Just how crowded is the Alamo desk @ MCO?

[Annette_VA]

We'll be in Orlando Sept 10-22 & will be renting a car. I've done a comparison of rack rates for all the rental car co's at MCO. (I want a co that is in the airport because I'll have my 1yo & 3 yo w/ me & refuse to do a shuttle bus w/ them & all our gear in tow.)

So, looking at the rates, Alamo has the best. But, I just learned that Alamo is the new official car rental co of WDW. In past visits, National was & I remember there were always HUGE lines at the National desk.

Is the Alamo desk usually bad? I am an extremely impatient person & will pay the extra cost to go to a shorter line if I have to! LOL

TIA for any input.

 

[antmaril]

I will not use Alamo/National (they are now owned by the same company) at MCO. We use Avis and walk right up to the counter. I have only seen long lines at Alamo/National.

 

[Esmerelda]

The last time we used Alamo we waited for almost 2 hours in line with two small children. It was one of the worst car rental experiences ever and it didn't end at the counter unfortunately.

Do a search on Alamo and you can get more feedback.


just my 2 cents,
Esmerelda

 

[sif]

I just returned from WDW and rented an Alamo minivan. When we arrived at MCO on the afternoon of 4/24, the Alamo/National line was really long. But there were 8-10 agents working the counters, including the National people. I think I waited in line about 30 minutes. Sure, longer than I would want, but I can deal with that because my rate was much less than I would have received elsewhere. They had my reservation correct, including the child seat. No problems with the car and easy to return. Not a bad experience at all.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by antmaril
I will not use Alamo/National (they are now owned by the same company) at MCO. We use Avis and walk right up to the counter. I have only seen long lines at Alamo/National.

FYI, They have always been owned by the same company and have been sister companies for years. They were both recently sold to a holding company and remain sister companies.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Annette_VA
We'll be in Orlando Sept 10-22 & will be renting a car. I've done a comparison of rack rates for all the rental car co's at MCO. (I want a co that is in the airport because I'll have my 1yo & 3 yo w/ me & refuse to do a shuttle bus w/ them & all our gear in tow.)

So, looking at the rates, Alamo has the best. But, I just learned that Alamo is the new official car rental co of WDW. In past visits, National was & I remember there were always HUGE lines at the National desk.

Is the Alamo desk usually bad? I am an extremely impatient person & will pay the extra cost to go to a shorter line if I have to! LOL

TIA for any input.

It depends on the day of the week and the hour of the day.

If you are really short of patience, you are going to hate WDW's lines, even in Sept.

Join Quick Silver and use the dedicated line they have for members.

 

[Annette_VA]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
If you are really short of patience, you are going to hate WDW's lines, even in Sept.

Oh, I'll stand in line for Disney! Big difference in waiting in line to rent a car & waiting to ride ToT!

 

[EdDome]

You also get to look forward to the line exiting the garage where they check you paperwork, etc.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by EdDome
You also get to look forward to the line exiting the garage where they check you paperwork, etc.

I have yet to encounter that. Always moved quite quickly.

 

[eljojo]

Last time we used Alamo at Disney, we stood in line for well over three hours and felt like we wasted half our day that was meant to start our vacation at one of the parks. The kids were hungry, hot and tired (and so was I). This year we're going to try using a town car service to and from the airport and for a few day trips to Universal, etc. It doesn't seem like it will be any more expensive than the prices I've been getting for rental cars for 9 days.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by eljojo
Last time we used Alamo at Disney, we stood in line for well over three hours and felt like we wasted half our day that was meant to start our vacation at one of the parks. The kids were hungry, hot and tired (and so was I). This year we're going to try using a town car service to and from the airport and for a few day trips to Universal, etc. It doesn't seem like it will be any more expensive than the prices I've been getting for rental cars for 9 days.

when was that?

 

[inkkognito]

I've hit the really terrible garage line a couple of times, both times well after midnight on a Friday night. I've encountered over an hour's wait after midnight on Friday, too, but that was the famous trip where all but one counter person left, despite the full queue, and then the lone remaining counter person left for a bathroom break! Usually it's not that bad...no more than 45 mins. to an hour on a bad day, and sometimes a lot less. Usually we walk right up to Avis, but on our last trip they "pulled an Alamo" and the counter people bailed, even though there was a big crowd waiting. We waited like 30 or 45 minutes, which is the longest I've ever waited for Avis. But at least we were able to leave as soon as we got to the garage, and they gave us an upgrade (Alamo has been pretty generous with upgrades too). I've never figured out why Alamo is almost always the most crowded. Maybe it's a bunch of other Priceline cheapskates like me (although for my next two trips, Bill Shatner has given me Hertz).
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[antmaril]

Even though Alamo and National were sister companies, it was not obvious to the general public. They appeared to be separate companies. Now they share the counter and the shuttles (both logos appear on the bus). Either way, the long lines at MCO put me off and I don't want to waste the time. I've gotten decent deals at Avis and go with them.

 

[EdDome]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
I have yet to encounter that. Always moved quite quickly.

15+ cars with one booth open takes at least 30 minutes.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by EdDome
15+ cars with one booth open takes at least 30 minutes.

I guess we have been very lucky. we have never seen more than 2 in any line.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by antmaril
Even though Alamo and National were sister companies, it was not obvious to the general public. They appeared to be separate companies. Now they share the counter and the shuttles (both logos appear on the bus). Either way, the long lines at MCO put me off and I don't want to waste the time. I've gotten decent deals at Avis and go with them.

I love Avis and if the rate was the same or close, I would be using them. But, it is about twice and frankly, waiting in line is worth the savings, and there is NO guarantee you won't have a line at Avis.

 

[arminnie]

I rented at Alamo in January - I guess I hadn't rented from them in quite a while. I remember when they were offsite and had this HUGE checkin area with about 40 agents. The lines were very long but they really moved you out of there as there were so many agents.

I think I got in about 9 pm on a weekday in January. There were 3 agents on duty! I was just shocked after remembering the old site. I was in line for about 1 1/2 hours. There weren't that many people ahead of me - it just took forever.

I prefer Hertz as I have Hertz gold. Yes it is offsite but the buses run very frequently and with the gold service I am out of there very quickly. I stayed the first night right by the airport - across from the Hertz rental place. I would have gotten to my room at least an hour earlier if I had not used Alamo.

So why did I use Alamo? - I got in on Priceline for a very cheap rate. The car was really bare bones no frills. When I choose the bottom of the line Hertz I always get a car with at least electric windows and doors. But I'm cheap so sometimes I pay for it in other ways.

 

[Lexxiefern]

It's been hit or miss for me. Sometimes we wait for over 1/2 and hour and sometimes it is 10 minutes. I despise waiting in line for a rental car - I think it is the worst part of the travel day. Because of this I joined National's Emerald Club and now I can skip the line and head right out to my car

I don't know why I did not join sooner?

 

[nuthut]

Poor Service, bad attitudes and just plain crabby employees who only goal is to rip you off. Just say no to Alamo!!!!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by nuthut
Poor Service, bad attitudes and just plain crabby employees who only goal is to rip you off. Just say no to Alamo!!!!

You have yet to rent from Alamo at MCO.