Petrol near Orlando Int Airport

[Katies Dad]

Can anyone please tell me if it is possible to fill up your Dollar rental car near to the airport, are there many garges around? We did not want to pay for a tank of petrol direct to Dollar at over-inflated prices, but I understand, if you don`t you have to bring your car back to them full, but show a receipt that you filled up within a certain number of miles of the airport. Is this correct can anyone help? Thanks.

 

[mcnuss]

In general, your fuel gauge needs to on the "F" or else you risk being charged the awful prices. However, if you re-fuel within a few miles of the airport, you will be fine. We filled up last time at the gas (petrol) station nearest to Downtown Disney, and the gauge was still on the "F" when we got to the airport - it must be 15 miles or so away. (FYI -There were gas stations nearer to the airport, but we stopped at the convenience store at the gas station for some snacks, and figured we'd just fill up at the same time.)

 

[seashoreCM]

Leaving WDW follow signs for I-4 Orlando (east, actually northeast). THen get onto 528 east (Beeline). Then get off Beeline at exit 9 Tradesport. Bottom of ramp, take left, now facing north, cross under, and then get in left lane to turn into gas station.

Leaving the gas station, turn left away from the Bee line underpass, facing north again, and one block later turn right onto McCoy Rd. Now facing east, go about one mile to next light (Semoran) and take a right to return to airport.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[inkkognito]

I don't exactly know where I am in Orlando, just how to get where I want to go! So I hope this makes sense
Boggy Creek Road goes to the airport, but if you go the other way on Boggy Creek, you will come to a gas station/convenience store. That's where we fuel up every time we have a rental car.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castwayclub.com

 

[Lewisc]

I always just overfill (top off after the shut off) by Disney. The guage still reads more than F when I get to the airport. I figure that is about the amount of gas that came with the car. Never had any problems.

 

[Katies Dad]

Thanks, its not that we are tight, I just hate being ripped off and I believe the tank of petrol dollar charge you for is very inflated.
We`d rather spend the dollars in Disney.

 

[NotUrsula]

Depending on which rental company you are using, the pre-paid fuel option may be the way to go. That is usually only a few cents' difference from street price, and may turn out cheaper, if gas prices suddenly run upward during your stay. (In some cases, you can predict price increases. For instance, gas prices always jump up during the week preceding our Monday Holidays, when people traditionally take driving trips. It usually takes about 2 weeks for prices to come back down again.) MCO is one airport where I usually do take the pre-paid fuel option; topping up on fuel around that airport is really inconvenient if you are coming from the resorts to the south.

The pre-paid fuel option allows you to buy one tank of gasoline (petrol) as part of the base rental charge, prepaid. If you take it, then you should return the car with as close to an empty fuel tank as you can. This should *NOT* be confused with the charge that will be incurred if you don't take the pre-paid option, but return the car with less than a full tank. That is the situation where they will charge upwards of $3 per gallon to top the tank back to FULL.

I know that it is really confusing to be offered all of these options after that endless flight, and I know that the rental companies at MCO really like to push UK tourists very hard to purchase extra options. I've heard them do it, as we usually arrive at about the same time as the overseas flights. Still, the pre-paid fuel option might be worthwhile for you. There is a website which will tell you what the avg. gasoline price is in Orlando at any given time, if you check it right before you leave, you will know if the price you are being offered for the pre-paid fuel option is actually reasonable: http://www.orlandogasprices.com/

Also, just FYI, most of the gas stations nearest MCO are on the North Exit side of the airport, the side where the locals come and go. If you are coming from WDW via 417 and need to refuel, the best thing to do is refuel before entering the toll road, because otherwise you will have to either pay exit tolls to get off and refuel, or go straight through the airport and out the other side to get to those stations outside the North Exit.

 

[seashoreCM]

The prepaid tankful of gas (petrol) is far from cheapest even if the price per gallon is about the same as buying it yourself,.

You cannot return a car almost empty without the danger and anxiety of running out of gas. So the only way to get convenience is tobring the car back with lots of gas still in the tank and you don't get any refund.

Another disadvantage of buying the tankful up front is needing more gas later anbd accidentally putting too much gas in and you don't have enough driving and touring plans to use it up.

Better to not buy the prepaid tankful and also fill up the car the night before you return home. This way, if your time schedule gets tight and you don't have a chance to top off on the day of flying home, y ou only have to pay for a small amount of gas at the extra high price.

 

[NotUrsula]

Oh, I don't know about that; if I pre-pay and empty the tank while in Orlando, I just make it a point not to top it higher than a 1/4 tank anytime in the last 2 days before I return it. You can go quite some distance on a quarter of a tank. I really don't mind losing up to about $5 for the convenience. (The last time I drove in the UK, $5 would only buy about 3/4 of a gallon. Lucky for us, fuel is MUCH cheaper here, so it should buy at least 3.)

I based my suggestion on the idea that the OP is probably going to be staying for some time, and also driving quite a lot, which is common for UK visitors. If you have been driving a vehicle all around central Florida, you will probably have refueled it at least once before you return it. I agree that if you just plan on using the car to get from MCO to WDW and back, plus a little driving around on property, then pre-paying the fuel is probably a waste; you won't use more than about 5 gallons on just that much driving. As we always go to the beach for a few days, it makes sense for us to take the pre-pay.

The tank capacity of most US cars depends on the size of the car, but except for the largest passenger vehicles, capacity of between 12 and 15 gallons is about average. The rental company will be able to tell you what the car's fuel capacity and average MPG is; just ask.

 

[PammyK]

As Barb said, there is a gas (petrol) station on Boggy Creek Rd. From the 417, take the exit for the airport, however, at the traffic light at the end of the exit ramp, turn right (you'd normally turn left to get to the airport) onto Boggy Creek. You'll go between 1 and 2 miles (if memory serves correctly) until you reach a Circle K gas station on the right. (there is a traffic light at the intersection)

Once you've topped off the tank go back from whence you came, pass under 417 and follow the signs to the airport. It should take you no more than 10-15 extra minutes from the time you exit off of 417. Hope this helps.