august 2013 codes for rental cars?

[puffkin]

The tolls between MCO and Disney via either the Greeneway (FL-417 - MCO South exit) or the Bee Line (FL-528 MCO - North exit) are cash tolls. Stay to the right for cash transactions. Either route, I believe you go thru 2 tolls. There's no need for a SunPass. For those tolls, you can get change at the tollbooth, etc. There are some entrances to and exits from these roads that require exact change or a SunPass. If you stick mostly to the Disney exits and the MCO exits, you won't run into that.

I believe the automated tolls are primarily on the Florida Turnpike at this time. If you're just going to Disney or Orlando from MCO, there shouldn't be any issue and I-4 itself is still free between Daytona and Tampa.

And because this always comes up, unfortunately, no you can't bring your EZPass. The systems are not compatible.

I actually have my own SUNPASS transponder since we travel to Florida frequently. Would I have a problem using it in Dollar?

 

[NurseKim]

I haven't rented from Dollar for awhile and I'm seeing conflicting answers to this:
Does Dollar Express and/or Rapid Rental give you the ability to bypass the counter (or use some kind of kiosk)? Also, last time I used Dollar, you didn't get to pick the car...has that changed..do they have you go to a row and pick one out or is it still assigned?

I've never rented from dollar. From what I've read, express members can bypass the line, go to the garage and find their name on a board that tells them which car is assigned to them. I'm sure you could switch it up if it is stinky or whatever lol.
I like being able to pick my own car but not at a super higher price. My national was $209.

 

[richmo]

I actually have my own SUNPASS transponder since we travel to Florida frequently. Would I have a problem using it in Dollar?

I wouldn't think so as long as you decline the Dollar toll service. I'd ask and make sure there is no transponder in the car (I've seen some agencies have something that covers it so it won't work unless you opt in)

 

[hb2000]

Just booked with Dollar.

Aug 14, 2PM - Aug 31, 5AM. $311 all in for 17 days. Full Size.

Best rate I've seen yet.

Used AAA code. Link to codes here:
http://www.dollar.com/Business/D4BMain/Corporate/AAA_CAA_CD_Numbers.aspx

Does say on my reservation that I will have to present my card at the counter.

Would prefer to have a res. with my wife as the second driver but I guess I will be the chauffeur for this trip.

 

[danjoan14]

We're staying on Disney property for the first week, so we won't need a rental. The second week, we're staying at our time share and getting a rental for the week. Here are the rates that I have for an SUV:

Alamo: $301.72 (MK Car Care)
Dollar: $265.21 (Wyndham Lake Buena Vista - Downtown Disney)
Budget: $240.10 (Doubletree @ Disney World - Downtown Disney)

I keep checking everyday for reduced rates.

 

[quirty30]

Personally, I would just get the car at the airport and be done with the hassle. I never mind DME for going to the resort, but getting back to the airport ALWAYS seems to be a project. Just my experience though. I like having a car, it's a control thing!

I hate driving on vacation, and dealing with tired kids and retrieving luggage. Not to mention, we're flying first class and checking more bags than usual. And I really enjoy using DME for that final leg into the World. So I definitely don't want to get the car at MCO. Though I do agree with you about DME for the return. Buses that never show or ones that are late and more passengers then they can fit.

Seems reasonable. I would continue to look at the reservation you've already set up. Dollar prices have been very volatile the last few days, and your days are exactly the same as mine. I am about $60 less than you for the same days with Dollar, but I'm renting from MCO.

A few other things you could look at:
-Try Alamo (or National) from the Car Care Center (or possibly the Dolphin). If you do this, they will pick you up at your resort and take you to the CCC for your rental.
-I see that you don't want to drive from the airport, but do you have the same feelings about returning the car to the airport? If not, you could pickup at the Wyndham and return the car to MCO. Sometimes doing this messes up the prices, sometimes improves them and sometimes makes no difference.
- You might want to consider returning the car to the Wyndham the day before you leave, so you don't have to deal with it on getaway day. The catch I see here is that you would no longer have the car over a Saturday night, which can adversely affect your rate. If that's the case, price out picking it up Saturday night (although I'm not sure what the hours would be since its a remote location)

All things I have considered for the most part. All the WDW locations are closed before our flight even arrives on Saturday night the 3rd. So, considering I really want to use DME, we will have to get the car on Sunday. I did also price Alamo pickup at the Car Care Center with the Insiders discount and $30 Visa coupon code - came out to roughly $260. And you are correct that returning on Saturday made a real negative impact on the pricing. Our outbound flight on Sunday the 11th isn't til 7 or so - so I don't think it will be that hard to return the car right after we checkout and spend the day at DTD before going back to SSR (our usual routine for late outbound flights.) But I will definitely look into returning at MCO - you and Alexander both make good points about this being a viable option. If it doesn't impact the cost too much (and then I wouldn't have to worry about storing our carry on bags with bell service for the day.) Thank you both for your advice.

And from reading all the other replies here, it looks like I should continue to monitor both Alamo and Dollar until we leave to see if something better comes along. And here I thought pricing airfare was a racket - it's got nothing on this car rental process!!!!

 

[Canwego]

Just rebooked again with Dollar using the AAA New England code and dropped to $245 for full size.

 

[drgnfly30]

Got a good base rates from Thrifty using IDT15 or EDS15, this morning but when I added in the tax/fees and ultimately the $11 per day additional driver fee, it still ended up over my 'goal' rate.

Maybe it will work for someone else!

 

[EPCOT is a verb]

My mid August, 8 day rental is now $175 for a standard size with taxes and fees through the Dollar website with a City Special. The standard car rates were cheaper than the compacts!

Dollar rates still going down! Just rebooked for $158 with the City Special on the Dollar website, now with a midsize. Woo Hoo!

 

[magsmom]

I also used the AAA rate for Dollar, and am also at $249 for 12 days. Much better than the $440 I started with Alamo on Sunday.

 

[wcduke]

Unless I am mistaken, with National, we would have our pick from whatever is available in the midsize SUV section when we arrive.

Gina, I have a midsize SUV rental with National for similar dates to yours (8/22-8/27) and I'm also using the KLM code (thanks to you!). Anyway, I thought we would get the pick of the aisle as well with a midsize SUV reservation, but you do not. Your reservation probably says "Emerald Reserve" which means you have a specific SUV "reserved" for you. Now, I believe you can change to another vehicle in the same class if you are not happy with the exact one they gave you, but initially you are assigned to one. I learned this by calling National directly.

 

[brettb]

Gina, I have a midsize SUV rental with National for similar dates to yours (8/22-8/27) and I'm also using the KLM code (thanks to you!). Anyway, I thought we would get the pick of the aisle as well with a midsize SUV reservation, but you do not. Your reservation probably says "Emerald Reserve" which means you have a specific SUV "reserved" for you. Now, I believe you can change to another vehicle in the same class if you are not happy with the exact one they gave you, but initially you are assigned to one. I learned this by calling National directly.

I think whoever you spoke to gave you bad information. Emerald Reserve is a way to guarantee a vehicle class - but you still have a choice of vehicles on the aisle of the class that you have reserved.

From: https://www.nationalcar.com/locReserve.do

Emerald Reserve Service® is exclusively for Emerald Club® members who require a specific car class - a convertible, SUV, minivan or any other vehicle.

• Make your reservation for the desired vehicle at a counter bypass location.
• When you arrive, bypass the counter and go directly to the row of the car class you reserved. The bus driver and greeter will be available to guide you.
• Choose any car on the row of your reserved car class.
• Your rental transaction will be quickly completed at the exit booth.

 

[raftislander]

Just got a $13 a day bid on Priceline on a compact for 10 days (end of August/ beg. of September) or $212.05 total with taxes. It turned out to be with Hertz. I was hoping to get in down to around $200 so happy with that .

 

[JAM113]

We are contemplating using a rental at WDW for the first time and I am so glad to have stumbled onto this thread. I did some checking earlier, and I was able to get a 9 day rental for $157.95 (incl taxes) for a full size through Dollar, using the code 5c11m. I was looking through past comments and I can't find what that code is for, however. Do I need a coupon for that, or need to be a member of something?

I'm happy with that rate... DH was okay with a rental as long as I kept it below $200, but I'd really like to try and find something at the Car Care Center that would allow us to take ME to SSR in the morning and not deal with the luggage, and then just grab a rental once we are all checked in. Then we could drop it off our last full day and not need to worry about returning it the morning we check out.

 

[quirty30]

We are contemplating using a rental at WDW for the first time and I am so glad to have stumbled onto this thread. I did some checking earlier, and I was able to get a 9 day rental for $157.95 (incl taxes) for a full size through Dollar, using the code 5c11m. I was looking through past comments and I can't find what that code is for, however. Do I need a coupon for that, or need to be a member of something?

I'm happy with that rate... DH was okay with a rental as long as I kept it below $200, but I'd really like to try and find something at the Car Care Center that would allow us to take ME to SSR in the morning and not deal with the luggage, and then just grab a rental once we are all checked in. Then we could drop it off our last full day and not need to worry about returning it the morning we check out.

Dollar has a location at the Wyndham by Downtown Disney, and tonight I changed my pickup/dropoff there to a dropoff at the airport instead (thanks to some good advice I got on this thread.) My rental is 8 days rather than 9, and I'm paying $237 all in for a mid size. Like you, I want use DME on arrival so I don't have to drive from the airport and retrieve all our checked bags. Anyway, you might want to re-price your rental this way and see where you end up. (Oh, and the code you used is their current 15% off promo - no coupon needed.)

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Gina, I have a midsize SUV rental with National for similar dates to yours (8/22-8/27) and I'm also using the KLM code (thanks to you!). Anyway, I thought we would get the pick of the aisle as well with a midsize SUV reservation, but you do not. Your reservation probably says "Emerald Reserve" which means you have a specific SUV "reserved" for you. Now, I believe you can change to another vehicle in the same class if you are not happy with the exact one they gave you, but initially you are assigned to one. I learned this by calling National directly.

I think whoever you spoke to gave you bad information. Emerald Reserve is a way to guarantee a vehicle class - but you still have a choice of vehicles on the aisle of the class that you have reserved.

From: https://www.nationalcar.com/locReserve.do

Emerald Reserve Service® is exclusively for Emerald Club® members who require a specific car class - a convertible, SUV, minivan or any other vehicle.

• Make your reservation for the desired vehicle at a counter bypass location.
• When you arrive, bypass the counter and go directly to the row of the car class you reserved. The bus driver and greeter will be available to guide you.
• Choose any car on the row of your reserved car class.
• Your rental transaction will be quickly completed at the exit booth.

Thanks for looking that up, Brett. I am hoping we have the opportunity to choose our own vehicle.....its one of the things we have enjoyed about our Alamo rentals.....but if we don't get to pick for some reason, its not the end of the world. It couldn't possibly be any worse than the vehicle we got from Budget at Christmas!!!

wcduke....what rate do you have for your SUV? We had been considering cancelling our National ressie for the SUV and sticking with the fullsize from Dollar (a $77 savings), but the boys really, really, want the larger vehicle so I'm thinking we might stick with National. They ask for very little on our trips (leaving most decisions up to Mom) so I try to appease them whenever they actually do ask for something!

Dollar rates are still up for me this morning, and Alamo has not budged from its $452.

 

[richmo]

Just got a $13 a day bid on Priceline on a compact for 10 days (end of August/ beg. of September) or $212.05 total with taxes. It turned out to be with Hertz. I was hoping to get in down to around $200 so happy with that .

As long as you're happy with it. I'd advise you not to peek about a month from now. With the crowds down at the end of August, I'd almost be willing to bet you could have picked up a compact for that time period for about $150.

 

[richmo]

Dollar rates are still up for me this morning, and Alamo has not budged from its $452.

I'm seeing the exact same thing. Looks like Dollar bottomed out a couple of days ago, at least for now. My Alamo is also around $450, so my Dollar at $150ish is looking a lot better.

...We had been considering cancelling our National ressie for the SUV and sticking with the fullsize from Dollar (a $77 savings)

I apologize if you've looked or done this already, but did you check the mid-size SUV special that Dollar is running? I think it was $189/wk or $34 a day (those are base)

 

[wcduke]

wcduke....what rate do you have for your SUV? We had been considering cancelling our National ressie for the SUV and sticking with the fullsize from Dollar (a $77 savings), but the boys really, really, want the larger vehicle so I'm thinking we might stick with National. They ask for very little on our trips (leaving most decisions up to Mom) so I try to appease them whenever they actually do ask for something!

Brettb-thanks for posting. The info I posted was from someone over the phone at National. I guess they were wrong.

Gina, my dates are 8/22 @ 3:30PM to 8/27 @ Noon.
My National rate using the KLM code and the $25 off entertainment coupon is $219.53
My Dollar rate using their mid-size SUV special is $229.43.

But most importantly, how do you get your family to ask for very little?!? That is the best deal of all!

 

[richmo]

Becky Worley at ABC (Good Morning America) could learn some tricks from this thread before writing an article with such useless information.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/5-tips-save-big-car-rentals-120004615.html