Car Rental Questions

[Ohana4]

We want to use the ME to and from the airport. But I was thinking of renting a car to get to the MK and AK parks because we're staying at an Epcot resort for a week in August. Has anyone rented a car from one of the car rentals at the Swan? Is it worth to rent a car or take cabs? We're traveling with two children and they get tired at the noon break back to the hotels. I thought they might be more comfortable in a car than waiting for a bus. Does anyone like using cab service around Disney World?

 

[mowog]

I'm interested also in comparing National at the S/D hotels as far as ease of pickup, dropoff etc. Come-on, somebodys surely done it. The rate on a full size National car at Swan/Dolphin is almost $100 less than a Hertz at the airport. Someone please help us out! We're staying at BCV so we could just walk over and get the car, then drop it off and walk back to BCV for Magical Express Bus. I gues wait and see how Magical Express is working and how early you have to get the bus back to MCO.

Jean and Bob

 

[k_k_100]

I'm interested also in comparing National at the S/D hotels as far as ease of pickup, dropoff etc. Come-on, somebodys surely done it. The rate on a full size National car at Swan/Dolphin is almost $100 less than a Hertz at the airport. Someone please help us out! We're staying at BCV so we could just walk over and get the car, then drop it off and walk back to BCV for Magical Express Bus. I gues wait and see how Magical Express is working and how early you have to get the bus back to MCO.

Jean and Bob

My Sis & her family have returned their rental to the S/D w/ no troubles - they were staying at the YC. We had spent a week at the beach & they didn't feel they needed their car at Disney.

I would make a reservation at both places - then wait and see how easy Magical Express really is. Car reservations are easy to make & cancell. Alamo also has a rental desk at the Dolphin. That is who we are renting from at Thanksgiving - Picking up in Sarasota & returning at the Dolphin. They require no deposit - not even a credit card number.

 

[bobbiwoz]

In December, my DSis had no trouble returning the rental car that she had picked up at MCO to the Dolphin. However, on Dec. 23rd when she went there to pick one up, she was told she had to go to the general office, I don't know what it's called, but if you are leaving the MK, it's on that road. DH and I hadn't left yet, so he was able to take her, but how she would have gotten there without us, I don't know. I also don't know why that happened, she thought she had everything planned in advance, they didn't mention this to her when she dropped the car off.

So, I would get the exact procedures down, in writing if possible.

Bobbi

 

[Deb & Bill]

Driving to the MK is one thing we just never do. It's so much more convenient to take the bus since it drops you off right at the front entrance. If you drive, you have to park at the TTC, then take the tram to the TTC, then get on the monorail or boat to go over to the MK. Just a lot easier to ride the bus.

 

[tjkraz]

We rented a car at the Dolphin just this morning (OK, yesterday morning) and the only problem was the wait. It took every bit of 45 minutes to get through the line, and that was with only 4 groups ahead of me. I guess people were just in the mood to argue about prices & insurance, and the fact that they tried to sell everyone on an upgrade didn't help much.

It also didn't help that I arrived at the desk around 10:30am on a Saturday.

The desk is staffed from 8am to 4pm daily. Once the paperwork is complete they send you right to the valet staff at the Dolphin to get the car. Returning is just as easy--if it's to be billed to the credit card on file, you just leave the car with the valet and you're done.

 

[Lyndarella]

We have rented twice from the Doubletree at DTD. They pick you up at your resort. We like that place because it is so small there is never a wait. When you return the car, they will take you back to your resort. I think WDW busses stop there also, so when you leave your rental car, you could go on to a park or to DTD.

On a trip where we used Mears from the airport to our resort, we rented a car mid-week at the Doubletree, and returned it the day we left. Mears was happy to pick us up there instead of at our own resort.