out that day as well for the event. It's really a big deal here that they are hoping will boost the local economy. Higher prices during that time around here wouldn't surprise me at all. I just heard about this. Crazy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 I don't think this is any different than other big events. Prices are usually much higher during major events. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 18 hours ago, Bambam said: We are in east TX is a mid-sized town. I think rental cars are cheaper in the major cities. We are on the edge of the totality. We will be driving about 40 miles west to have a better observation point. And buy your eclipse glasses now because they are going up in price too! got them already, and tested, and figured out the difference between the Lunt 5pk and 10pk. 5pk- made in US, 10pk - made in germany. I felt the 5pk made in US were safe (there's a thread explaining) and sent the made in germany ones back. (even though they were a lot cheaper) I bought some for grandsons, but 2dd said they had them from the annular eclipse so I can probably send those back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 (edited) Our local towns are asking people to stay home for the eclipse. "officials are planning for the increased population, which could cause traffic congestion, increased spectators in local businesses, slower cell and internet speeds, and more." This is part of a letter sent out: It is in the best interest of our residents to prepare for this event in the weeks prior. This includes stocking food, picking up prescriptions the week before, keeping your cell phone battery charged, and scheduling all appointments before or after the event’s weekend. PLAN TO STAY HOME IF POSSIBLE! Edited February 20 by Kassia 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 49 minutes ago, Kassia said: Our local towns are asking people to stay home for the eclipse. "officials are planning for the increased population, which could cause traffic congestion, increased spectators in local businesses, slower cell and internet speeds, and more." This is part of a letter sent out: It is in the best interest of our residents to prepare for this event in the weeks prior. This includes stocking food, picking up prescriptions the week before, keeping your cell phone battery charged, and scheduling all appointments before or after the event’s weekend. PLAN TO STAY HOME IF POSSIBLE! Yes, it is going to be crazy. We mapped a way from the Alabama house over to the NWA rental all side roads and away from traffic jams. We are arriving 3 days early to just not have issues, get groceries, hunker down. We will be in a house that is quite remote, no light pollution no traffic. We are not leaving after the eclipse is over. We are spending the night there, and hoping that a lot of folks will have headed towards home the previous afternoon and evening so hopefully we can begin the drive back to Michigan on Tuesday, but I have to admit that I am worried about Tuesday traffic, especially in the morning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 2 hours ago, Kassia said: Our local towns are asking people to stay home for the eclipse. "officials are planning for the increased population, which could cause traffic congestion, increased spectators in local businesses, slower cell and internet speeds, and more." This is part of a letter sent out: It is in the best interest of our residents to prepare for this event in the weeks prior. This includes stocking food, picking up prescriptions the week before, keeping your cell phone battery charged, and scheduling all appointments before or after the event’s weekend. PLAN TO STAY HOME IF POSSIBLE! Our mayor has said something similar, as did the local paper. I also think we're in the same neck of the woods, though. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I have a dilemma. I don't want to be at my workplace, because I have no desire to be in the middle of the party atmosphere of a campus, and I'd really like to just sit out in the sun for a couple of hours and quietly watch it come and go. However, my campus is also probably a primo place to see it, given the geographical features of the area. A colleague has invited people to her farm, an hour drive away, but I really worry about getting there, as she is on the centerline of totality, along country roads. I'd feel like I might want to get there at 8am, and then I'd be sitting there on her driveway, trying not to look stupid for 3 hours since I'm such an overthinker. (And I loathe to sit in traffic.) If I take the day off, my house will be in a place where there is coverage, but I'm surrounded by tall trees, and I'd like to "see it from a vantage point" or across an empty field, and that's pretty much the opposite of my neighborhood. Sigh. Decisions, decisions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 25 minutes ago, Halftime Hope said: then I'd be sitting there on her driveway, trying not to look stupid for 3 hours since I'm such an overthinker. (And I loathe to sit in traffic.) Take a book, then you won't notice if anyone looks at you funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Yes, big events cause prices to skyrocket. I lived in Pasadena for 17 years. We had some friends who rented out their house every year for the Rose Bowl/Rose Parade. They charged thousands per night, even in the 90s and early 2000's. They went to stay with their parents a few hours away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 We are planning to go to AR. We have several,options so who knows where we will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 10 hours ago, Halftime Hope said: I have a dilemma. I don't want to be at my workplace, because I have no desire to be in the middle of the party atmosphere of a campus, and I'd really like to just sit out in the sun for a couple of hours and quietly watch it come and go. However, my campus is also probably a primo place to see it, given the geographical features of the area. A colleague has invited people to her farm, an hour drive away, but I really worry about getting there, as she is on the centerline of totality, along country roads. I'd feel like I might want to get there at 8am, and then I'd be sitting there on her driveway, trying not to look stupid for 3 hours since I'm such an overthinker. (And I loathe to sit in traffic.) If I take the day off, my house will be in a place where there is coverage, but I'm surrounded by tall trees, and I'd like to "see it from a vantage point" or across an empty field, and that's pretty much the opposite of my neighborhood. Sigh. Decisions, decisions! I think you should just ask her if she would mind if you tossed a lawn chair out on her lawn or in the drive so you could soak up the sun and read. She probably won't mind at all. I say go do it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Thanks, @Rosie_0801 and @Faith-manor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo Blue Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 On 2/21/2024 at 9:18 AM, Scarlett said: We are planning to go to AR. We have several,options so who knows where we will be. We are, too. Hoping ds (that lives there) can find a good backroad. I would honestly be fine not going, because it’s beginning to scare me how hard it might be getting there and back home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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