Car Rental Sticker Shock!

[baw]

Hi all-- I'm hoping the budget board will have some advice for me! We visit the world 1-2 year & we always fly from DC. I think we've rented a car maybe once or twice in the last 15 years. We've had great luck relying on the DME and Transport busses. This year we want to have a car (even though we are staying on property. WE want to accommodate my MIL, who is a bit older.) Last summer I rented a car through FOX (in Ft. Myers FLA) and it was about $100 for the entire week. We are leaving for WDW at the end of this month and the BEST rate I'm finding online is about $300-$350 for the week. This seems CRAZY to me, but I don't know what to expect....I was thinking it would be the same or similar to our Ft. Myers rate. Any advice/insight/tips would be appreciated! If this is the typical rate for pick up and drop off at MCO, I'll need to decide based on that info.

 

[vicki_c]

Prices will drop as you get closer to your trip dates. If you're going in the summer, it's too early. Best advice is to book something now (you don't pay anything) and then just keep watching and rebooking as the prices come down.

I don't know about current car rates, but we've always rented a minivan or SUV (it's been a few years) and for a week, our prices are closer to what you stated, $300 or more. And that's been using the approach I stated, sometime so with coupons for free upgrades, etc.

I did get a dirt cheap car one time through Priceline's bidding process.

 

[smbowtie]

Hi all-- I'm hoping the budget board will have some advice for me! We visit the world 1-2 year & we always fly from DC. I think we've rented a car maybe once or twice in the last 15 years. We've had great luck relying on the DME and Transport busses. This year we want to have a car (even though we are staying on property. WE want to accommodate my MIL, who is a bit older.) Last summer I rented a car through FOX (in Ft. Myers FLA) and it was about $100 for the entire week. We are leaving for WDW at the end of this month and the BEST rate I'm finding online is about $300-$350 for the week. This seems CRAZY to me, but I don't know what to expect....I was thinking it would be the same or similar to our Ft. Myers rate. Any advice/insight/tips would be appreciated! If this is the typical rate for pick up and drop off at MCO, I'll need to decide based on that info.

That's the going rate at MCO. We are paying $200 (National) for Sat thru Tue droping off at Dolphin.

 

[tvguy]

This was my experience in Phoenix looking for a rental next month. $130 a day for the cheapest car available......I am flying in Houston where I ampaying $60 a day for a "premium" car.

 

[vicki_c]

PS - the Transportation board has some running threads on car rental deals and codes for various months

 

[baw]

Thanks for the feedback. We're leaving in 2 weeks, so I'm thinking prices are what they are. I will check the transportation board for codes.

 

[wiigirl]

This was my experience in Phoenix looking for a rental next month. $130 a day for the cheapest car available......I am flying in Houston where I ampaying $60 a day for a "premium" car.

yikes...

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Look thru the boards, budget and transportation. There's a lot of info. Someone posted the other day that they got a 7 day car rental from Dollar for $110. Mousesavers.com is a website all about Disney and if you click on transportation and then rental cars, they give you tips and even list coupon codes and contract ID numbers to help bring cost down. Sign up for a rental cars loyalty program, it's usually free, like the Emerald Aisle @ National. Costco and BJ's also have rental cars.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Try Dollar they seem to have some good rates. I got a rental for April for just under $70.00

I just looked again and my rental rate went down to $60 total!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kimbe21]

Keep checking prices. Last week I booked a full size car for 8 nights from Dollar (MCO- pick up & Drop off) for $130. The past few months the same car was over $300.

 

[akcire]

Hi all-- I'm hoping the budget board will have some advice for me! We visit the world 1-2 year & we always fly from DC. I think we've rented a car maybe once or twice in the last 15 years. We've had great luck relying on the DME and Transport busses. This year we want to have a car (even though we are staying on property. WE want to accommodate my MIL, who is a bit older.) Last summer I rented a car through FOX (in Ft. Myers FLA) and it was about $100 for the entire week. We are leaving for WDW at the end of this month and the BEST rate I'm finding online is about $300-$350 for the week. This seems CRAZY to me, but I don't know what to expect....I was thinking it would be the same or similar to our Ft. Myers rate. Any advice/insight/tips would be appreciated! If this is the typical rate for pick up and drop off at MCO, I'll need to decide based on that info.

Try Costco

 

[swilshire]

Thanks for the feedback. We're leaving in 2 weeks, so I'm thinking prices are what they are. I will check the transportation board for codes.

For future reference, you should book a rental car as soon as you know you need one and then keep checking for better rates. I use Costco, which typically has the cheapest prices and is easy to check for better deals.

I doubt you'll find a better rate two weeks out, but you never know. It is all about supply and demand. Much of the cost is for taxes and fees if you're renting at the airport.

Sheila

 

[Eastern]

If it makes you feel any better, I was seeing prices of $700 for NYE week in MCO. We need a car for 5 adults plus luggage. We just did ME.

 

[cmjaffe]

are you going around 2/20 -- is this part of President's Day week (winter break for most schools) but also there's a HUGE convention in town that might be tying up cars HIMMS -- 30K attendees... (know this 'cause DH is going and we'll be staying at BIL since can't get a room nearby -- and cars are $450 for 3 days compact using all codes) Good luck

 

[magicaddict]

I've had great luck with Hotwire. You do have to be careful because sometimes they show a really great price but it's not cancellable. I never book one where they ask for my credit card info. Since I book pretty far out I've also been able to get the initial price down by quite a bit. Good luck.

 

[baw]

thanks, everyone. the best i could find was Dollar, at about $275 for the week, everything included (for a mid-sized 4 door). Not bad, I suppose. I was spoiled by the $100ish I paid last summer in Ft. Myers! Will keep my eyes peeled for something better, but i can live with it.

 

[mrsboz]

Hi Baw: did you use a code to get that price? We are going March 6th and the prices are crazy high. Does anyone know of any code that will bring the prices down.

 

[jgreco]

As it gets closer, try priceline.com (but you will have to pay for it at the time of reservation, no cancellations), and put in a lowball offer, that you'd ideally like to pay- you never know.... I saved 50% off any code rate I could find over Thanksgiving break.

 

[klepton]

Rental car pricing seems almost as out of control and volatile as airfare anymore... especially in Florida. I'm paying over $200 for a one day rental from MCO to Cape Canaveral. That's an SUV, but still.... hoping for the price to come down soon...

 

[aj2hall]

Maybe this will make you feel better. We're paying $670 for a minivan at the end of the month for 12 days. (From Dollar). I've tried priceline, Costco and individual car rental sites with all kinds of codes. It's the best rate I could find and I've seen them as high as $1000- $2000 for our timeframe. I keep hoping that they'll go down at the last minute, but so far no luck