For those who RECENTLY rented from Alamo @ MCO....

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It sounds like an invasion of SUV's and Pickup trucks!!! If that is what I will have to choose from when I arrive I will NOT be happy. I guess a small/midsize SUV will be ok but it is not what I really want to drive for 2 weeks. My reservation for a standard size car shows a Buick Verano. I know a Verano is not guaranteed, but I assumed they must have a large fleet of Verano's to have it listed as a possible choice. My full-size reservation has a Nissan Altima listed. I know you go out to the garage and choose your vehicle from the aisle that has the size you rented, but I have yet to hear anyone mention Buick Verano's or Nissan Altima's being on the aisle to choose from. So what is up with all of these pickup trucks?? Who goes to Orlando to rent a pickup truck anyway? What is that all about?? Orlando is a family tourist area for the most part so why would Alamo start getting fleets of pickup trucks??

Because that's what they go the deal on?

Seriously IMHO Alamo could care less if you are happy with your vehicle. LOL! (I refuse to rent from them and try very hard to forget that they and National are actually the same company! That said I won't take a truck or mini van. I also refuse to take SUVs without trunk covers! I know too many people who have had things taken out of the back of an SUV! )

 

[TamaraQT]

Because that's what they go the deal on?

Seriously IMHO Alamo could care less if you are happy with your vehicle. LOL! (I refuse to rent from them and try very hard to forget that they and National are actually the same company! That said I won't take a truck or mini van. I also refuse to take SUVs without trunk covers! I know too many people who have had things taken out of the back of an SUV! )

When my vehicle class is sold out or I am not happy with what I have to choose from, they have always told me to find something I like and grab it with no increase in cost. They allow you to go over to National and Enterprise. If you don't feel like looking, they will do it for you. But they prefer you pick what you like. I have always thought they would rather have a happy customer than a former customer. At least that's how they always made me feel. Last year I had a midsize reserved and was looking forward to a Nissan Sentra because I was considering purchasing one. I wanted a Sentra specifically for that reason even though make and model are not guaranteed. Of course my flight arrived late and they were sold out of any midsize cars that I liked. They still had some, but none I liked. The manager came out and told me to pick anything and they will give it to me at the same price except for a premium or large SUV. Just then a 2016 Chevy Impala came by. I said I liked that and she told me to take it. Then she said she had 3 or 4 brand new 2017 Impala's on the other side. She had them bring me one over and it only had 200 miles on it. So I have to say, my experience has always been they bend over backwards to make me a satisfied customer. This is why I only rent from Alamo. Like the saying goes...If it isn't broke, don't try to fix it.

 

[emmabelle]

January I booked a "drive happy deal" was sent to the fullsize aisle, and picked a Kia Soul.
May - Memorial Day weekend, booked the same "drive happy deal" and we were sent to the compact aisle... picked a Dodge Dart. Saw lots of mini vans in the compact aisle this time.

I have a drive happy deal for middle of July and hoping to see some mini vans since there are 5 of us.

My plan is to run out to the garage to see if there is anything big enough for five people and five suitcases. If not then Magical Express will be getting some riders, I have that set up too.

 

[TamaraQT]

I have a drive happy deal for middle of July and hoping to see some mini vans since there are 5 of us.

My plan is to run out to the garage to see if there is anything big enough for five people and five suitcases. If not then Magical Express will be getting some riders, I have that set up too.

I keep hearing about this "Drive Happy" Deal but have never seen it when I booked. Not sure how or when it is offered. I haven't been able to get any details on it. Maybe my dates are too far away to get the drive happy deal right now? I have no idea. But good luck to the ones who are seeing it. It sounds like the savings are significant.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

When my vehicle class is sold out or I am not happy with what I have to choose from, they have always told me to find something I like and grab it with no increase in cost. They allow you to go over to National and Enterprise. If you don't feel like looking, they will do it for you. But they prefer you pick what you like. I have always thought they would rather have a happy customer than a former customer. At least that's how they always made me feel. Last year I had a midsize reserved and was looking forward to a Nissan Sentra because I was considering purchasing one. I wanted a Sentra specifically for that reason even though make and model are not guaranteed. Of course my flight arrived late and they were sold out of any midsize cars that I liked. They still had some, but none I liked. The manager came out and told me to pick anything and they will give it to me at the same price except for a premium or large SUV. Just then a 2016 Chevy Impala came by. I said I liked that and she told me to take it. Then she said she had 3 or 4 brand new 2017 Impala's on the other side. She had them bring me one over and it only had 200 miles on it. So I have to say, my experience has always been they bend over backwards to make me a satisfied customer. This is why I only rent from Alamo. Like the saying goes...If it isn't broke, don't try to fix it.

It's been a few years, but I have a horror story from "you know where" about Alamo. They showed that they could have cared less about customer satisfaction. It's the only time in over 20 years of almost weekly travel that I said "NEVER AGAIN" and meant it. I will walk first before I rent from Alamo LOL!

 

[TamaraQT]

It's been a few years, but I have a horror story from "you know where" about Alamo. They showed that they could have cared less about customer satisfaction. It's the only time in over 20 years of almost weekly travel that I said "NEVER AGAIN" and meant it. I will walk first before I rent from Alamo LOL!

I am sorry you had such a bad experience. But I have to admit when I read that you would rather WALK FIRST I couldn't help but laugh!!!
I don't feel that way about Alamo, but I truly respect and appreciate your show of dissatisfaction. If a company doesn't appreciate your business, it is best not to give them your business ever again.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I am sorry you had such a bad experience. But I have to admit when I read that you would rather WALK FIRST I couldn't help but laugh!!!
I don't feel that way about Alamo, but I truly respect and appreciate your show of dissatisfaction. If a company doesn't appreciate your business, it is best not to give them your business ever again.

I have put up with a lot in all those years of travel. I know that no one is perfect and if I quit flying/renting/sleeping every time a company has an epic failure I would be stuck at home from now until. (My only option for air travel for example would be Spirit and that's only because I haven't even given them a chance to screw up LOL!) Disney would be long gone (It's the only hotel chain where a manager expected me to stay in a room without power overnight!) So the fact that I said "NEVER AGAIN" with Alamo and stuck with it, only reminds me of how this ranks as one of the worst experiences in travel ever for me! : )

 

[emmabelle]

I keep hearing about this "Drive Happy" Deal but have never seen it when I booked. Not sure how or when it is offered. I haven't been able to get any details on it. Maybe my dates are too far away to get the drive happy deal right now? I have no idea. But good luck to the ones who are seeing it. It sounds like the savings are significant.

I booked it on March 11, 2017 for July 12-19. I'm not really sure when they make it available, but this will be my fourth time with it.

 

[Tinknalli]

Standard in April (Good Friday) and got a Ford Escape Eco from the full size aisle. There was one king cab pick up, many sedans and a few small suvs. The compact aisle was full of mini vans.

 

[TamaraQT]

My first thought is "wow! Those have huge trunks!".....then I realized I must be getting old if I'm impressed by trunk space lol.

 

[nacho113]

I have a drive happy deal for middle of July and hoping to see some mini vans since there are 5 of us.

My plan is to run out to the garage to see if there is anything big enough for five people and five suitcases. If not then Magical Express will be getting some riders, I have that set up too.

Anytime we have rented in the summer months, we rarely see minivans or SUV's in the other aisles.

The summer months are family travel months so these types of vehicles typically are in high demand in their own category.
There's no need for Alamo to push these vehicles off to the "lesser" aisles since they are selling well in their own category.

You MAY get lucky but it's doubtful in July.

If you absolutely need a Minivan, I would look into reserving one. Prices will be high because demand is high.

Drive Happy deals only guarantee a mid-size vehicle (similar to Nationals Emerald aisle) but quite often there are larger vehicles in the aisle.

 

[barbliny]

I had a mid size car last trip. There were only 2 midsize cars in the aisle the rest where small vans/SUVs. I took one of the mid size cars and it was a 2017 Mazda 3.

You've got to be kidding me!! My daughter has a Mazda 3 - that is most definitely a compact car. There is not much leg room in that back seat; a plus is that the trunk is a decent size. These rental companies are really playing fast and loose with car class definitions.

 

[barbliny]

I don't know if you know this, but MCO doesn't have a standard aisle, so if you book a standard, you get a free upgrade to full size. I have never seen a Buick or Nissan in the full size aisle, and we have been renting cars there at least twice a year for the past 5 years.

I remember hearing this years ago, and totally forgot about it until I saw your post.

Just to clarify, if I rent a standard car as a result of a free-upgrade from a midsize - then I will get a full-size because the standard aisle doesn't exist. I don't want to get stuck with a midsize because the 'upgrade is not available'.

Thanks for the post!

 

[emmabelle]

Anytime we have rented in the summer months, we rarely see minivans or SUV's in the other aisles.

The summer months are family travel months so these types of vehicles typically are in high demand in their own category.
There's no need for Alamo to push these vehicles off to the "lesser" aisles since they are selling well in their own category.

You MAY get lucky but it's doubtful in July.

If you absolutely need a Minivan, I would look into reserving one. Prices will be high because demand is high.

Drive Happy deals only guarantee a mid-size vehicle (similar to Nationals Emerald aisle) but quite often there are larger vehicles in the aisle.

we don't need the minivan because we only have five. It's the luggage that's an issue, so a couple of us will do Magical Express and a couple in the rental just so we have a car for the week to go off property. I was just hoping to find something big enough, but it's not a deal breaker by any means.

 

[ktate82]

I remember hearing this years ago, and totally forgot about it until I saw your post.

Just to clarify, if I rent a standard car as a result of a free-upgrade from a midsize - then I will get a full-size because the standard aisle doesn't exist. I don't want to get stuck with a midsize because the 'upgrade is not available'.

Thanks for the post!

Yup! We have gotten a free double upgrade coupon before, so went from an economy to standard, then up to a full sized. They had a minivan in the full sized aisle so ended up getting a minivan at economy prices.

 

[barbliny]

Yup! We have gotten a free double upgrade coupon before, so went from an economy to standard, then up to a full sized. They had a minivan in the full sized aisle so ended up getting a minivan at economy prices.

Thanks - I guess I'll be changing my reservation later today!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

You've got to be kidding me!! My daughter has a Mazda 3 - that is most definitely a compact car. There is not much leg room in that back seat; a plus is that the trunk is a decent size. These rental companies are really playing fast and loose with car class definitions.[/QUOTE


This is very common in the car rental industry pay attention to what they give you as examples of what you might get. They do not use generous size descriptions. Generally it's probably a size smaller than you think it is



That Said my Mazda has a lot more legroom than a lot of compacts out there. Hate for you to get a real compact car if you think this is small

 

[n2mm]

Booked a full size in February and there were only pickup trucks and minivans. We were only 2 and reluctantly took a minivan.

 

[n2mm]

since i have an 8 seater reserved, i think the only car i can get is a sienna. I think that's the only one they have that holds 8 people.

A suburban seats 8 also. We prefer it, buts it's big. We also have a sienna reserved for next month.

 

[TamaraQT]

Booked a full size in February and there were only pickup trucks and minivans. We were only 2 and reluctantly took a minivan.

I would NOT have been happy at all. I don't want to drive a minivan on a GOOD day....let alone a pickup truck. I still don't understand why they have such a large selection of pickup trucks in a tourist area that is geared towards families. There is no justification for that to me. I hope that is not what I have will have to choose from because that is ridiculous.