DME Question...

[abbynlindsaysmom]

We are going to Orlando for two weeks. The first week we will stay on property with no car and want to use DME. The second week we will stay off property and rent a car. We would like to use DME to take us and our bags to the resort. If we want to send my father and husband back to the airport using DME while we wait at the resort for them to come and pick us up with the rental car, is that doable? Thanks for the help!

Justine

 

[Alesia]

Yes, that's fine.

 

[grimley1968]

I don't think you can use DME beyond the time window of your stay at the WDW onsite resort, though you could use it to get to the WDW resort from the airport.

I have to admit confusion, though: why not just go somewhere closer to rent the car, such as the Car Care Center or the Dolphin's rental car location? That way, the trip to the car rental place is quicker (and possibly could be done using regular WDW onsite transportation), and the person renting the car could then come back to the WDW resort to pick everyone up to go to the other place.

 

[Jestocost]

I don't think you can use DME beyond the time window of your stay at the WDW onsite resort, though you could use it to get to the WDW resort from the airport.

I have to admit confusion, though: why not just go somewhere closer to rent the car, such as the Car Care Center or the Dolphin's rental car location? That way, the trip to the car rental place is quicker (and possibly could be done using regular WDW onsite transportation), and the person renting the car could then come back to the WDW resort to pick everyone up to go to the other place.

What the OP is suggesting--taking DME back to the airport to pick up a rental car on the day they check out from their Disney resort--is perfectly fine. You are entitled to transport to the airport on check-out day; it doesn't matter if you are actually catching a plane or not.

What Grimley suggests is equally viable.

I would check on rental car costs for both options and if costs are the same I agree that renting at the CCC or Dolphin would be more convenient. If picking up at MCO is significantly cheaper, however, then using DME to go get the car is fine. You'll just need to give them a flight departure time that is three hours out from when you want your bus to pick you up.

 

[abbynlindsaysmom]

I don't want to use it past our stay. We would send the guys to the airport on the last day of our stay when we are checking out to get the rental car but I had no idea that I could do it onsite! How does that work and where do I call? I usually find a good deal online and then we just pick up the car at the Orlando airport. Can I get any car rental company from those sites you mention? Thanks!

 

[grimley1968]

I don't want to use it past our stay. We would send the guys to the airport on the last day of our stay when we are checking out to get the rental car but I had no idea that I could do it onsite! How does that work and where do I call? I usually find a good deal online and then we just pick up the car at the Orlando airport. Can I get any car rental company from those sites you mention? Thanks!

Two places (that I know of) to rent cars on WDW property:

- Car Care Center
- Dolphin resort

I've used the location at the Dolphin once, and it was incredibly convenient. Only drawbacks are that it offered only Alamo/National (or in 2004 at least), and the desk hours are not all day.

The Car Care Center, I think, has more rental companies than the Dolphin, and the hours are much longer throughout the day. It would probably require a rental company shuttle to get to/from a resort, while the Dolphin has no shuttles (that I know of) but can be reached using Disney buses or boats.

If you look on rental company websites, you'll be asked where to pick up from (and drop off). Both the Car Care Center and the Dolphin should be listed as locations on participating rental company websites.

Sorry, but I don't know which companies besides Alamo/National offer rental services at the Car Care Center, or even if there are any others.

 

[skelooch]

It would certainly be worth it to research rental cars from some of the onsite locations such as the Dolphin and Car Care Center, which are Alamo/National, The Regal Sun Resort which has Dollar, and the Hilton which has Avis. with a drop off location as the airport. Sometime the rates can be pretty good. If not you could always go with your plan.
I'm not sure how you would arrange ME back to the airport unless you tell Disney what your flight time is, I don't think they will just let you use it as a shuttle.
The Regal Sun and Hilton are on Hotel Plaza Blvd within walking distance from DTD.

 

[abbynlindsaysmom]

by picking up the car at the Dolphin and then dropping off at MCO! We are staying at either Beach Club or Boardwalk so is that close to Dolphin?

 

[Alesia]

by picking up the car at the Dolphin and then dropping off at MCO! We are staying at either Beach Club or Boardwalk so is that close to Dolphin?

Yes, you can walk there in just a few minutes.

 

[grimley1968]

by picking up the car at the Dolphin and then dropping off at MCO! We are staying at either Beach Club or Boardwalk so is that close to Dolphin?

Beach Club is next door (5-10 minute walk from Dolphin). BWI is about the same distance, though on the other side of the lake. You can ride the boat, but walking is twice as fast.

If the rates are acceptable to you, I'd go ahead and book the rental right there at the Dolphin. I did it when I stayed at BC in 2004, and it was probably the most pleasant rental car experience I've ever had.

 

[abbynlindsaysmom]

it is less than HALF to rent at Alamo right at the Dolphin than to go to the airport. Woo hoo! Now if I could just GET my BWV room I'd be all set to rent the car.

 

[grimley1968]

it is less than HALF to rent at Alamo right at the Dolphin than to go to the airport. Woo hoo! Now if I could just GET my BWV room I'd be all set to rent the car.

That's good to hear. Normally you might be expected to pay more for a one-way rental like that (Dolphin to MCO) than one where you drop off at the same location as the pickup. I don't think I saved any money when I rented at the Dolphin vs. using MCO's desk, but it sure was convenient and time-saving when staying at BC.