MCO Alamo- fill tank before return?

[Lindaapple]

We have a very early morning return flight back home and our hotel is about an hour from MCO. Will we need to fill the gas tank prior to returning our rental car to Alamo? I've tried to look it up but I'm still not clear. What do most people do? Thanks!

 

[sponica]

Whenever I've rented a car, I've had to return the tank as close to full as possible (or pay an obscene amount of money)

 

[FCDub]

If you don't prepay for the fuel, then yes.

 

[Lindaapple]

If you don't prepay for the fuel, then yes.

Thanks. Does this mean that you can prepay for a full tank of fuel and then you can bring it back empty? I assume this is more expensive than filling ourselves, but can anyone guess (for an mid size suv) how much more expensive? Trying to decide if the extra cost is worth the convenience. How convenient is it to find a gas station near the airport at 4am? Thanks again

 

[rwdavis2]

Thanks. Does this mean that you can prepay for a full tank of fuel and then you can bring it back empty? I assume this is more expensive than filling ourselves, but can anyone guess (for an mid size suv) how much more expensive? Trying to decide if the extra cost is worth the convenience. How convenient is it to find a gas station near the airport at 4am? Thanks again

Yes, that's what prepay does for you. No idea on the cost but I'm sure it's a small amount as compared to the cost of your trip. It's a great convenience. If you want to find gas stations locate the airport on google maps and then search for gas stations. Be careful some of the close ones will gouge you. Some travel apps can tell you the general prices at each station.

 

[Cloudboy]

Three options.

1) Prepay fuel at time of rental. You will pay for a full tank of gas at whatever the rate is they posted (usually a little cheaper than local stations). Unless you return the car absolutely empty you are paying for fuel you don't use.
2) Return the car half empty, and they will charge you their elevated rate (usually very high) to fill it up. IF you are only a little down AND the few minutes extra are valuable to you, you can use this. But you pay through the nose.
3) Fill it up just before you return it. Keep in mind it is OK to drive a couple of miles from the gas station to the rental return. There are several stations on Semoran, but you have to drive up a ways to find them (the airport technically owns quite a large stretch of property and they charge exorbitant rates at the one located on property). There are also ones at Conway Rd and Jetport Drive. I usually use the 7-11 off of Conway Rd and then go around McCoy rd and avoid the second toll plaza. These are all 24 hour gas stations in the area. Take a peek at Google Maps and locate where they are.

 

[dina444444]

Three options.

1) Prepay fuel at time of rental. You will pay for a full tank of gas at whatever the rate is they posted (usually a little cheaper than local stations). Unless you return the car absolutely empty you are paying for fuel you don't use.
2) Return the car half empty, and they will charge you their elevated rate (usually very high) to fill it up. IF you are only a little down AND the few minutes extra are valuable to you, you can use this. But you pay through the nose.
3) Fill it up just before you return it. Keep in mind it is OK to drive a couple of miles from the gas station to the rental return. There are several stations on Semoran, but you have to drive up a ways to find them (the airport technically owns quite a large stretch of property and they charge exorbitant rates at the one located on property). There are also ones at Conway Rd and Jetport Drive. I usually use the 7-11 off of Conway Rd and then go around McCoy rd and avoid the second toll plaza. These are all 24 hour gas stations in the area. Take a peek at Google Maps and locate where they are.

On Semoran there is a Wawa about a mile north of the airport that charges regular prices. That’s the station I normally get gas at before returning my rental car.

 

[Capt_BJ]

On Semoran there is a Wawa about a mile north of the airport that charges regular prices. That’s the station I normally get gas at before returning my rental car.

THIS

 

[DebbieB]

I always fill up on WDW property before leaving. Never been charged.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I always fill up on WDW property before leaving. Never been charged.

Me too.

I purposely do a bit of topping off so that the gauge should still show full at the airport. Its around 20 miles from the station by the Boardwalk, so that's usually less than a gallon for most rental cars at highway mileage.

 

[OKW Lover]

On Semoran there is a Wawa about a mile north of the airport that charges regular prices. That’s the station I normally get gas at before returning my rental car.

Be sure to bypass the two closer stations. Their prices are double (or more) what Wawa charges!!!

 

[friendoffigment]

i usually fill up at the gas station by boardwalk. if not there i go to exit 11 on 417 on my way back to MCO. not sure where you will be coming from. i never take the pre pay because many times i am not empty enough to make it worth it

 

[Timothy02359]

We always rent an suv from Alamo and just fill up on Disney property before heading to airport...never had an issue as it still reads full when we get there.

 

[pd1138]

Is there a gas station at the Disney car care center near MK? We are returning our rental car at that location.

 

[dina444444]

Is there a gas station at the Disney car care center near MK? We are returning our rental car at that location.

Yes, there is one on the same plot of land.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

i usually fill up at the gas station by boardwalk. if not there i go to exit 11 on 417 on my way back to MCO. not sure where you will be coming from. i never take the pre pay because many times i am not empty enough to make it worth it

I usually fill up at the Speedway station near the Boardwalk or at the station in the quick mart and CVS on the southwest corner of the intersection of FL 535 and FL 536 (World Center Drive) just before you get on the 417 toll road to the airport. Also never been charged.

 

[richmo]

Is there a gas station at the Disney car care center near MK? We are returning our rental car at that location.

Yes, there is one on the same plot of land.

Unless I'm remembering incorrectly, and I could be, that one was closed in March, I think for tank replacement. Not sure if it has repopened yet...

 

[richmo]

Like several of the previous posters, I've had no problems filling up either at the on-WDW property Speedway stations or one of the stations approaching FL-417 (there's one at a 7-11/CVS and another Speedway just before 417). OP, if you were a little closer to MCO, I'd suggest just filling up the night before, but if you're an hour away, you'll probably need to fill up on the way in.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks. Does this mean that you can prepay for a full tank of fuel and then you can bring it back empty? I assume this is more expensive than filling ourselves, but can anyone guess (for an mid size suv) how much more expensive? Trying to decide if the extra cost is worth the convenience. How convenient is it to find a gas station near the airport at 4am? Thanks again

Read through what cloudboy wrote. He got it right.

I’ve paid the per gallon rate at return when I only have a gallon or two to fill, and I’ve mistimed things. I don’t consider it paying through the nose for a couple gallons. If it ends up being convenient then I consider it a convenience fee.

Never pay for the whole tank then return it on anything but near “on fumes”.

the airport technically owns quite a large stretch of property and they charge exorbitant rates at the one located on property

That sounds like you’re blaming the airport. It’s not their station.

I always fill up on WDW property before leaving. Never been charged.

Lucky. It’s far enough away that they would be well within their rights to charge.

Yes, there is one on the same plot of land.

It was closed at Princess. Which I totally forgot (despite picking up at CCC, driving by it multiple times, and running by it during the Half), and got to pay for a couple gallons of their per gallon cost. Oops.

So make sure it’s open, and don’t forget!

There’s a station near BW though.

 

[pd1138]

Unless I'm remembering incorrectly, and I could be, that one was closed in March, I think for tank replacement. Not sure if it has repopened yet...

We aren’t going until August, but very good info to know. At least we have the one at boardwalk so we can fill up there before dropping off at car care center. I’ll check back later in July and early August to check the status of the gas station at the car care center!