Rental Car vs. Magical Express

[twinscandc]

We are flying into MCO on ATA on 5/24/05, staying for 10 nights renting DVC points at BWV. I have lots of questions!!

From research on the DVC board, it appears that we qualify for the DME through the DVC member services. We also want to rent a car while down there....maybe even a convertible!! Taking the DME may solve the problem about luggage in a convertible, but now we are not sure about renting the car on WDW property or renting it at the airport.

My DH could drive the car with the luggage and the girls and I could ride the bus. Or we could all ride the bus and then get the car at the Dolphin hotel.....so many decisions.....

Is National the only car rental co. that has an on property location? It seems that it is just as expensive to rent less days from the WDW location than it is to rent at the airport for the full 10 days (using Alamo).

What would you guys do?

 

[LeftCoaster]

I believe that National is the only car rental on property right now. There used to be a Dollar Rent-a-car at the old Courtyard By Marriott in Downtown Disney but, that hotel is under refurbishment right now. I don;t think they've reopened.
If you have hubby rent the car. why not just check all of your bags with magical express and let them deliver it to your room for you? Just be sure to put your name on your husbands bags.

 

[twinscandc]

Oh, I didn't know that DME would deliver your bags to your hotel....I guess I just thought they dropped you and your luggage off at the front door.....

You're right..., if they deliver your bags....it would be better....


Anybody else have any thoughts?

 

[LeftCoaster]

Here is my understanding as to how DME works.
About 3 weeks before departure, they send you special luggage tags for your check in luggage. When you arrive in Orlando, you go directly to the check in and the bags are sorted behind the scenes and go on a seperate truck to the resorts. The DME bus then drops you and your carry on luggage off at the resort and your check in luggage is sent directly to your room. The reason why I said to put your name on your husband's bags is because the DME cast members will check the tags with name of the people going on the bus.

 

[twinscandc]

Thanks Leftcoaster....

 

[Tiger926]

There is also a car rental office (Budget) @ Doubletree - Downtown Disney. There is also another hotel in Downtown Disney with a car rental office, but I can't find that info at the moment. This is what we are doing in July:

1) Arriving on Northwest - using ME to Saratoga (we are also DVC members)
2) DH will go to Doubletree hotel to pick up Ford Escape.
3) Departure day - dropping car off @ airport & flying home!

Good luck, Tiger

 

[hojo]

How about this one:
I am using the ME from the airport to All Star Movie. On the last day the flight leaves at 3 so I want to get as much out of teh AK park as possible so I am thinking of renting a car for a day. If I take the ME back to the airport I would have to be at the resort by noon I would think. Question is how do I get to a car rental agency? Where are they located so I can take a disney bus?

 

[Alysa]

Can you use magical express if you fly in through SouthWest?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

How about this one:
I am using the ME from the airport to All Star Movie. On the last day the flight leaves at 3 so I want to get as much out of teh AK park as possible so I am thinking of renting a car for a day. If I take the ME back to the airport I would have to be at the resort by noon I would think. Question is how do I get to a car rental agency? Where are they located so I can take a disney bus?

Yes, if you take ME back to the airport for a 3 p.m. departure, you would leave your resort around noon.

When do you want to leave WDW? When do you want to arrive at the airport? (Keep in mind that flights typically begin boarding a half hour before departure time.) How much time would you spend renting a car at WDW and returning that car at (or near) MCO? How much additional time at DAK would you buy yourself by renting a car?

Speaking just for myself, I try to arrive at the airport around 2 hours before departure time (90 minutes before boarding time). That gives me 30 minutes for rental car return (if I rented a car), flight check-in, security, and navigating the airport (which includes riding the people mover, in the case of MCO). If everything goes well, that leaves one hour for a table-service meal. If I run into delays on the road and/or at security, I still have time for a fast food meal.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Can you use magical express if you fly in through SouthWest?

See Southwest Included in Magic Express??

 

[hojo]

I hear there are two places to rent a car onsite (Swan and down town disney) but I am not sure. Can I get to both of those places using the disney bus service from the All star movie resort?

I figure if I get a car will will have checked out of the resort and can drive directly to the airport from the park (about a 1/2 drive??). I am thinking about leaving the park around 1.

 

[k_k_100]

I believe that National is the only car rental on property right now.

There is an Alamo desk at the Swan/Dolphin

 

[dizplanner]

The Alamo and National desks are combined. In addition to the desk at the Dolphin, they are both at the WDW Car Care Center over by MK. National/Alamo will send a shuttle to pick you up to get your car and take you to the car care center or they will take you to your resort/park after you drop off a car. The Car Care Center has longer hours than the Dolphin desk. I know the National site has the hours on it for both.

 

[Reflection]

There is an Avis rental car counter in the lobby of the Hilton in Downtown Disney.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Other major car rental companies, such as Hertz, will pick you up at your WDW resorts from locations just outside of WDW.

When renting a car, keep in mind that most car rental pricing is based on 24-hour days, so you can rent your car the prior day. As long as you return the car within 24 hours, you only pay for one day (and there's typically a 59 minute grace period).

Also, remember that car rental location at hotels or neighbood locations tend to have shorter hours than airport locations. So don't plan on being able to rent at night or very early in the morning unless you verify the location's hours first.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

There is also a car rental office (Budget) @ Doubletree - Downtown Disney. There is also another hotel in Downtown Disney with a car rental office, but I can't find that info at the moment. This is what we are doing in July:

1) Arriving on Northwest - using ME to Saratoga (we are also DVC members)
2) DH will go to Doubletree hotel to pick up Ford Escape.
3) Departure day - dropping car off @ airport & flying home!

Good luck, Tiger

We are doing the same thing! Same car, too!

 

[hojo]

So it is possible for Alamo/Naional to drive to the All star resort and pick me up and drive me to the car rental where I will rent the car? That would be great! I was thinking I would have to bus hop until I got there wasting a lot of time. I figure this should save me at leats an hour an a half, more time at AK

 

[dizplanner]

Yes, just call the Alamo/National location the day before to make arrangements for the shuttle to pick you up. Make sure you are very clear on where they are picking you up and when. The time we used the shuttle, we were having them pick us up at Downtown Disney. Well, I don't know where the shuttle went, but it wasn't where we were. After waiting an hour and finally finding getting connected to the National desk (I made the mistake of not taking the phone number with me), they said to take a taxi and they took the charge off the rental fee. At a resort, you shouldn't have as much confusion as to where to meet.

 

[hojo]

Thanks Diz. It sounds pretty easy. This should save me 1 to 2 hours at the park which I think will be worth it. Not sure when the next trip to Disney will be.... not for a long time though (5 years)....

 

[twinscandc]

Is it cheaper to rent from the airport?

I've done pricing for both locations (MCO and car care center) and the car care center rates seems to be more expensive. Is there a reason for that?