Please help a rental car dummie

[grumpymakesmehappy]

There will be 6 of us going for our December cruise. I'm thinking it will be cheaper to rent a car. The only time we have ever rented a car on vacation we've used it everyday so this is new to me. And the only time we've taken DCL we've used Disney transportation. So I'm basically a rental car dummie but I know there are a lot of really smart rental experts on this board too!

So the plan is to fly in a day ahead and spend the night at the Pop and do Disney. The next morning we will leave from the Pop and drive to Port Canaveral. What do we do with the car while we're on the cruise, just leave it parked at the Port? Is there anywhere at Port to return the car or does it have to be returned to the airport? After the cruise we will be going to Disney for 4 nights and we don't need the car. What should we do? Any advice will help.
Thanks!

 

[dahuffy]

We rented ours from Budget. Picked it up at the airport,stayed in overnight in Orlando,drove to port the next day and dropped the car at the Rental Office. Then caught a free shuttle to the ship. When we Debarked in a week,took the shuttle to the office,picked up a new car,went to WDW and dropped it off at the Double Tree.

 

[CraftyMouse]

You can do a one-way rental to the port. Budget, Avis, Thrifty, Hertz and Dollar all have free, one-way shuttles between their port-area offices and the terminal. You must book the rental as a one-way or you will need to return it to the pick-up location.

Your other option is to park the car during the cruise. There is a lot right outside the DCL terminal, however it costs $15 per day so it's a lot of money to pay to have the car sit there (particularly when you are also paying the rental fee for the car for those days).

 

[Fizzgig]

I am only pointing this out because you said renting a car is a new experience for you... but I would suggest renting a couple of cars for that many people AND their luggage. Not many rental vehicles are available that are inexpensive, comfortable, AND have room for the luggage that 6 people have. For my husband, myself, and our toddler on an extended weekend excursion, we rent mid-size or higher (with Wild Card from Thrifty.)

A mid-size has seat belts for 5 and can hold at least 3 bags. From Thrifty, for my various cruises, I've been averaging around $30/day for the rental, choosing a "Wild Card." That's the lowest I've found without using Hotwire. They don't charge a one-way rental fee, so you can pick up at the MCO airport, do your running around for dinner, last minute items, booze, and then get in your vehicles in the morning and go to the port, stopping if needed for the things you forgot last night on the "last minute" run. The drivers drop everyone and the baggage off at the port (Drivers: KEEP YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE, give the check-in runner your passport and signed forms for DCL), go return the car, and use the free shuttle back to the ship.

Easy peasy.

 

[tinkerone]

I am only pointing this out because you said renting a car is a new experience for you... but I would suggest renting a couple of cars for that many people AND their luggage. Not many rental vehicles are available that are inexpensive, comfortable, AND have room for the luggage that 6 people have. For my husband, myself, and our toddler on an extended weekend excursion, we rent mid-size or higher (with Wild Card from Thrifty.)

A mid-size has seat belts for 5 and can hold at least 3 bags. From Thrifty, for my various cruises, I've been averaging around $30/day for the rental, choosing a "Wild Card." That's the lowest I've found without using Hotwire. They don't charge a one-way rental fee, so you can pick up at the MCO airport, do your running around for dinner, last minute items, booze, and then get in your vehicles in the morning and go to the port, stopping if needed for the things you forgot last night on the "last minute" run. The drivers drop everyone and the baggage off at the port (Drivers: KEEP YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE, give the check-in runner your passport and signed forms for DCL), go return the car, and use the free shuttle back to the ship.

Easy peasy.

whats a wild card?

 

[MaryKLady]

Do you have to rent a car? I'm sure if you call the resort and explain your plans they can offer shuttles between everthing or have a suggestion for you. That has to be less of a hastle than renting a car, pick up and drop off, it's a pain. I wouldn't do it unless I had to. It can't hurt to call and see if they can help you. It is Disney after all! Have a great time!

 

[kcashner]

It's basically a matter of cost/convenience. DCL shuttle is $35 per person each way. For 6 of you, that's $210 each way!

You can take Magical Express from the airport to WDW free. Alternatively, you can get a car at MCO and drop it off at the port (especially if your time with the car will be under 24 hours doing this.....

If you take Magical Express, you can rent from Enterprise or ???which agency is over at the Swan/Dolphin. They will come to your resort, pick you up and take you to get the rental. You drive to the port, drop off your passengers and luggage, and the driver returns the car. Then you take the free shuttle back to the port. On the return trip, the shuttle to the rental place will pick you up at the port and take you to the car place (they all have shuttles.)

The advantage of the rental is cost and the fact that you can leave for the port when YOU want to. The advantage of the DCL bus is convenience. When we stayed at a WDW resort not served by the DCL bus, the bellman put us and our luggage in his vehicle and took us to the nearest DCL resort to catch the bus.

So....you really have a lot of choices. With 6 people, you'll need to get a van!

 

[Fizzgig]

It's basically a matter of cost/convenience. DCL shuttle is $35 per person each way. For 6 of you, that's $210 each way!

You can take Magical Express from the airport to WDW free. Alternatively, you can get a car at MCO and drop it off at the port (especially if your time with the car will be under 24 hours doing this.....

If you take Magical Express, you can rent from Enterprise or ???which agency is over at the Swan/Dolphin. They will come to your resort, pick you up and take you to get the rental. You drive to the port, drop off your passengers and luggage, and the driver returns the car. Then you take the free shuttle back to the port. On the return trip, the shuttle to the rental place will pick you up at the port and take you to the car place (they all have shuttles.)

The advantage of the rental is cost and the fact that you can leave for the port when YOU want to. The advantage of the DCL bus is convenience. When we stayed at a WDW resort not served by the DCL bus, the bellman put us and our luggage in his vehicle and took us to the nearest DCL resort to catch the bus.

So....you really have a lot of choices. With 6 people, you'll need to get a van!

With a DCL transfer, you also get to the port later than if you drove yourself (I've heard of buses leaving resorts at 12:30 in the afternoon; figure an hour ride after the luggage is loaded). Some people prefer this, others don't.

 

[HelloPhoto]

Here's what we're doing:

We're renting a car from Dollar at MCO. Then we stay in Disney for 4 days, then my dh is going to drop me off with luggage and he is going to drop off the car back at Dollar. After that he takes the shuttle back to the port and we board. (I called to verify that they have a shuttle). When we get back, we take the shuttle to Dollar, pick up a new car and go back to the airport and drop it off again. Renting a car was the cheapest way to get all 4 of us to and from the MCO, to WDW, to the port and back to MCO. Dollar had the cheapest rates for an SUV that I could find.

(This plan wouldn't be possible with out help from all the DISers! Thanks guys!)

 

[NancyIL]

Do you have to rent a car? I'm sure if you call the resort and explain your plans they can offer shuttles between everthing or have a suggestion for you. That has to be less of a hastle than renting a car, pick up and drop off, it's a pain. I wouldn't do it unless I had to. It can't hurt to call and see if they can help you. It is Disney after all! Have a great time!

Sorry - but LOTS of people stay at WDW before or after a cruise, and that's why DCL offers a shuttle bus for $35/pp each way.

If you take Magical Express, you can rent from Enterprise or ???which agency is over at the Swan/Dolphin. They will come to your resort, pick you up and take you to get the rental. You drive to the port, drop off your passengers and luggage, and the driver returns the car. Then you take the free shuttle back to the port. On the return trip, the shuttle to the rental place will pick you up at the port and take you to the car place (they all have shuttles.)

National and Alamo are at the Dolphin, but they don't have a shuttle to pick-up guests at their resorts. The Care Care Center does (or so I've read). However, National/Alamo don't have a shuttle to take you from their office on the Atlantic coast to the port.

 

[cats mom]

We've fit 6 people and luggage in a mini van several times. Granted if you bring a lot of luggage some folks may have bags under their feet... but I don't think you would have to rent two vehicles. Although if you've got the drivers, the cost may be similar for two smaller vehicles vs. one mini van. Some times I've been able to pick up a mini van for a one way rental for $40 all said and done and other times it's been closer to $75

 

[cruisin' aunt]

I don't know what time your flight is getting in......but..........is flying in, getting luggage, renting car, driving to WDW, checking in, etc. going to give you much time at the park. Unless you have an annual pass, buying the ticket sets you back at lot of money.

Perhaps you could consider flying into McCoy, renting a car and driving to Port Canaveral. Lots to do, nice hotels and beachs, and (probably) a lot less expensive. It would certainly give you more time to relax.

Depending on the rental rate you get, you might find that you can leave your car at the hotel (many have free parking for the duration of the cruise) and the hotel will shuttle you over to the ship. Or just drop the car at the rental office in Port Canaveral and they will shuttle you to the ship. When you get back, they will pick you up so you can get another rental for your return.

The only other idea I could come up with that would be less than Disney transfer prices is a private limo service.
Whatever you decide, have a great time!

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

I don't know what time your flight is getting in......but..........is flying in, getting luggage, renting car, driving to WDW, checking in, etc. going to give you much time at the park. Unless you have an annual pass, buying the ticket sets you back at lot of money.

No, we're not planning on having a lot of time at WDW for that one day but we will have 5 days at the end of the cruise that we will enjoy at the parks. I know we could stay somewhere closer to the Port but we really do love being at Disney and we've never stayed at the Pop before so it will be a new experience if only for a night. When we get back from the cruise we will be staying at the WL for the remaining 4 nights/5days. On our last cruise, it was too stressful flying in the day of so this time we are flying in a day ahead. I wish we could do our whole Disney stay before the cruise, that was the original plan but my sister will be taking her finals so we are doing it after the cruise. This will be our 2nd DCL and the 2nd time we have had to do the cruise before the parks. Darn! But I can't complain.

I think we have decided to just go ahead and do Disney transportation. It's less of a hassle. Plus, we've already got it fiqureed into our quote from Dreams Unlimited. We love the Disney movie that they show you that makes you think- "wow, we're really going to WDW/DCL". Thanks for the help anyways. I know it would be cheaper to rent a car but this just seems like such an easier way.