WDW Car Care Center

[Cmbar]

Can someone tell me what this is? I don't understand where it is located and if you can pick up or drop off cars here. I see it as a choice for National when I put in drop off location. We thought this might work since we only want to use the rental car from the airport and the next day to go to sea world. National came up with 101.00 for the two days and allowing us to drop at the car care center. Now how would we get back to OKW or POP from there?

Anybody done this? Thanks for any info!

 

[Harligirl]

Hi

The Car Care Center is off the road when you exit the Magic Kingdom. We rented a car from National and had a shuttle come pick us up. You should be able to make arrangements with them to get you back to your hotel- Just give them a call for the shuttle number and call atleast 24 hrs in advance and give them a follow up call if possible. It was very handy- the line was bad but we were there after Charley so I am sure that is why.

Good luck and have fun!
Lisa

 

[manning]

It's behind the back end of the parking lot to MK and the original (and at that time the only) entrance to WDW. I have not parked in the lot as I have always stayed on site so I can only tell you where its at from my situation.

When you leave the monorail hotels going to US 192/I-4 you pass right by it. It would be on your right.

 

[arizonacolbys]

With National you can also p/u & drop-off at the Dolphin/Swan hotel on-site. We are trying this for the first time this week - I figured it would be easier to just head out to a park from this drop-off location instead of the car care center. Just an FYI -

 

[Cmbar]

Thanks So Much. We are staying at the Beach Club so that makes a lot of sense for us. Please let us know how that work out!!

 

[arizonacolbys]

No problem! We were really happy to find out about this location for the rental car - it makes it much more desirable for us to rent a car when we can return it on-site. I'll be sure to post our report when we return at the end of Sept.

 

[Maryjane1]

We always rent from National and use the Dolphin drop off it is so easy all you have to do when dropping off is give the keys to the valet person and it is done no lines to wait for and off to the parks or over to your hotel. Be sure to use some codes which you can find in Mousesavers they really get the price down.

 

[arizonacolbys]

Cmbar - Well, we're back from our extended stay at WDW (thanks to Jeanne! .) Overall we found the National Car Rental pretty easy & will likely do this again in the future.

I reserved our car via the "Quickrent" option on National's website. After arriving at MCO, we got our luggage & walked across the way to the parking garage, up one floor & found the Compact rows. We picked out a nice Cavalier, got in (keys were in the door) & drove to the exit. It was very easy & painless. We ran all the errands we needed & dropped off the car at the Dolphin. We gave the car to the valet & then proceeded inside to the National Desk at Guest Services. We had to wait awhile, which was bad because we were so anxious to get to the parks. The man ahead of us was renting out a car for 1-2 months & wanted to know everything under the sun. How much tolls were from here to Vero Beach, from here to there, etc. Where all of the other National offices were in the state of FL, etc. He talked to the woman at the counter for a 1/2 hour. Other than that it was smooth sailing. The price we paid was the price I was quoted on-line - no extra fees.

Our return trip got re-scheduled due to Jeanne (supposed to fly out Sun, but airports were all closed, we flew out Monday instead.) Finally got a hold of someone from National Sunday evening & re-booked our car for Monday. The problem was she wanted to charge me twice as much instead of the same price we had before the hurricane. I agreed & hung up, but when we arrived at the Dolphin to p/u our car, the nice woman at the counter understood our situation & gave us our cheaper rate again.

Overall, it was a pretty good experience (a thousand times better than dealing with Mears Shuttles.) We will definitely be using this service again.

MaryJane1 - is it true that you can just drop the keys at the valet? I'm pretty sure he told us to go inside to Guest Services. Maybe because of how we had it reserved? Please let me know if this is the case - then we waited in line to drop off the car for nothing. I guess we'll know better next time - Thanks!

 

[CarolA]

Personally I would not just drop the keys with the valet. If they forget to take them in you will be charged. (So if you give the valet the keys at 10 am and they don't give the keys to National until 2 PM you could wind up with extra hour charges or days!)

I had a coworker who did this once at another hotel. Eight hours later the rental car company had no reference she had returned the car and told her if it did not show up she was liable.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by CarolA
Personally I would not just drop the keys with the valet. If they forget to take them in you will be charged. (So if you give the valet the keys at 10 am and they don't give the keys to National until 2 PM you could wind up with extra hour charges or days!)

I had a coworker who did this once at another hotel. Eight hours later the rental car company had no reference she had returned the car and told her if it did not show up she was liable.

We had a problem with our National car. We had a two rental (pick up and drop off at airport) but our service engine light came on. We exchanged at the Dolphin, and I had to go back out myself to the valet area because the woman wouldn't do anything until I got the keys and paperwork.

I would reccomend waiting for the valet guys to come back and get the keys yourself.

 

[clkelley]

I spoke with the National/Alamo desk at the Dolphin about this very issue because I wanted to drop the car off way before their opening hours.

Also, when I pick up the car, I'm just going to go by the desk before they close at 4pm and rent the car, then come back later after Illuminations and actually pick up the car from the valet.

The rental cars are located in the valet area. You can't just pick them up/drop them off yourself. So when renting/dropping off you have to visit the valet. They told me specifically that I just give the car and keys to the valet and don't worry about coming in the building. The rental receipt you receive at pickup, and the time receipt you receive from the valet are sufficient.

Carol

 

[arizonacolbys]

As I posted before - I would really love just dropping off the car with the valet & not worrying about waiting in line at the counter, but I definitely want to make sure I don't incur any extra charges.

Carol - you mentioned a receipt from the valet - is this something you received when you returned the car to the Dolphin? Our valet just gave us back the keys & told us to proceed to the National desk inside. Thanks again for any more info you can offer on this -

 

[clkelley]

I havn't done it yet, but the person on the phone at the Dolphin National Counter told me they would give me a ticket when I dropped off the car.

Also, since the cars are handled through the valet exclusively, I'm sure if they started getting numerous time complaints and being overcharged, something would be done about it.

Carol

 

[Cmbar]

I am not following all of this. Thanks for the reply but I guess I am being dense about this. Would you please answer the following question for my slow mind

1) When you pick up the car through "quickrent". You simply pick a car and leave. You don't give anyone paperwork or anything. Not that I am a dishonest person, but they leave the cars with keys in them???

2) You Said you then went to the Dolphin to Drop off, right. That was on your first day there, right? So you rented for day one and then for the return to the airport right? Why did you do that? Is it cheaper than a limo service or was it just the fact that you could drive to different places while you had the car. Also did you find it a problem to get to the Dolphin. In other words did you have directions prior??

3) If you want to drop off or pickup a car after their regular hours can you? Clkelly I like your idea of Renting earlier and then returning to pick up the car after illuminations. We could maybe do that.

4) We need a minivan since we are seven people. If we reserve one and want to pick it up at Dolphin. Do they make sure they have them?


OK ... I'm done for now. Thanks for any help!

 

[clkelley]

Through QuickRent or Emerald Isle, you just walk out to the cars, pick one in your category and drive to the exit of the garage.

There is a booth with an attendant at the exit where you show your confirmation and your credit card. That is where they print your paperwork.

Yes, one day rentals are sometimes less than towncars, and it makes it convenient for stopping at the store, or going to another park on your arrival day. In my case as a solo person, it was less than a towncar, and slightly more than Mears. Plus I'll be able to go to Wal-Mart. Most towncar services prefer to stop at Publix or Goodings because Wal-Mart is out of the way.

For example when I arrive 1:30 ish, I will get my car from the airport, then go straight to Universal and spend the afternoon there. When Universal closes at 6pm, I will drop by Wal-Mart, and maybe even Belz Outlet, then check into my resort at WDW.

The next morning early, I will drop my car at the Dolphin, with the valet, then walk over to MGM. If I have a good feeling about them turning in the keys to the desk, I won't return. If I don't have a good feeling, I will wander back over to the Dolphin about lunchtime and doublecheck that it was turned in on time.

The day before I leave, I will be at Epcot that day. I will walk over to the Dolphin before the desk closes at 4pm and get my paperwork on my car, then I'll probably have dinner somewhere, maybe even Blue Zoo at the Dolphin. I will then go back over to Epcot. When Illuminations is over, I will pick up the car from the valet, and will drive my car to my resort.

The next morning, I will check out of my resort and head over to Universal for the day. I will go to the airport from Universal and turn in my car.

If the online system indicates that you can rent a minivan at the Dolphin, they should have one available for you as long as you show up at the time you indicated you would.

 

[arizonacolbys]

Cmbar - I think clkelley answered most of your questions already - but I figured I'd add some info, too.

By renting both on arrival & departure days only our total cost thru National was about $74. If we went with the towncar service it would've been about $115 including the tip. We figured this way we could be on our own schedule & save enough money for a dinner one evening.

Sorry, if I forgot to mention the booth at the airport. We stopped & showed my Visa that I booked with & my ressie. She then gave me a packet & a map & verified we knew which way we were going. It certainly beat waiting in a line inside the airport, though.

On our arrival day we checked into the POP, drove over to the Shades of Green to purchase our AP's, then dropped off the car at the Dolphin & hopped a bus to the MK. On our departure day we hopped a bus to the Yacht/Beach Club because it was already there waiting - then walked to the Dolphin & picked up the car.

Whichever car you rent ahead of time they should have waiting for you. We actaully received a larger car than reserved on our way out.

Not sure about the after hours questions - maybe someone else knows. I think you can drop off after hours thru the valet. Not sure you could p/u though. HTH!

 

[Cmbar]

Thanks so much for the information. It is really helpful. One more question though. You said on your departure day you hopped on the "yacht and beach club bus" . Did you mean from Pop Century or were you at a park. We will need to switch hotels from POP to BCV on our fourth day so I am trying to figure out how to get there. I didn't think they had buses from one resort to another. Is beach club special??

Thanks for all your help!

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by Cmbar
Thanks so much for the information. It is really helpful. One more question though. You said on your departure day you hopped on the "yacht and beach club bus" . Did you mean from Pop Century or were you at a park. We will need to switch hotels from POP to BCV on our fourth day so I am trying to figure out how to get there. I didn't think they had buses from one resort to another. Is beach club special??

Thanks for all your help!

I'm not arizonacolbys, but it sounded like she got a bus at the Swan/Dolphin to the Magic Kingdom.

To switch resorts, you have a couple of options. If you're going to transfer your luggage, you can take a taxi.

If bell services is going to handle your luggage, you can just leave it with them, take a bus from Pop to any park, or Downtown Disney, and then just get a bus to the Beach Club.

HTH!

 

[Cmbar]

On our arrival day we checked into the POP, drove over to the Shades of Green to purchase our AP's, then dropped off the car at the Dolphin & hopped a bus to the MK. On our departure day we hopped a bus to the Yacht/Beach Club because it was already there waiting - then walked to the Dolphin & picked up the car.

SnackyStacky:

Thanks for the response. I figured we might have to take a bus to DD to switch, but her post says on her departure day she hopped a bus to YC/BC and then walked to Dolphin to pick up car. I had read somewhere that if a resort has a character breakfast then they have buses from other resorts there. There is some confusion through since the Priority Seating people say no but the bus people say yes. So I was wondering if arizonacolbys actually took a bus from POP to YC/BC.

I think I might just post a new post on this board! Thanks for the info, at least I know we can get there somehow!

 

[arizonacolbys]

Hi CMbar!

Sorry for all the confusion - I was in a hurry typing & didn't complete my thoughts very well.

On our departure day we were leaving the MK around lunchtime & we just hopped on the 1st bus we saw that was in the Swan/Dolphin/Beach Club area.

The resorts will move your luggage for you when you change resorts on your stay. Last time we switched resorts we just went to a park for the morning & then took transportation to our new resort from there to check in that afternoon. Disney makes switching resorts pretty easy. Just be prepared to be away from your luggage for most of the day. We didn't get our luggage until 7 pm at the WL & wished we had pulled our sweatshirts out earlier in the day. HTH!