Car rental through DVC?

[Bruce in PA]

Has anybody arranged a rental car through DVC MS? I always hear it as a menu option when I call, but I've never actually gotten a rate from them.

Anyone know how they compare price-wise? I'm usually able to do pretty well online myself, using Mousesavers discount codes, etc. Any reason to think I could do better by letting DVC handle things?

(I'm guessing that DVC offers this as a convenience for members, and that it's almost definitely not a bargain. Just thought I'd ask...)

Bruce

 

[quentina]

I did get the rate once....was very expensive. I believe it was more than double the rate that I was able to get via the internet.

It is still worth a try, you just never know.

Kim

 

[JimMIA]

I travel quite a bit, and I invariably find that anything additional, packaged with anything else, is going to cost more. About the only exception I've found is occasionally a better hotel rate.

I always rent my cars through Expedia, Travelocity, or Orbitz, and I always do better that way. I've also learned to compare cars to cars, not prices. Sometimes the same car is a mid-size with one company, but a compact with other companies...so you have to be sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Another thing I've learned making ressies for my MIL is that "senior citizen discount" often doesn't mean discount at all. It often means "more."

 

[kathleena]

I have called for a DVC rate 4 or 5 times in the past and have NEVER gotten a rate better than what I already had with the AP discount, VISA card, mousesavers, RCI, even the rate I got thru my employer thru preferred at AVIS.

So I have stopped trying!

 

[brianm27]

I have always had the best luck renting directly from the rental company websites using discount codes available on some of the Disney fan web sites. I may cancel and rebook several times as rates do fluctuate over time. I have knocked of almost $100 on a weekly rental on several occasions by doing this. This strategy works best in the off season.

I stick with the major players. Especially when we can use a preferred membership to bypass the counter - and the wait - in Orlando.

 

[JimC]

We have gotten the best rates from our travel agent, even when comparing to discount codes and online services like Orbitz. We only rent from the major players and belong to each of their preferred membership groups. There is no reason to be standing in lines and you will do a lot of that if you are not a preferred member.

In Orlando we almost always use one of the on airport agencies as it is much more convenient than dealing with the shuttle services and we never have ended up paying any more.

As JimMIA said, make sure when comparing quotes you are paying attention to the cars quoted. Also make sure you get a quote with ALL fees and taxes included.

We rent full-size cars only and find that often we our rate is better than a compact. Go figure that one out! Our travel agent says it is because they run out of small cars and have too many larger cars on the lot.

Two other thoughts. Pay attention to which credit card you use to pay for the car. The premium cards differ in how they cover rentals. Our Disney VISA has the better coverage so we use that. We decline all of the optional coverages and fill the tank ourselves before returning the car. The Hess stations on property have competitive prices and you can make it to the airport with the tank still on Full.