Switching Rental Vehicles at SNA?

[jenhelgren]

The rental rates have come down for our October dates and we can save a ton of money by switching vehicles at SNA. We will have a one way rental from home and will be flying out of SNA. I had planned on returning our first rental in DTD but if we return our first rental at SNA after our first few days of the trip and rent another vehicle for our week at DLR it saves us A LOT!
How difficult will it be to switch rental vehicles at SNA? If it will be a huge hassle it may not be worth the money for us so I really need some advice!
We will have all our luggage with us coming from Newport Beach. Can we rent the new vehicle, pull up beside the van we have in the parking garage, switch our luggage over and return the van fairly easily?
We have never been to SNA so I have no idea how the rental car facility is set up. If it is just a large parking area for all the companies I think it should be fairly easy but don't want to commit to something until I know a little more..lol

 

[dmcdixie]

It will be super easy especially coming from NB the airport is on your way to Disney!

 

[Bud Ice]

Be cautious with the extra fees on one-way rentals. Sometimes a "Return Fee" is charged which makes a one-way less accommodating. May want to clarify the fees on the one-way rental. I've seen return fees of $100 or more.

Rental cars at SNA are in a protected area of the parking lot/garage. Unless you park it nearby after renting it, it won't be an easy swap. If you rent offsite, it will be easier.

http://www.ocair.com/groundtransportation/rentalcars

 

[jenhelgren]

We are using my husbands corporate code for the one way rental so the drop fee is built into the rental agreement and part of our total price. Thanks for the warning though!
Are all the companies in the same parking garage at SNA?
If we are returning our minivan to Hertz and renting a SUV from Avis or Alamo-wouldn't we have to pull into the rental car garage to be able to return our Hertz rental or all the rental companies separated somehow?
I may be confusing myself at this point-but I was assuming we would pull into the rental car lot-rent the new SUV-park it next to the van we are returning-swap luggage and children and then take the keys back and return the Hertz minivan. If all the cars are together and there are extra parking spots it should be easy-I think???

 

[Bud Ice]

As I recall the structure, the pickup and dropoff areas are gated off separately. Could call the office to see, but its as best I can recall.

 

[SMD]

You could drop luggage at the hotel and just swap the rental car. You could even send one person to do it if there's no luggage. Or you could drop off one adult to pick up the new car, park somewhere with both cars so you can swap, then have one adult drive the first car back to return it. Or you could just return the first car, put everything on luggage carts, then take the luggage carts over to th second agency counter.

 

[jenhelgren]

Thanks for all the advice! I was hoping they didn't have the areas separated. I saw on the map that Hertz and Avis are located on one side and Alamo on the other but was hoping the pickup and drop off areas weren't separate. I'll have to call and ask in the morning. The backup plan is to pickup in Anaheim and drop off at SNA but the rates without the one way are really tempting me!!