Logistics with rental car

[LAWalz23]

I feel like I should know the answers but wanted to check with others who have actually have had the experience. This is our first time with a rental car so I just wanted to clarify. Is there a place where a few people can sit or just stay before going into the terminal while bil and I bring back the rental cars? My sister would have her 2 kids and my parents, who need someone to help them especially with Mom in the wheelchair, and the carryons by herself and would like to wait for bil and I to come back to proceed.

It should take between 20 and 30 to drop off the cars and take the shuttle back? Was thinking of all going to drop off the rental car and taking the shuttle to the terminal together but there are seven people luggage and wheelchair for Mom. Is this realistic? We are renting from Avis if it would make a difference and will be staying at Cape Canaveral for two days prior to cruise.

Conversely, when we arrive back at port is it easier for bil and I to hop the Avis shuttle with no bags and get the cars then return for rest of family then to try and get everyone on the shuttle?

Thanks for your help!

 

[lbgraves]

Not really but they can enter the terminal and get in line to check in while you return the car. You just need to keep your picture ID to enter the terminal lot and then if your family has already checked in, go to the supervisor's desk to pick up your KTTW card. It's that simple. Perhaps you can hang onto the carryons when you drop off the rental car so that your sister can help with getting your mother and the kids into the terminal. It will be so much more comfortable for them inside with the AC and nice chairs. Your sister can wait in line with the kids and just have your parents come up to where she is checking in when she gets to the point of getting their KTTW cards. It is an open area so they should be able to see her. I do not have any experience with needing CMs to assist but someone will post here who has required help in the past.

 

[LAWalz23]

Thanks for the info, Lisa! Good idea for BIL and I to handle most of the carry ons. I was pretty sure that was the case now all I have to do is convince DS that she can handle her kids and our parents.

 

[kcashner]

There are many CMs in the terminal who seem to be assigned to answer questions and help out. We've had offers of help when we didn't need it, so I'm sure if they saw you with kids and a wheelchair, they would be available. Note that this was after the security line although there is also help available with going thru security with the chair.

If she can walk at all, they'll probably ask her to stand and if possible walk thru the gate thingy, while they scan the chair. If she can't, they will deal with it.

I totally agree that it would be helpful if you could keep the carry on luggage with you when you return the car--fewer items for wife to deal with.

This may be a dumb question, but are you returning one car or two? If one, why don't you stay and help them get in? If two, would it be possible to separate the times slightly? You and your car load could go to the port (preferably the people who don't need as much help). You then return the car and head back to the terminal on the shuttle. Use your cell phone to coordinate with the other driver ("Hey Joe, I'm getting on the shuttle now"). He can head to the port about the same time you should be arriving, so you'd be there to help with the others. If you're both coming from MCO, the second car could wait at the McDonald's while you returned the first car.

Have you looked into a towncar/limo service? It looks like you have at least 7 people--the limo service might be cheaper than 2 rental cars and you wouldn't have to deal with the issue of returning the cars!

 

[LAWalz23]

We have two cars, otherwise I would normally be helping the folks and DS could take care of her kids. The reason we have the cars is we will be staying at Cape Canaveral for two nights prior to the cruise. It was very easy two years ago with the car service. Staggering the cars may be an option!

Mom can walk, just not very far and usually only when hanging on to another person (depending upon what kind of day she is having). DCL CMs were fantastic with her and the wheelchair two years ago, which is one of the reasons we are returning (Carnival was terrible last year!).

If I send her back with the second car can the kids come with me and the parents as long as we have their passports?

 

[Donna M]

You say you are staying in a hotel at the port. I'm guessing you already checked whether the hotel offers a shuttle to the port, I hear some do. That would solve a lot of your problems.

 

[kcashner]

You can divide the people any way you'd like (the kids can ride with whoever it works best with. Whoever has the kids will need their passports or birth certificates.

If the goal is for the people in the first car to check in for everyone, they they'll need everyone's passports/birth certificates. The adults will need a photo ID to get into the terminal...so if car 1 has the passports, make sure that the adults in car 2 have their driver's licenses or whatever. Unless you're in a big hurry to check in, you can just sit and wait till everyone arrives. Or you can have someone from the first car start the check in process.

 

[LAWalz23]

Thanks everyone!!! Talked with DS and she is agreeable to bringing the kids and the folks into the terminal and waiting for BIL and me to check in as long as we keep most of the carry ons with us.

 

[Portcanaveler]

You say you are staying in a hotel at the port. I'm guessing you already checked whether the hotel offers a shuttle to the port, I hear some do. That would solve a lot of your problems.

There's no need for that. Avis car rental at Port Canaveral already has free port shuttle.

 

[LAWalz23]

There's no need for that. Avis car rental at Port Canaveral already has free port shuttle.

Thanks for the great site!!!!

 

[msabol01]

Agree with the Shuttle, we used Avis last cruise (and will be using them again in October). To me it is easier to keep everyone together, drop the cars, board the shuttle and arrive at the port.

Also, if you have car seat age kids, the manager told us that they would store our car seats at their office if we were renting from them after the cruise. This way you don't have to lug around a car seat on the ship.

 

[PPFQP]

Conversely, when we arrive back at port is it easier for bil and I to hop the Avis shuttle with no bags and get the cars then return for rest of family then to try and get everyone on the shuttle?

One thing that we experienced after our cruise in April was that we waited quite a while to get the shuttle back to the rental car agency. There were several families waiting for the shuttle. One came by and they took several people, but there wasn't enough room for everyone. Several others passed us by without stopping because they were already full with passengers disembarking from another cruise ship. We waited 25 minutes, and started getting nervous because of the timing of our flight leaving Orlando.
Eventually, we got in line for a cab and took a cab to the rental car agency. The cab driver offered to take us all the way to Orlando (for only slightly more than what we'd paid for the rental care), but unfortunately, we couldn't cancel the rental car without penalty at that point.

Just something to think about -- it was a long wait. There are benches in the shade outside the terminal, and if it is comfortable, it might be a lot quicker for one person to ride the shuttle, get the car, and come back for everyone. I don't know exactly how feasible that is as far as returning to the port for pickup, but I'm just sharing my thoughts based on our experience.

 

[kcashner]

Just something to think about -- it was a long wait. There are benches in the shade outside the terminal, and if it is comfortable, it might be a lot quicker for one person to ride the shuttle, get the car, and come back for everyone. I don't know exactly how feasible that is as far as returning to the port for pickup, but I'm just sharing my thoughts based on our experience.

It's actually very easy to do this...and you're right that there are times when you can get one person with no luggage on a shuttle while you may have to wait to get a family and all their "stuff" on. We had the same experience in March of the shuttle being nearly full of Carnival passengers by the time it got to us. We were next in line (2 of us) so we got on as did the driver of the party behind us. She told them to just wait at the port, she'd get the car and come back for them. By the time she got the car, they were on the way to the car place. To Budget's credit, they were running 2 shuttles that day due to the large number of scheduled rentals.

 

[jonesing]

FYI--
I made a map for someone to try and show where things were located at the terminal. The link is very long and ugly so I shortened it using the Tiny URL service--which, it turns out is blocked on DIS

So, here's the full link to the Bing map in all its ugly glory (it shows the terminal building, the awning where shuttles pick up and drop off, oh, and if you pan and/or zoom out you can see the Carnival Glory and The Magic docked at their births) :
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=nr1w4x88dr9t&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=15791371&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&ss=yp.port%20canaveral~pg.1~sst.0&sp=Point.nr1yn588dp8q_DCL%20passenger%20parking%20lot____~Point.nr206088dpt9_Crosswalk____~Point.nr1y1g88dq7y_DCL%20hotel%20%26amp%3B%20rental%20car%20shuttle%20drop%20off%2Fpick-up_The%20various%20hotels%20and%20car%20rental%20companies%20that%20pick-up%20and%20drop-off%20passengers%20at%20the%20terminal%20have%20their%20own%20sections%20under%20this%20awning___~Point.nr1tk888dq61_DCL%20Terminal%20auto%20entrance_This%20is%20the%20spot%20where%20you%20enter%20the%20DCL%20terminal%20area%20if%20driving%20passengers%20and%20dropping%20off.%20NOTE!!!%20EVREYONE%20in%20the%20car%20must%20be%20a%20passenger%20and%20have%20ID%20to%20present%20to%20the%20DCL%20guard.___&encType=1

 

[LAWalz23]

Thanks for the map! As long as there is shade we will probably just send the drivers to pick up the cars and come back for everyone else unless we get lucky and their are empty shuttles. We have a 2pm flight out of Tampa.