Rental car drop off question

[AndreaDM]

So I'm heading to WDW in Sept. with 2 kids (7 & 9). We have an early flight so plans are to go to Kennedy Space Center that day (and possible Cocoa Beach if time allows) and will need a one day car rental. I will rent a car at MCO and can either return it there the same day and take DME, or for a little more drop it off at the Car Care Center. My concern is that it would likely be an after hour drop off so we wouldn't have a shuttle to take us to Pop. And I can't drop the kids off at Pop and return the car on my own because of their age. Either way seems like a hassle and either way I will have to load our luggage into rental car and then take it out again, either at MCO or at CCC drop off. Just trying to figure out which is the LEAST hassle, and most time effective. TIA!

 

[FCDub]

Least hassle? Drop it at the Car Care Center, call for an Uber, transfer your luggage, and go to Pop. No use in backtracking all the way to the airport. That's possibly a multi-hour diversion.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I wouldn’t want to be transferring the luggage late at night. I would drive directly to the hotel to check in, keep the car that night, and return it to CCC the next day.

 

[AndreaDM]

I wouldn’t want to be transferring the luggage late at night. I would drive directly to the hotel to check in, keep the car that night, and return it to CCC the next day.

I would have to pay for one night parking right? Also, our plans are to go to MK the next day, so would the shuttle take us there?

 

[FCDub]

I wouldn’t want to be transferring the luggage late at night.

Why? Time? It should take like, a single minute, to transfer luggage from one car to another. Safety? You're in a highly populated vacation location. Too tired? Again, it's not a huge ordeal.

 

[_19disnA]

I would take DME to Disney when you first arrive (it's free). I would plan the beach/Space Center for a day other then the day you arrive, even early flights can have weather/maintenance delays reducing the amount to time for the beach and then you aren't racing around on your travel day. Go to the CCC the day you plan for the beach & Space Center. Then return car to the CCC when you get back that evening. Avoids having to transfer luggage and no parking fee since you wouldn't have the car overnight. At the end of your vacation, take DME back to the airport.

 

[Shannon G]

I might consider dropping the luggage off at Pop and then returning the car at the CCC, depending on how many bags you have. At least then you don't have to worry about getting an uber large enough to fit all of the bags - if you each have a suitcase, they may not all fit in the trunk of the cheapest uber if it's a small car.

 

[AndreaDM]

I would take DME to Disney when you first arrive (it's free). I would plan the beach/Space Center for a day other then the day you arrive, even early flights can have weather/maintenance delays reducing the amount to time for the beach and then you aren't racing around on your travel day. Go to the CCC the day you plan for the beach & Space Center. Then return car to the CCC when you get back that evening. Avoids having to transfer luggage and no parking fee since you wouldn't have the car overnight. At the end of your vacation, take DME back to the airport.

Our schedule is pretty set that we have to do this on the first day. I will also be taking advantage of a having a car to stop and pick up a few groceries for the rest of the trip.

 

[CarolynFH]

Our schedule is pretty set that we have to do this on the first day. I will also be taking advantage of a having a car to stop and pick up a few groceries for the rest of the trip.

You can drop off the luggage with the Luggage Assistance folks at Pop, then take the kids with you to turn in the car and ride the shuttle back to Pop.