Dollar at Sanford - any thoughts?

[bazzanoid]

Hi all!

Well we've definitely decided to save £600 and go with TCD into sanford with dollar rent a car.

I was all set for using Alamo at MCO, so I'm a little in the dark now - what's the process at sanford - whereabouts in the terminal is the check-in desk etc....

 

[mnoble_uk]

Its been about 5 or 6 years since I've been through there, but I remember the whole process being fairly easy & relaxed. Sanford is not as busy as Orlando. You have to go outside to the car hire places, but it was a short walk to the Dollar desk. Fairly painless even after a long haul flight. Sanford is a bit out in the country so the first few minutes getting back into the swing of driving in the US arent too bad either.

Of course this was pre 9/11 and everything could have changed now.

 

[Hilary]

Last year the set up was very easy and straightforward. You can't really miss the car desks as there aren't that many places they could be (and there's usually someone on hand to point you out of the doors).

As mnoble said, it's a much easier drive out of the airport than from MCO, and the whole process of collecting baggage, immigration, car pick up and driving to your resort is usually quicker than from MCO, even though it's further.

 

[jns]

we have always used Dollar out of Sanford
never had a problem
only the usual trying to up grade you

 

[Graeme]

Do Dollar stick to the car groups you book? I've been with Alamo for the last four trips and have always got a free upgrade because they'd run out of economy sized cars.

 

[foxylady]

We have used Sanford and Dollar three times now, 1998, 2004 & 2005. The Dollar desk it immediately out of the airport. Staff are usually very helpful and friendly.

Last year we upgraded to a large car because DS is 14 and needs more leg room and we thought that the compact might be too small.

We were lucky and first out of baggage claim and first into the Dollar building! Never even saw a TCD rep we were that quick. Directed to the first member of staff who then proceeded to go through the usual upgrade stuff. Funnily enough tho' they never took a swipe of my credit card!

Went outside to find car, but the car in the bay number we were allocated was not the one for us according to the paperwork. Staff outside tried to help us, but we ended up having to go back into the building!

We then found out we had been given the keys to the car that was actually inside the building to show how wonderful all the facilities are etc!!!

Dollard kindly then gave us a 7-seater minivan for 3 of us for nothing! Trouble is we were spoilt and now have had to book one for this year's holidays.

 

[brer rabbit 28]

never had any problems with dollar.Infact my first driving experience was in a chrystler cruiser,we were automatically upgraded because they ran out of economy cars!
Very helpful staff.Also loved the check in back at sanford where you drive up and the guy is waiting to take the car off you-no messing about with the paperwork

 

[squitty]

The only problem with Dollar at Sanford is that they only allow the main driver into the actual building where you pick the car up from, this really annoys me.

 

[jns]

deleted post
sorry was talking about the wrong airport there

 

[k-herm]

If you're not familiar with it, there is a useful Sanford [and more] site here

 

[jdybnsn]

We booked the economy car with TCD F/D this year (and boy, do they not like you booking it) - purely on the information gained on this, and other boards, that they do not actually have any economy cars at Sanford !
From the information I'd been given, the smallest car they have is a neon Dodge....and sure enough that is exactly what we got.


......infact, TCD automatically allocated us an intermed. car, despite me requesting an econ...I had to ring them up and give them the 'I can't park anything bigger' story to change it - they tried everything they could to get me to stick with the intermed though but I stood my ground.

Of course, having arrived at Sanford, I had to fight the Dollar Rep over the hard sell on the upgrade (just gave her the 'I can't afford anything else' story) and she handed me the keys of the Neon (she never mentioned we had been up graded ...and I didn't want to point this out after our intense battle of wills). I took the view that if I had ended up with an econ. car then I could have always gone back to the desk.

Interested to know .... has anyone ever had an economy car allocated at Sandford ?

 

[mushumadness]

we have used dollar the last three years with tcd

have always upgraded when we got there,

this year we are getting an 8 seater through them, with two drivers.
but we needed another car as well and have booked it with airline network, through dollar too.

very stream lined pick up.

 

[Hilary]

that they do not actually have any economy cars at Sanford !
From the information I'd been given, the smallest car they have is a neon Dodge....and sure enough that is exactly what we got.

Similar (although not as savvy ) tale with Alamo at MCO last month. We'd booked an economy car but fell for the upgrade sales pitch because the economy car wouldn't have air con., was manual, wouldn't fit a handbag in the trunk, blah blah! As we hadn't paid out hard cash for the booking in the first place (on AirMiles) I felt the extra £50 would be worthwhile.

It wasn't until we got out to the garage to pick up the car that I remembered all the advice from these boards saying the economy cars are very few and far between (if they are there at all!).

I could have kicked myself for being talked into the upgrade While we were looking for the Intermediate bays, we came across all other grades - but no economy or compact! Either they're so compact they don't need their own bays , or they aren't usually there!

 

[brer rabbit 28]

last year we got the economy car -me mum and 2 massive cases!
It was what we had ordered though and they didn't really attempt the hard sell so we were happy.As an earlier poster said-don't think they have many econ cars on site.Wait until you see your car before you decide to upgrade it.I'm sure they would let you change your mind afterwards

 

[RuddClan]

One think, they want a swipe of your credit card when you pick the car up. On our last trip we were having 2 cars, only I had a CC, the other driver did not. They were cool with this and put the 2 cars on the same card. At the end I had a small bill for Gas