Return car first or drop family at port first?

[mketting]

We are driving to the port from WDW with a Budget rental.

Should I drop my family at the port and then return the car or should we arrive at budget early 9:30ish and take the shutle to the port all together?

 

[Dancind]

We chose option A, drop family first. This is due to the amount of luggage we had. By doing this, we avoided one additional luggage loading and unloading. It was also quicker to catch the shuttle, since they only needed to squeeze in one more body. Either way works, though. Diana

 

[kcashner]

I agree, drop family and luggage first. Just be sure that you keep YOUR travel documents and ID with you so that you can get back into the port area.

The advantages of dropping family first are that you only have to handle the luggage once, Mom can get in line and be moving up in the check in line while you are returning car (you will join her in the line when you get back), and you will be able to catch the first shuttle from the car place to the port. It's easy to fit one person, no luggage into a shuttle. Getting a family with luggage onto one may mean waiting....

 

[NYGiantsRule!]

We have done this twice now. Drop the luggage and family off at the terminal. One person or two can return the car. My DS usually goes with DH for company. I get into line and check us in. If they are not back when I get to the front of the line, they will process our paperwork and hold DH's KTTW card until he returns with his photo id.

 

[din]

Thanks NYGiantsrule.

We usually take the limo, but this time we will be renting. That is good to know that my DW can check us in and that I may need to stop by to get the KTTW card if I do not get back in time...

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Here's a question--if we get dropped off first thing, we will have to wait for the men to come back ( 3 families). Can my kid still get in line? We were first last year and she really got a kick out of being the first--but if we have to let other complete families go ahead of us while we wait for DH, we won't be able to do that. I know it sounds petty! But I also want to get on ASAP to get a Palo brunch ressie for 6.
Robin M.

 

[mketting]

Thanks, that was my plan . Good to know that is the best option.

 

[JeffPort]

With 6 in our group, it seems that a car rental may make more sense and provide more flexibility than the Disney bus transfers. Particularly since we will be visiting Orlando for a few days either before or after the cruise.

Can anyone answer a few questions for me?

1.) How far away is the Budget Car Rental return location from the boat dock?

2.) Will the car rental place send a shuttle to pick up the family after the end of the cruise so we can rent another vehicle?

3.) Are there other rental agencies (other than Budget) that are located close to the port?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Little Twin Stars]

Originally posted by mketting
We are driving to the port from WDW with a Budget rental.

Should I drop my family at the port and then return the car?

What about when we get off the Ship? Should we, a family of 4, get on the Budget shuttle together?

 

[Regina]

We did the same thing as NYGiantsrule. DH dropped us and the luggage off (keeping his photo ID) and I took care of checking us in.

When he arrived, I walked him over to the CM who was holding his KTTW card. She saw me, knew it was him and handed him his card.

You're going to find that the shuttles can fill up quickly. Disney isn't the only ship in port. If you can leave your family with the luggage, you'll probably find that you can shorten the process of picking up the car.

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

JeffPort I can't answer question 1 or 2 but maybe you can find the answers to those questions at www.dcltribute.com Dave has a lot of great info on his site including info about car rentals.

Avis is also located close to the port. We rented a minivan (there will be 5 of us) from Avis for our cruise in Nov. They were slightly cheaper than Budget and we have rented from Avis many times in the past and always had good experiences with them.

Cheryl

 

[JeffPort]

Thank you, Cheryl. The information at dcltribute.com was exactly what I was looking for. This option should save my family quite a few headaches and some money as well.

 

[dtuleya]

Wow! Thanks for the info! I didn't even think about having hubby drop us off first. What is the earliest he can drop us off?

 

[softfluff]

We drop at the port, then one person goes with the car. Works quickest and best. We used Budget this time, wont' again. We waited in a horrible line to pick up a car.

 

[dtuleya]

Originally posted by softfluff
We drop at the port, then one person goes with the car. Works quickest and best. We used Budget this time, wont' again. We waited in a horrible line to pick up a car.

What are the other options from the port to MCO as far as rentals cars? We will need a shuttle to pick us up and take us to the rental office.

 

[mmouse37]

As stated before, Avis and Budget are really the top contenders for convenience at the Port. They are others at Dave's site but I believe they are farther away.

Our experience with Budget when we got off the ship was that their shuttle was very slow in picking people up at the port. Hubby wound up taking a taxi from the port to the Budget location to pick up our car.

We make two, one-way resssies with either Budget or Avis....one from MCO to the Port and then another from the Port to MCO. I always make the ressies online at their websites. I chose whichever company gives me the best rate at the time I am cruising. I think I like Avis service better, but have not used them since they moved from the Radisson location....so I do not know how convenient they are anymore.

We often find codes to use for both Budget and Avis at www.mousesavers.com

Search for their car rental page for some very good info and discount codes.

MJ

 

[Dancind]

As far as getting a car when you disembark, we had planned for DH to go get the car at Avis. But we got some kind of Super Porter, who walked us right out and onto a shuttle. Not sure how we did that, but he was good. Diana

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Hertz is only two blocks beyond Avis. National is a few miles further down the road.

I have full details at www.dcltribute.com/carhire

 

[dtuleya]

Originally posted by Dave_from_Marietta
Hertz is only two blocks beyond Avis. National is a few miles further down the road.

I have full details at www.dcltribute.com/carhire

Thanks Dave for the clarification Dave! I thought that Budget was the closest to the port with a shuttle.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Budget is the closest. It's about two blocks beyond the Radisson. Avis is perhaps a mile down the road from the Radisson and Hertz is about two blocks beyond that.