Car rental advice

[parkbr]

Hello,

I will be renting a car for 2 days in Orlando. (From 8 am to 9pm the next day).
We stay at one of the resort at Universal Studios and will be going to Kennedy Space Center. We just want to find the best ways to get to KSC. There are 3 of us - 2 adult and 1 child.

Universal resorts have Avis on site.
There is also Budget in Holiday Inn, close to the Universal parking garage.
Avis on site is about $230 and Budget is $145. This is for drop-off at MCO.

We can also UBER back to MCO and rent a car there. Alama is $206 and Budget is $122.
The best part of renting at MCO is that I can borrow free toll pass. And we are slightly closer to KSC. But we have to factor in the UBER/Lyft cost.

They are all for smallest/cheapest car category.

What would be the best thing?
We are definitely going to KSC 2 days, and will be staying in a hotel near UCF - because we were not able to find any hotel that is reasonably priced near KSC.
Uber/Lyft will be too expensive, I think.

 

[WDW Traveler]

Not sure how many people are in your group, but KSC offers transfers to and from the Orlando, Kissimmee and Disney areas (not sure exactly where). If you are a larger group, the rental car would be more cost effective, but if it is just 2 of you, the transfers are showing $79 each, so it may be a little more expensive than the rental car, but less aggravation.

 

[EACarlson]

I would go with the Budget at the Holiday Inn, the money you save you're going to be spending on the Uber anyway. If you have any Chase credit card points, the Hyatt Place Titusville is usually only 5,000 points per night. Great deal for what they try and charge $250/night for.

 

[parkbr]

Not sure how many people are in your group, but KSC offers transfers to and from the Orlando, Kissimmee and Disney areas (not sure exactly where). If you are a larger group, the rental car would be more cost effective, but if it is just 2 of you, the transfers are showing $79 each, so it may be a little more expensive than the rental car, but less aggravation.

Thank you. We're 3 of us and we are going for 2 days, so it will be significantly more.

 

[georgina]

I have walked over from City Walk to the Holiday Inn to rent a car through Budget a few times (they always seem to be less than Avis). It doesn't really matter what category of car you reserve there, they give you whatever they have on hand. I usually reserve a compact and have gotten a minivan, a Nissan Juke, and a Prius among other things. The Prius was great on gas!

 

[parkbr]

I have walked over from City Walk to the Holiday Inn to rent a car through Budget a few times (they always seem to be less than Avis). It doesn't really matter what category of car you reserve there, they give you whatever they have on hand. I usually reserve a compact and have gotten a minivan, a Nissan Juke, and a Prius among other things. The Prius was great on gas!

Thank you!
Is it a hassle to do that? How long did it take you to get your car? Was it a easy process?

We're now debating this Budget vs MCO budget - as MCO Budget has lowered its price and now the difference is $30 (which will be just an UBER cost) and take advantage of MCO Visit Florida Toll pass.
I just signed up for Budget FB and reserved a car at MCO. Not sure if I can add Budget FB to the existing reservation.

 

[georgina]

Thank you!
Is it a hassle to do that? How long did it take you to get your car? Was it a easy process?

We're now debating this Budget vs MCO budget - as MCO Budget has lowered its price and now the difference is $30 (which will be just an UBER cost) and take advantage of MCO Visit Florida Toll pass.
I just signed up for Budget FB and reserved a car at MCO. Not sure if I can add Budget FB to the existing reservation.

It is usually a 1 person operation, so if there is someone ahead of you there can be a wait, hasn't been too bad overall. It was not a difficult process or much of a hassle.

Pretty sure if you just signed up for Fast Break you have to go to the Budget counter at MCO the first time renting with it - which can be short or hour long wait just depending on circumstances. Reports of wait times are all over the place, and I have experienced both good & bad at the airport. Oddly last May I was there on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't too bad except they repeatedly try to get you to add insurance, etc.

 

[parkbr]

It is usually a 1 person operation, so if there is someone ahead of you there can be a wait, hasn't been too bad overall. It was not a difficult process or much of a hassle.

Pretty sure if you just signed up for Fast Break you have to go to the Budget counter at MCO the first time renting with it - which can be short or hour long wait just depending on circumstances. Reports of wait times are all over the place, and I have experienced both good & bad at the airport. Oddly last May I was there on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't too bad except they repeatedly try to get you to add insurance, etc.

Oh I see. We're staying at Cabana Bay, and if we were to go to Budget at Holiday Inn, my husband was thinking of going to pick up a car himself, come back, pick us up and head to KSC. But if the walk from Universal Studios Bus stop to Holiday Inn is far, then we may be wasting our time?
How long was your walk from Universal Studios to Holiday Inn, if you remember?

Also we're also worried about the toll - what if there is no toll booth/exact change and get charged a lot for the toll? I heard there are toll booth everywhere in Orlando though, so maybe I am over thinking.

Oh. I still have to go to the Budget counter?
That sucks.
BTW, we're arriving at the airport around 8:30, so we thought it maybe not too bad - but who knows. It really depends on the day.

 

[georgina]

Oh I see. We're staying at Cabana Bay, and if we were to go to Budget at Holiday Inn, my husband was thinking of going to pick up a car himself, come back, pick us up and head to KSC. But if the walk from Universal Studios Bus stop to Holiday Inn is far, then we may be wasting our time?
How long was your walk from Universal Studios to Holiday Inn, if you remember?

Also we're also worried about the toll - what if there is no toll booth/exact change and get charged a lot for the toll? I heard there are toll booth everywhere in Orlando though, so maybe I am over thinking.

Oh. I still have to go to the Budget counter?
That sucks.
BTW, we're arriving at the airport around 8:30, so we thought it maybe not too bad - but who knows. It really depends on the day.

I left my luggage at bell services, took the bus to City Walk from Cabana Bay, and walked. It's about a mile, walking from where the bus lets you off you have to go through security, down the first moving walkway toward City Walk, then make a right and go down through the valet entrance, walk along Universal Blvd, turn right at Tom Williams Way (called Major Blvd farther along). Google maps shows the route from City Walk, it shows a little extra walking on Major Blvd in it so maybe it's a bit less than a mile. Then I drove back to CB to get my suitcase.

i can't help with tolls, don't know about the route to KSC. I have an EZ Pass that I take with me to use in Florida.

 

[EACarlson]

Also we're also worried about the toll - what if there is no toll booth/exact change and get charged a lot for the toll? I heard there are toll booth everywhere in Orlando though, so maybe I am over thinking.

Oh. I still have to go to the Budget counter?
That sucks.
BTW, we're arriving at the airport around 8:30, so we thought it maybe not too bad - but who knows. It really depends on the day.

The toll section on 528 that takes you from MCO to KSC has toll booths, just drove it three weeks ago. Not sure of any toll roads you'd need to take to get to MCO.
Budget FastBreak I've been told that new enrollees can have their docs checked at the kiosk in the garage rather than at the desk.

 

[bumbershoot]

The best part of renting at MCO is that I can borrow free toll pass.

The small difference in pass vs cash won't make up for the ride to the airport.

Also we're also worried about the toll - what if there is no toll booth/exact change and get charged a lot for the toll? I heard there are toll booth everywhere in Orlando though, so maybe I am over thinking.

Look up your intended route on the toll site. You'll see what the tollbooths are and what they take.

 

[parkbr]

I left my luggage at bell services, took the bus to City Walk from Cabana Bay, and walked. It's about a mile, walking from where the bus lets you off you have to go through security, down the first moving walkway toward City Walk, then make a right and go down through the valet entrance, walk along Universal Blvd, turn right at Tom Williams Way (called Major Blvd farther along). Google maps shows the route from City Walk, it shows a little extra walking on Major Blvd in it so maybe it's a bit less than a mile. Then I drove back to CB to get my suitcase.

i can't help with tolls, don't know about the route to KSC. I have an EZ Pass that I take with me to use in Florida.

How do you use EZ pass for a rental car?

 

[parkbr]

The toll section on 528 that takes you from MCO to KSC has toll booths, just drove it three weeks ago. Not sure of any toll roads you'd need to take to get to MCO.
Budget FastBreak I've been told that new enrollees can have their docs checked at the kiosk in the garage rather than at the desk.

Thank you. This makes me feel better.

 

[parkbr]

The small difference in pass vs cash won't make up for the ride to the airport.

Look up your intended route on the toll site. You'll see what the tollbooths are and what they take.

I was looking at the entire process.
For example, if we rent a car from Budget @ Holiday inn, we need to walk over to Holiday inn - which maybe 30 mins total travel time, but will get a car quickly.
If we go to MCO, we will be closer to KSC but may need to spend 30+ mins getting the car.

Where is the toll site? I found this, but it doesn't tell me if there is a toll booth? https://floridasturnpike.com/TollCalc/

 

[georgina]

How do you use EZ pass for a rental car?

I usually just use it like I would at home. I can log in to my EZPass account, there is a place under vehicles to add a temporary rental, but I don't usually do that while still in the garage. I wait until I get to my hotel. It hasn't been an issue.

 

[Mle8308]

Take a rideshare to the Holiday Inn?