Rental Cars at MCO

[emc1967]

Do any of the rental companies have cars at the airport or do you have to board a shuttle bus to be taken to their lot? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Alamo, National, Budget, L&M, Dollar, Avis (and maybe some I am missing) are all onsite. Hertz is offsite, but, according to our resident expert on Hertz, it is an easy hop.

 

[antmaril]

I just rented a car from Avis at MCO in the terminal - no shuttle bus. Alamo/National are also in the terminal. I hate to take a shuttle, and avoid it whenever possible.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

http://www.orlandoairports.net:/goaa/ops/rac.htm

 

[emc1967]

Thank you -- that was exactly the information I was looking for!!

 

[diane1102]

Hi EMC. That's funny, we posted the exact same question at almost the exact same time. Great minds think alike!

 

[safetymom]

Hertz is great to rent with. I use them all the time and have been 7 times in the last year to MCO. I have never sat more than a minute in the shuttle bus and was driving towards WDW within 10 mins. I find them as fast and sometimes faster than when I rented onsite.

When you go to return the car do curbside check in and then return the car. No carrying the luggage that way.

There is also a special for free #1 Gold at Hertz. It allows you to bypass the counter.

 

[inkkognito]

If you happen to use Priceline and specify an MCO rental car location, be aware that you could end up with Hertz. We usually get Alamo or Avis, but for our upcoming quickie trip we got Hertz for the first time, so I'll be posting a report when we get back. I usually hate shuttle buses, but I've heard really good things about them and I always see one of their buses whenever we're at the airport, so I think it will go well.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[lawgs]

safetymom....

just one question about "curbside checkin" as you mentioned before returning the rental car

what happens when the curbside checkin is "backed" up and you have to show your id to the "skycap"

we considered doing just what you said this past week ( albeit we did not use hertz )....but am glad we did not........since once we got to the airport there was about a 20 minute wait for skycaps....would we just wait in the car until "sky caps" could get to us....

a side note....as we were waiting in line, a lady who had just dropped off some people in wheelchairs had left her SUV unattended for about 5 minutes and they were in the process of "towing" it when she got back...but it looked like they ticketed her and charged her for the "tow" anyways.....


by the way, must say that hertz buses were "2 or 3 to one" with respect to the rental company we used ( which is next store to Hertz ), so we can see why you "commend" hertz on their "shuttle service"


we would probably have used hertz, since we have CAA, however we have found in the past that when you use discounts with Hertz using CDP's that the rate seems to "go up" as compared to getting a rate without using any codes...sorta like a "mark it up 70% and give you 30% discount off at a store" ...which to us basically means ther is really only a perceived discount....


it is good you have good experiences with hertz

 

[Snowlet24]

lawgs, I have never seen a long line for the skycaps so I don't know.

If those people were waiting in the line they shouldn't have been ticketed. If you go in the building then they could ticket. In all the airports I have ever been in since 9/11 I haven't gotten a ticket when doing curbside check in. The police may ask if thats my car and then they leave me alone. I am always doing this by myself also.

You have to watch when using codes because many of them raise your rate then lower it to about what you started with. So I always do it without the codes and then with it. The AAA discount is always a good one but sometimes I can get a better discount through my frequent flyer program. I check all of these when renting a car. The coupons for a free tank of gas usually raise your rate so it is cheaper to buy your own tank of gas.

I figure I am working for myself so if it takes a little bit of effort to find the best deal it isn't a problem for me. All my friends like when I find these things for them.

I am glad I can help here to repay all I have learned on the DIS boards.

 

[Snowlet24]

lawgs, the post above is from me. My daughter had signed in and didn't realize it. Safetymom

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by lawgs
safetymom....

just one question about "curbside checkin" as you mentioned before returning the rental car

what happens when the curbside checkin is "backed" up and you have to show your id to the "skycap"

we considered doing just what you said this past week ( albeit we did not use hertz )....but am glad we did not........since once we got to the airport there was about a 20 minute wait for skycaps....would we just wait in the car until "sky caps" could get to us....

a side note....as we were waiting in line, a lady who had just dropped off some people in wheelchairs had left her SUV unattended for about 5 minutes and they were in the process of "towing" it when she got back...but it looked like they ticketed her and charged her for the "tow" anyways.....


by the way, must say that hertz buses were "2 or 3 to one" with respect to the rental company we used ( which is next store to Hertz ), so we can see why you "commend" hertz on their "shuttle service"


we would probably have used hertz, since we have CAA, however we have found in the past that when you use discounts with Hertz using CDP's that the rate seems to "go up" as compared to getting a rate without using any codes...sorta like a "mark it up 70% and give you 30% discount off at a store" ...which to us basically means ther is really only a perceived discount....


it is good you have good experiences with hertz

LOL, last time we encountered that Dee waved some money and the sky cap immediately came over to the car (seems most of the folks in the curb check in were not tipping), Dee showed his id and ticket, unloaded the bags and he returned the car. I handled the rest with the skycap and waited outside the terminal for his return.

Safety mom:
You cannot wait at the drop off point, inside or out. It is for unloading only. Matters not if you are in line inside or out.
They have become very very strict about that.

 

[safetymom]

Gail, I haven't had a problem with that in the 7 times I have been there in the last year. Of course when I have done it there weren't long lines at USAirways but wasn't bothered once I said I was waiting to check in.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by safetymom
Gail, I haven't had a problem with that in the 7 times I have been there in the last year. Of course when I have done it there weren't long lines at USAirways but wasn't bothered once I said I was waiting to check in.

That is great!!! But, I watched serveral people being told to move on and those poor folks barely had all their luggage out of the trunk. The line for SWA the last time was all the way to RI.
It was a Saturday and after that I swore I would NEVER fly on a Sat. again.

 

[safetymom]

Gail that could be with SW. I am sure they have more people flying them than USAirways. I try to not fly during the busy times of the day but when I do I haven't been bothered after I explained.

As with everything else when traveling, Your mileage may vary.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by safetymom
Gail that could be with SW. I am sure they have more people flying them than USAirways. I try to not fly during the busy times of the day but when I do I haven't been bothered after I explained.

As with everything else when traveling, Your mileage may vary.

too true!!!!