Tips For Finding A Rental Car In The Parking Lots..

Blueberry

Happy to be a Croc Mama
Joined
Mar 1, 2003
Messages
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We have a good idea on spotting your rental car easily in the large parking lots at WDW or anywhere actually, maybe others have some to share too I hope.

Considering the size of the parking lots and the fact a lot of the rental cars look just alike, people come out of the parks tired, this can be make things a lot easier...

Remember to write down your section name and row number of course, and then take some object that is very easily identified as being ...YOURS..and put it in the back window of the car or on the dashboard. Last trip we brought a plastic gorilla that glows in the dark, a flourescent one from home . He was a souvenir from our local zoo here and boy did he stand out. In the dark we had no trouble knowing which car was ours as we had a glowing gorilla on the dashboard. One trip we bought a small plastic alligator and put him on a placemat from some restaurant in the back window, that worked well too. Anything would work that you would not be taking into the parks each day, a stuffed animal, a toy, a hat pretty much anything that you will not need that day. We have used this for years and it works so well....thought I would share it with you all.
 
We also take a picture of our rental cars license plate in case we aren't sure which car is ours.

We set off the alarm when we are in our row to help us find it.
 
I like renting from National because you can use their Emerald Aisle to select any available car. I always pick the brightest colored one. I hate white rental cars!

In Orlando, I've often found a wide variety of vehicles available. Once I rented a PT Cruiser there. I've also seen small SUVs. It's a good opportunity to try out something you would not normally drive which will also stand out a bit from the crowd.

Sheila
 
Besides writng down the lot name and number we put our kelloggs lime green glow in the darl lanyard on the rear veiw window. This year we are going to by the disers lime green antennae ball as well.
 

We always bring our cheese-head antenna topper to put on the car . . . I know not everyone is a cheese-head but really anything BESIDES mickey will really stand out and even Mickey antenna toppers aren't on every car . . . . for those of us who in our excitment completely forget to remember what section or aisle we are in . . . yes I'm one of those!

Brenda
 
This tip worked for us! We rented a minivan from National at Sanford - no Emerald Aisle available this time.

We got a maroon Pontiac Montana, and assumed no problems - when we got to the parking lot at AKL, there were 5 maroon Monanas just in our row!!

My DH had an idea that worked for our trip - he put his half empty styrofoam coffee cup filled with water on top of the van. When we walked back to the van from the parks - it was easy to spot! Just look for the coffee cup on top!!

The water gave it enough weight that it didn't blow off, and nobody bothered it the whole trip.
 
This may sound stupid, but when I went down last May, I took my orange MM pumpkin antenna topper. Halloween was months away, and no one else had one. I also had my grandma's h/c parking plackard from VA (she was with me), and it has her name on it, so if worst came to worst....:p
 
We always use our digital camera to take a picture of the row sign of the row we are parked in. At the end of the day, we can check the camera's display, remember where we parked, and delete the picture.
 
This may also help if you are unsure what row you are in...the white Disney security vans that drive around the parking lots have a list of exactly what time each row is parked (down to the minute!)so they can get you to the right row if you have an idea of when you pulled in.
 
Sounds like another potential use for those Home Depot paint swatches. Time to get creative!!
 
I simply tie a plastic bag over the top of the antennae. For our next trip coming up in May, I'll be holding the bag in place with a lime green DIS antennae ball! :)
 
My last rental car was LEMON yellow. Trust me you could not lose it if you tried. The thing glowed in the dark!!! LOL!
 
Originally posted by Toyztory
This year we are going to by the disers lime green antennae ball as well.

Where did you get a lime green antennae ball?
 
We had the same problem, all the cars looked the same. When we parked the car at one of the parks, there was a plastic bag on the ground so we tied it on the antenna. It was easy to find the car then. Every park we went to we looked on the ground to find something else to tie on. Antenna was getting very stylish. So we named our car THE TRASH CAR. It was fun to see how much junk can fit on the antenna. And yes we took the trash off when we returned the car. We discarded it in the trash where it belonged in the first place.:cool1:
 
on the main dispage theres a link on the middle right that says DISSHOP click on it click on stuff for disners on the right and then accessories ...
 
These are all great ideas. Mine will always be the car alarm though. Noise will point you in the general direction.
 
I have a Winnie the Pooh sun shade for the front window - but I will use the other ieas for the back window I found here.
 
We use one of those "Team" flags, you know, the ones that you are held on the window by rolling up the window.....we put it in our carry-on and stick it on the car as soon as we rent it...works great! We always take our Cal Ripken Orioles flag.....
 
I'm impressed! You guys have some great ideas. Since we usually don't have an antenna on the car we rent, I'm glad some of the ideas didn't use toppers. I loved the coffee cup on the roof idea. Wow! What a hoot! I'm already looking forward to renting in Orlando again 'cause that means we headin' to Disney!
 














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