Massive rental car shortage in Orlando more than quadruples prices for travelers next week

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
We always rent a car when we go to the World. We've have always waited until pretty close to our trip to reserve a rental car.
For whatever reason, I reserved my car months in advance this time. Looks like I may have saved about $500-$800 bucks.

I think my wife owes me a big kiss. šŸ™ƒ
One idea is to reserve a rental in a rental location that is other than the airport location where inventory may be more. Just take a cab to the rental place and drive back to WDW.
 

ShookieJones

We need time for things to happen.
One idea is to reserve a rental in a rental location that is other than the airport location where inventory may be more. Just take a cab to the rental place and drive back to WDW.
Yeah the prices are always cheaper off site, even the "airport shuttle" prices are FAR less expensive than on airport car rental places.

With that being said, the convenience of a car rental "on prem" at MCO is unmatched.
A quick stroll across the road and you're on your way to an awesome vacation.

Man do I LOVE that feeling of pulling out of that garage at MCO....vacation JUST beginning! Can't wait. :)
 

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
We always rent a car when we go to the World. We've have always waited until pretty close to our trip to reserve a rental car.
For whatever reason, I reserved my car months in advance this time. Looks like I may have saved about $500-$800 bucks.

I think my wife owes me a big kiss. šŸ™ƒ
A great strategy is to book when you first know your dates and check in once in awhile to see if the rates drop. Regardless no harm booking early, just never take the prepay option. Usually not worth saving a few bucks to lose the flexibility and prices do usually go down.
 
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ShookieJones

We need time for things to happen.
A great strategy is to book when you first know your dates and check in once in awhile to see if the rates drop. Regardless no harm booking early, just never take the prepay option. Usually not worth saving a few buts to lose the flexibility and prices do usually go down.
Yeah, I had a great strategy going for many years, waiting until the last minute and using Priceline's "name your own price" we never paid more than $200 bucks (for a standard vehicle) for 8 days. Then the NYOP option went away, things got more expensive, and now we're dealing with 6 grown adults and we're needing a van.

Needless to say we're not hitting that under 2 hunj mark anymore :D
 

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I had a great strategy going for many years, waiting until the last minute and using Priceline's "name your own price" we never paid more than $200 bucks (for a standard vehicle) for 8 days. Then the NYOP option went away, things got more expensive, and now we're dealing with 6 grown adults and we're needing a van.

Needless to say we're not hitting that under 2 hunj mark anymore :D
Rental prices have just gone higher in general. Old days were awesome deals
 

Goofnut1980

Well-Known Member
I love using Costco for renting cars, they never ask for money up front.. I have my trips for May, October and December already booked for cars. Then watch for lower rates and rebook if needed.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
I got burned by this today. Determined today we needed to make a trip to Tampa at start of April... name brand rentals were 300+/day.. across the board... if they were even advertising rates. Only dog brands like ACE were still like $115/day.

Luckily a chain is honoring my corporate code... hopefully they will have a car and not strand me!
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
Yeah the prices are always cheaper off site, even the "airport shuttle" prices are FAR less expensive than on airport car rental places.

With that being said, the convenience of a car rental "on prem" at MCO is unmatched.
A quick stroll across the road and you're on your way to an awesome vacation.

Man do I LOVE that feeling of pulling out of that garage at MCO....vacation JUST beginning! Can't wait. :)
Supply and demand and the car rental agencies are taking full advantage of the increased demand and very limited supply. $300 per day for an economy car and higher prices for midsize and sports cars and the WDW vacation just got a lot more expensive.
 

DISR

Well-Known Member
When I was there over New Years rental car outlets seemed stressed by the volume, but reluctant to ramp up staff and inventory. I think the travel industry has been so hurt by COVID they are milking the increased demand by lagging their investments...understandable, but frustrating. It also seemed like the volume of available Uber/Lyft drivers was much more limited than in times past. I wonder if that is back to a more robust and responsive level around the World.
 

aliceismad

Well-Known Member
This isn't limited to Orlando. Rental car companies sold off a lot of inventory to stave off covid losses. There have been stories from Vegas, Hawaii, etc.
 
Further proof they really should reconsider the ending of Magic Express. A disney vacation requires taking into account all kinds of price factors. If a car rental is going to cost me 50 or in this case 150 a day, I might just reevaluate going at all. If nothing else more money paid for UBERs and car rentals means less for Disney wares and eats.
What is the reason, if you know, why they are eliminating the Magic Express?
we've been using it over the years and we are going again in '22 and it really disappoints me that it will be gone. I am hoping that another bus company will be willing to take people to their hotels. šŸ™
 

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
What is the reason, if you know, why they are eliminating the Magic Express?
we've been using it over the years and we are going again in '22 and it really disappoints me that it will be gone. I am hoping that another bus company will be willing to take people to their hotels. šŸ™
No idea, but it seems short sighted. The Magic Express definitely gave an edge to Disney over Uni for a family and kept them captive on the property. With a rental car or having to take a taxi more folks might find themselves in Harry potter world.
 

MinnieM123

Premium Member
So for the heck of it I looked up rental options if I went to Denver this summer. Enterprise and Alamo had NO options available. That is crazy.

(I don't have any current information, but at least in the past, for Denver) -- suggest trying the city locations for all car rental companies out there. Can be a substantial savings over the airport sites, and also more vehicle availability, if booking in advance. (May have to take a taxi from the airport to the city location, but that's a minor inconvenience, if trying to save money. May also be other options such as shuttles, if rental office is located at a city hotel.)
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
(I don't have any current information, but at least in the past, for Denver) -- suggest trying the city locations for all car rental companies out there. Can be a substantial savings over the airport sites, and also more vehicle availability, if booking in advance. (May have to take a taxi from the airport to the city location, but that's a minor inconvenience, if trying to save money. May also be other options such as shuttles, if rental office is located at a city hotel.)
The really nice part of getting a rental car arriving in the airport in Orlando is when you pick up your luggage at baggage claim/ rental agents counter you literally walk a little more than a minute to the 1st parking level of the covered garage where the rental cars are waiting. Its the easiest airport that I've been to to rent a car. But inventory now is an issue.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
(I don't have any current information, but at least in the past, for Denver) -- suggest trying the city locations for all car rental companies out there. Can be a substantial savings over the airport sites, and also more vehicle availability, if booking in advance. (May have to take a taxi from the airport to the city location, but that's a minor inconvenience, if trying to save money. May also be other options such as shuttles, if rental office is located at a city hotel.)

under normal conditions.. yes. But they move cars around... and in these abnormal conditions the depletion impacts more than the airport sites
 

Stitch826

Well-Known Member
Everyone does remember thar they all slashed their inventory last year, correct?

itā€™s been awhile since Econ 002...but If supply is slashed, I think it affects the curve, No?
Well that was an idiotic thing for the rental car businesses to do. Instead of having inventory sitting on their lots simply being unused much of the time, they got rid of it. Now that travel demand is quickly climbing back up a year later, they (as well as their potential customers) are in a tough spot.
 

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