Car Rentals at Disneyland

[socalsal]

Anyone rented a car from Downtown Disney before? Any advice?

 

[DisneyCrocsRUS]

I'd like to know too.

I tried to check into options from renting from a place on-location at DLR, but it was kinda confusing.

Right now I have a car reserved for p/up when we land at John Wayne/SNA airport, but I feel like it's kind of a waste since it will just sit in the DLR parking lot for the 3 days we are there since we're not really planning on driving. We really won't need the car until we leave (on the 4th day) and continue our trip down to San Diego, so I'd love to save the money & find out more about just waiting & renting a car from someplace on location at DLR.

 

[goofymax]

We are in the same boat, er, car. We also arrive at SNA and go to the Grand Californian at Disneyland for four days. We need the car on the fourth day to go to San Diego. We do not need the car until then, but the rates we found are the best at SNA from Alamo. Full size car about $265 from July 9th to July 16th and drop off at SAN. The rates we checked from Disney area were $120 more than we are paying from SNA and for four days less! Doesn't make sense, but that's what I found. Let me know if you find an alternative.

 

[DisneyCrocsRUS]

We are in the same boat, er, car. We also arrive at SNA and go to the Grand Californian at Disneyland for four days. We need the car on the fourth day to go to San Diego. We do not need the car until then, but the rates we found are the best at SNA from Alamo. Full size car about $265 from July 9th to July 16th and drop off at SAN. The rates we checked from Disney area were $120 more than we are paying from SNA and for four days less! Doesn't make sense, but that's what I found. Let me know if you find an alternative.

Ditto!! I found the exact same thing. I think Alamo was the only car rental agency that actually has a station on-location *right* there in DT Disney. But I think they milk ya for the convenience and make you pay the jacked up price. Heck, we're already paying $400/night to stay at the Grand CA for the 3 days we are there! I found some nearby car rental agencies that say they are *at* DLR, but if you look at the addresses, they are down the street. You might be able to walk there, I guess, but not being familiar w/the area, I don't really want DH & I to be walking up & down busy Harbor Drive looking for a car rental agency w/2 little girls in tow. Nor does the idea of taking a couple hours out of our time at DLR to catch a cab & go to a car rental agency to pick up a car sound very fun either.

I think we may stick to the Alamo at SNA & just have it sit at the GCH parking lot.

 

[eduk8r26]

I think there is a rental place on Katella, down from Desert Inn, across from the Convention Center. I want to say it's National, but not sure.

 

[TrixieBel]

Yes, the rental agency on Katella (quite close) is National. When we arrived from SFO/Las Vegas last month, we dropped our car there. Actually, we parked in the carpark for the PPH and checked in, then my DH drove the car to the return place (there was no charge for parking at the PPH carpark as we were staying there...) and then he walked back to the hotel (only took 10mins...

The day we left Disney, we picked up a rental car from the Alamo office there are DTD. I had prebooked the car online and didn't find it more expensive than anywhere else.

One thing to be aware of is that they have limited cars actually at that site. If you have pre-booked, they will call their other site and have your grade of car brought over. BUT, if you don't have a prebooking, it looked like they will only offer you what is on the lot.

While we were there, we saw one couple come in without a pre-booking and they wanted a small car, but they were told that the only car available was a convertible and a small car wouldn't be available until the afternoon (this was 9am). My DH and I thought about offering them our SUV with the 3 kids, and telling them we'd happily take the convertible!!!!!!!

So, my advice would be - it is definitely convenient to get the rental from Alamo at DTD, but maybe pop in the day before and let them know that you've got a reservation for the next day, that way they can have the car there ready for you - we had to wait 15mins for our SUV to arrive from somewhere else - great car though...

Regards
Jenn

 

[WyoDisneyFan]

On our trip last August we reserved a car from Alamo at DD about two months in advance with a car seat, for the one day we wanted to drive to the beach. When I went to pick up the car they informed me they didn't have any car seats. So I told them to cancel the reservation. A CM at DLH gave me a list of agencies in the area. I called budget who came to the DLH and picked me up got me a car and took me back to DLH after we finished with the car the next morning. The prices were reasonable as well even with no advance reservation.