Less than 2 weeks..just changed tranport plans..advice please

[keithomas]

I leave for Orlando on the 15th for a 3-day business trip/class. My family is arriving on the 17th and proceeding to BWV. I had originally booked Tiffany towncar to deliver me to the Sheraton World Resort for my class and then to take the family from & to MCO (return trip including me). This plan also entailed me snagging a cab on Friday afternoon to rendezvous with the family.

Now the changes!

I was leery of being "chained" to the Sheraton for 3 days during my business trip without a rental car, but returning it in the middle of the trip was not convenient. So I've rented a Buick Lucerne for the entire trip 15-23rd and have approval to expense the first 3 days + gas to the company. I've never driven in FL as we've always taken town car service.

What is:
A) the best way from the airport to Sheraton World Resort
B) best way to pick up wife and kids on the 17th and shuttle them to BWV
C) best way from MCO to BWV

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cmbar]

I don't have the answers to your driving questions but just curious why you wouldn't rent a car for the three days you are at Sheridan and then drop off at one of the car centers at the WDW resort. Preferably the one at the Swan which is an easy walk to the BWV. Seems to me the easiest thing for you and your family would be for them to use the magical express service which is free and I am hearing easy enough to use to go over to the BWV that way you can just wait for them to arrive there and you don't have to worry about traveling back and forth to MCO. I will say that MCO is at least a 20 minute trip. If you are staying on points you are still entitled to this service although at this point you probably don't have the time to tell them.

Just wanted to make sure that you knew there was a car rental spot at the SWAN/DOLPHIN and that is an easy walk to your Disney resort. I believe it is Alamo/National.

 

[keithomas]

THanks Cmbar....I was aware of the rental place at the Swan/Dolphin, but everything I found had their hours on Friday as being too late to turn in a car there, and we didn't really want to waste the 'vacation time' to turn it in on the next morning.

Another point is that my entire rental car cost was $272 + gas for a full-size premium (Buick Lucerne..big enough for 4 and my wife's luggage!! LOL) Over the 8-day rental, 37.5% of the cost is expensed to my company, along with the gas since I'll prepay that anyway and it is the same cost for 3 days vs. 8. That brings my personal cost to only $170. It's slightly more than town car + my taxi to get to BWV on Friday night, but it DOES allow me to see my family Thursday night and possibly have dinner with them as well. As for DME, we are staying on rented points and seeing as how we're leaving MCO on one of the busiest travel days of the year, this gives me more control over when and how early I arrive at the airport.

I hope my twisted logic makes sense to someone other than me!

I don't have the answers to your driving questions but just curious why you wouldn't rent a car for the three days you are at Sheridan and then drop off at one of the car centers at the WDW resort. Preferably the one at the Swan which is an easy walk to the BWV. Seems to me the easiest thing for you and your family would be for them to use the magical express service which is free and I am hearing easy enough to use to go over to the BWV that way you can just wait for them to arrive there and you don't have to worry about traveling back and forth to MCO. I will say that MCO is at least a 20 minute trip. If you are staying on points you are still entitled to this service although at this point you probably don't have the time to tell them.

Just wanted to make sure that you knew there was a car rental spot at the SWAN/DOLPHIN and that is an easy walk to your Disney resort. I believe it is Alamo/National.

 

[safetymom]

Best way from the airport to the resorts and back is 417, the Greeneway. There are tolls but you avoid a lot of traffic by not taking I-4 and 528 the Beachline.