Thrifty or Budget????

[suevee]

Okay - I can get a full size car from Thrifty for $278 off-site or from Budget for $295 at MCO. My dates are from March 1 to March 10. Is it worth saving $17 to go to Thrifty? I have never used an off-site (MCO) car rental company before. Any ideas????

 

[OKW Lover]

It wouldn't be worth the $17 to me. YMMV.

 

[KodakFigment]

Just returned from WDW. We used Thrifty with no problems at all. (second time) Picked up our luggage at 1:50 and were driving out of the Thrifty lot in a 2 category upgrade by 2:10. Two quick right turns and on our way to WDW on 528. Returns were even faster. No more than 10 minutes from when we entered the lot until we were at the airport. Having a shuttle pick up and drop off right outside the terminal is wonderful. No carrying luggage at all. Make sure to sign up for Blue Chip even if you don't rent often. Special check in and drop off.

As a side note watch your rates. Check often because rates drop quickly and go back up just as fast. Our compact was only $125 for the entire week after taxes. The rate started over $250 when I was looking in June. I got the lowest rate about 10 days before we left.

 

[suevee]

Thanks a lot for the info. I will keep a look out on Thrifty.

 

[WillCAD]

I've never rented from Budget, but I have rented from Thrifty several times at MCO. The facility is very close to the airport terminal, so the shuttle bus ride is only about 5 minutes and not difficult at all. I always check Thrifty first because they often have much lower rates than the on-site agencies.

That being said, however, I have always been willing to spend an extra $20-$30 to rent on-site. If the rates are only $17 apart, I would go with the on-site agency. The time you save could be as little as 15 minutes or as much as 40, depending on how long you would have to wait for the Thrifty bus and how many passengers have to load and unload; the trip is only 5 minutes, but loading and unloading the bus can take 10 minutes, and you might also have to wait for the bus for 15 minutes.

I travel solo, so if you're travelling with a family of 5 (with luggage), you'll appreciate not only the time savings, but the ease of getting your car right at the terminal instead of having to add the extra shuttle ride in.

So go with Budget. And as KodakFigment said, keep checking the rates at all of the major agencies, because they bounce up and down like a yo-yo and you can often get a much better rate if you check on a regular basis, sometimes with the same agency, sometimes with another agency.

My first ressie for my next trip was with Thrifty - I got a mid-size for 10 days for $204.04; all the other agencies were $40-$100 more expensive. But a few weeks later the Alamo rates dropped and I got a mid-size from Alamo for $205.65. Believe me, renting on-site is definitely worth an extra $1.61!

Since then the rate has dropped twice; I rebooked once at $201.04 and a second time at $198.98. Sure, I'm only whittling my rate down about a buck at a time, but with 3 months left till my trip, if I keep whittling the rate down a little at a time when the better rates come along, I might wind up with a rate that's $20 or $30 cheaper than my original Thrifty rate - that's dinner at WDW one night on my trip, or covers the cost of the gas I will use in the car.

NOTE: The rates I'm listing here are with the dicount and a coupon I get as a member of Sams Club. BJs and Costco have similar programs - be sure to check them if you are a member of any of these clubs.

 

[webworm]

Okay - I can get a full size car from Thrifty for $278 off-site or from Budget for $295 at MCO. My dates are from March 1 to March 10. Is it worth saving $17 to go to Thrifty? I have never used an off-site (MCO) car rental company before. Any ideas????

You can also use Avis which is onsite at the airport for $250.82 or $316.34 including taxes and additional driver. You need to keep checking because rates will come down and you cannot use the various coupon options since you are booking to far in advance. Book from www.costco.com and you will see the different rental companies. You do not need to show your costco membership since I have booked several times with Alamo and they had the best rate with free additional driver as well which is normally $8.00 a day.

 

[suevee]

My $295 rate includes an additional driver as I used a Walmart code. Thanks again for all the suggestions. I started with a $356 and I am just whittling it down as my date gets closer. The best I did was in March 06 when I got a mini-van for 10 days for $180 total!!! I guess those days are gone....

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

My $295 rate includes an additional driver as I used a Walmart code. Thanks again for all the suggestions. I started with a $356 and I am just whittling it down as my date gets closer. The best I did was in March 06 when I got a mini-van for 10 days for $180 total!!! I guess those days are gone....

They aren't gone! Last year I had an intermediate for 9 days for $170. total. Budget (which I love at MCO) - this year I have a compact reserved (always reserve a compact with them, but always end up with an intermediate) for 10 days for a total of $155. - keep checking for rates to change and adjust your ressie as you need to.

Good luck!

 

[swilphil]

Sign up for Budget's Fastbreak; it's free. You can walk directly to the parking garage across from baggage and pick up your car. Definitely worth $17. You will save tons of time.