MCO Car Rental Return to DCL Ground Transfer Check-In?

[gregf71]

We are taking a 7 day eastern Caribbean cruise on the Disney Fantasy in late June. We are flying into Orlando six days beforehand, renting a car at MCO, and going to WDW. On the cruise embarkation day, we are planning on breakfast at our WDW resort, then depending upon the port arrival time we get, driving back to MCO to return the rental and the heading over to the DCL Ground Transportation location to then jump on the next bus to Port Canaveral. Question...how close is the MCO car rental return location to the DCL Ground Transportation location? If it matters, we are renting from Hertz and flying into and out of MCO on Alaska Airlines.

Thanks!

 

[auntlynne]

Once you arrive at the airport, claim your luggage at baggage claim and proceed to Side B, Level 1 – Ground Transportation, where you will find Disney Ground Transporation. Check in with the Disney Cruise Line representative for the next available transfer. - Plan Disney, 2024

Your flight arrives at Terminal B. I have done all my car rentals from the Terminal N side.

It is just across some pavement from bus to car rental garage. Barely call it a street.

(I would call the actual Hertz location at MCO to verify. They could have moved to the A side. Or someone who has rented will pipe in.)

 

[gregf71]

Once you arrive at the airport, claim your luggage at baggage claim and proceed to Side B, Level 1 – Ground Transportation, where you will find Disney Ground Transporation. Check in with the Disney Cruise Line representative for the next available transfer. - Plan Disney, 2024

Your flight arrives at Terminal B. I have done all my car rentals from the Terminal N side.

It is just across some pavement from bus to car rental garage. Barely call it a street.

So, since we will be returning the rental car after our WDW adventures to the Terminal B rental car return, you're saying that the DCL Ground Transportation location is basically across the "street"? Easy peasy?

 

[auntlynne]

So, since we will be returning the rental car after our WDW adventures to the Terminal B rental car return, you're saying that the DCL Ground Transportation location is basically across the "street"? Easy peasy?

That’s what I was saying and then started to verify my own facts. Will continue a deep dive (and await others’ confirmation or correction).

(Edit: after watching several videos, I am standing with my original memory. Follow the signs to Terminal B, looking for the Rental Returns lane - which is ultimately a left turn. The ramp is marked which level Hertz is located; looks like Deck 2. Take the elevator or escalator down, walk across and to the queue for the Disney bus (it was just inside when I used it).

 

[Girl of the South]

It’s close. Unless you have lots of heavy bags?

 

[gregf71]

It’s close. Unless you have lots of heavy bags?

The heavy ones will have wheels.

 

[auntlynne]

Look up “hertz rental car terminal b mco” in Google maps. The little interactive photo shows the parking deck. Spin around and see the gate to keep out cars. Follow the arrow towards the covered pedestrian crossing - that’s where the elevators & escalators come down and you cross over for your transfers.

(It looks like Hertz has locations for both sides of the airport. If you don’t like the cars on Terminal B side, they may have specialty cars on the other. Most likely, you will pick up and return your car just where you need to be for your cruise transfer.)

 

[OKW Lover]

Hertz (and other majors) has car return locations on both sides of the main terminal. When returning your rental car you'll want to follow the signs to Terminal B car return. Once you return the car you'll make your way to the elevators to go down to the "T" level which is the tunnel to the B side main terminal and then up to the ground transportation level where you'll catch the DCL bus.

You can also make this a two step process by first dropping your bags and most of your party off at the terminal arrivals level before looping around to the rental car return area. That significantly reduces the amount of luggage wrangling you need to do.

 

[Akck]

Alaska Air currently flys out of terminal B, gates 33/34 area. Check-in and baggage claim are located on the west end of that terminal (very end). I believe Hertz check-in is located on the east end. Cruise line transportation is located on the west end of B terminal, just before Mears transportation to the resorts. You should follow the signs to terminal B rental car return. I’d guess Hertz is on the east end of the garage, so you’ll end up walking almost the full length of the terminal. It’s long, but not that long. If you have a lot of luggage, you can drop your party off at departures just before the Alaska Air drop off area (remember AS is at the very end). They can then take the elevator/escalator down to level 1.

As an alternative, you can drop off at the port. I’d drop off luggage at the ship terminal and then return the car. I don’t think Hertz has a rental return at the port, so you’d need to look at either Budget/Avis or Alamo/Enterprise for a rental. Also look into the Visitor Toll Pass. I believe they added a kiosk on the B side.

 

[Flossbolna]

You could also drop off the car the evening before, take the Mears Connect shuttle back to your WDW resort for 16$ https://www.mearsconnect.com and change your DCL transfer to depart from WDW.

Inconvenient for the driver, more convenient for the rest of the group. And gets you to the port early.

 

[lanejudy]

That's a lot of traveling around on embarkation day. If you are a couple of adults, maybe it works for you. If it's with kids, I'd seriously look into some other options. Have you tried Enterprise, Alamo or National? Those can be returned at the Car Care Center at WDW and they'll provide a shuttle back to your resort (or anywhere on property). Or the suggestion above to have the driver return the car to MCO the day prior. Or return the rental at Port Canaveral -- contrary to above, I'm pretty sure Hertz does have a location in the area with shuttle to the port. (as a note, unlike the airport none of the rental agencies are actually physically located AT Port Canaveral, most are listed as Cocoa Beach or maybe Cape Canaveral).

 

[Ralph&Pam]

That's a lot of traveling around on embarkation day. If you are a couple of adults, maybe it works for you. If it's with kids, I'd seriously look into some other options. Have you tried Enterprise, Alamo or National? Those can be returned at the Car Care Center at WDW and they'll provide a shuttle back to your resort (or anywhere on property). Or the suggestion above to have the driver return the car to MCO the day prior. Or return the rental at Port Canaveral -- contrary to above, I'm pretty sure Hertz does have a location in the area with shuttle to the port. (as a note, unlike the airport none of the rental agencies are actually physically located AT Port Canaveral, most are listed as Cocoa Beach or maybe Cape Canaveral).

Alamo, Enterprise, Avis, Budget, and Hertz all have car rental locations listed for Port Canaveral, all located on A1A on the barrier island side. All offer courtesy shuttle service to and from the cruise port terminals. When making reservations, the location may be listed as Port Canaveral or as Cape Canaveral. In any case, look for the location on Mullet Rd. for Alamo or Enterprise, the locations on Astronaut Blvd. for Budget and Hertz, and the location on Atlantic Ave. for Avis.