Getting the Cheapest Car Rental Option-UPDATED

[Bethpremier]

Ok, Im going to post my scenario with all of the variables and I was wondering if you could help me decide my cheapest option.

We are flying southwest into MCO on Sept 8. Our flight arrives at 7pm. We would like to rent a car for the next few days as we are visiting Universal and some other plans. My original plan was to rent a car from the airport. Return it September 11 and get on DME for the rest of our time at Disney in Orlando. However, when I compare rates from renting at the airport its almost double if not triple the amount if we were to rent off site from the airport! We do have Mears Transportation vouchers that can reach as far as Disney World. Can you help me come up with the best scenario for renting a car that would not break our budget? I was also initially thinking to come in a day later, since the car rental places offisite from the airport are not open as late as 8pm, use my Mears voucher to take me to the car rental place, and would hope to return the car to the airport.

Any ideas?

 

[goofy4tink]

Depending on where you're staying, have you checked into the Car Care Center at WDW, entrance to MK area?? Alamo/National rent there. At the Dolphin you can rent from Alamo/National as well. The CCC will send a shuttle to pick you up and then return you when you're done.
Budget is located at the Doubletree Guest Suites in DTD....also provide a shuttle at times.

You may want to check into some of those options...try to find a rental office that is easily reached from WDW..either by bus, shuttle or cab. You could take DME directly to your resort upon arrival, then rent the car the days you want, return it when you're done, and DME back to MCO.

It probably isn't going to be terribly cheap though. Rental cars have been nasty expensive in Orlando lately.

 

[KatMark]

Ok, Im going to post my scenario with all of the variables and I was wondering if you could help me decide my cheapest option.

We are flying southwest into MCO on Sept 8. Our flight arrives at 7pm. We would like to rent a car for the next few days as we are visiting Universal and some other plans. My original plan was to rent a car from the airport. Return it September 11 and get on DME for the rest of our time at Disney in Orlando. However, when I compare rates from renting at the airport its almost double if not triple the amount if we were to rent off site from the airport! We do have Mears Transportation vouchers that can reach as far as Disney World. Can you help me come up with the best scenario for renting a car that would not break our budget? I was also initially thinking to come in a day later, since the car rental places offisite from the airport are not open as late as 8pm, use my Mears voucher to take me to the car rental place, and would hope to return the car to the airport.

Any ideas?

I just wanted to wish you good luck. Car rental prices are out of control. I booked ours back in April for our September trip. My DH told me not to that it would probably get cheaper. HA! Glad I didn't listen to him (at least thus far). I was able to get an intermediate car for $339. for two weeks through Enterprise and using our AARP (there is one advantage to DH being 58 and me being 53!). I looked it up the other night to see if the rates came down, and with the same car and using the same AARP info now, the car is over $600!. I've heard a lot of people use Priceline and name their own price, but I have not yet tried them. Supposedly all of their car rental places are on the airport property (I won't rent off the airport property).

 

[Bethpremier]

Depending on where you're staying, have you checked into the Car Care Center at WDW, entrance to MK area?? Alamo/National rent there. At the Dolphin you can rent from Alamo/National as well. The CCC will send a shuttle to pick you up and then return you when you're done.
Budget is located at the Doubletree Guest Suites in DTD....also provide a shuttle at times.

You may want to check into some of those options...try to find a rental office that is easily reached from WDW..either by bus, shuttle or cab. You could take DME directly to your resort upon arrival, then rent the car the days you want, return it when you're done, and DME back to MCO.

It probably isn't going to be terribly cheap though. Rental cars have been nasty expensive in Orlando lately.

Thank you! Im checking into all of this now. I called the Car Care Center and they told me Disney wont pick me up or drop me back off at the resort. Well I know half of that is definitely not true. *Sigh*

I just wanted to wish you good luck. Car rental prices are out of control. I booked ours back in April for our September trip. My DH told me not to that it would probably get cheaper. HA! Glad I didn't listen to him (at least thus far). I was able to get an intermediate car for $339. for two weeks through Enterprise and using our AARP (there is one advantage to DH being 58 and me being 53!). I looked it up the other night to see if the rates came down, and with the same car and using the same AARP info now, the car is over $600!. I've heard a lot of people use Priceline and name their own price, but I have not yet tried them. Supposedly all of their car rental places are on the airport property (I won't rent off the airport property).

Thank you for understanding. Its CRAZY. I know that gas is expensive but you pay for the gas for the rental anyway so Im not understanding why they jack the prices up. So far the cheapeast I have found was for Sept 9-11 for $87.

 

[Bethpremier]

Ok I did it!! I found a car to rent for only $70 for the weekend. Thats taxes and everything included. Im using my Mears vouchers to take me to 4 points by Sheraton near Universal. We will pick up the car there. Upon return on Sunday, we will get a taxi to take us back to the airport to hop on DME. So including the roundtrip estimate, it shouldnt cost us more than $100 total. YES!!!

The $70 price came from signing up with Alamo, immediate 10% discount and I also found another coupon to combine with it for a free upgrade. Just so everyone knows you can combine your special Alamo ID with any coupon.

 

[goofy4tink]

Good for you!! I love it when someone finds something that works for them. I am a bit concerned, though, about the CCC telling you they won't pick up or drop off. That is a huge selling point for using that office. I have to wonder if they misunderstood your question..that wouldn't surprise me. Huge numbers of people use them and are able to call and request a shuttle ride back to their rental office from a WDW resort. Curious.