Can we use DME if we're not flying out of MCO?

Canuckgirl78

Member
Original Poster
We're flying from Toronto to WDW in a couple of months and going to use DME upon arrival. After our trip at WDW, we're renting a car from MCO airport to drive to Miami to board on a Caribbean cruise (alas, not a Disney cruise!).

Do you know if we can we use the DME to go back to MCO even though we're not flying out from there? My understanding is we're supposed to provide flight details so they can tell you the time to board the DME, so if we don't provide any but say we want to board at a certain time (maybe 6pm), would the cast members get upset?
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Why not just rent a car at Walt Disney World instead of going out to the airport? Alamo and National are available at the Car Care Center and Dolphin resort.
 

NeedMoreMickey

Well-Known Member
I don't think it will be a problem. Instead of going all the way back to the airport rent a car on site drive to Miami and return it to the airport when you are ready to fly home
 

Canuckgirl78

Member
Original Poster
The cost of renting onsite at Alamo was ridiculously higher, and we're flying home right after the cruise from Miami so not able to return the car to the WDW location.
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
I'd suggest calling DME directly to schedule your return to the airport. (Don't try getting someone at Disney Reservations to do it, they're not so good at out-of-the-ordinary DME stuff)

Instead, call DME at 866-599-0951. Tell them you need to take DME back to the airport but aren't departing on a flight. They'll ask what time you want to catch the bus and they'll schedule you on the closest one to that time.

-Rob
 

Canuckgirl78

Member
Original Poster
I'd suggest calling DME directly to schedule your return to the airport. (Don't try getting someone at Disney Reservations to do it, they're not so good at out-of-the-ordinary DME stuff)

Instead, call DME at 866-599-0951. Tell them you need to take DME back to the airport but aren't departing on a flight. They'll ask what time you want to catch the bus and they'll schedule you on the closest one to that time.

-Rob
Good to know! I didn't know we could make arrangements directly with DME and thought we had to go through Disney Reservations!
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
Good to know! I didn't know we could make arrangements directly with DME and thought we had to go through Disney Reservations!

Yup. It's best to wait a couple days after making your resort reservation to ensure it's been synced to the DME system, but they're happy to help if you call directly.

-Rob
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Before you go through all of that, take a look at the OTHER rental car companies on AND AROUND the property. The ones that are not directly on property have no problem sending someone to pick you up and take you to the rental place.

I have rented cars from the WDW area a number of times - twice to do exactly what you are doing - driving to the cruise port. Both times I used National, and both times it was the exact same price as the airport. Granted I used my employers corporate discount code when I rent (we are allowed to, even for personal rentals) so maybe that had something to do with it, but before going through the hassle of going back to the airport, I would check into other rental companies. Maybe try using a AAA or some other loyality program code if you have one.

There was also no difference in price as to where I rented from, or returned to - at least with National. I have rented from MCO, Port Canaveral, and WDW (two different locations at WDW) and have returned cars to a variety of those places, all different from the starting locations, and it has never been any more money than a rent from MCO / Return to MCO trip.

-dave
 

Canuckgirl78

Member
Original Poster
Before you go through all of that, take a look at the OTHER rental car companies on AND AROUND the property. The ones that are not directly on property have no problem sending someone to pick you up and take you to the rental place.

I have rented cars from the WDW area a number of times - twice to do exactly what you are doing - driving to the cruise port. Both times I used National, and both times it was the exact same price as the airport. Granted I used my employers corporate discount code when I rent (we are allowed to, even for personal rentals) so maybe that had something to do with it, but before going through the hassle of going back to the airport, I would check into other rental companies. Maybe try using a AAA or some other loyality program code if you have one.

There was also no difference in price as to where I rented from, or returned to - at least with National. I have rented from MCO, Port Canaveral, and WDW (two different locations at WDW) and have returned cars to a variety of those places, all different from the starting locations, and it has never been any more money than a rent from MCO / Return to MCO trip.

-dave
Hmm, I booked a car from Budget quite a while ago and the base rate was ~$50 and I just did the search for other Budget locations near Disney World the rate was around $200. Not sure if it's because there's fewer cars available so the prices are higher or if it's due to the location. It looks like I'll stick with my original plan even if it's a hassle, although maybe next time I'll try doing the comparison earlier! Thanks for the tip!
 

Clamman73

Well-Known Member
Hmm, I booked a car from Budget quite a while ago and the base rate was ~$50 and I just did the search for other Budget locations near Disney World the rate was around $200. Not sure if it's because there's fewer cars available so the prices are higher or if it's due to the location. It looks like I'll stick with my original plan even if it's a hassle, although maybe next time I'll try doing the comparison earlier! Thanks for the tip!
The rental car prices at MCO have been pretty high for this fall if you didn't book a car earlier in the year.
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
Hmm, I booked a car from Budget quite a while ago and the base rate was ~$50 and I just did the search for other Budget locations near Disney World the rate was around $200. Not sure if it's because there's fewer cars available so the prices are higher or if it's due to the location. It looks like I'll stick with my original plan even if it's a hassle, although maybe next time I'll try doing the comparison earlier! Thanks for the tip!


Look at the Park Inn by Radisson location In Kissimee. Granted it's not the same price as the airport, but its close (within about $10) Granted your dates may be different, I just did a quick one day rent and return to the same location for next week.

It looks like you already ahve everything booked. so as you say, its easier to stay with that for now. If you have to do it again, you can look at retal companies that are not ON property, but NEAR property. Most, if not all, of them will give you a ride for free. In fact, the ones in the Dolphin are closed on the weekends, and if you try to book a car to pick up on a Sunday, they will direct you to an off property location as well.


-dave
 

Canuckgirl78

Member
Original Poster
Look at the Park Inn by Radisson location In Kissimee. Granted it's not the same price as the airport, but its close (within about $10) Granted your dates may be different, I just did a quick one day rent and return to the same location for next week.

It looks like you already ahve everything booked. so as you say, its easier to stay with that for now. If you have to do it again, you can look at retal companies that are not ON property, but NEAR property. Most, if not all, of them will give you a ride for free. In fact, the ones in the Dolphin are closed on the weekends, and if you try to book a car to pick up on a Sunday, they will direct you to an off property location as well.


-dave
So I ended cancelling my reservation at Budget. I read some reviews on Yelp for the Budget car rental at MCO and they were all HORRIBLE! 2 hour waits, surprise surcharges, bad customer service, forcing you to purchase insurance because they won't accept 3rd party insurance, reserved cars not available, etc. But I read if you joined their loyalty program, you could avoid the lineups and paperwork since they would have your info. So I registered for it online and saw I had to call their customer service department to link my profile to existing reservations.

When I called the customer service department to do this, they said that would require them to modify my reservation, and the new rental price would be triple of what I initially booked. I tried to explain I wasn't changing the reservation but just adding my profile to it so I could use their express line to pick up the car, but they said that couldn't be done and my base rate would go from $50 to $175!!

Needless to say, this just cemented fears of what I could expect upon arriving at MCO to pick up the car, and I dreaded the idea of ending our trip at WDW on such a bad note, so I cancelled the reservation, paid the penalty, and booked with Alamo at the Disney Car Care Centre instead. Yes, it was more expensive, but I think there will be less problems (I'm HOPING there will be no problems!!)

Anyway, thank you for your help (and sorry for the rant!)
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
So I ended cancelling my reservation at Budget. I read some reviews on Yelp for the Budget car rental at MCO and they were all HORRIBLE! 2 hour waits, surprise surcharges, bad customer service, forcing you to purchase insurance because they won't accept 3rd party insurance, reserved cars not available, etc. But I read if you joined their loyalty program, you could avoid the lineups and paperwork since they would have your info. So I registered for it online and saw I had to call their customer service department to link my profile to existing reservations.

When I called the customer service department to do this, they said that would require them to modify my reservation, and the new rental price would be triple of what I initially booked. I tried to explain I wasn't changing the reservation but just adding my profile to it so I could use their express line to pick up the car, but they said that couldn't be done and my base rate would go from $50 to $175!!

Needless to say, this just cemented fears of what I could expect upon arriving at MCO to pick up the car, and I dreaded the idea of ending our trip at WDW on such a bad note, so I cancelled the reservation, paid the penalty, and booked with Alamo at the Disney Car Care Centre instead. Yes, it was more expensive, but I think there will be less problems (I'm HOPING there will be no problems!!)

Anyway, thank you for your help (and sorry for the rant!)


Wow, that is crazy. I can understand from a system standpoint that it IS modifying the reservation, and that the system would present them with the new price. that is when the rep should have contacted a manager for an override and put the old price back in.

However, it sounds like it is now a busy time, so I guess they think they can easily rent out that car now for the $175.

I don't know if you are picking up the rental the day before or the day of the cruise. But if it's the day of, I would be just as leery as you are. Running around trying to get a rental car so you don't miss the boat is not something I would want to do.

I think I have rented with Budget once, and if I recall it was not too bad. I rent most of the time with either National, because I love their Emerald Isle service or with Enterprise (because if I rent locally, there is an Enterprise location 5 minutes away)

-dave
 

Canuckgirl78

Member
Original Poster
Wow, that is crazy. I can understand from a system standpoint that it IS modifying the reservation, and that the system would present them with the new price. that is when the rep should have contacted a manager for an override and put the old price back in.

However, it sounds like it is now a busy time, so I guess they think they can easily rent out that car now for the $175.

I don't know if you are picking up the rental the day before or the day of the cruise. But if it's the day of, I would be just as leery as you are. Running around trying to get a rental car so you don't miss the boat is not something I would want to do.

I think I have rented with Budget once, and if I recall it was not too bad. I rent most of the time with either National, because I love their Emerald Isle service or with Enterprise (because if I rent locally, there is an Enterprise location 5 minutes away)

-dave
We're leaving WDW Friday night and our cruise is on Saturday...I definitely wouldn't take the chance of leaving the same day as the cruise!

I get the price increase now that we're closer to December as there is more demand, and that's why I booked it in May when the prices were much lower. I just didn't understand why they couldn't override the system or reverse the price as you suggested (especially as I had already paid for the reservation). I even asked them if there was a way for them to notify the MCO location that we are in the FastBreak system so we don't have to do the 2 hour wait and then spend another 30 minutes on paperwork when they had all our information in their system, but they said that wasn't possible.

But after reading all the bad reviews, I'm glad they couldn't do it because I'm pretty sure things would have gone badly once I was there whether it was still waiting in line, car not being available, being pressured to purchase insurance, etc.

If you want to get some popcorn and read some horrible reviews, here you go! https://www.yelp.ca/biz/budget-rent-a-car-orlando-3
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom