Need expert advice - Mini Van Rental One Way

[Tinker'n'Fun]

We are going to Daytona and then Disney for a week. Airfare is really high right now. I am considering renting a minivan down and flying home.

There are 6 of us, all adults. Actually 4 adults who can drive and 2 15yo boys.

I was actually in shock when I saw the price to rent the mini van. While still cheaper than the airfare, not really what I want to budget.

I need some ideas on what to do. Where to sign up etc. Last time I did price line out of MCO at 12.00 per day for a compact. (Just DH and I).

If I do priceline, does anyone know what minivans are going for?

Please, any help is appreciated.

If dates matter, we will leave on July 27, get to Daytona the 28th, drop of rental at MCO 8/1. Then we would use Magical Express and fly home. (I am going to take the hit on the flight home. I am sure we will all be tired. I will use my slush fund and tell DH is was cheaper and only charge my sister a nominal amount for her flight.


Thanks in advance for any help. I know I am not a transportation normal poster, but I really could use this help.

 

[SilverMickey]

I have not been able to find ANY kind fairs on a minivan for a one way rental this year that don't cause sticker shock. That being said you will probably have to pay a drop fee for the July time of year rental on top of high prices. The rental car companies that do 1-way rentals generally want to get their stock of cars to Florida in the fall and out of Florida in the spring. We rent one way every few years and we have had to pick up and return our car at airport only locations.

This is not really helping find a Van for you... I hope you can. We have been looking at Alamo, National, Enterprise and Hertz.

 

[Orlando Vic]

If dates matter, we will leave on July 27, get to Daytona the 28th, drop of rental at MCO 8/1. Then we would use Magical Express and fly home. (I am going to take the hit on the flight home. I am sure we will all be tired. I will use my slush fund and tell DH is was cheaper and only charge my sister a nominal amount for her flight.

Of course dates matter. You said 7/27-8/1. But so does city of origin. Cannot give any estimates until you specify where you will pick up the vehicle.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Of course dates matter. You said 7/27-8/1. But so does city of origin. Cannot give any estimates until you specify where you will pick up the vehicle.

Yeah, big chunk of information missing, leaving from Buffalo, New York.

 

[Orlando Vic]

Yeah, that is a tough one. Priceline and hotwire may be your best bet. If you are not locked into those dates and could come earlier (i.e. April 24th-June 12th), Hertz (and maybe other car rental companies too) has an interesting offer: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1372726. As a bonus, you'll have much nicer weather.

 

[Lewisc]

PL and Hotwire offers limited (if any) one way rental. Won't work for the OP. Hotwire might just show the retail product.

Keep looking. You hope to find a rate that's very expensive instead of outrageously expensive.

The rates, directly or indirectly, include a charge for high mileage. A "penalty" for moving the car to a location the rental agency doesn't want cars.

Don't automatically assume you want unlimited miles. An allowance of 200-250 miles a day, with some charge for extra miles, might be cheaper then a very high rate.

I used Kayak Budge (via Orbitz) is showing $1020. Not sure how much better you'll do. Other rates are almost double

 

[debster812]

I just tried a booking from the 26th (figured to pick the van up 1 day early, so you could load up, and head out as early as possible--plus there was NO difference in price between picking up the 26th and the 27th, it must have rolled right to a 'weekly rate') and picking up at the Buffalo airport, and returning the car to the Hilton at Downtown Disney or to MCO. There was no difference in price for either location. The Downtown Disney location could save you some time!

I used one of the Wal Mart codes for Avis, and got the rental down to $917.98, WITH unlimited mileage.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Thanks, so I couldn't sleep last night, and well I need to go to bed now, but I did TONS of investigating last night. Now time is actually on my side since we were going to fly home Saturday night. Airfares are not coming down at ALL. I must have opened up 15 browsers to show DH this is not going to be in his best interest to have us all fly home. I offered to fly him home, but we are all going to drive both ways.

Now I need to put a price in at priceline. And I did get a price of 750.00ish for the whole time unlimited miles. So that is going down, and coming home.

There's no way I can beat that flying. Now my logical brain is too tired to actually do any booking, but tomorrow, I will start my quest to rent the minivan both ways, and then contact the drug/gasoline cartels (that was my one funny for the day) and ask them to lower gas prices for the summer.

 

[Lewisc]

Book conventionally and you can find an agency that gives you an additional driver (maybe just your spouse) for no extra charge. You can find a code that includes an additional driver.

PL "name your own price" customers may be charged for an additional driver even if customers booking direct don't have to pay.

Alamo charge $10/ day (per driver). Other agencies charge more (or less).
I think you should forget about PL.