Book rental car early or wait??

[Julaprincess]

I've never rented a car before and need some tips. We are planning a Dec 07 trip (week before Christmas), and I am wondering if I should book a rental car now or wait to keep looking for discounts. We have to have a minivan because of 6 people and are flying into Sanford.

I don't know what kind of deals are available. I have checked Sams Club and got what I thought was a reasonable rate consider they made a point of saying it was inclusive of all fees and taxes.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

 

[MarylandMommy]

My suggestions is book early and check rates often. When you book, all you need to put in is your name and email address. They will send you a confirmation email. If you need to cancel, you can cancel online. It is really easy to do.
We waited one year and ended up paying more!
Good luck!

 

[n2mm]

You should always watch the rates and the transportation board. I booked my August rental rates about a month or more ago and so glad I did. While the rate was not the "lowest" I've ever gotten, it was a "I can live with this" rate. I'm so glad I did. I got a mid-size SUV for 10 days for the total price of $256 and now that same rate is over $500. While I think it might drop, I now have peace of mind knowing I have my "I can live with this" rate. The nice part about Alamo and National is that you can lock in a rate and it does not involve you putting your cc up for a deposit (unless you're an emerald aisle member). So if the rate changes you just book the new one and cancel the old one. Rates do often drop as your date gets closer, but I have seen them rise too, especially during hurricane season. You also need to lock in a good rate if you travel during holidays too because the companies actually do run out of certain car types, esp. minivans. You should check the section on rental cars on mousesavers as there are codes and coupons that most folks can use. Watch out for private codes, though, because they often require special IDs. And if you use a coupon, remember to print it out because every time I've used a coupon, I have been asked to produce it. (We travel to WDW 4-5 trips a year and rent a car always).

 

[CarolA]

I would book now since you have to have a minivan and are flying into Sanford.. (Smaller fleets there) You can always change if you find a better deal, but if you wait the risk is that you won't get what you need.

 

[Darcy03231]

I booked my minivan for our upcoming August trip in October of 2006. At the time the rate was high. Since then I've cut it in half using discount codes I found here or on mousesavers. I liked the security of knowing I had what a wanted and the time to get a better deal if possible.

 

[PrincessMinnie28]

I would book now since the week before Christmas is the start of a busy travel time (for everyone, not just Disney travelers). It's better to be safe than sorry, and as everyone else has already mentioned, when you make a reservation (at least with most places) you only have to put in a name/e-mail address and no credit card info, so if you find a better rate later, just cancel the first one and take the better value. And this board is a great place to watch for those discounts!

 

[jobie61]

My suggestions is book early and check rates often. When you book, all you need to put in is your name and email address. They will send you a confirmation email. If you need to cancel, you can cancel online. It is really easy to do.
We waited one year and ended up paying more!
Good luck!

Exactly..... Books as sson as possible and keep checking for better rates. Also, book with several different rental companies. Cancel the ones you don't want before leaving.

 

[WillCAD]

Exactly..... Books as sson as possible and keep checking for better rates. Also, book with several different rental companies. Cancel the ones you don't want before leaving.

Ditto - this is what I always do (except that I never book more than one car at a time - I always cancel my unused ressies as soon as I book a new one.)

My next trip is coming up on Dec 5, and I booked my car last week (also with Sams Club discounts). But most years I will book and rebook several times, whenever a better rate comes along.

Every week or two I will check the codes I'm using to see if the rates have dropped (if that happens you won't get the lower rate unless you re-book!) And about once a month I also check several other companies, trying a bunch of codes from Sams Club and those I get from MouseSavers.com. I have often been able to get my rate as much as 30% lower than the original booking, just by keeping an eye out for sales and specials.

 

[shafke]

Definitely book now. It costs nothing to cancel a reservation and rebook.
Also, if you do find a better rate make sure you book that rate before cancelling your current reservation.

 

[Julaprincess]

I have just tried a selection of codes on mousesavers and not a one worked. Maybe it's the time frame. I booked with Dollar for the same price I got through Sams Club. So much for the benefits of membership! I will keep a watch out as Dollar has a rate as low as $39.99 per day for a minivan that expires shortly.

At least I have one booked. Thanks for the info!