Car Rental Question

[LynnTH]

Going to Disney next May/June. Not exactly sure where we are staying. We will be staying at Wyndam Bonnet Creek for 4 nights then was thinking of transferring to a DVC Villa. Would like Beach Club but not sure if we will get it. Anyway. I know we will need a car for the Bonnet Creek portion. Can we pick up a car at the airport and use it for the 4 days and then leave at the Car Care Center at the Swan/Dolphin ( I think there is one there..). Then we would just use Disney transportation for the rest of the trip and use ME for the ride back to Airport. Would this work? Would it cost more picking up in one location and dropping off in another?

 

[OKW Lover]

It may cost more. It may cost less. The only way to know is to price out both.

...and once you've done that, keep checking since car rental prices change frequently.

 

[Toulouse]

Going to Disney next May/June. Not exactly sure where we are staying. We will be staying at Wyndam Bonnet Creek for 4 nights then was thinking of transferring to a DVC Villa. Would like Beach Club but not sure if we will get it. Anyway. I know we will need a car for the Bonnet Creek portion. Can we pick up a car at the airport and use it for the 4 days and then leave at the Car Care Center at the Swan/Dolphin ( I think there is one there..). Then we would just use Disney transportation for the rest of the trip and use ME for the ride back to Airport. Would this work? Would it cost more picking up in one location and dropping off in another?

We have kind of a similar situation in that we're arriving March 29, renting a car for a week when we're off site and going to Universal/Cocoa Beach etc. We are going to be at WDW from April 5-13.

So, we have to drop off the car somewhere since we are using the Disney transportation and staying on site.

You really have to price out the difference between renting the car in one location/returning to another, and just renting/returning to the airport. They ding you pretty bad for dropping off at another location.

Right now, unless something changes to drop off at a Disney location, this is my plan.

• March 29 - rent car at airport, use all week while off-site.
• April 5 - return car to AIRPORT and will have a reservation made in advance for Magic Express to take us to the resort. Disney isn't concerned whether you arrived via a rental car and want a ride from the airport or whether you just stepped off the plane, they provide a ride from the airport to the resort, period. We will have our luggage in the rental car and just drop our luggage at the Magic Express desk to load on the bus right before we board.
• April 13 - take Magic Express back to airport as usual

As far as not being able to check the bags through to WDW on Magic Express and not touching them once you land, we don't care about that - because we're from Canada we have to collect our bags and cart them through customs anyway, so I know Disney will take care of them at the Magic Express desk at the airport. This way we will also have our luggage taken care of as opposed to taking it all out of the car at say the Swan/Dolphin and going - OK, now how do we get this crap back to the resort?

Just have to remember to make that Magic Express reservation from the airport when you expect to have your car rental returned.

 

[SteveMouse]

There is no requirement that you take ME round trip. Disney is perfectly happy to transport you one way only.

You could drop your car off at the appropriate location near Disney (appropriate may vary based on who you've rented from- e.g. Car Care Center, Swolfin, Hilton, etc.). BEFORE you drop your car off, drop your luggage at your Disney resort. It can be ANYTIME on the day you are to check in. If your room is not ready, Bell Services will hold your bag (you can check in and get your KTTW which will help you with EMH and the Dining Plan if you are participating).

Note that you will need to make the appropriate arrangements with your rental car company.

Transportation from the CCC will be directly to your resort. The Swolfin offers Disney transportation to the theme parks (or you could walk or boat to Epcot and/or DHS). I don't know if the Hilton is served by Disney transportation or private shuttle- if private shuttle, you could walk over to DTD and catch a bus to your resort (or to any resort to transfer to a bus to a theme park, etc.).

 

[Toulouse]

BEFORE you drop your car off, drop your luggage at your Disney resort.

Great idea.... I think I'll do that with my plan as well, just jump on the ME with no luggage at all...

 

[sympatico]

We've never had a problem dropping a vehicle at another location and have never been charged extra for it. We've rented from the airport and dropped off at the CCC, Tampa, and Fort Myers and have never had a problem with extra charges. Sometimes it's been cheaper to do the airport and Disney drop off.

 

[LynnTH]

Thanks everyone for the good info. I will just have to price it out once we get the for sure dates and go from there. Are there other car care centers around Disney or just the one at the Swan/Dolphin?

 

[Toulouse]

We've never had a problem dropping a vehicle at another location and have never been charged extra for it. We've rented from the airport and dropped off at the CCC, Tampa, and Fort Myers and have never had a problem with extra charges. Sometimes it's been cheaper to do the airport and Disney drop off.

Really?

For example I've just run a comparison between renting/dropping off a convertible at MCO at Alamo - it's $924.96. (March 29-April 5 2013)

Pickup:
Orlando Intl Arpt (MCOT71)
1 Jeff Fuqua Boulevard
Orlando , FL 32827-4399
US
Friday, March 29, 2013
12:00 PM
Dropoff:
Orlando Intl Arpt (MCOT71)
1 Jeff Fuqua Boulevard
Orlando , FL 32827-4399
US
Friday, April 5, 2013
12:00 PM

Estimated Total = $924.96 USD

When I do exactly the same picking up at MCO but dropping off at Disney Car Care, it's $1,439.25.

Pickup:
Orlando Intl Arpt (MCOT71)
1 Jeff Fuqua Boulevard
Orlando , FL 32827-4399
US
Friday, March 29, 2013
12:00 PM
Dropoff:
Orl Walt Disney Car Care (ORLR72)
1000 Car Care Drive
Orlando , FL 32830
US
Friday, April 5, 2013
12:00 PM


Estimated Total = $1,439.25 USD

Do you tell them you're going to drop it off at an alternate location at the time of reservation? I've never seen it not cost more.... and as above, it is considerable.

 

[Toulouse]

Thanks everyone for the good info. I will just have to price it out once we get the for sure dates and go from there. Are there other car care centers around Disney or just the one at the Swan/Dolphin?

Try looking at not only Swan/Dolphin but also the "Disney Car Care Centre". I just type "Disney" in the return location and then it will let you pick However, see above and see just how much more it might cost to drop off at alternate "Disney" location after picking up from airport.