MARCH 2017 Car Rental Rate Thread!

[richmo]

I don't know if it was the change into the new year, but I see rates for my late March dates have come down a bit at Alamo (using Costco). The rates I'm seeing now don't beat what I posted in #11 of this thread, but I'm seeing weekly total rates now a little under $300 where last week they were over $400. By no means are these good, but if you have nothing it might be worth a look and hold something just in case...

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

Better safe than sorry, right? I thought the same thing as the DIANAPRINCESSOFWALES.
I booked with Budget. A mini-van (we are party of 5 with crazy size luggages). The total was U$ 614 (March 9-16).

Wow that's high! At Christmas we paid $300 for a minivan for a week with Alamo!

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

Hello! We are going to be flying into MCO on 3/14 but can't find any reasonable flights back out of MCO, so will be flying back out of Tampa. We have rented a car the last two years but this trip we only used it to and from the airport so that seemed like a waste. We are staying at Wilderness Lodge so I feel like we would be okay taking Magical Express to the resort and getting a car later. Could we just rent a car our last day to get to Tampa, and if so, where would you recommend renting from? I see one at Dolphin and at the Car Care Center. How would we get there? Does anyone have other suggestions to get to the Tampa airport for 3 people that wouldn't be expensive? We usually get a mini-van but there are only three of us this time, so we don't need it, but lots of luggage so a mid-size SUV is $57. Is that my best option?

 

[WeLuvTink!]

Hello! We are going to be flying into MCO on 3/14 but can't find any reasonable flights back out of MCO, so will be flying back out of Tampa. We have rented a car the last two years but this trip we only used it to and from the airport so that seemed like a waste. We are staying at Wilderness Lodge so I feel like we would be okay taking Magical Express to the resort and getting a car later. Could we just rent a car our last day to get to Tampa, and if so, where would you recommend renting from? I see one at Dolphin and at the Car Care Center. How would we get there? Does anyone have other suggestions to get to the Tampa airport for 3 people that wouldn't be expensive? We usually get a mini-van but there are only three of us this time, so we don't need it, but lots of luggage so a mid-size SUV is $57. Is that my best option?

I know you can call the Car Care Center and get a shuttle to come to your hotel to pick you up. Not sure if the have service is available from the rental center at the Dolphin. You could always take a cab too. Usually no wait at all and going that close would run maybe $10-12....

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

We have always rented a minivan for the four of us and all of our luggage. This time I only need a rental from hotel to the Tampa airport for 3 of us, so I don't think we need a minivan. I drive a minivan at home, too, so I am not up to date on SUV's and cars. If we have two Large Suitcases, 1 medium suitcase and 3 medium size carry-ons with 3 people, does anyone have a suggestion of what size vehicle we can get away with? I was looking at a Mid-Size SUV for the price but it says 5 people and 2 bags, and a Standard car and Full Size car also say the same thing. Any suggestions? This would be with Alamo. Thanks!

 

[js]

Hi.
I am trying to find car rental for pick up at midnight on Saturday, March 4 and returning on Wednesday, March 8 at 7:00 pm.
I want to use a rental on MCO site (my dh is coming in for my ds's college team playing in the area).

The least expensive I have found is $438.66 for a full size from National
I have never paid more than $200 (even when it was minivans back in the day). Is it because I am not renting a full week?
I do not know what to do. $438 is crazy high for a few days

 

[js]

I don't know if it was the change into the new year, but I see rates for my late March dates have come down a bit at Alamo (using Costco). The rates I'm seeing now don't beat what I posted in #11 of this thread, but I'm seeing weekly total rates now a little under $300 where last week they were over $400. By no means are these good, but if you have nothing it might be worth a look and hold something just in case...

Thank you SO SO SO much for this information. I am currently paying $438 for a Saturday-Wednesday with National for a full size Nissan Altima.
I just went onto Costco since you mentioned the rate decrease and booked Alamo Intermediate SUV, Ford Escape or similar for $326. Still high, but saved $100, THANK YOU THANK YOU! If my dh thinks it will be too tight (he is a big guy), I'll just cancel but right now I'm much happier with $326 and will keep looking.

Alamo is directly in MCO, correct?

 

[archdandy]

Thank you SO SO SO much for this information. I am currently paying $438 for a Saturday-Wednesday with National for a full size Nissan Altima.
I just went onto Costco since you mentioned the rate decrease and booked Alamo Intermediate SUV, Ford Escape or similar for $326. Still high, but saved $100, THANK YOU THANK YOU! If my dh thinks it will be too tight (he is a big guy), I'll just cancel but right now I'm much happier with $326 and will keep looking.

Alamo is directly in MCO, correct?

Yes Alamo is in-terminal. Plus you can check in online and skip the check in counter at the airport which is nice.

 

[richmo]

Thank you SO SO SO much for this information. I am currently paying $438 for a Saturday-Wednesday with National for a full size Nissan Altima.
I just went onto Costco since you mentioned the rate decrease and booked Alamo Intermediate SUV, Ford Escape or similar for $326. Still high, but saved $100, THANK YOU THANK YOU! If my dh thinks it will be too tight (he is a big guy), I'll just cancel but right now I'm much happier with $326 and will keep looking.

Alamo is directly in MCO, correct?

Yes, Alamo is at the terminal. To make things easier, you might want to sign up for Alamo Insiders (not required) and do your checkin a day or two before you go. That way you should be able to just head out to the garage at MCO instead of the kiosk, or worse, the counter.

I'm glad you're down about $100, but there's a decent chance you'll be able to knock that down some more. I don't think you need to check daily quite yet, but once mid-February rolls around, give a look each day you can. With any luck, you'll do better.

 

[DianaPrincessofWales]

My rate has stayed quite high and I feel I do check frequently, so my original post is still my best rate. Anyone else have a better deal to post? Thanks!

Dates:
March 4-11
Dollar (I choose compact or higher)
$187.25

 

[PatMcDuck]

I arrive March 2-9, and lowest so far has been with Budget, about $359. (mid size SUV). I never paid this much either. I check Costco every day, it has not budged in over 2 weeks. We usually use Alamo. I am up to the checking daily stage.

Edit: It dropped to $350! Whoopee. Still Budget.

One good thing is now you can easily cancel prior reservations thru the costco travel site.

 

[Mike2023]

Still very high for us. March 4th - 22nd in a full-size city special on Dollar is over $1000. We booked back in Sep and got a $633 rate.

Will keep looking

 

[SplashMom]

Rates for a mid-size SUV for Alamo are down a little...still higher than usual but much better than last week.

 

[dancin Disney style]

We have always rented a minivan for the four of us and all of our luggage. This time I only need a rental from hotel to the Tampa airport for 3 of us, so I don't think we need a minivan. I drive a minivan at home, too, so I am not up to date on SUV's and cars. If we have two Large Suitcases, 1 medium suitcase and 3 medium size carry-ons with 3 people, does anyone have a suggestion of what size vehicle we can get away with? I was looking at a Mid-Size SUV for the price but it says 5 people and 2 bags, and a Standard car and Full Size car also say the same thing. Any suggestions? This would be with Alamo. Thanks!

You would be fine with a mid size SUV, standard or full size. You can use the extra backseat space for luggage. With the people and bags that you have I would probably book a compact for myself.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Alamo is still $435 for my week, Budget is $350. Checking every day now.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I'm currently in the process of researching rates for a one day minivan rental for a possible day at LEGOLAND and things aren't looking too good. We will be staying onsite at Disney and using Magical Express so we won't be renting from MCO and the rates definitely seem better if you pick up at MCO. So far, the lowest rate I've been able to find is $102 for one day! Our only experience with renting in Orlando is when we paid $279 for an entire week for a minivan through Alamo in May 2013, so $102 for just one day seems pretty absurd. Thinking we might just Uber to where the LEGOLAND $5 per person round trip shuttle is if we can't get a decent deal or just wait until another trip to go back to LEGOLAND because I can't justify spending $100 for a one day rental .

 

[PatMcDuck]

Prices dropped for me from $359 to $326 on Budget, Intermediate SUV, March 2-9. Not much but at least it moved a little. Alamo is $426, I would prefer Alamo. Will keep looking each day if I remember.

 

[miamimama]

Hi.
I am trying to find car rental for pick up at midnight on Saturday, March 4 and returning on Wednesday, March 8 at 7:00 pm.
I want to use a rental on MCO site (my dh is coming in for my ds's college team playing in the area).

The least expensive I have found is $438.66 for a full size from National
I have never paid more than $200 (even when it was minivans back in the day). Is it because I am not renting a full week?
I do not know what to do. $438 is crazy high for a few days

Yes - I have been checking MCO for March 3-8 just for a compact - always can get Alamo for under$200. Now it's close to $350. Interesting though - if you return on March 7, it's $200 less!! March 8th must be in high demand at MCO?

 

[richmo]

Yes - I have been checking MCO for March 3-8 just for a compact - always can get Alamo for under$200. Now it's close to $350. Interesting though - if you return on March 7, it's $200 less!! March 8th must be in high demand at MCO?

That is odd...I don't think there's anything special about March 8, but that extra day may have kicked you into a weekly rate as opposed to a daily. Usually the weekly rate is better on a cost per day basis, but it sounds like its the opposite in this case.

 

[miamimama]

That is odd...I don't think there's anything special about March 8, but that extra day may have kicked you into a weekly rate as opposed to a daily. Usually the weekly rate is better on a cost per day basis, but it sounds like its the opposite in this case.

Yes - that's exactly it - goes from a daily rate of about $30 a day to a weekly rate of close to $400!!