Emerald Club & Coupons

[TheLeonhardts]

Does anyone have any experience with MCO, the Emerald Aisle, and car upgrade coupons?

We're renting using the DC discount and a coupon from Birnbaum's for an upgrade. According to the internet reservation system, the fact that we're using a coupon requires us to go to the counter. I joined Emerald Club to avoid the counter.

They mention "Emerald Counter Service" -- is there such a thing as an Emerald Club Counter at MCO?

Has anyone ever been in a similar situation and just picked out a car and given the coupon, emerald club card, disney club card, reservation documentation, and credit card to the booth and let them deal with it? If so, how has that gone?

Don't mean to sound rude and impatient -- but I would love a more efficient way to deal with this at midnight after a long day of flying. . .

thanks!

TheLeonhardts

 

[Poohlovr]

So far I haven't found a way to avoid the counter when using an upgrade coupon. There apparently is no way to go straight to the aisle. I wish there were, because we are using a 2 class upgrade coupon from the Entertainment book.

Luckily, in the days before EA, I never had a long, long wait at the National Counter, so, hopefully, it won't be such a bad experience.

Guess we've gotten spoiled by the Aisle....

 

[DisneyKidds]

Any type of upgrade coupon seems to require counter service. Other coupons (free days, dollars off, etc.) can be used with Emerald Aisle service.

Are you sure an upgrade coupon is the best deal you can get? It seems like at National, intermediate, standard (whatever that is) and full size cars are all priced the same. As such, with Emeral Aisle service you can take any available size from the aisle at the same price. A one or two car class upgrade may not get you anything you couldn't have gotten anyway if you are reserving less than full size. If you are reserving full size and upgrading to premium it may be a different story. However, if you got lucky with the aisle service you might snag a premium or better (but this is hit or miss). I guess with a full size ressie and an upgrade you are at least guaranteed the size you want. Last night I was making a ressie for our May trip and the upgrade coupons I tried netted me nothing.

 

[pbhunt]

TL, are you booking online or by phone? DC Discount combined w/free day coupon might yield a better discount. If you are booking online, counter is the default. Click on counter to choose Emerald Aisle, and avoid the counter

 

[TheLeonhardts]

Thanks, everyone!

I did the disney club coupon thing online and wound up calling in to make sure I got emerald aisle. I lost a bit of my great rate from booking early -- but, based on today's rates online, it appears that reservations person on the emerald line gave me a 2 class upgrade for free (charged the Intermediate rate for a Full size). So, I'll pay a little more, but be happy about it.

 

[WienerDog]

Like DisneyKidds said, full size rentals always seem to be the same as intermediate rentals. I'm not saying you didn't get a good deal, just that they probably didn't do anything exceptional for you. As a note to anyone thinking of renting, make your reservations early. I made a compact and a full size reservation about two months ago, figuring I would cancel them when the rates came down. The rates have steadily gone up the entire time, so now $191 for a full size/week isn't as bad as I thought.