Advice Needed

[luckyfin]

I was hoping the experts here on the board could help me out. We are flying into MCO to spend a few days with Mickey before spending a week near West Palm Beach. What is my easiest/most cost effective option here? Should I rent a car from Alamo or National on our last day and have them pick us up at our resort? Or maybe it would be cheaper to rent from from a different agent at the airport and drive around WDW for a few days? I've never rented a car before so I'm completely clueless here. We will need at least an SUV because we are picking up more people at the West Palm Beach airport before headed to our resort for the week. Any help is appreciated! Thank you!

 

[goofy4tink]

You can rent from Alamo/National at the Dolphin, but you have to get yourself there. If that's your choice, I would rent the car on a day you are at either DHS or Epcot. Just walk or boat to the Dolphin, rent the car, and then drive it to Pop...I think that's where you're staying. Very easy drive.
Or, you can check out costs for renting right at MCO when you fly in. Or you can use DME and take it back to MCO, rent the car and then head directly to W Palm.
There are also car rental offices in DTD...Budget is at the Doubletree.

If it were me....I would use DME to get to WDW, then check out which is cheaper, renting from the Dolphin or MCO. IF it's the Dolphin, I would head there, via DHS since you don't have to go into the park to get to DHS, rent the car and head to W. Palm Beach. IF it's at MCO, I would pack everything up, take it with me to MCO on DME, then rent the car and drive from MCO to W. Palm Beach.

 

[luckyfin]

Thank you for your reply. I hadn't considered the counters at the Dolphin. It wouldn't be too difficult to get there. I would prefer to skip taking the DME back to MCO if at all possible, it just seems like an extra hassle with a 3 year old. It is worth it for me to pay extra to keep her (and in turn us ) happy. However, I can take her swimming or hang out at the resort and send DH off to gather the car if its on site

 

[kaytieeldr]

If the MCO rate is substantially lower than the onsite rate, you can send your husband back to the airport alone on DME while you and your child enjoy some pool time .

Substantially = for example: nine day rental onsite $250, nine day rental MCO $75.

 

[goofy4tink]

If the MCO rate is substantially lower than the onsite rate, you can send your husband back to the airport alone on DME while you and your child enjoy some pool time .

Substantially = for example: nine day rental onsite $250, nine day rental MCO $75.

I have had the exact scenario. When we needed a car to travel to Tampa, for ds's wedding, we headed back to MCO. We were actually staying at the Swan. But it was cheaper to use a car service to the Swan, from MCO, then the car service back to MCO to pick up our car vs renting through Alamo at the Dolphin. And I used Alamo at MCO...so it was the same company. I think it was about $60 cheaper. So, we left our bags at the Swan, went to MCO, got the rental car and drove back to the Swan, got our luggage, and drove to Tampa.
You have to run the numbers both ways.

 

[NancyIL]

I would check out all of the car rental companies near WDW before I would waste time going back to the airport to rent a car. If National/Alamo are too high at the Dolphin, also check their prices at the Car Care Center. In addition to Budget at the Doubletree, there's Avis at the Hilton and Dollar at the Buena Vista Palace - both across from Downtown Disney.