Car Care Centre vs Swan

[jcourtney]

My family is travelling to WDW at the end of January and our plan is to rent a car for one day to go to Legoland. The only issue is that since we're doing this on a Saturday the Car Care Centre closes at 6pm and I don't think we'll be back by then. I know we can just drop they keys in the box and get an uber back to our resort (ASMo) but I'm a little worried about standing in a dark parking lot at night with our 6 year old waiting for an uber.

Our other option would be to rent from the Swan, the benefit of this is that it's closer to ASMo and you can drop your keys with the valet after hours. The downside is that there is no shuttle and they don't open until 8am. This should give us enough time to get to Legoland by park open as long as there isn't a huge line.

Does anyone have any experience or advice with this? What would you do?

 

[Kae]

Don't forget the LBV Palace or what ever its called, that one is easy to get to also.

 

[DSLRuser]

Yes. You drop a car off with the valet. They take the keys and give you a hand written "ticket" as a receipt showing what time you returned the car. the next day, go during business hours and exchange that "ticket" for formal paperwork.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Yes. You drop a car off with the valet. They take the keys and give you a hand written "ticket" as a receipt showing what time you returned the car. the next day, go during business hours and exchange that "ticket" for formal paperwork.

You don’t need to go back to get formal paperwork. Alamo/National will email your receipt when the return paperwork is processed the following morning.

Oh, and by the way, the Alamo/National car rental counter is at the Dolphin, not the Swan. Sister hotel further down Epcot Resorts Blvd. when coming in from Buena Vista Drive.

You could also check pricing for pick-up at the Car Care Center and return to the Dolphin. Those two locations and the third one at the Buena Vista Palace are all staffed and operated jointly, so prices may well be the same either way.

 

[jcourtney]

You don’t need to go back to get formal paperwork. Alamo/National will email your receipt when the return paperwork is processed the following morning.

Oh, and by the way, the Alamo/National car rental counter is at the Dolphin, not the Swan. Sister hotel further down Epcot Resorts Blvd. when coming in from Buena Vista Drive.

You could also check pricing for pick-up at the Car Care Center and return to the Dolphin. Those two locations and the third one at the Buena Vista Palace are all staffed and operated jointly, so prices may well be the same either way.

Thank you , I've never stayed at either and I always get them mixed up.

As for picking up at CCC and returning to Dolphin, I looked into that. It doubled my price!

 

[wishuponastar1984]

Why does the whole family need to go and return the car? I would make use of the car and do a dinner outside of the park and stop and pick up whatever snacks or drinks you might want for the remainder of your trip in the room.

 

[jcourtney]

I guess my biggest concern is which of these 3 locations is the best return to at night after dark when the rental office is closed? I'm thinking it would probably be the Dolphin with the valet being there.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

As for picking up at CCC and returning to Dolphin, I looked into that. It doubled my price!

Gulp!!!

 

[Jimsig]

I guess my biggest concern is which of these 3 locations is the best return to at night after dark when the rental office is closed? I'm thinking it would probably be the Dolphin with the valet being there.

Right next to the CCC is a Speedway gas station. According to the website it's open 24 hours. So it's not like it's pitch black in the middle of nowhere. Also makes it handy to fill up right before you return it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Are you picking it up Saturday? If so you’ll have it for 24 hours. Maybe paying the parking fee would be worth a bit more convenience of returning it Sunday morning?

 

[writerguyfl]

I guess my biggest concern is which of these 3 locations is the best return to at night after dark when the rental office is closed? I'm thinking it would probably be the Dolphin with the valet being there.

The Hilton Buena Vista Palace location is equally fine. I've ended/started one-way reservations there at least 15 times at that location over the past 5 years. If you return after hours, all you do it park in one of the market spots and drop the keys in the lock box. It's well-lit and you're just 20-30 yards from the main entrance.

From there, you can call a cab. Or, if you want to save money, you can walk over to Disney Springs and use Disney transportation back to your resort. I believe the last bus is 2am.

As Ralph&Pam notes, you will not need to return the following day at any of the locations. When they open up, the return will be processed and your receipt will be emailed to you. If you aren't taking Alamo's Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), it's probably smart to take a few quick photos or video of the car just in case. But like I said, I've rented from the various on-property Alamo locations a ton. I've never once experienced anything shady. Based on that experience, I wouldn't hesitate doing an after-hours return.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Go to Dolphin there will be cabs available to take you to the hotel. Plus if you are getting back at night you can walk over to the Boardwalk and watch all the free entertainment on the boardwalk. Grab a snack on the boardwalk. Then grab a cab from the boardwalk back to the hotel

 

[jcourtney]

Thanks everyone! I think we're going to go with the Dolphin for the valet and the fact that it gives us a chance to check out a different hotel and maybe the Boardwalk if we have the energy

 

[DSLRuser]

Thank you , I've never stayed at either and I always get them mixed up.

!

HA! I still just use them interchangeable as one big resort "Swan / Dolphin"..... you'd think after all these trips i could learn to keep them strai