say GOODBYE to National EA SUV's and vans

[Augustheather97]

My sister JUST flew into MCO yesterday and rented a full size on EA and was told they are NO LONGER offering mini vans and SUV's on the aisles........only the size car you booked......she had a lot of luggage and 2 kids so she went back into the desk and they offered here a minivan but made her pay $10 MORE per day .......which I think really STINKS>>>>>>hopefully if enough people complain they will go back to the old way?????

[Pluto4President]

We just saw on Monday, a load of minivans and suv's on the aisle at MCO. Afterall, the bigger vehicles were only a bonus. If she needed a larger vehicle that is what she should have rented. EA is merely for convenience, not an automatic upgrade.

[Chuck S]

Everyone on these boards have always recommended reserving the size vehicle you actually need. That is all they guarantee. Flying in on a weekend and expecting to find a minivan is pushing your luck. If you are able to get a 'larger than reserved' vehicle it is just luck.

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Augustheather,
Why would you say that paying for an upgrade stinks? she rented a full size, that is what she is guaranteed. To want more is fine, but, you have to pay for it.
We have all said over and over and over, reserve what you need. If you want to gamble on a bigger than what you rented vehicle that is fine, but, don't bank on it. Not sure if your Sister has this community to turn to for advice, but, hopefully you relayed the message.

[Lewisc]

Actually National was being nice to your sister, $10 /day is probably the rate difference if she had reserved the correct sized vehicle in the first place. It's possible they wouldn't have had a mini-van to give her or could have charged her a considerably more undiscounted rate.
I haven't seen any mention on National's webiste or any other National material that lists free upgrades to mini-vans or SUV's as a benefit.

[KellyDVC]

Augustheather,

I am actually amazed that they would only charge $10 per day for that upgrade. I will inquire about that when I am there in a few weeks. Let's do the math:

I have an EA reservation for 9 days $165 all-in (taxes, etc w/ DC discount and DC coupon). For this minivan upgrade, let's say we add $90 plus taxes (9 days X $10), or $100 buck to that, so $265 all-in.

versus

The absolute best 9-day minivan reservation $ I have ever seen, has been $199 for a week plus 2 days @ $39.99, or approx $280 base rate, then add taxes daily surcharges, etc for close to $330. I'll only add that I have not seen this rate for a while. In addition most coupons are up to full-size only (not for minivans), so I ignored that.

So, it still looks like EC service would have saved me $65 ($330-$265=$65), versus what I have explained above to be the lowest minivan rate I have ever seen. Pretty good deal, and one I will jump on if available when I arrive (of course assuming a minivan or SUV is not on the aisle).

I have used EA twice before (once in TPA and MCO) and drove away with SUV's both times, for less than $20 per day (all-in). I would have liked a minivan, but the cost savings outweighed my "need" even with three kids (twins- 3 yrs old, and a 6 year old). Twice before that I paid nearly $40 per day for a van, but never again! However, I am fully prepared to drive away in a full size, if necessary, but hope for something larger. But if I can upgrade for only $10 per day, what a great back-up plan!

I am very interested in hearing more about the upgrade, and how your sister found out about it at MCO - did an attendant direct her to the counter, did she have to see a manager to get the $10 offer, etc? Please post here, I am sure many others will want to know as well.

Our family likes the EA very much, especially considering its convenient location, and National even has two EA lots at MCO (we had to check both lots to get the SUV, on our last trip).

I look forward to your response.

[seashoreCM]

At one time I suggested that the kids hold suitcases on their laps, it is not that long a ride from the airport to the resort. The rest of the time even a compact car for a family of four will be adequate.

More Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

[Augustheather97]

In response back....her Luggage wouldn't fit in the Camry they had on the VERY limited selection aisles........so they went up to an attendent aand asked what to do and he directed them into the desk, which added quite some time on to the checkout procedure.....they also told her you won't be seeing ANY MORE vans or SUV's on the aisle FROM NOW ON.....so I wouldn't expect to see them there again IF you need a bigger car reserve it is all I'm saying......We both fly to WDW ALOT...and have Never had a prolblem getting a SUV or van, so that is why she was surprised especially since the way things are going with tourism she was just shocked about the lack of bigger cars........

[drusba]

As National has made no official announcement about deleting vans and SUV's from the aisle, I think it important that we find out if the information your sister was given was accurate or just an employee making things up. Has anyone else heard of this change in National's policy? Has anyone been very recently and gotten a van or SUV? Though she may have only been guaranteed a full size, I agree she should have been given a van at no extra charge if in fact what she was told about vans and SUV's is true. The point is not what she was guaranteed but that National led her (and everyone else) to believe that you can sometimes get a van or SUV and did not inform her beforehand that it was not possible. Had she known beforehand she could have made different decisions--including going to a different rental company.

[GAIL HAYDEN]

There has not been any announcement of no more vans or suvs on the EA, nor have I ever read that the possibility of getting one exists anywhere in anything by National. If they allowed you to book one on the EA then I would say she should have had one at no charge, however you cannot book one on the EA and have never been promised anything more than you booked, so, I really find it difficult to understand why she should have had one at no charge.

[Letsbgoofy]

First let me say that I agree with most of the previous posters; you should book the car class that you want, not depend on an upgrade.

Now, to tell you what I was told by reservations in August; that EA would no longer have any cars other than full or mid size. I brought this up at the counter at Orlando airport and was told that this is not true! I was also told by reservations that even if I booked a full size car with EA I was only guaranteed a mid size car. I asked at the airport and was told that this also is not true. I ended up using counter service for our August trip because of the misinformation that I was given.

[lawgs]

looks like maybe the right and left hand are not in sync at national...this person had a large selection at MCO


http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=106279

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Letsbegoofy,
I remember that conversation well, in fact I remember calling National right afterwards.
The answer I got was that we are being charged the intermediate rate but getting a full size upgrade and that if none were available then we could speak to an attendant and they would accomodate you. I have also, at a different time, asked about SUVs and Vans (nothing I would ever rent but wanted to be informed) and converts. They said that was not true either that there would be, from time to time, the 3 aforementioned vehicles on the aisles.
I think LAWGS is correct, one hand is not watching the other.

[sgtdisney]

I have a feeling that the desk said that because too many people are coming to the Aisle and expecting to find a larger vehicle. I have to wonder how many times they get asked for SUVs or Minivans that are not on the aisle. It probably isn't easy having to explain to people that there are no SUVs and Minivans on the aisle and they have to accecpt what was reserved when they are standing there with 6 suitcases...

As others here have stated, your best bet is to reserve exactly what you need. If you get something larger, you can be happy at your good fortune. I went to Fla last month using the EA. I was hoping for a minivan, but expecting a fullsize, which was what I got. I wasn't disapointed at all. I ended up with a fully loaded Dodge Intrepid and was more than pleased.

[jtryan]

Gail,

It sounds like you are telling me that if I reserve a Full Size vehicle through National it has a built-in free upgrade so that I am only guaranteed an intermediate size vehicle? That would really make me upset since I only used National instead of Dollar (same price for full size) because of the possibility (no guarantee) of getting an upgrade from full size to whatever better may be on EA. However, I was at least under the assumption that I would leave with a full size if not better. Please clarify if you don't mind.

roxanne

[Pluto4President]

you are guaranteed what your rent. Pay for a full size - definately get a full size. Maybe better - now worse!

[jctwizzer]

The discrepency may not be with National...The person that got a wide selection pick his/hers up on 9/28....The person posting about no more suv's did that on 10/6....its entirely possible both were correct at the times in question:smooth:

[GAIL HAYDEN]

jt,
I reality, you are being charged for an intermediate and being given a full size. You are guaranteed what you reserve, hence, if you reserve a full size, that is what you will get at an intermediate price.
Hope this helps.

[jtryan]

Thanks all for clearing this up for me.

roxanne

[mom2boys]

IMHO -It could be that National lost a lot of it's larger vehicles to one way rentals when the air traffic was shut down for several days. People had to find a way to get home & many may have taken one-way rentals. I suspect that a lot more people were trying to get home from Orlando than were trying to Orlando at that time.
IF we know we have a minimum comfort requirement - we pay for that. Anything more, is a bonus. We refuse to set ourselves up for disapppointment by expecting more than we pay for.

[Augustheather97]

:bounce:

[CarolA]

While I cannot comment on any changes in the National program in the past few weeks I can tell you what a National corp rep told our company about the EA program. The decision to put cars besides full size and Intermediate on the aisle is up to the local manager and is normally based on car availablity. For example if they have a lot of non - EA full size reservations they might be more likely to put luxury and other cars on the aisle. However, the EA program is mainly marketed to business travelers and the majority of business travelers, including myself, will pitch a fit if faced with driving a mini van!

The majority of upgrades you get for free with coupons and other things (EA, Credit Cards etc.) are up to a full size car. Most rental car companies will not upgrade you to a luxury, SUV or mini van. These are high dollar cars for them. They charge a premium to rent them and make a lot of profit.

As has been said before time and time again. Do not use the EA program if you must have a mini van. For my 9/22 rental I had a choice of SUVs, but no vans!

[paras4ri]

I agree with the thread about many people driving home from Florida. National is offering discounts for one-way rentals and the destination for many is Florida.

:wave:

[jodyluvsdisney]

bump..... any really recent experiences?