First Time Emerald Aisler

[rhays]

Since my kids and I will be arriving a day earlier than my husband, I will have to pick up the car. I know it's very easy...but I just go get my bags and go out the appropriate door to the National garage, and look for the Emerald Aisle, right? It's clearly marked? Then I just pick ANY full size vehicle, right? I hope I don't sound too timid about this...but my life hasn't been going all that well lately and there's constantly something around the corner that is throwing a wrench into my vacation plans! I don't need anymore surprises!

The car was reserved in my DH's name...but I took the DC application to our local National yesterday and got my own EC card (yay!)...and was able to transfer his reservation to my card and saved three more dollars! Now I'm paying $123.68 for 7 days for a full size EA car!

Thanks for any reassurance you guys can give! (Since we started planning this vacation, my DH was in a serious dirt bike accident spending 12 days in ICU under sedation, my BIL passed away, my aunt has Alzheimer's and is expected to pass away within a week or two, my car is acting up, my 9yr old son has an infected tooth, just to name a few! I NEED this vacation!)

(Oops! Sorry to get off topic there!)

Ruth (who wants her EA experience to be a GOOD one!)

 

[Beverly Lynn]

yes thats pretty much what you do. make sure that you take the printout of your ressie with you that shows that price so that whenyou checkout you won't have any problems. and when you return the vehicle make sure that you have that ressie handy too.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Hi,
Sounds like you need this vacation BIG TIME!!!!!
Get your bags, go down one floor, and exit to the garage. The exits for the rental car part of the garage are well marked (if you have a problem, just ask anyone who works at the airport, they are really nice). Get on the elevator and get off at the first floor, again, well marked.
Follow the signs to the Emerald Aisle and select your car. After you have loaded the car, just follow the signs to the exit, check out at the kiosk and you are on your way. They will have maps to direct you to your destination.
Good luck and relax.

 

[MikeP]

I just got back from Orlando and the EA was great. We arrived on 7/10 at about 5pm, they had tons of Minivans (nothing else). The minivan was really nice. WHen we checked it back in it was nice not to have to worry about filling it back up , EC members pay regular rates for the fuel, I believe I paid 1.40. I didn't have any problems renting or returning my minivan, thought I did have a copy of my ressie just in case.

 

[Beckles]

Originally posted by rhays
<snip>
Then I just pick ANY full size vehicle, right?
<snip>

Actually, you pick any vehicle on the Emerald Aisle you want, does not have to be a full size vehicle.

 

[kristikae]

Mike P:

What class car do you have to reserve to be able to get a minivan?

 

[MikeP]

To be guaranteed a minivan I think you have to reserve one. We reserved an Intermediate, which means we were guaranteed at least a FS because that is the smallest they have on the EA. When you reserve as an EC member on EA, you can pick any car on the AIsle for the price on your ressie. It just so happened that the only thing on the AIsle on our arrival was minivans. We were kinda hoping a convertible would be there (they sometimes are).

 

[kristikae]

I'm brain fried today! Here is the deal. We want a minivan but it is expensive to reserve one. What is the lowest class we can reserve and hope to get a minivan? Do you think they have plenty on hand so we would have no problem getting one with our ea reservation?

 

[MikeP]

I just went to the National web site to experiment a bit. Apparently in order to be guaranteed a minivan, you can't use the EA but must use Emerald Choice. You still bypass the counter but go to the minivan aisle and get your vehicle. I think the best guarantee you have on the EA is full size, but often times something larger or nicer is there.

 

[MikeP]

When we were there all they had was minivans on EA. I doubt that to be the norm. Almost all the vans had out of state plates as well so that was kinda strange to me also. Maybe that is normal also, but I did notice that most of the cars in the garage had Florida plates. I typically am not looking for minivans on the aisle when I use it so I can't say if that is the norm or not.

 

[Niagara2]

We use EA at MCO 4 or 5 times a year and have never gotten a mini van. We have had great cars like caddies, Chrysler LHS, Top of the Line SUV's etc. We have never had a car under premieum. We wanted a mini van but have never got it so if you really need it - use Emerald Choice. The price will probably be higher but the service is the same and you are guaranteed a mini van.

 

[Jeafl]

Our choice was very disappointing. There were 11 Pickup trucks and 4 LeSabres. That was it on the entire Emerald Aisle. I guess it's just the luck of the draw.

 

[Beckles]

Originally posted by MikeP
We reserved an Intermediate, which means we were guaranteed at least a FS because that is the smallest they have on the EA.

There were plenty of cars smaller than full-size when I was at the airport a few weeks ago ... of course you don't have to take 'em, but I think some people like the smaller cars. There were quite a few Grand Ams, 1 VW bug (definitely not a full-size!), and I think a Mitsubishi Eclipse (not a convertible, hardtop).

 

[Beckles]

Aren't there actually two Emerald Aisles at Orlando, one on each side of the airport? Anyone ever try cutting over to the other side of the airport to check out what was available over there?

 

[Braque]

We rented at MCO on 7/3 and just got back. I believe there is only one National garage. When we got there at 11AM the EA was full of full-size vehicles, No SUV's, No Minivans, No Trucks, No Convertibles. We selected a Dodge Intrepid which was nice - but a minivan would have been much more convenient. Access was simple but there was no-one is sight in the garage so I am glad I knew what to do. Check out and check in was fast and correct to our reservation price. Refueling was $1.64/gal but that was OK even though we could have found gas at $1.25 ourtside the airport.

I would do it again if the price is good.