dilemma-where to drop non-Avis rental

[abitjaded]

We are getting much better rates than Avis from other rental car companies. We are renting the car for a few days prior to our cruise, then need a rental car (van) for a few days after with all to visit WDW. We also have other relatives coming in for the cruise the day before departure. I'm torn on the logistics. They would have to get from Orlando airport to the dock, or could stay near the airport and we can swing back from Ft. Myers in our rental and get them. BUT then where do we drop our rental? What is cheapest? Stay at the airport, buy Disney transfers for them? Or get them to Port, stay at the Radisson, pay the difference? What hotels make provisions to get to from other car rental drop off points. ANY suggestions welcome. What other car rental agencies have drop off anywhere near the Port? Taxi from there?


ARRRGGGHHH!

Carla

 

[Hygiene99]

the name of the rental co. might help us with your anwsers
peter

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

There are only four companies that allow cost-effective one-way car rental returns near the cruise terminal... Avis, Budget, Hertz, and National. There are a couple other companies with nearby locations (Thrifty comes to mind), but they either charge a drop-off fee, or they inflate their daily rates to compensate for the drop-off fee. Unless you're renting from Avis, Budget, Hertz, or National, your only viable options are to leave your rental at the Radisson (provided that you stayed there the night before your cruise) or to park it at the cruise terminal ($8/day).

Fort Myers is a long way from Port Canaveral. And the Orlando airport is 47 miles from the cruise terminal, so taking a taxi from there would run you about $80 each way.

So you need to factor in all these costs... is the deal you're looking at still cheaper than Avis, Budget, Hertz, or National even when you pay for parking at the cruise terminal? And even when you're paying for rental days for the days you're on the cruise? If yes, then this is the deal you should go with.

I have more info about one-way car rentals at my web site.

www.dcltribute.com/carhire

 

[abitjaded]

Dave, thanks for your links, we had been looking mostly at Nat'l due to ease of pick-up at MCO. Your site was just what we needed to complete our comparing. Thanks!

Carla

 

[BigIan]

Hi

We need transport from/to Orlando airport, is a one day hire from airport to port canaveral then a one day hire from Port canaveral dropping at Orlando airport the cheapest way to go ?

I have no problems driving from airport to the port as I have traveled to cocoa beach on various other trips (although this is our first Cruise!!)

Thanks for any help/advice you can give

only two weeks left!! (Not that im counting)

 

[Stepherella]

Hi, I have a question about one way rentals. I currently have disney transfers from mco to the port and back. I want to change this so that we can visit the Kennedy Space Center. What I want to do is take the disney transfer to the port, but not back. After we return from the cruise, I would like to rent a car at the port to go to the KSC and then return the car at the airport that night. When I have tried to rent a car one way, either way, all of the online sites say that the car rental agencies are not allowing this at this time? Does anyone know how I could do this? We are not renting a car and driving to the port because we have other plans before the cruise.
Thanks,
Stephanie

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by BigIan

Is a one day hire from airport to port canaveral then a one day hire from Port canaveral dropping at Orlando airport the cheapest way to go?

The bus is cheaper if there's only one in your party. The cost is about the same as the bus if there are two in your party. The car is definitely the cheapest way to go if there's three or more in your party.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by Stepherella

When I have tried to rent a car one way, either way, all of the online sites say that the car rental agencies are not allowing this at this time?

What dates are you looking at? I'd like to investigate this.

 

[Stepherella]

The date I was looking at was sept 21, 2002. When I get off the ship, I want to rent a car and go to ksc and then to mco to get a plane home.
thanks,
Stephanie

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

You might want to try again. I just tried for that date and got good price quotes from Avis, Hertz, and National.

Be sure to use the appropriate pickup code (P3F for Avis, COIC11 for Hertz, and COIC06 for National). The return code is MCO for all three companies.

 

[Stepherella]

Dave,
Thanks for your quick response. When I did a search on avis for rental locations, I guess I didn't have the right code for the one at the Radisson, which was what I wanted. I kept trying different ones and none would let me rent one way. I tried out the code you gave me and it worked! Thank you - this will work out great for me.
-Stephanie

 

[BigIan]

Thanks Dave, I should have said there were 3 people in our group, but you answered for all numbers!!!

Thanks for your completeness of info and advice

It is greatly appreciated!!

Two 1 way hire cars it is then!!

I assume the cost of getting off the airport site to hire a car (therefore saving on the airport tax) out weighs the saving of the tax ! (Unless I can blag on a free bus to an international drive hotel or something)

But I think that is maybe just wasting to a lot of time to save a wee bit of money!!

Anyhow I will stop thinking out loud now!!

13 days to go !!!!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Originally posted by BigIan

I assume the cost of getting off the airport site to hire a car (therefore saving on the airport tax) out weighs the saving of the tax!

That wouldn't be worth the hassle. Yes, the rental companies that have cars onsite or offer a courtesy bus have an airport concession fee that is passed on to the renter, but the convenience of this far outweighs the few dollars you would save by going offsite.