Car rental dilemma- WWYD?

[leebee]

Here is the current plan: We are checking in late on a Wednesday (flight arrives at MCO at 11:30pm), taking DME to POP. The next day we will be picking up a car at the CarCareCenter at 9am to go to Cocoa Beach for the day, returning the car the next morning and then going to GF Cafe for breakfast. This would involve getting the CCC/Alamo to pick me up at POP and then take us to the GF the next day, after we drop the car We would also have to pay to park one night at POP (and watch my portfolio like a hawk so I'm not charged additional days of parking). This is $75 plus parking at POP.

A friend suggested we change the plan, get a rental at MCO when we arrive, drive to POP and then we'd have the car to go to Cocoa the next morning. We could return it to the airport and take DME back to POP. We'd then have to use Disney's busses to get to the GF the next morning. This would still involve one night's parking at POP (and watching my portfolio). It'd be about $57 plus parking at POP. There'd be no problem with DME, I've been told, as every resort guest is entitled to 2 one-way trips on DME.

SO... which do you think would be easier? I'm not sure which would be easier, as we've never used the Car Care Center courtesy transportation before. I hate to pay the extra to rent at the CCC but am also willing to pay for convenience, if that's more convenient. Input/opinions?

 

[EACarlson]

I would rent National or alamo at MCO, pay for two nights parking at POP and return the car to the CCC. Then the CCC shuttle can take you to GF. I believe in order to use WDW transportation to get from POP to GF you would either need to take the Skyliner to Epcot and then a monorail to GF, if the monorail is even running right now. Or a bus to MK, a monorail to GF, I think you can walk now, but either of those options require you to go through security at MK.

 

[easyas123]

Personally I would do which ever was most convenient for me.
In this case it seems that just getting the car at MCO would be simpler.

 

[FCDub]

Not a chance I'd rent at the airport, drive there, then drive BACK to the airport, then get on a bus BACK to Disney World.

Way too much legwork.

 

[starry_solo]

Is there some reason you wouldn’t drop the car off at the car care center the night you return from Cocoa Beach instead of the next day?

 

[sam_gordon]

Is there some reason you wouldn’t drop the car off at the car care center the night you return from Cocoa Beach instead of the next day?

Could be timing. What time does CCC close?

And, what time do you need to be at GF on the second day? How long do you plan to be at Cocoa Beach? My thought is get a room for two nights at an airport hotel, rent the car from the airport, and go to Disney on Day 2 (the day you go to GF). Either return the car before GF at CCC (shuttle to GF) or after at CCC (shuttle to wherever else you're going).

 

[Cheburashka]

I wouldn't try to return a car to the Car Care Center & then have them drive me to GF in time for an ADR breakfast. Way too much risk of being late for the breakfast. I would also opt for renting from the airport rather than the CCC (because the CCC requires you to get a ride there, adding to the time & hassle), but I'd do it with a company that offers skip-the-counter as the lines at MCO rental car counters (especially for the budget rental companies) can be long.

Frankly, both of these plans sound like a hassle. I wish I knew how long you were staying at WDW. If time there isn't short, then I might recommend picking the car up upon arrival at the airport, and then dropping the car at the CCC without having any timed plans afterwards, so you wouldn't have to stress about it. Another option could be dropping the car off at the airport directly as you come back from Cocoa Beach (not stopping at WDW first). Then taking ME to get to Disney World.

If it were me, I would just skip Cocoa Beach, to avoid the hassle. But since you want to go, I recommend just returning the car to the airport on your way back in. No going to WDW first & then doubling back.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would rent from the airport.

Not a chance I'd rent at the airport, drive there, then drive BACK to the airport, then get on a bus BACK to Disney World.

Way too much legwork.

Sounds like they would just stop at the airport on their way back from cocoa.

 

[leebee]

We're only in FL 5 nights/4 days, doing 2 park days and 2 "off" days. Cocoa Beach is not negotiable for personal reasons, we're not just going to the beach.

We're not dropping the car at the CCC when we return from Cocoa because the CCC closes at 7pm. I might consider this, but we'd have to get a ride back to POP. I thought it'd be easiest to rent the car on Thursday morning and drop it early Friday morning, using the shuttle to get to the GF Cafe for a 9:15am ADR. Is it really that difficult to use Alamo's shuttle to get me to/from the CCC to pick up/drop off a car? If so, we'll rent from the airport.

 

[dznyacct]

We're only in FL 5 nights/4 days, doing 2 park days and 2 "off" days. Cocoa Beach is not negotiable for personal reasons, we're not just going to the beach.

We're not dropping the car at the CCC when we return from Cocoa because the CCC closes at 7pm. I might consider this, but we'd have to get a ride back to POP. I thought it'd be easiest to rent the car on Thursday morning and drop it early Friday morning, using the shuttle to get to the GF Cafe for a 9:15am ADR. Is it really that difficult to use Alamo's shuttle to get me to/from the CCC to pick up/drop off a car? If so, we'll rent from the airport.

We have done an after hours drop off at CCC and then grabbed an uber to where ever we were going next .

 

[bumbershoot]

Is it really that difficult to use Alamo's shuttle to get me to/from the CCC to pick up/drop off a car?

It's not difficult at all. But it *can* take a little time.

Being picked up from resort or park means you call (407) 824-3470 ext. 1. They say to do it at least an hour before you need to be picked up, but a day is really best. They tell you exactly where to be. They shuttle you over, you go inside (if it's all still working the same as in Feb 2020), get your keys, get your car.

Dropping it off during business hours involves getting there, parking it in their lot, and handing the keys over. You let the person (usually out front) know you need a ride, and they put you on a list. I've had a shuttle driver ready for me immediately, and I've had to wait around 20 minutes. (it felt like longer, but I generally shorten the wait time I think I had, if I didn't time it, because feelings of time passing are often wrong)

So it's easy, but it can just take a little time.

If you're going to drop off after hours look at uber/lyft's app on a similar day and time to see the cost to put that into your estimations.

And, of course, DME after dropping at the airport might take a while as well.