We will not use Hertz again

[jrhwmr]

We just got back last night.

It is bad enough you have to take a shuttle to a location 10 minutes away from the airport. We had a super long wait because they did not have enough cars ready for the amount of reservations they had. After an hour wait we ended up with a crappy car that smelled of smoke. I would have requested another car but there weren't any. There lots of other people there waiting longer for SUVs and MiniVans.

So much for the AAA upgrades

 

[safetymom]

I am a big fan of Hertz at MCO. I have found it quicker to take the shuttle to Hertz than to rent from some of the onsite rental companies.

There is nothing the car rental agencies do to those that smoke in a non smoking car.

The upgrades are usually subject to availability and that happens with all the car rental companies.

 

[jrhwmr]

There is no reason to not have enough cars for the people that rented them. Never have I ever had to wait around an hour after checking in.
When visiting Orlando before it was much easier to walk to the parking garage and pick up a rental car and get out in less time than it took just to wait for the shuttle.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> It's bad enough ...

OT: But 7 of those 10 minutes are progress on your way to Disney. Hertz' shuttle takes you out the north airport exit (536; Semoran Blvd.); the Disney turnoff is the first light on the left, while straight ahead a coupl'a blocks is the entrance to Hertz' facility.

Driving your car out of Hertz onto the main drag you go right at the last light in sight which is the aforementioned turnoff (Frontage Rd.). Little over a mile at next light you take two lefts in quick succession onto the 528 (Beach Line). Follow this to the end to get onto I-4 West (southwest).

Other rental agencies can also be out of cars, too. Daytona Week is one such busy time.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

There is no reason to not have enough cars for the people that rented them. Never have I ever had to wait around an hour after checking in.
When visiting Orlando before it was much easier to walk to the parking garage and pick up a rental car and get out in less time than it took just to wait for the shuttle.

Actually there is, you can thank the problem with multiple bookings and no shows for the failure of even the most complex load estimating systems.

Hertz is definately one company you want to have at least their Hertz Gold card (you can get this free if you do some searching for free offers) and have at least one reservation before your planned vacation to MCO (to register your personal information - which is required for the first reservation). Then you just get off at the Hertz Gold stop (the first of the two) and walk right to your car in the assigned stall according to the board.

 

[Green Tea]

I rented from Hertz last month (not MCO) and I was surprised at how bad it was. I figured they were the gold standard in car rentals. The agent kept trying to add things on. We said no to everything. She gave us a ticket to sign showing we prepaid a tank of gas. We told her we said no to that. She redid ticket begrudingly. Then when we returned it-what do yoy know-full tank of gas charge. They took it off again. It was nearly as bad an an Enterprise car. Dirty. Bad smell. A Kia or something. I will stick with Alamo and National.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Actually there is, you can thank the problem with multiple bookings and no shows for the failure of even the most complex load estimating systems.

Hertz is definately one company you want to have at least their Hertz Gold card (you can get this free if you do some searching for free offers) and have at least one reservation before your planned vacation to MCO (to register your personal information - which is required for the first reservation). Then you just get off at the Hertz Gold stop (the first of the two) and walk right to your car in the assigned stall according to the board.

I have been a Hertz Gold member for more years than I want to think about. I have never had a problem with Hertz but that doesn't mean they are perfect for everyone.

I am so sorry you did.

In my rental experience, their cars are better equipped and maintained well.

If you ever have an opportunity again - don't hesitate to give them a second chance. Hopefully it will be better next time.

 

[Jestocost]

I'm a gold Hertz member too and they are fine 99% of the time. Still, nobody's perfect and this just goes to show that the people who will tell you that renting a car is a guaranteed smooth ride that will get you to your resort faster than DME aren't 100 percent correct (regardless of how vociferously they may argue to the contrary).

 

[Michael623]

I've always been a tad surprised that Hertz is almost always the most expensive plus you have to take a shuttle and people constantly rush to praise them. With great options like Emerald Aisle and the Alamo kiosk combined with lower prices I really can't imagine how Hertz gets any business at MCO.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I've always been a tad surprised that Hertz is almost always the most expensive plus you have to take a shuttle and people constantly rush to praise them. With great options like Emerald Aisle and the Alamo kiosk combined with lower prices I really can't imagine how Hertz gets any business at MCO.

Hertz will be moving back on site soon from my understanding.

Also, I can speak for myself and say that the reason I use Hertz most often is because when I travel for business that is the only company I can use when I need a car (if I'm traveling to NYC I tend to take car service), I am a Hertz Gold member and I use their Prestige Collection extensively (this isn't offered as broadly as other companies).

So when I arrive in MCO, I know I can get usually great service, Prestige cars and can get on my way quickly and have access to a vehicle during my whole trip (I'm not a bus/ME person).

Still, nobody's perfect and this just goes to show that the people who will tell you that renting a car is a guaranteed smooth ride that will get you to your resort faster than DME aren't 100 percent correct (regardless of how vociferously they may argue to the contrary).

I don't think anyone has said it is always quicker then ME, but it does put you in control of your trip, you can choose when to head back to the airport (I never leave 3 hours before my flight - usually I'm around 2 hours - 1.5 hours before my flight and have NEVER even come close to missing my flight. Having a car on site also allows a little more flexibility in traveling around Disney and again is in almost all cases quicker then the bus service (Resort to MK is the only one that might not be as consistently faster).

 

[Jestocost]

I don't think anyone has said it is always quicker then ME, but it does put you in control of your trip, you can choose when to head back to the airport (I never leave 3 hours before my flight - usually I'm around 2 hours - 1.5 hours before my flight and have NEVER even come close to missing my flight. Having a car on site also allows a little more flexibility in traveling around Disney and again is in almost all cases quicker then the bus service (Resort to MK is the only one that might not be as consistently faster).

I will say I once gently suggested that you could encounter delays when renting a car, claiming your own bags, etc. and was mocked and insulted for suggesting it.

Being in control of your entire trip is separate from potential delays at the airport. If you want that control, you really are better off renting a car. I personally hate to drive and most of our family fights involve driving around somewhere, so I choose to use Disney transport.

 

[bicker]

What you experienced at Hertz you might have experienced (the same or even worse) at any of the rental car companies. I suggest that you're better, now, sticking with Hertz, writing a letter of complaint, and perhaps even carrying the reply you get with you next time you use them. Think of it as a potential "don't inconvenience me again" card.

 

[agnes!]

I will say I once gently suggested that you could encounter delays when renting a car, claiming your own bags, etc. and was mocked and insulted for suggesting it.

Being in control of your entire trip is separate from potential delays at the airport. If you want that control, you really are better off renting a car. I personally hate to drive and most of our family fights involve driving around somewhere, so I choose to use Disney transport.

Ah yes...."family fights"...good times in cars eh?

agnes!

 

[seashoreCM]

... Still, nobody's perfect ...

A hallmark of a good company is making good slightly or even considerably after an imperfect situation. In a good company, imperfections are sufficiently few and far between that making good does not make it difficult for the company to survive in the business world.

"If #1 fails to maintain its standards, it soon becomes Brand X." (author Ralph Charell in a letter to Hertz some 35 years ago)

 

[jlewisinsyr]

"If #1 fails to maintain its standards, it soon becomes Brand X." (author Ralph Charell in a letter to Hertz some 35 years ago)

Sound like some other company we all know really well?

 

[JB2K]

Hertz will be moving back on site soon from my understanding.

Hertz is already on-site -- in the main lobby of Shades of Green, to be exact (and you don't have to be military to use their services).

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Hertz is already on-site -- in the main lobby of Shades of Green, to be exact (and you don't have to be military to use their services).

As noted in the message I was responding to it was in regards specifically to MCO, the airport in that Hertz is the one of the only major rental companies off-site at this time.

Although off-topic from MCO, Shades of Green is not an on-property location at Disney World. This is because Shades of Green is not a Disney property and does not get ALL of the Disney perks. It is certainly within the borders of the land owned by Disney, but it is not a Disney operated resort, it does not utilize the Disney Bus service, is not eligible for ME, etc. Possibly a technicality, but on-site/on-property is usually reserved for Disney owned/operated resorts.

 

[mgilmer]

I rented from Hertz last month (not MCO) and I was surprised at how bad it was. I figured they were the gold standard in car rentals. The agent kept trying to add things on. We said no to everything. She gave us a ticket to sign showing we prepaid a tank of gas. We told her we said no to that. She redid ticket begrudingly. Then when we returned it-what do yoy know-full tank of gas charge. They took it off again. It was nearly as bad an an Enterprise car. Dirty. Bad smell. A Kia or something. I will stick with Alamo and National.

It will be interesting to see if A/N maintain their standards over time now that they are owned by Enterprise.

 

[mgilmer]

I have been a Hertz Gold member for more years than I want to think about. I have never had a problem with Hertz but that doesn't mean they are perfect for everyone.

I am so sorry you did.

In my rental experience, their cars are better equipped and maintained well.

If you ever have an opportunity again - don't hesitate to give them a second chance. Hopefully it will be better next time.

That has been my experience also, but I have also heard bad stories about Hertz from folks who are not a Gold member, so maybe that is the issue.

 

[fab5friend99]

I love Hertz but have been a gold member for many years and the car is always waiting for me. No waiting in lines! Unfortunately, they are too expensive when I am not on company business. I rented from Dollar in LA in September and waited an hour in line. Then waited another 15 minutes once I got the car to get out of the lot. It was a nightmare. There is no excuse for those kind of waits since the cars are reserved and they know how many people are expected. I wrote a complaint to Dollar and they sent me $30 in coupons which I will try to use on my trip to Orlando in January. I prefer Alamo when I'm on non-business travel because of their online check in and kiosks. Another thing that Dollar did was try to sell me everything in the book. The agent wanted to know what option I wanted in insurance. He worded it very sneaky like I had to choose of their 2 options. I said I wanted NO insurance and he was taken aback.