Car Rental Debacle

[DrummerAlly]

Hi Folks, here's our problem. We're looking for advice on the best way to do this and the problems we may not be thinking of.

We are heading to WDW for a week in June but would like to spend two days before WDW visiting family. Because we'll be visiting with them mid-week, it would be most convenient for everyone if we rented a car to get from MCO to their house and then somehow got ourselves to WDW. The drive from MCO to their house and from their house to WDW is all around 45 minutes.

Here are the options we think we have:

1. Arrive at MCO, rent a car, drive to their house for two days, drive back to MCO to return the rental car, take Magical Express to our Port Orleans. This appears to be the cheapest option since it would be a round trip car rental. Will we have any problems returning the car and then getting to Magical Express? Will we have any issues with Magical Express because we didn't fly in that day?

2. Arrive at MCO, rent a car, drive to their house, drive to WDW and drop off rental car at WDW. Which car rental companies have bases at WDW? Where are these located (I think I saw one at the dolphin)? This option might be the most expensive because it is a one way rental and because then I'm assuming we need to get a taxi to Port Orleans.

What aren't we thinking about? What suggestions do you guys have? We really don't want to spend a fortune but we also don't want to start our vacation stressed out. Thanks!

Edit: We want to drop the car off at the beginning of our WDW vacation. We are perfectly happy with WDW transportation.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Hi Folks, here's our problem. We're looking for advice on the best way to do this and the problems we may not be thinking of.

We are heading to WDW for a week in June but would like to spend two days before WDW visiting family. Because we'll be visiting with them mid-week, it would be most convenient for everyone if we rented a car to get from MCO to their house and then somehow got ourselves to WDW. The drive from MCO to their house and from their house to WDW is all around 45 minutes.

Here are the options we think we have:

1. Arrive at MCO, rent a car, drive to their house for two days, drive back to MCO to return the rental car, take Magical Express to our Port Orleans. This appears to be the cheapest option since it would be a round trip car rental. Will we have any problems returning the car and then getting to Magical Express? Will we have any issues with Magical Express because we didn't fly in that day?

2. Arrive at MCO, rent a car, drive to their house, drive to WDW and drop off rental car at WDW. Which car rental companies have bases at WDW? Where are these located (I think I saw one at the dolphin)? This option might be the most expensive because it is a one way rental and because then I'm assuming we need to get a taxi to Port Orleans.

What aren't we thinking about? What suggestions do you guys have? We really don't want to spend a fortune but we also don't want to start our vacation stressed out. Thanks!

Edit: We want to drop the car off at the beginning of our WDW vacation. We are perfectly happy with WDW transportation.

If you wanted to take Magical Express from MCO after dropping off the rental car, when you make your reservation with Disney, simply give them the flight information of a flight that's arriving approximately when you think you'll be dropping off the car at MCO. Drop off the car, then just stroll up to ME and be on your merry way.

If you decide to drop the car off at WDW, Alamo and National are onsite, at both the Dolphin and the Car Care Center neark the MK. If you go this route, I would recommend you go to Port Orleans first, before you drop the car off. Unload all of your luggage there (and check in to your room if you can) so you don't have it anymore. Then go drop the car off at the Dolphin, so you can then walk to Epcot or DHS and either tour that park or take a bus back to Port Orleans.

 

[Monty]

What I would do:

Rent at MCO.
Visit family.
Take luggage to POFQ and check-in.
One person returns car to MCO and takes DME to POFQ then catches up with everybody else in the parks.
Whole group takes DME back to MCO.

This gets you the cheaper option with the most convenience for everyone except whoever drives the rental back to MCO. DME will let you book any number of people arriving and a different number of people leaving as long as they re on your check-in day for the former and on or before the check-out day for the latter.

 

[DrummerAlly]

If you go this route, I would recommend you go to Port Orleans first, before you drop the car off. Unload all of your luggage there (and check in to your room if you can) so you don't have it anymore. Then go drop the car off at the Dolphin, so you can then walk to Epcot or DHS and either tour that park or take a bus back to Port Orleans.

Genius! It sounds so obvious now.... Thank you!

 

[Rob562]

If you drop the car off at the Car Care Center (Alamo or National), they have a shuttle that can bring you back to your hotel or to any of the parks.
Or, as others said, you can plan on just going to Epcot or the Studios from the Dolphin.

Make sure to at least price out returning to MCO and to both on-property locations. (I've found that sometimes the on-property rates can vary)

-Rob

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Hertz also has a location at Shades of Green.

 

[DrummerAlly]

Thanks everyone! I just wish it wasn't so much more expensive to do the one way rental than the round trip MCO rental.

 

[docdebbi]

believe it or not, sometimes it is cheaper to do a week long rental than a few days. seems counter-intuitive, but it has happened to us.
one time, our flight was canceled and we had to stay an extra day- our car rental price actually went down because it was now a week rental/stayed over a sat night !
i would price the car out on multiple websites for this option before making any decisions- may even be cheaper!

 

[JillC LI]

Thanks everyone! I just wish it wasn't so much more expensive to do the one way rental than the round trip MCO rental.

There are tons of ways you can bring down the cost of an Alamo rental. We've always gotten great rates with Alamo, even one way. Check out mousesavers.com for coupon codes. Alamo accepts up to two coupon codes per reservation. I usually use a Costco code plus either an Entertainment Book or AAA code.

 

[Phonedave]

I have done a one way rental (rent at MCO return at Dolphin) maybe a dozen times. I don't know if it's just me, or just dumb luck, but it has always been EXACTLY the same price as returning it at MCO.

I used to get sent to Tampa for business a lot. I would fly into MCO, rent a car, drive to Tampa, work, drive to WDW and drop the car off, stay a day or two, and then take DME home.

Since work was not going to pay for my mini-vacation, I would always price out the cost of the two rental car options (round trip and open jaw). They were always the same.

I am Emerald Club with National and that is all I ever used. Maybe that is why.

-dave