Has anyone rented a car from the Dolphin location?

[ppony]

I'm looking for a little input on anyone that has rented from the National location at The Dolphin. Where is their desk located there? I've been in the lobby several times but never noticed that (since I wasn't looking I'm sure). Or is the rental desk outside? I hear the location at the Car Care Center outside of MK will pick you up also. Is it worth renting from there as opposed to the Dolphin to avoid the "hotel surcharge"...if indeed, it is avoidable at all. I was thinking the Dolphin becuase the day I go to pick it up, I'll be at the BCV and we'll be getting to the BCV via ME. At any rate, we'll be returning the car at MCO, so that will cost extra anyway. Not having the car the whole time (which we don't need the whole time anyway) will save us about $200. Thet $ could be used elsewhere.
THANKS in advance for help!

 

[purple figment]

We've rented a car from the Dolphin location. When you walk over from the BCV, enter the Dolphin and take the escalator up to the lobby level. The National/Alamo counter will be in an alcove off to your right. Once you've taken care of the paperwork, go outside and take the paperwork to the valet window. They will get the car for you.

 

[ppony]

We've rented a car from the Dolphin location. When you walk over from the BCV, enter the Dolphin and take the escalator up to the lobby level. The National/Alamo counter will be in an alcove off to your right. Once you've taken care of the paperwork, go outside and take the paperwork to the valet window. They will get the car for you.

THANK YOU!!! Exactly the info I needed! That will be perfect!!!

 

[J&J]

Yes we have rented but the car rental desk is at the swan. very easy to find.

 

[siouxi31]

Yes we have rented but the car rental desk is at the swan. very easy to find.

The National/Alamo desk is at the Dolphin. Maybe you're referring to another rental car company at the Swan?

 

[ppony]

National/Alamo say they're at the Dolphin on their web sites. Either way. I'll find it!

 

[TaraPA]

The car rental is definitely at The Dolphin, not The Swan. If you enter from the main entrance, it's just inside the lobby, to your left. The directions purple figment gave from the back entrance is perfect if you're walking over from BCV (10 min. walk).

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Oh! Thanks for posting this. I didn't know you could rent at the Dolphin. We're going to rent now, instead of cabbing it to IOA. So much cheaper!

 

[Disney st8 of mind]

I would keep checking rates and do it in different configuations. Last trip it was actually cheaper for us to pick up at MCO and drop off at Dolphin (as opposed to dropping of at MCO). I've only rented twice, but I just assumed it would always be cheaper to pick up and drop off at the same location. Also, you can play with your pick up and drop off times. First time rental (pick up and drop off at Dolphin) I changed the drop off to an odd time. It was still considered a 3 day rental but it was less than 3 (24 hour) days and it dropped my rate by almost half! I wish I knew the rhyme and reason for rental rates!! Everything worked smoothly (you deal mostly with valet) but I didn't like that we didn't get to pick our car. We took out the paperwork and they went to get the car and drove it to the door for us.

 

[amlynn5]

I think renting a car at the Dolphin is a great somewhat hidden gem! I did it last year for a day trip out of the parks and it was so super easy, no wait, quick service and reasonable rates. It was also easy to find! Since we were staying at the Boardwalk it was super easy to get to...yep, I would do it again if I need to.

 

[vettegirl]

We rented from there last year to go to Universal and it easy to find and very quick to get the car. The valets bring the car around for you.

 

[patsal]

I rent from there frequently and have never had an issue. It is so easy to just go there to pick up after a morning at Epcot. Drop off works well too!

 

[ppony]

...I just assumed it would always be cheaper to pick up and drop off at the same location.

Often times, it is. From experience going from Port Canaveral to MCO there was an upcharge. But perhaps, the close proximity and the fact many of us are just going back and forth between the 2 locales, this is an exception? Either way, I'm hoping I can find a better deal between the 2 than $445 for 6 days.

 

[shaynar]

I am going to need to rent a car for an upcoming trip, and since we wil be staying at BCV I figured I'd rent from the Dolphin car rental kiosk. However, for some reason it is 4X more expensive to pick up a car at the Dolphin rather than the Car Care Center.

 

[ppony]

I am going to need to rent a car for an upcoming trip, and since we wil be staying at BCV I figured I'd rent from the Dolphin car rental kiosk. However, for some reason it is 4X more expensive to pick up a car at the Dolphin rather than the Car Care Center.

Weird. I just checked my dates and it was identical.

 

[Disney st8 of mind]

You just have to keep checking because the prices are always changing. Last Aug we had an economy (I think) for 3 days pick up and drop off at Dolphin from National and it was around $60 total. This January we had a full (again, I think) for 9 days pick up at MCO drop off at Dolphin from Alamo and it was $133 total! We stayed at BCV both times and it was super easy! By the way ... we realized that we LOVE having a car!

 

[ppony]

You just have to keep checking because the prices are always changing. Last Aug we had an economy (I think) for 3 days pick up and drop off at Dolphin from National and it was around $60 total. This January we had a full (again, I think) for 9 days pick up at MCO drop off at Dolphin from Alamo and it was $133 total! We stayed at BCV both times and it was super easy! By the way ... we realized that we LOVE having a car!

I will keep checking. THANKS! And I agree about having a car. We ALWAYS have a car. This will be our first time having it for about 2/3 of the trip as opposed to all. We figured since we are staying at the BCV and can get to all of our parks so easily until the day we move to the AKV, the car would just be parked for 4 days. With doing split stays though, it's great to have one and with our family, my LORD we use it well!

 

[Planogirl]

I just rented a car for 3 days from Alamo. We'll be picking it up and dropping it off at the Dolphin. I checked other locations and none of them were any less for our dates.

Alamo has something where you can check in on-line and then just find your car when you get to the Dolphin. This sounds so easy but I'm not sure where to pick up the car if we do this. Has anyone here checked in on-line?

 

[ppony]

I just rented a car for 3 days from Alamo. We'll be picking it up and dropping it off at the Dolphin. I checked other locations and none of them were any less for our dates.

Alamo has something where you can check in on-line and then just find your car when you get to the Dolphin. This sounds so easy but I'm not sure where to pick up the car if we do this. Has anyone here checked in on-line?

I've checked in online for the Alamo at our airport. I still needed to go to the desk, but everything was zip-zip and I said the obligatory no to additional insurance, grabbed my paperwork and was able to choose whatever car I wanted right category in the lot. It made this fast. I'm not sure if it will work the same way at the Dolphin tho. If you do get to choose, I'm sure they'd direct you to where the cars were. It'll be obvious.

 

[Sue M]

I'm staying at AKL and so it would be closer to drop my car off at Dolphn then CCC, but does Dolpin location have a shuttle service to take you back to your resort like CCC?