Renting from Budget & driving to Port ?

[LostGirls]

We are considering renting from Budget at MCO and driving to the Port the same day our cruise departs. For those of you who have done this before, a couple of questions please...

what time would you pick up the car at MCO and what time do you usually return it at the Port? (yes, I'd like to board in time to make ressies for spa & Palo)

On the return, what time would I want to pick up the car at the Port? (We're staying the night at the beach - won't fly out until next day)

Is Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach the same Budget location? And do they have a complimentary shuttle to the cruise terminal?

Thanks in advance to all of you -- you make planning SO much easier!!

 

[bhawks9]

If you are driving to the port from MCO you would want to get there as soon as possible. We rented a car at MCO on the Thursday before our cruise and drove to the port and stayed at the Raddisson. We returned the car the next day and they took me back to the hotel. We caught the shuttle from the Raddison on Saturday. I would call the rental place at Cape C and see if they will drop you at the port. It is only a few miles from the budget place to the port. Our situation is a little different, but it was cheaper than a car service. I would also check the hours of the budget place to make sure they open early enough to get to the port early enough to get the reservations!
Good luck, hope that helped.

 

[inkkognito]

Cocoa is the same location...not far from the Radisson, on the main strip, and near a convenient gas station. We usually use Happy Limo but have done a car rental a couple of times from Budget. They have the best one way rates through Hotwire. Their shuttle is really prompt, and we got an upgrade to a Ford Taurus, although the car you pick up at the port may not have a full tank of gas because they do not have an onsite fueling facility there.
Barb

 

[NYDisneyMom]

We rented from Budget in May for our cruise. No problems at all getting the car at MCO...BUT we waited over 45 minutes for the Budget shuttle to pick us up from the Port. Never again. The Hertz and Avis shuttles were bigger and passed us about three times while we waited for the Budget driver (who's about 85 years old, no exaggeration.)

 

[buzz2400]

I just rented from budget and drove myself to the port. It took about an hour from orlando to the budget location. The shuttle was fine getting to the ship. I had the same problem coming back. We waiting for about 1/2 hour. I called the budget location twice and both times she told me he had just left. The shuttle driver is very old. Hertz and Avis had alot of shuttles but I checked their prices and they are higher than budget. I did like driving myself v. taking a limo or bus. It was very easy to do.

 

[inkkognito]

Wow, we must have been lucky with the return shuttle! It was there waiting one time and pulled up within a couple of minutes the second time. Budget also had the shortest line compared to Avis (Hertz wasn't as bad). I think the planets must have been aligned in our favor for good timing (but then again, in 38 cruises we've never been rained out at Castaway Cay either ).
Barb

 

[mmouse37]

What time is your flight arriving at MCO on the day of the cruise? I book a time to pick up the car within 30 minutes of when I land.

The gates at the port open at 10:00 but check in does not start until about 10:30.

If you driving to the port the same day figure the drive is about 45 minutes or so from the airport. You can drop off the car as soon as you get to Cocoa.

On the day we get off the ship I have the pick up time for 9:30 am. We also found Budget transfers from the ship to the rental location very slow...we opted to take a taxi and bypass the line waiting for the shuttle. Taxi costs 8 bucks.

MJ

 

[LostGirls]

We are actually flying in the night before the cruise and spending the night at the Hyatt. On the return, we are spending the night at Cocoa Beach the night we leave the ship. Now I'm wondering if I should consider someone other than Budget. We need a mini van as there will be 6 of us.....

 

[cjsmom97]

We are using Budget for our trip this November... thanks for all the great info!! I will surely pass it along to the other members of our party. We will have one advantage, my brother is driving down there and has agreed to take all the drivers to Budget instead of waiting for the shuttle. Then the drivers will come pick up the rest of their parties.