Rental car from Universal Studios to Port Canaveral

[wfgamble]

Hi! I am helping a friend plan her first trip to Universal and then a cruise on the Disney Dream (June 28-July 4, 2016). They are a family of 4 with an 8 and 10 year old. They are staying onsite at Universal for 2 days and then heading from their resort to Port Canaveral. They are flying in so can anyone tell me the best way to get from Universal to the port? They would want to be there early for embarkation.

Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi! I am helping a friend plan her first trip to Universal and then a cruise on the Disney Dream (June 28-July 4, 2016). They are a family of 4 with an 8 and 10 year old. They are staying onsite at Universal for 2 days and then heading from their resort to Port Canaveral. They are flying in so can anyone tell me the best way to get from Universal to the port? They would want to be there early for embarkation.

Thanks!

I don't think Universal has a shuttle to the port. But, they should ask their hotel if they have one, I could be wrong. Beyond that either a towncar/limo or rental car are the options.

 

[MUN]

Hi! I am helping a friend plan her first trip to Universal and then a cruise on the Disney Dream (June 28-July 4, 2016). They are a family of 4 with an 8 and 10 year old. They are staying onsite at Universal for 2 days and then heading from their resort to Port Canaveral. They are flying in so can anyone tell me the best way to get from Universal to the port? They would want to be there early for embarkation.

Thanks!

We did this last year and rented from Hertz which is onsite at Universal. We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel and a valet delivered the car to us for our one-way rental to PC where we dropped the car off at the Hertz offfice. We had an early PAT and this worked out very well for us.

MUN

 

[FigmentSpark]

Does their Universal hotel have a shuttle back to the airport? Could they catch the DCL shuttle from there? It's not ideal, but that could be your back up plan.

 

[openwater]

I think a one-way rental car will be the best option in terms of value for money (4 persons will cost more in a shuttle/taxi than a rental I am sure) and getting to the port early. If they depart the hotel at 8:45am latest they will get to the port rental car drop area close to 10am; just in time to catch one of the first rental car shuttles to the terminals.

Start with Avis, Hertz and Budget with desks at all the Universal hotels. Others are available too.

BTW, the shuttle service available from Universal Vacations to/from the airport is inconvenient. It is a shared shuttle at $35 per person roundtrip and you have to wait until it fills (30 minutes max according to their schedule) and then it makes various stops (5 hotels on the route).

 

[Terrena]

Does the rental car cost more if it's one way? Usually there is a drop off fee to rent a car one way. Just wondering if that was the case for short distances like Orlando to Port Canaveral.

 

[openwater]

If you are charged a specific drop-off fee then I suggest you check other companies. In my experience it is unusual to Port Canaveral.

 

[truck1]

Another way to look at it is to rent a car at the airport, keep it at the hotel for the 2 days, and return it to the port. This also gives them a little freedom along the way to run to Walmart or off property or making a stop on the way to the port.

 

[michellekcm]

We rented from Alamo. It was a 10 minute walk from Universal CityWalk for my husband to get the car (Sheraton FourPoints, just near Wet and Wild), and it was significantly cheaper than the other rental cars onsite. I think they just need to search for the best deal and see how close. Also, there is a thread in the Universal forum that has lots of options.

 

[wfgamble]

Thanks so much to everyone for the information. I have been on the boards for years and completely forgot about the Universal forum I'm helping my brother with his WDW trip, my friend with her Universal/Disney Dream trip and my family is planning our first trip to Aulani so your input is much appreciated!

 

[Eeyores]

I decided to use the Tony mentioned on the other board. The hotel at Universal has no shuttle. I needed airport to hotel and then hotel to port. I wanted to arrive early to beat the crowds getting off the buses at port. More expensive for 2 of us, but I can do timing that works better for us. Plus he will stop at the store on the way. $200

 

[wfgamble]

I decided to use the Tony mentioned on the other board. The hotel at Universal has no shuttle. I needed airport to hotel and then hotel to port. I wanted to arrive early to beat the crowds getting off the buses at port. More expensive for 2 of us, but I can do timing that works better for us. Plus he will stop at the store on the way. $200

This looks excellent. Thank you!

 

[Eeyores]

I went back and forth and just settled it yesterday. I hate overspending if I can get it cheaper. But this worked the way I needed. Airport from and back to home was more of a hassle!

 

[bumbershoot]

Does the rental car cost more if it's one way? Usually there is a drop off fee to rent a car one way. Just wondering if that was the case for short distances like Orlando to Port Canaveral.

Maybe, maybe not. You have to price it all out for the trip.

Another way to look at it is to rent a car at the airport, keep it at the hotel for the 2 days, and return it to the port. This also gives them a little freedom along the way to run to Walmart or off property or making a stop on the way to the port.

If they are staying onsite they will have to include the hotel parking costs into the financial side of things. Especially if at the three higher end hotels it's not cheap to park. It will likely change the equation.