To split or not to split: Questions about an 11-day car rental

[Perdita&Pongo]

My main question is this: What happens when you return & re-rent at the airport? What's the procedure? Is it a hassle?

Here's our scenario: We need a mid-size SUV for our Aug. trip. It's an 11 day rental. Best price is through Alamo (using Walmart 430710 code and $25 D24C coupon) renting from the airport.

If I split the ressie into 2, I can use 2 coupons. The higher price to return/re-rent from Dolphin or CCC negates the $25 savings of using the extra coupon so that is out of the question. I can return/re-rent at MCO and save $33.62 ($319.70 for one retal versus $286.08 splitting it into 2 rentals).

Is it worth it to go back to the airport for $33.62? Will I keep the same vehicle? Do I have to stand in a line (we have QS)? Keep in mind I will have my DDs 3&9 in tow.

Any and all experiences, comments, suggestions, etc are appreciated!

 

[safetymom]

No you will not keep the same car. You will have to start all over for the second reservation. How much is your time worth for that little of a savings?

 

[EdDome]

You'll also burn a couple gallons of gas with the extra round trip which eats into the $34 you're saving. As Safetymom said, your time must be worth something and the trip would probably take a couple of hours.

Actually, I'd think that the rates will fall by August so odds are you'll get a better deal than the one you're now holding.

 

[AllyBri]

Does not seem worth it to save $33. Just my op.

 

[snowbunny]

Definitely not worth it, you will burn up some of that in gas and tolls. Not to mention about 3 hours of your day door to door. You are not going to feel like driving out to MCO and back in the middle of your vacation.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I agree it's not worth it. You're paying a lot per day to be at WDW -- hotel, park tickets, food etc . . . Sacrificing 1/2 a park day or a few hours of enjoying the pool for $33 just isn't worth it.

 

[robinb]

I have split my car reservations, but it was for a savings of more than $100. $34 is really not worth it, IMO.

 

[seashoreCM]

If you do decide to split it into two consecutive reservations with the same rental company, I suggest not trying to get back the same car. Instead check the first car in as if you were finishing your vacation and going back in line and getting the second car as if you were starting your vacation. You don't want an alert clerk to say you just checked in another car and denying you the use of your second coupon on the grounds you should have made one continuous rental.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[cranbiz]

IMHO it's not worth it.

Just the hassle of driving back to the airport, getting fuel, paying tolls, round trip time and unpacking the first car to get the other just makes the $33.00 savings not worth it.

I have split my car rental ressie once, but it was changing companies and not at MCO but at Sanford. I needed 1 RR point to get my free ticket, so I did a weekend rental with Budget (double RR credits) and returned to Sanford and then got a weekly rental From National. Doing this saved me about $75.00, got my RR point and Sanford is only 20 minutes from my house, not an hour like MCO. In my case, the whole return transaction from house to airport and then to house again was an hour in total. If I had to go to MCO, it would have not been worth it.