Dollar Rental mini-van--great!

[LorieDisneyLover]

Just got back from Disney and wanted to say that our experience with Dollar rental car worked out very well. We used a code from mousesavers.com for a mini van at $199 a week. The van had integrated car seats so we saved money there too. There were NO lines, no waiting, no hassles in renting and returning the car. I highly recommend this company.

 

[toystorymom]

Thanks for the report. I've been considering booking a minivan with them and was looking for some feedback. What kind of van did you get? Do you pick your own out at Dollar or is it assigned to you? Thanks!

 

[LorieDisneyLover]

toystorymom,

It was a Dodge Caravan and it was assigned to us. I don't think they had any other models.

Funny thing is ... though our experience with Dollar rental car was great we decided that the next time we're looking to buy a minivan we would not purchase a Dodge Carvan. We currently own a Mercury Villager that's ten years old ... and much prefer it to the Dodge Caravan. Just our personal choice after driving the rental for the week.

But the rental experience was very good.

 

[smart cookie]

On my last rental (July 2nd) I got a Dodge Grand Caravan with the integrated child seats (already had ours along anyway.) It also had the DVD player, which came in handy. First time I've ever gotten a van w/ it included.

 

[4our4kids]

Wow! Integrated child seats! How convienient.

I have a dodge mini van reserved through Dollar, for our upcoming trip and called to add a child seat to our reservation. But at $6.00 a day ($60.00) I have been thinking I'd cancel the child seat and bring ours from home for our 3 yr old.

I'd love to leave ours home if we could get an integrated child seat. More convienent and, no problems with DD on the plane w/o a child seat when we flew in Feb.

Do you think the integrated child seats are standard through Dollar with a mini van, or only if your lucky?

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by 4our4kids
Do you think the integrated child seats are standard through Dollar with a mini van, or only if your lucky?

From what I have been told, not all of Dollar's vans have the integrated seats, and they cannot guarantee that you will get a van with them upon arrival.. You could call Dollar and ask them this though.. Maybe they have changed their policy..

There have also been conflicting reports lately that Dollar is supplying it's renters with the regular wheelbase Caravan Models and upcharging some people if they need the Grand Caravan (extended wheelbase) model.. Other people have reported getting the Grand Caravan without even being asked to pay an upgrade. It seems to be sporadic. Just another thing to consider..

 

[jfulcer]

I called and asked because I didn't know this about Dollar vans either. They said "Most" vans have them, but not all and you can't be guaranteed to get one.

They did, however, offer to add the request on my ressie (which I did). I also got Dollar at MCO's direct number to call and ask what are the chances, etc...

I just don't want to NOT bring along DDs seat and then get there and they don't have one with integrated seats.

 

[3AmigosMom]

jfulcer-just wondering if you called MCO's Dollar, and what their response was. We too are in the same situation. I will call to ask them to make a note on the ressie as you suggested, but otoh, do I reserve a car seat, just in case. I'm thinking that if I do that, then when I pick up the van, they'll tell me they have no integrated seat minivans left just to get me to pay the extra $$ for the car seat rental. Am I being to cynical??? I just don't want to end up at the rental counter without my car seat, the integrated seat, or a rental seat!!! Also, let me know the date your arriving so I can be there early to get the integrated seat minivan

 

[jfulcer]

MCO Dollar said the same thing - that they could not guarantee an integrated seat even if it were on the reservation. I asked if I called that morning and reminded them if it would guarantee me a seat and she said no.

But they'd be happy to rent me a seat for $6 a day if I didn't get an integrated seat.

We arrive at noon on October 27. Get there early!

 

[westjones]

The $199 rate sounds good! We need to rent something for a week next month during our trip, but haven't really figured it out yet.

Is Dollar Rental right at the airport?

Thanks,
DJ

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by westjones
Is Dollar Rental right at the airport?

Yes, the counter is located right in the airport and then you just walk across the street from the rental counter and get into your car.

 

[WDWLinda]

What exactly is an integrated car seat? Would it fit a 2 yr. old? Could you also fit 4 adults in the van comfortably?

Thanks!

 

[DianeV]

Last time we rented from Dollar they first offered me an upgrade fee for a "Grand" Caravan which I refused. They ended up giving us one anyway which we discovered when we went to the lot!

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by WDWLinda
What exactly is an integrated car seat? Would it fit a 2 yr. old? Could you also fit 4 adults in the van comfortably?

Thanks!

An integrated car seat is one that is built into the middle row of seats in the minivan. Part of it folds down from the seat and contains the 5 point seatbelt that are in more car seats. When the child seats are folded up, you almost wouldn't know they were there. The child has to be large enough to fit in these seats. I am not sure exactly but at least 20 pounds I would thing and able to sit up on there own as they are not very contoured to support the child, at least not as much as regular car seats.. Infants cannot use them. Most of the minivans that have them have 2 in the center aisle of seats.. The rear seats are conventional. You can use one or 2, they are indepenent of each other. So, to answer your 3rd question, yes 4 adults and 1 child would fit in the van just fine.

 

[Aubrey]

We also had the experience of reserving the regular mini-van through Dollar, declining the upgrade at the counter and ending up getting the larger Grand Caravan for no additional charge because that was what they had available. I pleasantly asked the counter rep if that was common, and he said yes, at his location it was. But this was in Baltimore, not Orlando.

 

[MaryJ]

I received a Dodge Grand Caravan with integrated car seats last month and didn't ask for either one. With two 17 year olds, I certainly didn't need the car seats!