Emerald Aisle @ National Car

[cinmell]

Has anyone used the Emerald Aisle at National Car Rental? I'm just wondering if it is really as easy as just walking to the aisle and picking up your car or if they are frequently out of the type of car you reserved. Also, I just want to verify that at MCO, you just cross the street from where you pick up your luggage and National is right there. I don't want to have to take a shuttle to pick up the car. Thank you!!

 

[jcanary]

I can answer the part that you do just walk across the street to the garage and get your car. I have not used the emerald aisle lately so I can not tell what type of cars they have. If they do not have anything you like, I believe you can go over to the area that you reserved and get a car from there, ie, you reserved an intermediate car you can go to the intermediate aisle and get one from there instead of the emerald aisle. There was a thread that was going about the type of car people were getting. You may want to search for it.

 

[cinmell]

Thank you jcanary. We reserved a full size and I'm concerned that there won't be any. I will search for the thread you mentioned. Thanks!

 

[RAD]

I've tried the EA three times, Orlando, Orange County CA and Austin TX in the past 12 months and have not been impressed at all. I've never seen anything bigger then a Toyota Camry on the lot and it was so dirty I wouldn't take it. Maybe some folks get lucky and get a SUV or a van but that hasn't been my case.

 

[cinmell]

If we decide not to use national, we don't want to have to lug our baby and luggage on a shuttle to get to a rental agency. Do you know which other rental agencies, if any, are across the street or right in the luggage area?

 

[DebbieB]

I've used National EA many times. Only once did they not have a choice of full sizes on the EA (last December). I had a full size reservation, so I picked out of the full size aisle instead, there were at least 15 cars on the full size aisle that time. This past May, they did have full sizes on the aisle, I picked a Buick Century. Other choices I remember were Intrigue, Intrepid, Gallant, Lumina and some smaller cars. I have not seen anything bigger than full size the past 3 or 4 times. In the past they did have vans, SUV's, convertibles, but not lately.

Dollar is located right next to National in the garage at the terminal, you may want to try them. They do not have an EA type setup, you have to go to the counter.

 

[dizfanz]

Dollar is at MCO and I just got a great rate for September, 8 days, intermediate, base of $141 with code ENTERTAIN.

 

[erikthewise]

Base rates are very deceiving. If I recall correctly a base rate of $141 comes out to a total of about $205. Nevertheless this seems to be the best deal going at the moment.

 

[dizfanz]

Actually, with taxes erik, it comes to about $185. Base rates are just easier to look at for comparison sometimes. In many cases on the internet, you do not find the total price until you actually book the car. So if you are shopping, it is just easier to look at base, instead of making 5 reservations and cancelling to get the total. Taxes are pretty much the same from company to company.

 

[djanssen]

I have found the EA service to be terrific. Never got a van or really anything bigger than a full-size car but that is OK. There were always full-size cares there to pick from and the check-out, check-in procedure is very fast and easy.

 

[ceburto2]

Hello,

Remember that if you can not find your class of car on the Emerald Aisle (full size), then you are guaranteed that size and can select your car from the full size aisle. That is why your emerald aisle conformation says "full size or choice from the emrald aisle." Also, for Emerald club members, a full size car is often the same rate as an intermediate. So reserve the full size and enjoy.

My wife and I have used the emerald aisle at MCO twice, last August and last week. The first time, we picked up our car in the morning and the emerald aisle had a good selection of intermediate and full size and a couple of pick-ups. This time, we did not make it into the airport until 7pm. The emerald aisle had a lot of intermediate cars and a few full size, but nothing we like. So I walked over to the full size aisle and got a nice Buick Century. I love being able to walk over to a car, hop in and take off. THe longest part of getting the car is deciding which one to take. Out of the airport and on the road 20 min after getting off the plane.



Hope this helps,
ceburto2