Anyone ever get to Emerald Aisle and not get the reserved car?

[snowbunny]

I'm getting worried by these posts about empty Emerald Aisles at MCO...I've reserved an eight-person minivan via Emerald Reserve for next week, and I really have to have the Sienna, as opposed to a seven-person vehicle such as the Uplander.

What if I get to the Aisle and there are no Siennas? Has this type of thing happened to anybody here?

 

[Lewisc]

I'm getting worried by these posts about empty Emerald Aisles at MCO...I've reserved an eight-person minivan via Emerald Reserve for next week, and I really have to have the Sienna, as opposed to a seven-person vehicle such as the Uplander.

What if I get to the Aisle and there are no Siennas? Has this type of thing happened to anybody here?

I don't see anyplace on National's website to reserve an eight person min-van. You can reserve a min-van which might only seat 7. If your reservation only guarantees a 7 seat mini-van you really don't have any recourse if National wants to give you a 7 seat van.

 

[snowbunny]

I don't see anyplace on National's website to reserve an eight person min-van. You can reserve a min-van which might only seat 7. If your reservation only guarantees a 7 seat mini-van you really don't have any recourse if National wants to give you a 7 seat van.

Quoting from my reservation, which I booked back in the spring and have printed out:
"Your car: Minivan, 8 Passenger/Automatic Air, Toyota Sienna or similar, $43.67/day"

Now, maybe they don't offer this vehicle anymore, in which case I'll be really PO'd, as I could have booked an Uplander through Alamo months ago, for a lot less money, but passed on it because I had to have an 8-person vehicle.

 

[disneyldwjr]

Quoting from my reservation, which I booked back in the spring and have printed out:
"Your car: Minivan, 8 Passenger/Automatic Air, Toyota Sienna or similar, $43.67/day"

Now, maybe they don't offer this vehicle anymore, in which case I'll be really PO'd, as I could have booked an Uplander through Alamo months ago, for a lot less money, but passed on it because I had to have an 8-person vehicle.

Call National and ask what they have available in Orlando. They can give you a list of the vehicles they stock there. Also, at that time, ask what happens if the Sienna is not available.

 

[marciemi]

Not to sound discouraging, but we had a similar thing happen to us in California (DL). Booked a minivan with a company (3 years ago so honestly can't remember which company) because they SPECIFICALLY said they carried only GM vehicles. With 3 small kids, we wanted one that had the 3 seats in the middle, instead of 2 captain's chairs or a bench for only 2 and one kid in back (and no room for our luggage!). Their website said they had GM ones, we called and confirmed they only had GM ones, and we checked in and they told us we had a GM one. We went out to the spot and of course it was a Chrysler with the 2 person bench in the middle. Back again (and this was 11:30pm California time so 2:30am our time - then in Michigan). Finally came up with one that had to be cleaned while we continued to wait.

Guess my warning is that no matter what they tell you on the phone, be prepared for what could happen when you actually get there and have enough time and an alternate plan. Can you reserve something as backup through another agency (do any others offer 8 pax minivans)? Would two cars work for you if they offered that as an alternative? My pricing for Orlando for next summer is that a minivan costs about twice as much as two regular cars. Good luck and get the name of anyone you talk to who guarantees it will be there for you!

 

[snowbunny]

Yeah this is what I'm afraid of; as Lewis pointed out, the ressies go by car class, so even though I have it in writing that I reserved an 8-person minivan, if there isn't one on the lot, I'm going to be out of luck.

I decided to email EC customer service to see what they say, that way I have something more in writing.

If the mods don't object, I will start a separate thread asking whether anyone has seen Toyota Siennas lately on the EA.

 

[bg4]

you said it yourself that nothing is guaranteed.

Quoting from my reservation, which I booked back in the spring and have printed out:
"Your car: Minivan, 8 Passenger/Automatic Air, Toyota Sienna or similar, $43.67/day"

Its that darn or similiar part that means you may not get what you want. Its pretty much whats available.

 

[seashoreCM]

It can be similar but it/they have to be able to legally and per rental company policies carry 8 people, if that is the number of people you reserved for, and not cost more.

What counts is the number of seat belts, not the number of or shape of seats.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[snowbunny]

It can be similar but it/they have to be able to legally and per rental company policies carry 8 people, if that is the number of people you reserved for, and not cost more.

What counts is the number of seat belts, not the number of or shape of seats.

Thanks, that is what I am thinking. A seven-person vehicle is not "similar" to an eight-person vehicle, when I have a party of 8....

 

[disneymom1]

I wouldn't count on a Toyota. I was hoping for one on my August trip, but there weren't any. Toyotas are few and far between. In my experience, they have mostly GM and some Chryslers. Fortunately for me I didn't NEED A Toyota like you seem to.

 

[lovingthemouse]

In our case, since there was no SUV on the Emerald Reserve, they took us to the next parking lot which is Alamo's (same parent company) and gave us one of their's. It was easy for us and I hope you have the same success.

 

[snowbunny]

OK, I wrote to EC customer service and said I wanted to make sure my emerald reserve ressie for an 8-person minivan will be honored, because their website fleet listing no longer seems to show the Toyota Sienna. EC reservations wrote back and said, yes, you are confirmed for an 8-person vehicle. You'd better believe I printed that one out and will be carrying it with me next week....

 

[marciemi]

Good luck - let us know how it turns out for you and have a great trip!

 

[snowbunny]

Good luck - let us know how it turns out for you and have a great trip!

Thanks, and hello there in Green Bay; I grew up in Madison. And oh yes, Go Tigers!

 

[marciemi]

Thanks - the Tigers only do well whenever I leave! Grew up in Detroit - the year I left for college in NY (1984), they won the World Series. Moved back in 1994 - never had a good season until we moved away to Green Bay this summer! Hopefully they can come back from last night! Have a great trip - wish we were closer than 270 days or whatever I'm at right now!

 

[Julylady]

We rented a Emerald Reserve minivan last spring. When we arrived the aisle was empty. It took a few minutes to locate an agent who instructed us to go over to the Alamo reserve aisle and get one there. We trucked all six of us with luggage over to Alamo and guess what -- no minivans there either. So we walked back over to National and asked what to do. We waited about 1/2 hour before they brought some minivans up. They offered to switch us to a SUV but it only held five people so no could do.

This was about 8pm in the evening and we had all had a looonnnggg day. It was not the best beginning to our trip.

 

[snowbunny]

We rented a Emerald Reserve minivan last spring. When we arrived the aisle was empty. It took a few minutes to locate an agent who instructed us to go over to the Alamo reserve aisle and get one there. We trucked all six of us with luggage over to Alamo and guess what -- no minivans there either. So we walked back over to National and asked what to do. We waited about 1/2 hour before they brought some minivans up. They offered to switch us to a SUV but it only held five people so no could do.

This was about 8pm in the evening and we had all had a looonnnggg day. It was not the best beginning to our trip.

This is exactly the scenario I'm picturing, and it's the reason I don't understand what they mean by Emerald "Reserve"....

 

[MycatlovesEeyore]

National considers a Sienna a premium class minivan. They actually have two classes of minivans. If you reserved a Sienna you should be able to go to the EMERALD RESERVE minivan aisle and get your eight passenger minivan. There is a difference in the Emerals Aisle and the Emerald Reserve Aisle. On the Emereald Reserve Aisle, you pick any car in the reserved class not just any vehicle on the aisle. National should have an 8-person minivan on the Reserve Aisle just for you.

 

[snowbunny]

Good luck - let us know how it turns out for you and have a great trip!

Well here's out it turned out - there weren't any Siennas on the Reserve aisle, but, they had held one back for the Reserve ressie. So that was OK. The downside was having to truck back to the desk in the garage with my giant bag and wait there while they brought it to me (so I didn't get to choose). That was OK, it was what I specified and it held 8 people. However, it hadn't seen a vacuum or Windex in quite awhile and was a little shabby around the edges. It got all 8 of us around Orlando though.

 

[marciemi]

It got all 8 of us around Orlando though.

Guess that was the important part! Awesome! Glad it worked out enough to work out (you know what I mean), even if it wasn't perfect. Did you have a great trip?