What times should I arrange for car pickup/drop-off

[Spondishy]

I'm flying with Virgin and land at 14:50 depart at 18:30. What times should I arrange to pick up and drop off the car? The hire is going to be with Dollar.

Thanks.

 

[UKDEB]

The pick-up and drop-off times need to be the same, or you will pay for an extra day.

I would go for 15:30 - it won't matter if you get to the desk to pick it up slightly before that and you will want to be at the airport by then for an 18:30 departure.

 

[edie w]

It's going to take you at least an hour to get out of the airport, so 3.30 should be about right.

On the way home, you can check in at Downtown Disney early (8-1 ish I think) so you don't need to get to the airport til quite close to your flight. I'd leave at least an hour to get through all the security checks just in case, so a drop off at about 5 should be OK.

It's true you'll pay for an extra day, but I should think it's worth it. We had to get our car back by 3.30 as we'd booked it before DTD check in re-opened, but if we'd had just that bit longer we'd have had time to go to a park for that last little bit of magic!

 

[UKDEB]

Originally posted by edie w
It's going to take you at least an hour to get out of the airport, so 3.30 should be about right

It doesn't need to take that long, Edie. Subscribe to the patented Deb Churchill MCO Blitz-it Plan right here! Seriously, it depends on how important it is to you to get out of the airport as quickly as possible. We frequently travel with friends who are 'chill-out' merchants and who wouldn't care if it took a week! I, on the other hand, see it as my mission in life to shave seconds off each previous record! Control freak? Nah! Control ever-so-slightly disturbed maybe...

On the way home, you can check in at Downtown Disney early (8-1 ish I think) so you don't need to get to the airport til quite close to your flight. I'd leave at least an hour to get through all the security checks just in case, so a drop off at about 5 should be OK

Again, it depends on your priorities. Our friends like to eke out every last minute at WDW. As a nervous flyer, I like to get to the airport early for some quality time at McCoys! We've been upgraded to Upper Class by arriving early, so it has its advantages. We've never bothered with the DTD check-in, but I recognise that it is a huge attraction to most every other inhabitant of the planet.

It's true you'll pay for an extra day, but I should think it's worth it. We had to get our car back by 3.30 as we'd booked it before DTD check in re-opened, but if we'd had just that bit longer we'd have had time to go to a park for that last little bit of magic!

If staying at the parks as long as possible is your priority, I'd suggest booking for 4pm collect/drop-off times. They have so many cars to book in and out that they'll simply ignore an hour either side.

 

[amf]

I don't believe its the time you anticipate picking up the car which counts......is it not the actual pick up time? Your hire period starts then.

You are (possibly) unfortunately hiring from Dollar. Everyone else on the Virgin plane will also be hiring from Dollar. If your holiday is booked through Virgin Holidays be aware that they have a dedicated hire desk opposite the main Dollar desks (smaller queues). If not and assuming you dislike queues as much as I you may wish to consider getting your car hire paperwork done before nipping upstairs to collect your luggage (or separate...one does the cases, another the car hire. If you adopt this approach you should know that if there are additional driver(s), one of these will also need to sign the rental agreement).

Have a wonderful time

 

[Peebee]

Is the car part of a Virgin holiday or flydrive ? If so then you actually have a couple of extra hours on the last day in which to return it.

Just make sure you check the return receipt that the Dollar collection agent hands you - we got stung with an extra $20 last trip. However to give Dollar their credit that refunded the money plus a little extra when the mistake was discovered and we have an upgrade to a luxury model when we travel in May

Paul