Sept 2012 car rental......

[poppypetal]

Ok, a couple more newbie questions! I read this on the August2012 car rental thread, post #749:

Booked a standard with Alamo there were minivans in the standard aisle. Pretty good score, $155 for ten days and drove out with the minivan.

But gmeh1 mentioned above in this thread that there's no standard aisle at MCO. ??? I'm guessing she meant the fullsize aisle?

We are traveling with our 4 kids so we *need* a minivan, no other options for us. Can you see what's available before you check out at the kiosk? Can I reserve a minivan AND a fullsize, and if there's a minivan in the fullsize aisle can I take it at the fullsize price? That way if there isn't a minivan on the fullsize aisle, I still have a good rate for the minivan from its designated aisle. Is there a penalty for holding two concurrent reservations and only using one of them? Is this bad car-rental form?

Thanks again for helping out. Y'all have already saved me hundreds of dollars, and I don't leave for a month!

I came in here to post the exact same thing. Wondering if I book a fullsize, can we tell before hand if there is a minivan on the lot in the fullsize range.
I have a kickass rate at Enterprise but I like to save when and where I can.

 

[gmeh1]

Ok, a couple more newbie questions! I read this on the August2012 car rental thread, post #749:

Booked a standard with Alamo there were minivans in the standard aisle. Pretty good score, $155 for ten days and drove out with the minivan.

But gmeh1 mentioned above in this thread that there's no standard aisle at MCO. ??? I'm guessing she meant the fullsize aisle?

We are traveling with our 4 kids so we *need* a minivan, no other options for us. Can you see what's available before you check out at the kiosk? Can I reserve a minivan AND a fullsize, and if there's a minivan in the fullsize aisle can I take it at the fullsize price? That way if there isn't a minivan on the fullsize aisle, I still have a good rate for the minivan from its designated aisle. Is there a penalty for holding two concurrent reservations and only using one of them? Is this bad car-rental form?

Thanks again for helping out. Y'all have already saved me hundreds of dollars, and I don't leave for a month!

NO, GMEH1 meant there is no standard size car section at MCO. So, anyone booking a standard goes to the full size section to select their vehicle.
Is there a way to know if there is a van on the full size row? Yes, walk across the street to the garage and take a peek, then go back in the terminal and check in at the kiosk.
No, there is no penalty for holding more than one reservation, is it considered bad form, by some: Yes.

 

[gmeh1]

I came in here to post the exact same thing. Wondering if I book a fullsize, can we tell before hand if there is a minivan on the lot in the fullsize range.
I have a kickass rate at Enterprise but I like to save when and where I can.

Is there a way to know if there is a van on the full size row? Yes, walk across the street to the garage and take a peek, then go back in the terminal and check in at the kiosk.

 

[gmeh1]

Sorry....

My dates are 09/20 - 09/30. I am looking at a Standard (Full Size).

It works with the Insiders membership. Why not join? It is free and easy.
I got a rate of 171.28 (using my Insider's ID and your coupon code) total for your rental. I used your dates and pickup/drop off time of 12 noon.

 

[julirina]

NO, GMEH1 meant there is no standard size car section at MCO. So, anyone booking a standard goes to the full size section to select their vehicle.
Is there a way to know if there is a van on the full size row? Yes, walk across the street to the garage and take a peek, then go back in the terminal and check in at the kiosk.
No, there is no penalty for holding more than one reservation, is it considered bad form, by some: Yes.

Thank you for clarifying. I was questioning the meaning of the poster from the August thread -- I don't doubt your expertise, gmeh1!

So...book a standard and a minivan concurrently. Proceed to garage and examine the full-size section for a minivan. If available, return to kiosk and check out using my standard reservation and take the minivan parked in the full-size section. If not available, check out using my minivan reservation for a guaranteed minivan. I would do this knowing that it is not strictly in the spirit of fair car rental protocol, but there's no rules against it, either. I'm understanding everthing correctly?

 

[keliblue]

Thank you for clarifying. I was questioning the meaning of the poster from the August thread -- I don't doubt your expertise, gmeh1!

So...book a standard and a minivan concurrently. Proceed to garage and examine the full-size section for a minivan. If available, return to kiosk and check out using my standard reservation and take the minivan parked in the full-size section. If not available, check out using my minivan reservation for a guaranteed minivan. I would do this knowing that it is not strictly in the spirit of fair car rental protocol, but there's no rules against it, either. I'm understanding everthing correctly?

never mind

 

[Coral916]

I don't understand how this would work. Wouldn't you be charged for not cancelling one of your reservations? Don't you have to cancel at least 24 hours before?

 

[gmeh1]

Thank you for clarifying. I was questioning the meaning of the poster from the August thread -- I don't doubt your expertise, gmeh1!

So...book a standard and a minivan concurrently. Proceed to garage and examine the full-size section for a minivan. If available, return to kiosk and check out using my standard reservation and take the minivan parked in the full-size section. If not available, check out using my minivan reservation for a guaranteed minivan. I would do this knowing that it is not strictly in the spirit of fair car rental protocol, but there's no rules against it, either. I'm understanding everthing correctly?

You have it right.

 

[gmeh1]

I don't understand how this would work. Wouldn't you be charged for not cancelling one of your reservations? Don't you have to cancel at least 24 hours before?

Not with Alamo. Besides, how would they charge you? You have not provided any information like credit cards.

 

[Coral916]

I thought I gave them my cc info on my alamo insiders account

 

[jgraney106]

I thought I gave them my cc info on my alamo insiders account

If you reserved with your insiders club ,then they have your credit card. When the credit card expires , they won't let you proceed with reserving a car using the insiders club ,until the credit card info is updated. So be sure to cancel the ressie if you don't use it, because they will charge you. I know from experience.

 

[julirina]

If you reserved with your insiders club ,then they have your credit card. When the credit card expires , they won't let you proceed with reserving a car using the insiders club ,until the credit card info is updated. So be sure to cancel the ressie if you don't use it, because they will charge you. I know from experience.

I am quite sure I did not give Alamo my CC number when I signed up for the Insiders membership. Enterprise required it for the Emerald Aisle membership but as soon as my card arrived in the mail, i deleted my cc# from the account. Alamo has no CC information on the Insiders account page -- just a drivers license number.

Edited to add that at Alamo.com -> Help -> 5. Pre-Pay option, you can read about Alamo's Pre-Pay Policy:

Cancellation Fee: If the reservation is cancelled more than 24 hours before the pick up time, a $5 cancellation fee will be assessed. If the reservation is cancelled within 24 hours of the pick up or is not picked up at all, a $10 no-show fee will be assessed.

So apparently even if you did prepay, which you must request to do, they would still only charge you a $10 cancellation fee if you opted not to keep the reservation -- they wouldn't charge you for the full rental amount. Hopefully gmeh1 can confirm/deny this for us?

 

[jgraney106]

I am quite sure I did not give Alamo my CC number when I signed up for the Insiders membership. Enterprise required it for the Emerald Aisle membership but as soon as my card arrived in the mail, i deleted my cc# from the account. Alamo has no CC information on the Insiders account page -- just a drivers license number.

Edited to add that at Alamo.com -> Help -> 5. Pre-Pay option, you can read about Alamo's Pre-Pay Policy:

Cancellation Fee: If the reservation is cancelled more than 24 hours before the pick up time, a $5 cancellation fee will be assessed. If the reservation is cancelled within 24 hours of the pick up or is not picked up at all, a $10 no-show fee will be assessed.

So apparently even if you did prepay, which you must request to do, they would still only charge you a $10 cancellation fee if you opted not to keep the reservation -- they wouldn't charge you for the full rental amount. Hopefully gmeh1 can confirm/deny this for us?

Maybe I am confused with Dollar.I just know it took 10 days to get the darn charge removed after I called a few times!

 

[gmeh1]

If you reserved with your insiders club ,then they have your credit card. When the credit card expires , they won't let you proceed with reserving a car using the insiders club ,until the credit card info is updated. So be sure to cancel the ressie if you don't use it, because they will charge you. I know from experience.

Insiders does not have your credit card information. National does require you register a credit card.
Alamo does not charge a no show/no cancellation fee. National might, but, rarely.
So, without a credit card on Alamo, it is impossible to assess a cancel/no show fee.
Prepay is different and has already been addressed here.

 

[gmeh1]

I am quite sure I did not give Alamo my CC number when I signed up for the Insiders membership. Enterprise required it for the Emerald Aisle membership but as soon as my card arrived in the mail, i deleted my cc# from the account. Alamo has no CC information on the Insiders account page -- just a drivers license number.

Edited to add that at Alamo.com -> Help -> 5. Pre-Pay option, you can read about Alamo's Pre-Pay Policy:

Cancellation Fee: If the reservation is cancelled more than 24 hours before the pick up time, a $5 cancellation fee will be assessed. If the reservation is cancelled within 24 hours of the pick up or is not picked up at all, a $10 no-show fee will be assessed.

So apparently even if you did prepay, which you must request to do, they would still only charge you a $10 cancellation fee if you opted not to keep the reservation -- they wouldn't charge you for the full rental amount. Hopefully gmeh1 can confirm/deny this for us?

You are totally correct.

 

[gmeh1]

Maybe I am confused with Dollar.I just know it took 10 days to get the darn charge removed after I called a few times!

Possible, I have no idea how Dollar works and do wonder how they will work when Hertz takes them over.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Just posting to say I got my Sept 22-29 rental down to $108 total with tax with Budget, compact car.

Booked thru Costco website (I am a member).

This is for a DisneyLAND trip, and the rental is from John Wayne Airport.

 

[kandb]

We have a mini-van rented from Dollar for 8 days, mid september, for $260 out the door. Look under city specials.

 

[mom-of-twins-2002]

We have a mini-van rented from Dollar for 8 days, mid september, for $260 out the door. Look under city specials.

Sounds like a great deal! Thanks for the tip. I'm going to look into this as we'll be needing a minivan the last week in September.

 

[mek17]

FYI Alamo has minivians for $269/week out of MCO for 9/8-15. Use contract ID "IG".