Car Care Center Question

[CJK]

I read that the center closes at 8pm on weekdays, but you are permitted to return your rental car after that time. My question is, how do we get back to our hotel if we drop off our car after 8pm? I assume we won't be able to get the free shuttle back to our hotel since it will be closed. Is our only option to take a cab??

 

[dmunsil]

I read that the center closes at 8pm on weekdays, but you are permitted to return your rental car after that time. My question is, how do we get back to our hotel if we drop off our car after 8pm? I assume we won't be able to get the free shuttle back to our hotel since it will be closed. Is our only option to take a cab??

You could walk back through the MK parking lot to the TTC or the Polynesian. It's about 2/3 of a mile. There are no pedestrian walkways, though, until you get into the parking lot.

You should check with the rental company to see if you can return to the Dolphin. It's also Alamo/National and they also accept cars after hours, but you can just pick up a bus from there to a park, then to your resort. Or walk to DHS (or Epcot if you don't mind passing through the park) to their bus stop to take a direct bus to your resort.

This is all assuming you are staying on property. If not, then you'll probably want to take a cab. I'd still return to the Dolphin, as it'll be trivial to pick up a cab from there.

 

[CJK]

Thank you! We're staying at POR. We tried to book at the Dolphin, but found it to be more expensive. Do you know approx. how much a cab would cost from the CCC to POR? It just seems so silly to return a rental car, only to have to catch a cab! Do you think the walk to the TTC or Poly is safe late at night with no sidewalk?

 

[dmunsil]

Thank you! We're staying at POR. We tried to book at the Dolphin, but found it to be more expensive. Do you know approx. how much a cab would cost from the CCC to POR? It just seems so silly to return a rental car, only to have to catch a cab! Do you think the walk to the TTC or Poly is safe late at night with no sidewalk?

I think it's reasonably well lit, but I'd feel a little weird about the first half when you're walking next to the road with cars going by. Once you're in the parking lot, you're as safe as, well, walking in the WDW parking lot. You might even be able to catch a parking tram.

You could certainly go, scope it out, and if it looks sketchy call a cab. There will be several right around the corner at the Poly and GF, so you shouldn't have to wait more than a few minutes. And if you take the cab back to the TTC and pick up a bus from there, the cab ride will cost you less than $5. All the way back to POR will be $20 or so.

But one strategy is to go ahead and book at the CCC, then once it's booked call up customer service and ask them if you can return it at the Dolphin. They might - emphasis might - just tell you to go ahead. The price might be set based on where you pick up, and they don't care where you return it as long as it's at WDW. That might not work, but it's certainly worth a few minutes to try.

Also, did you check Shades of Green? That's another place that's easy to get a cab from. It might even be possible to hop a shuttle to the TTC from there. You're allowed to go in to rent a car even if you're not military or ex-military.

 

[joelkfla]

I don't think walking from the CCC to the MK parking lot or Poly is a good idea. I wouldn't be comfortable with it even in broad daylight.

The road is used heavily by WDW buses, and there is no shoulder at all.