Dolphin or Car Care Center?

[nja33]

DBF and I are heading to Ocala to visit his mom for 2 days before our Disney trip in a few weeks. We plan to pick up a car at the airport and return it when we get to Disney. I'm just not sure which drop off is better. I originally thought we'd just return it to the Dolphin so we can use Disney transportation to get back to our hotel. However, when I plug in our dates and times on the Alamo website it says the Dolphin will be closed at the time I want to drop it off and to get special instructions when we pick up the car. I'm also worried about how we'd get back to the hotel from the Car Care Center. I assume they have a shuttle but do I need to arrange that before we get there or can I just ask when we return the car?

For anyone who's used either of these locations to return a car, what's your opinion? Which one would you choose?

 

[grimley1968]

I never used the CCC, but I understand that the rental companies do operate a shuttle there to take you back to the resort. I would think they would have one ready, if you made your reservation to drop your rental off there.

Yes, the Dolphin is extremely convenient, but the hours are limited compared to the airport and the CCC.

 

[NancyIL]

Here's an option that would work IF you plan to go to a theme park on your arrival day. You could drive to your WDW hotel first to check-in, drop-off luggage, etc. - then drive to the Dolphin and drop-off the car. Even though the rental car desk won't be open, you'll drop-off the car with the valet, and you'll get a receipt showing that you returned the car and at what time. From there you could walk or take the boat to Epcot or MGM. If you're NOT going to a park, you could still take the boat to MGM and then take the bus back to your resort.

 

[nja33]

Here's an option that would work IF you plan to go to a theme park on your arrival day. You could drive to your WDW hotel first to check-in, drop-off luggage, etc. - then drive to the Dolphin and drop-off the car. Even though the rental car desk won't be open, you'll drop-off the car with the valet, and you'll get a receipt showing that you returned the car and at what time. From there you could walk or take the boat to Epcot or MGM. If you're NOT going to a park, you could still take the boat to MGM and then take the bus back to your resort.

This was actually my original plan. I want to get to the hotel close to check in time and drop off our luggage. Then we were going to drop off the car at the Dolphin and head over to Beaches and Cream to eat. When we were originally going to arrive on Wednesday it was going to be when the desk was open. When we changed to Tuesday I felt bad about taking a day away from FMIL so I didn't want to leave her as early. But knowing how it works with the desk closed makes me feel better and I think we'll stick to that plan. Thanks so much. You've just helped make me a little less stressed.

 

[NancyIL]

Glad to have been of help. Even when the National/Alamo desk is open, I sometimes STILL leave the car and keys with the valet, rather than take the keys to the rental car desk and get a receipt - especially if I'm dropping off the car in the morning. There can be quite a line of people waiting to pick-up their rental cars, and I don't want to wait in that line just to get a print-out of my bill.