Late flight into MCO, which day to book car?

[torquelover]

I have a flight estimated in at 11:16 PM into MCO. Should I book the rental car for 11:30PM day of arrival or 12:00AM the day after? I am thinking 12:00AM or even 12:30AM for the day after to allow for delays, getting our baggage, walking to the garage, etc. Thoughts on this?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Most rental cars don't give the option for a 12:00 a.m rental so you might just have to do a 12:30 rental.

So if you book for 11:30 and are late arriving that reservation will expire at 12:00. Its safer to go with 12:30

Or you could book two one for 11:30 and one for 12:30 that way you are covered either way

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I normally just give my flight arrival time on my rental reservation (rounded to the closest 15 or 30 minutes, depending on the web interface). You'll also provide your airline and flight number. The car rental companies are used to this. They know that your flight might be delayed and that you have get your luggage first. Your reservation will be honored.

Rental car pricing at airports is normally based on 24-hour "days," not on calendar days. Assuming your flight home is during the day (not around midnight when departures are very rare), the cost of your rental car will be the same whether you pick up the car at 11:30 p.m, 12:00 a.m. (midnight), or 12:30 a.m.

The major in-airport car rental companies at MCO are 24-hour operations. I don't know about the smaller ones, but you could check with them.

Making two reservations with the intention of only using one of them is neither necessary nor a good idea.

 

[torquelover]

Most rental cars don't give the option for a 12:00 a.m rental so you might just have to do a 12:30 rental.

I just booked a 12A through Alamo, used my flight info on the ressie if it runs behind.

How populated is MCO at this hour? Is there much open there this late to grab a snack and a beverage?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

MCO will be dead as a door nail! It will feel creepy to walk through

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I just booked a 12A through Alamo, used my flight info on the ressie if it runs behind.

How populated is MCO at this hour? Is there much open there this late to grab a snack and a beverage?

Most restaurants at MCO close at 8:00 p.m.

McDonald's in the food court of the main terminal building is officially open until midnight. If your flight is on time, you could drop by there before going to baggage claim.

That being said, I would just pack some snacks in my carry-on and ask the flight attendant for an extra beverage.

 

[Jimsig]

You won't start getting charged until you pick the car up, so even if you book at 11:30p and don't pick it up until 12:07a the clock won't start running on your rental until 12:07a.

As a PP said they base it in the time you have your car, so as long as you return it by 12:07a what ever day you return it you will not be charged for an extra day. Some have (or at least used to)have a grace period, about an hour before tou have to return it so you may have until 1:07a. But in todays world I would not be surprised if they did away with that grace period. Some also used to charge you hourly if you went over buy a few hours, not sure if that's still happening though.

 

[torquelover]

MCO will be dead as a door nail! It will feel creepy to walk through

This might freak out the DD's a bit. I imagine Alamo will have some sort of staff in the garage? Hopefully saving $300 for a 2 hour later flight wasn't a bad idea?

Most restaurants at MCO close at 8:00 p.m.

McDonald's in the food court of the main terminal building is officially open until midnight. If your flight is on time, you could drop by there before going to baggage claim.

That will be just fine. I'll change my ressie to 11:30P.

Thanks for the info DIS'ers.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

This might freak out the DD's a bit. I imagine Alamo will have some sort of staff in the garage? Hopefully saving $300 for a 2 hour later flight wasn't a bad idea?

Saving $300 by traveling 2 hours later sounds good to me.

One thing you may want to consider is that there's a Hyatt right in the Orlando Int'l Airport terminal building. Especially if you're traveling with young children, that could be a great place to spend the first night. Everyone would get to bed much sooner than if you first had to rent a car and drive someplace.

In that case, you wouldn't rent your car until the morning. If your flight home is a morning flight, you could even save the cost of a rental day.

The Hyatt in the airport is an especially good option for people who plan to use DME to get to a WDW resort. But even if you're renting a car and staying off-site, it could make sense.

 

[siskaren]

One thing you may want to consider is that there's a Hyatt right in the Orlando Int'l Airport terminal building. Especially if you're traveling with young children, that could be a great place to spend the first night. Everyone would get to bed much sooner than if you first had to rent a car and drive someplace.

Not only that, but I wouldn't want to be driving that late at night. Not a safety issue, I'd just be afraid of getting drowsy.

 

[torquelover]

Saving $300 by traveling 2 hours later sounds good to me.

One thing you may want to consider is that there's a Hyatt right in the Orlando Int'l Airport terminal building. Especially if you're traveling with young children, that could be a great place to spend the first night. Everyone would get to bed much sooner than if you first had to rent a car and drive someplace.

Definitely considered the Hyatt but booked a different hotel 1.5 miles away. Car rental same price either way for me, but the offsite hotel is 1/3 the price (using points) of the Hyatt.

Not only that, but I wouldn't want to be driving that late at night. Not a safely issue, I'd just be afraid of getting drowsy.

I'm okay with it especially since the alternative to flying late would be driving straight down or stopping and taking two full days. It will only be 10:30P our time, so it shouldn't be too bad.

 

[Lisa71]

We did a red eye last trip and got in at 1 am..had away room at Hyatt booked and asked ahead if we could check in early..after bathroom, etc in bed at 230am...slept until 11am...nice way to start.