What's in Alamo's Full Size aisle at MCO?

[HelenParr]

If I book a standard at MCO, am I guaranteed a full size? Like is there no standard aisle to choose from? We've never rented at MCO before. We have 3 kids (under 12 but no car seats), 2 adults, and probably 2 large suitcase. We don't need to have a minivan/suv, but also don't want to be super smashed in.

Correct. There is no standard aisle at MCO. So you default to Fullsize.

 

[ascardino]

Anyone know what to expect when booking in the premium category? Reading through the prior posts I am wondering if I shouldd make a second ressie for a full size for less $$ and chance getting the Impala or minivan.

 

[twinklebug]

Anyone know what to expect when booking in the premium category? Reading through the prior posts I am wondering if I shouldd make a second ressie for a full size for less $$ and chance getting the Impala or minivan.

Per Alamo's website, the Impala is a premium. Betting that their Full size isle is the most popular, and when it starts to run out of vehicles they pull down from the "higher" levels. (To me a small SUV or minivan is not a higher level, but judging by price quotes online they are)

 

[nacho113]

Anyone know what to expect when booking in the premium category? Reading through the prior posts I am wondering if I shouldd make a second ressie for a full size for less $$ and chance getting the Impala or minivan.

This was my response in another thread:

"MCO has a Premium aisle. It's fairly small, only has about half a dozen cars on it at any given time.
My son and I had Premium booked Sept 2015. Looking back at our photos, there was a Dodge Charger RT, Chev Impala LTZ, Ford Mustang Turbo, Nissan Maxima, Prius Hybrid and a Buick Rendezvous."

 

[ascardino]

Bumping for current info if anyone can share...

 

[Stitch_Is_King]

We were there about two weeks ago and it was mostly Hyundai Sonatas. There were also one or two minivans and a couple of pickup trucks. As we were about to get into a Sonata when one of the employees pulled up with a just cleaned Impala that had only 500 miles on it so we took that instead.

 

[ascardino]

Was that in the full size aisle?

 

[Stitch_Is_King]

Was that in the full size aisle?

Yes it was in the full size aisle

 

[schoen]

When I was there in October there was a pick-up truck, 2 Transit connect, Passat, Chrysler 200, Dodge Charger. We chose the Passat because it had heated leather seats, which I like.

 

[twinklebug]

Arrived at MCO around 7:30pm on a Monday evening (5/23/16). Full Sized isle at MCO was completely full of vehicles (no minivans, SUVs or trucks).

Half the isle was all Hyundai cars, unsure of the model as I know nothing of the brand. Also saw:
(1) VW Passat,
(1) Chrysler 200,
(2) Toyota Camry i4s, but one had very high miles (45K!),
(2) Chevy Impalas - I took the last one tucked in on the end with only 5K miles, leather interior. Grabbed it, made my Chevy-loving son very happy and it rode like a dream with the nice big engine (Not very economical I know, but it was a treat.)

 

[FigmentSpark]

Considering Minivans are in a different price class, if you had booked a full size and took a minivan from the full size aisle, I assume they'd charge you a minivan price?

 

[twinklebug]

Considering Minivans are in a different price class, if you had booked a full size and took a minivan from the full size aisle, I assume they'd charge you a minivan price?

From what we've been told, any vehicle parked in the Full sized isle qualifies for the Full (and Standard as there is no Standard isle at MCO) agreed upon price.
They somehow code the vehicle to the class as it is being parked. Which means if you find a minivan there, it will be at the Full or Standard sized price. However, as shown with my experience there will be times the isle is all cars so one should not counting on finding one there. I had no problem with the selection at all, other than there probably being a few too many Hyundais.

 

[nacho113]

Considering Minivans are in a different price class, if you had booked a full size and took a minivan from the full size aisle, I assume they'd charge you a minivan price?

When the vehicles are brought around, the attendant scans the serial number of the vehicle into the aisle that they are parked in.
Basically this means that if you find an SUV or Minivan in the full size aisle (or anything better than a FS), it will be charged out at the gate as a Full size.

FYI: If you grab a Minivan from the Minivan aisle, it will be charged as a Minivan (since it would have been scanned into the Minivan aisle)

 

[FigmentSpark]

Makes sense. I wonder how a minivan gets into a full size aisle. Perhaps the minivan aisle was full and the full size was not?

 

[joxer1014]

FWIW back in Sept 2015 I booked standard, got sent to full size aisle and took a new GMC Terrain almost fully loaded. Had the backup cam, the automatic rear lift gate, remote start, driver seat memory. Pretty sweet. There were other small SUVs and a couple of vans, some kind of Jeep and run of the mill sedans.

 

[nacho113]

Makes sense. I wonder how a minivan gets into a full size aisle. Perhaps the minivan aisle was full and the full size was not?

It seems that the Full Size aisle is where Alamo puts just about anything else that isn't moving at the time.

 

[Tinkerbell8956]

Has anyone been there recently to see what they have now?

 

[a_petz]

Bumping. I'm curious too. Have a full size booked for pickup on the 11th. Wonder if day of the week has any bearing on the options?

 

[Iluvpooh&mickey]

I was there the Aug 13th - 22nd. I reserved a full size from Alamo and when we arrived at the B side of airport, there were only full size cars in the full size aisle. We chose a Ford Fusion. The other kinds of cars were Nissan Altima, Hyundai Elantra, and Chevy Impala.

The Fusion had only 2500 miles on it but ended up conking out on us at 10:30pm when we were trying to leave Animal Kingdom. My husband had to go to airport with tow truck and get another car. This time it was the A side. There was a Ford Transit Connect on the full size aisle. It was sort of like a small minivan. The other cars there were the Fusion, Elantra and Impala.

 

[AliceIn]

I have a full size vehicle booked with Alamo for the last weekend in January....last October the full size aisle was full of SUVs which we didn't need but in the end was very nice to have!

Anyone who has rented recently would you mind recalling a few of the vehicles you found in the full size aisle?

The third week in July at midday on a Friday we had mainly mid sized SUVs. We got a Nissan Rogue. There were several Jeep and Chevy versions of the same. Our family of 5 had ample room for 4 carry on sized bags. Full sized suitcases would have only allowed 1 big bag max if you need to use the back seat.