Tell me about Budget Car

[SueEllen]

I have booked Budget for our pick up at the airport. We will have the car for 2 days, then off to the port. After the cruise we will pick up at the port and return to MCO later that evening.

My question is this--I have always used National and their Emerald Isle service at that airport. This will be my first rental with Budget (GREAT RATES!)

I see that Budget has a Fastbreak program that looks similar to the Emerald Club for National. Have any of you used this? Does it work the same as National where you book at least midsize and you can pick any available car when you pick up at the location?

Also, what about the shuttle to/from the port. How far is it, and how long does it take? If there are only 2 of us should one wait at the cruise terminal with the luggage while the other goes and gets the car? Suggestions?

Comments about Budget and the pick up/drop off at the port?

I appreciate any help you all can offer. Prior to now we have always either driven our own car, or used a town car service. This is a first for me.

Thanks!
Sue Ellen

 

[inkkognito]

We definitely prefer a towncar, but I used Budget once as an experiment so I could report on it in my DCL planner. I was expecting it to be a hassle, but it was actually much smoother than I thought it would be. We are not Fastbreak members, but the line at MCO was almost non-existent. We had booked them through Hotwire's one-way rentals and had gotten a fantastic rate. We booked an economy car, but they upgraded us to a Ford Taurus. It had a lot of miles on it, but I liked the fact that it was enormous! It is easy to find the drop-off in Port Canaveral on A1A, and there is a gas station right before it so you can easily top off your tank. I was in and out quickly to drop off the car, and the wait for the shuttle was literally only a few minutes, as they were switching drivers. It's only a few minutes drive to the port, so we were there quickly.
Coming back, the shuttle is usually either there already (you pick it up in the parking lot across the street from the terminal), or else it should show up within a few minutes. Budget and Hertz usually have the fewest people waiting for them, while the Avis crowd seems to get pretty large.
Something to take note of: The Port Canaveral facility doesn't have a gas pump, so they may give you a car with less than a full tank. Just make sure that's noted on the paperwork so there won't be a problem when you return it with the same amount of gas at the airport.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[mmouse37]

Hi SueEllen....we have used Budget a few times with good results. We were a large party so hubby dropped all of at the port with the luggage and he returned the car to Budget and hopped their shuttle back to the port. I had his cruise paperwork (he kept an I.D.) and all he had to do was show the CM his id to get his KTTW card. He then joined us on the line waiting to board.

We found there to be a long line for the shuttle when we got off the ship. There was a taxi waiting at the port and two of us just hopped in that and took it to Budget. It cost $8 bucks. Hubby then brought the car back to port for the rest of us and to load all the luggage.

The shuttle runs back and forth to the port but does not hold that many people with their luggage...that is why the line can get long waiting for shuttle.

MJ

 

[EeyoreJMH]

We rented from Budget as Fastbreak members in Jan/Feb for a WDW/Cruise trip. There was no wait when we arrived, so we just went in the regular line. Unfortunately MCO and Port Canaveral do not offer a "choose your car" like Emerald Isle or Alamo's club, but we did just fine both ways. We had booked economy cars, but instead recevied mid-sizes, so we couldn't complain. I'm not sure I'd expect this, though, we may have just been at the right place at the right time.

We waited about 15 minutes for a ride to port (there were only 2 of use, but we had 4 pieces of luggage) at about 10:15 am. On the return trip, we must have lucked out. We debarked around 8:30 am and had no wait for the shuttle back to Budget.

We traveled together back and forth between port and Budget-- it was just as easy for us to stay together.

Oh, and there's a gas station right before the Budget location (Race something or other-- self-serve).

Hope this helps a bit!

 

[KennyK]

Hi Sue Ellen,

I just returned from the Easter Magic cruise and used Budget to get to the port and DCl transfers for the return.

We had a SUV rented and had used their web site for the pricing. Anyway upon arrival at terminal, line was pretty long and took almost 35-45 minutes to get to counter. Once there, check in went very fast. You walk across street , go to budget booth and get key, then to car location, they are preassigned and out you go.

As far as at the port, we arrived at approximately 10:15 am. There was a line of cars, (about 4) to get into the terminal area to drop off bags/passengers. At about 10:30, they opened the gate and started to check in cars, You had to show picture ID for all adults to get through gate, then up to another Disney rep who had clip board with list of names. Checked names, picture ID again then allowed us to proceed to baggage drop off, They were very nice and reccomended that wife take all cruise doc and credit card, picture ID and check in while I returned car. Since I had both Drivers Lic and Passport no problem, Charge Card was already indicated on car contract so that was ok.

Dropped family off, drove out of terminal area then onto A1A toward Cocoa Bch. There is a large self serve gas station right before the budget rental office. Name is Races. Budget is on same side of A1A just a few 100 feet down the road.

Pull in take mileage, take keys with you, go inside and up to counter. They checked car in, asked about gas, yes, gave me receit walked outside, Van was there, jumped in along with another person who was doing same thing and off we went to port.

The budget van drops you off across the street in the parking lot by the large white tent. That is also the location to pick up the van for the return shuttle. Walked across street, showed Picture ID again and then into terminal, through security screening, up stairs where wife met me and took me to counter and CM that checked her in. Just had to show picture ID again, and was handed my KTTW card.

That's it. I can't talk to the return sequence as we used DCL transfers back to MCO as I felt it was allot easier and less hassel than a rental car, for the $ extra it cost.

Good luck


Kennyk