car rental

[Burgermom]

Question for Canadian travelers in Orlando,
How much did it cost to rent a car for a week in Orlando during November and/or January?
I'm trying to get a sense of how much to budget and what price to aim for.
Also, is there a difference in price for a Canadian traveler vs. an American traveler (other than the exchange rate)?

Thanks

 

[TommyJK]

Are you a Costco member? If so I recommend booking through them as there are discounts through Costco Members.

I current have a car booked through Budget (pickup at MCO airport) for $150 for a full week in Feb. Unlimited mileage and free second driver.

Doing a search for a week in November shows similar rates ($137 for an economy car, $145 for an intermediate car, $159 for a full size etc.)

 

[migel]

Even with Costco, prices vary and aren't always great. I have a 4 day rental in February, and the best Costco rate I could get was $139 for a compact. Although I often book with Costco, often you can find better deals using various coupon codes you find on these forums. So far, Costco still is my cheapest option for Feb however.

 

[Burgermom]

Even with Costco, prices vary and aren't always great. I have a 4 day rental in February, and the best Costco rate I could get was $139 for a compact. Although I often book with Costco, often you can find better deals using various coupon codes you find on these forums. So far, Costco still is my cheapest option for Feb however.

Is there a specific thread that you would recommend to follow coupon codes?

 

[hardis5]

See if there is a thread in the Transportation forum for the month you are looking at as it will often contain a lot of current working codes suggested by others reserving for the same period (November 2016 a little far out unless wanting to start one yourself). Mousesavers will group a lot of codes by rental company but I have always found I can get a better rate through one in the rental months threads or on my own. Personally, I normally get as good as can be gotten anywhere through Costco more often than not. Book early, cancel reservations as needed (when better quotes are seen elsewhere) and only prepay if it is a deal that cannot be passed up (did last year through Undercover Tourist on a rate that was never beaten picking up through Alamo on-site at the Car Care Center at DW and dropping at Port Canaveral - the same reservation through Costco was about 20% more but used them for a 1-day 1-way after the cruise dropping off in Tampa).

November 2014 did a week in an economy class for $69 plus tax through Costco but over the last year, rates are higher and staying up. My current May 2016 reservation was made through Costco last August and current rates are still more than 50% higher. Check often and if having a non-prepaid reservation, cancel as a better reservation is made.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I've rented for as low as $71/week for a mid size up to $200/week. I've also had 15 day rentals that only cost $130 total. I've got friends that have paid $500/week. It all depends on when you are traveling, demand and the type of vehicle you need. A lot also depends on how much effort you are willing to put into finding the best deals and codes/coupons.

 

[migel]

That's the key, especially if all the other rates are a lot higher (Expedia.ca, Hotwire.com, etc.), reserve with Costco, then continually check the rates. Often rates may drop a few weeks out, but sometimes they go up. Cancelling with Costco is easy, and costs nothing. I've also reserved with Expedia or Travelocity and was able to cancel when I found a better rate. Just read the fine print before you reserve.