Rental Car - Skip the Counter

[disneyagain]

We love being members of National Emerald Aisle . I'll even pay a little extra to avoid the counter...gets you out of MCO....fast!

But.....The rental for this summer is $206 for the week (YIKES!). We usually end up spending around $100-$110 for the week. We're actually considering ME, but our flight back is at 7:00 am, and we're really not looking forward to having to be at the bus stop at 4:00 am....figure we can leave at 5:00 if we have the rental car. We might even take ME from the airport, but rent a car on Friday pm from Swan/Dolphin and drive/return it to MCO on Saturday am before our flight ($53).

So...Do any other rental companies have the skip the counter service? Is it as quick and efficient as National?

THANKS!

 

[CarolA]

I figure your flight is at 7 am?

In that case I STRONGLY recommend leaving no later then 4:30 MCO in the mornings has been a NIGHTMARE lately and if you have luggage to check I would NOT arrive less then two hours in advance... For reasons that only MCO understands even though they have LOTS of early morning flights they have LIMITED numbers of screening stations open....

I use Hertz Gold which is off site, but I think better then National's service.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

I've used Alamo a few times, reserving/paying online and bypassing the counter. I've always gotten right out and had no wait bringing the car back as well. Bypassing the counter avoids the upgrade/insurance hard-sell, too.

P.S. Greetings from Cortland!

 

[Joan S.]

I figure your flight is at 7 am?

In that case I STRONGLY recommend leaving no later then 4:30 MCO in the mornings has been a NIGHTMARE lately and if you have luggage to check I would NOT arrive less then two hours in advance... For reasons that only MCO understands even though they have LOTS of early morning flights they have LIMITED numbers of screening stations open....

I use Hertz Gold which is off site, but I think better then National's service.

Hi, I would HAVE to agree with being at MCO at least 2 hours before flight time! We had the 7am flight on SWA in February and the lines were SO long. They kept on pulling people out of line to make their flights! The SWA flight we got on was ALL boarded by the we got to the gate. And the flight was delayed to allow more people to makethe flight. Joan

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

We just came back from WDW and always rent from Dollar because the counter is right at the airport and we don't have to take a shuttle. BUt as we were waiting in line we saw that there was an express line, those people got priority and were taken first. As someone new entered that line, no matter how many people were in the other line, they were taken first. I am not sure if there was anything about it on line, but you may want to check it out. COuld save you valuable time!

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

I forgot to note that when you drop off the car, you just drive up and someone checks it out for you and you are right at the airport terminal. They have drop offs at Termianl A and B.

 

[Dan Murphy]

.....The rental for this summer is $206 for the week (YIKES!). We usually end up spending around $100-$110 for the week......

Check these codes........

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1105191

 

[Disneyjosh229]

Yes, for the most part, National and Hertz are the only companies that allow you to bypass the lines in Orlando. Budget has a Fastbreak service, but they dont offer a bypass service in Orlando. I like National because they are onsite and allways quick. Ive had a few issues with vehicle condition the last few rentals and I am still debating swtiching over to Hertz...I just hate having to go offsite!!

-Carol-

How does the #1 Club gold work? Do you get to choose your own car, or do they assign you one?

TYIA

 

[DebbieB]

We skipped the main counter with Alamo and checked in at the booth in the garage, my friend had quick-silver.

I would watch the rates. My National reservation for the week of 6/18 dropped recently from $193 to $121.

 

[momofbgtwins]

We have Avis Preferred, and pick up the car in the garage. No waiting in lines!I believe all car rental companies have some type of preferred service that's free, but you need to sign up ahead of time.

 

[lats118]

We just got back from WDW last week. Used Alamo's QS service; it was almost as convenient as National's Emerald Aisle. Went out to the kiosk in the garage to sign a few papers and then picked up our car. We also got a rate of under $100 dollars for a mid-size SUV for a week. Can't beat that (I'll probably never get that rate again).

 

[disneyagain]

Thanks for all of your replys!

I'll have to check out Alamo QS.

Has security at MCO gotten that bad? We usually fly once a year through MCO and it's never been that bad. It's the slowest security point of any airport that we've flown through, but we really have never had a "OMG we're going to miss our plane" feeling. Maybe we've just been lucky We always arrive at rental car return at the 2 hr mark.

My thought was if we have a car leaving POP around 4:30, getting to the airport around 5:00 (2 hrs before flight). If we take ME, I'm guessing we'll have to be at the ME area around 4:00 - 15 minutes prior to "scheduled departure time" makes it 3:45.

So the rental car give me an extra 45 minutes...I love having an extra 45 minutes at that hr of the morning!

 

[Disneyjosh229]

We have Avis Preferred, and pick up the car in the garage. No waiting in lines!I believe all car rental companies have some type of preferred service that's free, but you need to sign up ahead of time.

I have Avis preferred also, but to tell you the truth, ive never used it in MCO...Do you choose your own vehicle, or are they assigned?

 

[OKW Lover]

I have Avis preferred also, but to tell you the truth, ive never used it in MCO...Do you choose your own vehicle, or are they assigned?

They are assigned. Just walk over to the garage and show your license at the kiosk, they hand you your keys and off you go.

 

[CarolA]

Thanks for all of your replys!

I'll have to check out Alamo QS.

Has security at MCO gotten that bad? We usually fly once a year through MCO and it's never been that bad. It's the slowest security point of any airport that we've flown through, but we really have never had a "OMG we're going to miss our plane" feeling. Maybe we've just been lucky We always arrive at rental car return at the 2 hr mark.
!

Yes it's gotten that bad. Your tax dollars at work making your life miserable.....