Which car rental co is it that has "take any car in the aisle"?

[coastgirl]

I want to say Enterprise, but we never rent Enterprise, and we've had this deal in Orlando. Does Alamo or Dollar do it? I seem to remember the parking garage at MCO. We had booked a compact or intermediate I believe and drove away with a minivan. (Dh actually drove away *quickly* because he couldn't believe our luck and was convinced someone was going to stop us and say they''d made a mistake! )

 

[pigletto]

It's both National and Alamo. We have always used Alamo. We booked with Enterprise for this upcoming trip and I can't find any info about their selection process (even posted asking but nobody answered)so I'm prepping myself for being assigned a car. I like being able to pick too. More fun that way

 

[coastgirl]

Thanks Pigletto, that makes sense now! It must've been National. Yes, I agree, more fun!

 

[mississaugamom]

National definitely offers this - register for their "Emerald Aisle" service ... great selection of vehicles there; you never need to book anything larger than intermediate then choose what you like.

 

[coastgirl]

Thanks Mississaugamom. I think we have the emerald aisle thing, if I can just figure out what my password would have been!

 

[sympatico]

National's Emerald Club lets you reserve a midsize car and then you pick anything from the Aisle. You're guaranteed at least a midsize.
Alamo also lets you pick whatever is in the row you reserve. Sometimes they have a mixture of vehicle sizes in the rows. Last Nov I reserved a full size and when we got there the only thing left was vans. We ended up with a 8 passenger Toyota Sienna which worked really well for us.

 

[donkthemagicllama]

If you don't see what you want in the national aisle, they might let you take something from the Alamo aisle as well. We rented a convertible, and were disappointed to only see Sebrings in the national convertible aisle. There was a VW bug convertible in the Alamo aisle and the agent said we could take it instead. (Alamo and national have the same parent company. Actually... I think enterprise is the same company too..)

 

[sympatico]

. (Alamo and national have the same parent company. Actually... I think enterprise is the same company too..)

Enterprise is the parent company.

 

[Tropics]

We just did an Enterprise rental out of MCO. They have a rep meet you and they give you a choice of the vehicles in your category that are available. It's not an anything in your aisle but you do get a choice.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Alamo, National, and Dollar allow you to pick a car

 

[GGKoul]

Alamo, National, and Dollar allow you to pick a car

Budget does the same thing when you use their FastPass service.

 

[coastgirl]

Budget does the same thing when you use their FastPass service.

Thanks--and a good reminder to me to sign up for everything on the go (though I have a hard time keeping all my "profiles" straight!) We really liked being able to pick what suited us best, though right now I'd be happy to get a better rate--I know I have to wait 'til closer to our date to get the deals, but it's hard to be patient!

 

[Sue M]

I didn't know Budget does that? I have FP. But when I rent with Budget they tell me I can pick a car in the aisle with the class I reserved. Same with Alamo.
National is the only one I've heard of that lets you pick a higher class.

Unless of course they run out of the class you reserved, then they have to upgrade you! Although at the counter they always try to upsell you to a higher class, even when they've run out of what you reserved, cause you dont know it till you get to the garage Both Budget & Alamo have tried this tactic on me.
I usually reserve a compact or mid size, which I guess are the most popular, and the first to run out. By the time our flights from the west coast arrive they usually run out of compacts and mid size so upgrade us anyway. But not before trying to up sell! A pet peeve of mine I always decline the up sell. But it still angers me that the desk tries to get me to pay for a higher class even though they've run out of a mid size anyway.

 

[coastgirl]

Yeah, I agree, Sue, that really sucks. I've been reading the Trip Advisor Orlando forum lately too, and the Brits seem to get hit hard on the upsell all the time. We always just say, no. No. No. No. And they give up. This time our flight arrives around noon, but it's a Saturday, so maybe we'll luck out and they won't have the class we reserved. (Midsize at best for us though I have a big ol' mom-van at home.)

 

[Sue M]

Yeah, I agree, Sue, that really sucks. I've been reading the Trip Advisor Orlando forum lately too, and the Brits seem to get hit hard on the upsell all the time. We always just say, no. No. No. No. And they give up. This time our flight arrives around noon, but it's a Saturday, so maybe we'll luck out and they won't have the class we reserved. (Midsize at best for us though I have a big ol' mom-van at home.)

Good luck on the rental I have no idea when we are arriving, been watching flights for august and boy are fares high Hope I find a seat sale soon! Everything else is booked, Ft Lauderdale & WDW hotels & Budget Car rental for Lauderdale & to drive up to WDW. But hope Alamo rates come down, prefer them, and returning car to Car Care Center near TTC.

 

[ixmnrs]

The last time I rented at Hertz in Orlando (5+years ago), I had to take a shuttle to their off airport location. Can someone please confirm that they are now onsite in the terminal now and that you don't have to take the shuttle. I got a great rate compared to the others but was hesitant because of the last experience.

 

[The Lorax]

It's both National and Alamo. We have always used Alamo. We booked with Enterprise for this upcoming trip and I can't find any info about their selection process (even posted asking but nobody answered)so I'm prepping myself for being assigned a car. I like being able to pick too. More fun that way

I agree, it is nice to pick the model and colour. Thrifty also has the same service, discovered on our last Orlando trip this past May. We a mid size class but had pick of the aisle. My middle DD put her luggage in the first car we came to, the girls (DW + 3 DD's) were less than impressed that I had to check a few out before picking one.
They wanted the vacay to start asap, can't say I blammed them.

 

[coastgirl]

Sounds like the idea is spreading. That's good news!