ONE WAY car rentals-MCO to Cocoa Beach

[mammacaryn]

I have never rented a car and was unaware of the drop fees for not returning the car to the place you rented from.

Anyone know of ways around this, or a company that has a reputation for low fees regarding this?

Thanks.

 

[Juney]

I have never rented a car and was unaware of the drop fees for not returning the car to the place you rented from.

Anyone know of ways around this, or a company that has a reputation for low fees regarding this?

Thanks.

I have this conversation with my nephew today who works at MCO. He told me that enterprise does not have a drop charge between MCO and Port Canaveral locations. It is not consistent across the board; have to check with the individual rental car companies about their policies.

 

[wdwwishes]

I haven't contacted Enterprise yet for our March cruise but we're in the same boat, needing just a one way rental, but will do so after reading the PP. We've had to do this a couple of times and it's close to $100. Enterprise did charge us the fee once on a vehicle we picked up at MCO and returned to the Tampa airport.

 

[neg58]

You need to check around and ask. Some of the companies never have it, some waive it for their club members (and some affiliated clubs like airlines or hotels), there could be a coupon. Lots of deal.

I've read posts of people only paying $30 or so for a one way. Just make sure you don't agree to pay for 1 tank of gas as you'll never use that much just driving MCO-PC.

Nancy

 

[Glitzytraveller]

We do this every time we cruise. I always use Budget. They are pretty good for not charging the drop fees. I booked two one ways for our cruise next week. The total for both one ways is $85.

 

[Zeppelin]

You need to check around and ask. Some of the companies never have it, some waive it for their club members (and some affiliated clubs like airlines or hotels), there could be a coupon. Lots of deal.

I've read posts of people only paying $30 or so for a one way. Just make sure you don't agree to pay for 1 tank of gas as you'll never use that much just driving MCO-PC.

Nancy

agree 1000% on the gas...we took Budget from MCO to Port Canaveral and there was a drop fee in August...ditto Dollar from Port Canaveral to MCO though it was only $19....you have to just continue to price it out...i also think time of year has something to do with this- the busier time the more likely the drop fee...

 

[mammacaryn]

Thanks everyone. Lots of things to consider I guess.
Budget and Enterprise seem to be the ones to keep in mind.
Thanks again.

 

[IrishCowboy]

We had 2 one-way rentals for our recent cruise and did not have a drop fee with Avis.

Very good rates, $52 for MCO to CC and $48 for return trip.

 

[kcashner]

Point 1--I don't care how they allocate costs, I care what the total is. If cost is $50, doesn't matter to me if $50 = car rental fee or if $30 = car rental and $20= drop off.

Point 2--discount coupons for all companies can be found at rentalcodes.com and mousesavers.com. I've saved as much as 75% (once), typically about 50%. I have paid as little as $34 including all taxes and fees, and as much as $93 (this was for a mini-van). Remember to budget gas and tolls as well.

If you use Budget--they need to see a gas receipt when you drop off the car or there is an automatic charge even if the gauge looks full. This applies to rentals where you drive less than 75 miles (MCO to PC is less than 75). They don't usually ask for the receipt at Cape Canaveral, but the are strict at MCO.

 

[kristof65]

In my experience, one way drop fees not only vary by location and rental company, but by where the companies need to move cars between at any given point in time.

For example, if lots of people start reserving one way rentals from the airport to the port, but there aren't a lot of one way rentals to move vehicles back, then new reservations may start seeing that charge, while port to airport rentals won't.

I just booked a one way rental for two days from the port back to the airport after our cruise, and it was actually cheaper than the same two day rental with pickup and drop off at the same point.

 

[newbydisney]

There is a Budget code right here on the Disboards under Transportation-Rental Cars. Only once have I been able to beat their cost and that was with my husbands work ( large corporation) rate through National. If you rent from National you can drop off at Enterprise. . Also if you are in WDW it is always less to rent a car from Budget on Hotel Blvd at the Doubletree than at MCO. We always take Magical Express ( free and they fetch the bags) and then get a car the next day at the Doubletree or whenever we get tired of taking the buses to and fro.

 

[mammacaryn]

Again, thanks. Lots of great information

 

[Anonny]

Are there gas stations convenient and well-priced to top off the tank before dropping off at Cape Canaveral?

 

[kcashner]

Are there gas stations convenient and well-priced to top off the tank before dropping off at Cape Canaveral?

There is a RaceTrac gas station immediately before the Budget drop off place on the same side of the road. This is about 3 miles before the Thrifty place, and about a block past the Hertz drop off place. Also, they dont jack up the prices.

When returning to MCO DO NOT stop at the first gas station on Semoran (?) Road. They inflate prices by as much as $1 per gallon! If you drive 1/2 mile beyond this on the same road, you'll find stations with the "usual" prices.

 

[Zeppelin]

Are there gas stations convenient and well-priced to top off the tank before dropping off at Cape Canaveral?

yes...there's a Racetrac superstation just as you come off 528 on the south side which usually has the cheapest prices...there are also plenty of 7-11's with the cheapest prices around...

 

[lanejudy]

Just tossing Thrifty out there as well...we had a one-way rental last winter from MCO to PC. Rental price was about $35 (plus taxes so I forget the exact total) and no drop-fee or surcharge for the one-way.

As others have said, just price out a lot of different companies. And then do it again, and again. Car rental rates seem to change like the winds and you can easily cancel and re-book to get a better rate when one comes out.

 

[BCV2003]

Just two weeks ago, I used Hertz for a one way from MCO to Port Canaveral. I had Hertz points I used so mine was free but if I didn't have those it would have cost me $70.

We had a Nissan SUV, drove over the day before, drove around Cocoa Beach and returned it the next morning. The needle was still on Full but we put $5 in it anyways because I knew as soon as we pulled into the Hertz lot it was probably going to drop.

 

[mammacaryn]

So, do you just have to return it on full if you don't do some kind of gasoline deal? Is that the standard thing I mean?

 

[lanejudy]

So, do you just have to return it on full if you don't do some kind of gasoline deal? Is that the standard thing I mean?

That's pretty standard across all rental agencies...they'll offer that you can pre-pay for a tank of gas at a "discounted" rate and not worry about the gas level when returning it. Or you return it with a full tank of gas. Some rental companies lately have required that you bring an actual receipt with you proving that you filled the tank within x miles of the drop-off. I forget which company made us do that this summer on a rental, first time I've had that. Usually it's just "full tank" and they check the guage.

 

[mammacaryn]

Thanks!