If you’re a fan of the classic Christmas movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” you might have wondered where the Griswold family got their RV. After all, it plays a crucial role in the movie, serving as both transportation and lodging for the family’s ill-fated holiday trip. So where did they get it?
First of all, let’s take a closer look at the RV itself. In the movie, it’s a 1989 Fleetwood Bounder, a class A motorhome that measures over 30 feet long and weighs around 12,000 pounds. It’s painted white and adorned with green and red stripes, along with the iconic “Griswold Family Christmas” banner on the side.
But back to our question: where did they get this impressive ride? As it turns out, the RV was not custom-made for the movie. Instead, it was rented from an RV dealership in California called Cruise America.
Cruise America is still in business today and offers rentals of various types of RVs across North America. But back in 1989 when “Christmas Vacation” was filmed, Cruise America was relatively new on the scene. The company had been founded just ten years earlier by Robert Smalley Sr., who had previously worked in car rental and saw an opportunity to expand into recreational vehicles.
So why did director Jeremiah S. Chechik choose Cruise America as the source for the Griswold family’s RV? One reason may have been convenience: Cruise America had locations throughout California at the time, which would have made it easy to rent and return vehicles during filming.
Another factor may have been cost-effectiveness. Renting an existing RV would likely have been cheaper than building a custom one from scratch for filming purposes.
Of course, renting an actual vehicle does come with its own set of challenges when it comes to filming. For one thing, there’s no guarantee that the vehicle will be available when you need it, since it could be rented out to other customers. Additionally, the vehicle may not be in pristine condition if it’s been used for previous rentals.
According to some reports, the Bounder used in “Christmas Vacation” was not actually in great shape when it was rented from Cruise America. In fact, it reportedly broke down several times during filming and had to be towed or repaired on multiple occasions.
Despite these challenges, the RV remains a memorable part of “Christmas Vacation” for many fans. Whether you’re admiring its classic design or cringing at the various mishaps that occur inside and around it during the movie, there’s no denying that the Griswold family’s RV is an iconic piece of Christmas movie history.
In conclusion, while the Griswold family’s RV may seem like a custom creation made just for “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” it was actually a rental from Cruise America. The company has gone on to become a major player in the RV rental industry, but its role in this classic holiday movie will always hold a special place in fans’ hearts.