Renting a car from the CCC...

[LizzyS]

So, on two of our vacation days during our trip, we'd like to rent a car for the day and drive to the beach and elsewhere nearby and I'm looking into that right now and would like to make reservations pretty soon for those two days for daily rentals.

I see that the Car Care Center has Alamo, has agreeable hours to us, and offers shuttle service from the WDW Resort Hotels. We are staying at POR, so this all sounds great.

Being a newbie here, what else should I consider in doing this? I've rented cars before, but always at an airport location, honestly. I see that I call for a pick up for the shuttle, but I don't see how far in advance I should do that? Also, are they generally on time? If I wanted to be at the CCC at 10 am, when do I get picked up, etc.?

Any information from those with experience would be greatly appreciated! TIA!

 

[Ralph&Pam]

You will contact the CCC to arrange hotel pickup to get your car. Just tell them when you want to do the pickup and they will let you know the pickup time to meet that schedule. Do this the day prior to pickup if possible.

If you have a Costco membership, consider checking the rental rates on the Costco travel website. I find that their rates for Alamo rentals are frequently less expensive than booking directly with Alamo. I saved about $20 on a one-day rental to drive from Miami to WDW.

 

[LizzyS]

You will contact the CCC to arrange hotel pickup to get your car. Just tell them when you want to do the pickup and they will let you know the pickup time to meet that schedule. Do this the day prior to pickup if possible.

If you have a Costco membership, consider checking the rental rates on the Costco travel website. I find that their rates for Alamo rentals are frequently less expensive than booking directly with Alamo. I saved about $20 on a one-day rental to drive from Miami to WDW.

Can I schedule farther ahead than the day prior or no? Or is that not a good idea?

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Can I schedule farther ahead than the day prior or no? Or is that not a good idea?

I don’t know. I’ve not done that myself, but there’s no harm in calling to see. Worst case, they tell you to call back closer to your scheduled day.

 

[bumbershoot]

They need an hour, minimum, for picking you up.

 

[Jimsig]

I rented back in October for a day. When you call about a pickup (I called the day before) they will give you a time and tell you where to be at your resort. When you return the car they will bring you back ASAP. For me it was as soon as I walked out after getting my receipt.

Also as an FYI there is a gas station right at the CCC for filling up right before you return the car so no searching for a place before you get back on property.

 

[LizzyS]

I rented back in October for a day. When you call about a pickup (I called the day before) they will give you a time and tell you where to be at your resort. When you return the car they will bring you back ASAP. For me it was as soon as I walked out after getting my receipt.

Also as an FYI there is a gas station right at the CCC for filling up right before you return the car so no searching for a place before you get back on property.

Very helpful information, thank you!

 

[kaismahma]

Do we need to call and book a car rental reservation with the CCC or can we do it online somewhere? I found info on renting cars on the Disney Website but no place to make a reservation. We would like to take get a car and drive to Coco Beach one day so my daughter can see the ocean for her first time. Any help would be appreciated we will be staying onsite at CSR.

 

[bumbershoot]

Do we need to call and book a car rental reservation with the CCC or can we do it online somewhere? I found info on renting cars on the Disney Website but no place to make a reservation. We would like to take get a car and drive to Coco Beach one day so my daughter can see the ocean for her first time. Any help would be appreciated we will be staying onsite at CSR.

Go to the Alamo or National rental car websites and choose that as your location. Make the rental in that way.

 

[LizzyS]

Do we need to call and book a car rental reservation with the CCC or can we do it online somewhere? I found info on renting cars on the Disney Website but no place to make a reservation. We would like to take get a car and drive to Coco Beach one day so my daughter can see the ocean for her first time. Any help would be appreciated we will be staying onsite at CSR.

We are doing this very thing during our trip, too!

 

[Jimsig]

Do we need to call and book a car rental reservation with the CCC or can we do it online somewhere? I found info on renting cars on the Disney Website but no place to make a reservation. We would like to take get a car and drive to Coco Beach one day so my daughter can see the ocean for her first time. Any help would be appreciated we will be staying onsite at CSR.

We are doing this very thing during our trip, too!

When planning your day to Cocoa Beach see if coincides with a launch from Kennedy Space Center. We lucked out at the end of October when we decided to spend 2 extra nights that there was a SpaceX launch.

 

[LizzyS]

When planning your day to Cocoa Beach see if coincides with a launch from Kennedy Space Center. We lucked out at the end of October when we decided to spend 2 extra nights that there was a SpaceX launch.

I will check on that, thanks!

 

[Jimsig]

I will check on that, thanks!

Didn't notice your dates until now but there is a launch scheduled for March 1. From the https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ page

Atlas 5 GOES-S
Launch time: 2202-0002 GMT (5:02-7:02 p.m. EST)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-077, will launch GOES-S, the second next-generation geostationary weather satellite for NASA and NOAA. GOES-S will orbit 22,300 miles above the equator to monitor weather conditions across the United States. The rocket will fly in the 541 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, four solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.

Looks to be a 623p sunset that night so with a 2 hours launch window if it gets delayed a bit you could see a night launch, those are even more amazing then a day launch IMO, and a day launch is awesome.

This is my video of the SpaceX Falcon 9 KoreaSat 5A from my trip in Oct taken from the Space Center about 3.5 miles away from the pad

 

[dminnie]

Any suggestions on how to do this? We need a car rental for just one day. We're staying at CBR and we'll be having a 9:30 breakfast at BOMA before heading to Tampa for the day. Is the ride from our hotel to the car rental place free and how long does it take? Should we have them pick us up at CBR and then get the car before breakfast? What time would we need to leave the room to be at AKL in time for our ADR?

Also, the next day when we drop off the car, what is the best way to get to Epcot after we drop it off? Will they provide a shuttle for that?

 

[bumbershoot]

Seems like you need the car to get to breakfast unless you want to do difficult things with buses or pay extra for a cab or rideshare.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/car-rental-services/

Complimentary shuttle service from select Walt Disney World Resort hotels to the Disney Car Care Center can be arranged by calling (407) 824-3470 ext. 1. Guests must schedule a pickup time prior and be waiting at the pickup location at the appointed time. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please contact the Car Care Center to reschedule.

Hours of Availability:
6:00 AM - 7:30 PM, Monday - Friday
6:00 AM - 5:30 PM, Saturday, Sunday

Resort Hotel Pickup/Drop-Off Locations
Wait outside the main lobby of your Resort hotel, which is also where you will be dropped off, unless you are staying at one of the 3 Resorts below, each of which has a specific rendezvous point:

• Shades of Green Resort: Outside, upper level
• Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground: Outside, Outpost
• Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort (including Treehouse Villas): Outside, Carriage House

Theme Park Pickup/Drop-Off Locations
You can also arrange for shuttle transportation to or from the Parks:

• Magic Kingdom park/Transportation & Ticket Center: Lost and Found parking lot
• Epcot: Taxi and shuttle parking
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Bus parking charter C-8
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom park: Disabled parking
• Disney’s Blizzard Beach: In front of main Guest entrance
• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon: In front of main Guest entrance
• Disney Springs area: Between AMC Theatres and Planet Hollywood
• ESPN Wide World of Sports: In front of the main entrance

Looking at a map, it would likely be easiest to just take everyone in their shuttle, get the car, and head to Tampa.

Let’s say you want to have the rental start at 8:30, you would want to be picked up around 8. They need at least an hour’s notice, so at the latest call them to request the pickup by 7am. You can arrange it ahead of that, though.

Next day for drop off you can all go to do that and then put your party down to be transported to Epcot. They arrange for a shuttle there and let you when it’s there. This has never take too long for me.

I assume you’ve come back to CBR that night so that’s where you’re starting from; if so the rest of the family could go to epcot from the resort while a driver takes the car back and shuttles to meet everyone.

I tip the drivers, and I do it based on people (or bags if I have bags), so I prefer fewer people with me.

 

[MrsTski]

Didn't notice your dates until now but there is a launch scheduled for March 1. From the https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ page

Atlas 5 GOES-S
Launch time: 2202-0002 GMT (5:02-7:02 p.m. EST)
Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, designated AV-077, will launch GOES-S, the second next-generation geostationary weather satellite for NASA and NOAA. GOES-S will orbit 22,300 miles above the equator to monitor weather conditions across the United States. The rocket will fly in the 541 vehicle configuration with a five-meter fairing, four solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage.

Looks to be a 623p sunset that night so with a 2 hours launch window if it gets delayed a bit you could see a night launch, those are even more amazing then a day launch IMO, and a day launch is awesome.

This is my video of the SpaceX Falcon 9 KoreaSat 5A from my trip in Oct taken from the Space Center about 3.5 miles away from the pad

Jimsig - your video is amazing! What location within the Space Center did you take the video from?

 

[Jimsig]

Jimsig - your video is amazing! What location within the Space Center did you take the video from?

Thanks, I have some pics that I need to upload, those are even better. That was taken from the Banana Creek Launch Viewing Site located next to the Apollo/Saturn V Center, about 3.5 miles from the pad.