May 2013 Car Rental - Best deals?

[jedijill]

So we are flying in late on Saturday night so I wouldn't be able to pick up at SOG Sat. I searched for rates Sun to Sat and they were over $200, when I searched Sat to Sat the super cheap rate was there. Has anyone ever made a reservation and not pick it up til the next day?

I know Avis has a 24 hour policy (they will hold your car for 24 hours)--took a bump last year that caused me to get my destination about 16 hours later than I planned--so you might want to call them and find out. I still got charged like I picked it up at the original time.

Jill in CO

 

[leelee9878]

I know Avis has a 24 hour policy (they will hold your car for 24 hours)--took a bump last year that caused me to get my destination about 16 hours later than I planned--so you might want to call them and find out. I still got charged like I picked it up at the original time.

Jill in CO

Thanks, that's exactly what I'm hoping for! I made the reservation and plan on calling in the morning, if this is the case I will definitely call them the day of the reservation as well to inform them.

 

[Missyrose]

The SOG website states you must have a valid military ID to access the property. Anyone have any experience with this ?

I know the mom's panel isn't always correct, but I did find this question on there about picking up a car at Shades of Green. Personally, I don't think I would chance it.

http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com/questions.aspx?sort=&page=&qid=201857&pid=94&cid=97

I need rental car help! Can I pick up a car at Shades of Green if I'm not military? What's the best way to get there from Whispering Canyons Cafe?
- Asked by karen from CA on 11/14/2012

Answered by
Bernie E., MD

Answer Hi Karen!

Thank you for sending in your question to the Walt Disney World Moms Panel.

Unfortunately, you can't enter the Shades of Green unless you have a military ID or are with a person with a military ID. Thus I suggest you look at renting a car from one of the other locations within Walt Disney World such as at the Car Care Center outside the Magic Kingdom or at one of the hotels in the Downtown Disney area or at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotel complex in the Epcot Resort Area.

I hope this helps! Please write back with more questions!

Just to confirm, I called National's customer support phone line and they assured me that anyone is allowed to rent from the Shades of Green location, not just those with military ID.

 

[Familytradition]

Just knocked another $40.00 off my reservation from Dollar for May. NO CODES. Go to their site. Plug in your dates and when it gives you the listing of vehicles, click on "City Specials". Good Luck

 

[rlduvall]

So we are flying in late on Saturday night so I wouldn't be able to pick up at SOG Sat. I searched for rates Sun to Sat and they were over $200, when I searched Sat to Sat the super cheap rate was there. Has anyone ever made a reservation and not pick it up til the next day?

My personal feeling is that your reservation would be cancelled. I always enter my flight number when I book in case my plane is delayed and I don't pick up my vehicle for a few hours, but this wouldn't help in your situation. Trust me, I would love to get that rate, but so far it is only good in May and I need June.

 

[leelee9878]

I have picked up a rental hours after the time I put on the reservation due to delays and such. When I made the reservation with National it doesn't ask for flight info. I put a pickup time of 5:00 pm and plan on picking up as soon as they open on Sunday. I've tried to called but can only find the general national phone number and I can't get a live one on the phone.

 

[rlduvall]

I have picked up a rental hours after the time I put on the reservation due to delays and such. When I made the reservation with National it doesn't ask for flight info. I put a pickup time of 5:00 pm and plan on picking up as soon as they open on Sunday. I've tried to called but can only find the general national phone number and I can't get a live one on the phone.

Appears it only asks for the flight information if you are signed into your Emerald Membership. Trust me, I hope you get the price . . . I'm not working against you. But, if the employee bucked up when I came in the next day, for me, I would have a hard time arguing my case when I knowingly took the risk.

I truly hope it works out for you.

Edited to add: The attached link is some old discussion about this same issue. You just never know.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2039926

 

[leelee9878]

Appears it only asks for the flight information if you are signed into your Emerald Membership. Trust me, I hope you get the price . . . I'm not working against you. But, if the employee bucked up when I came in the next day, for me, I would have a hard time arguing my case when I knowingly took the risk.

I truly hope it works out for you.

Edited to add: The attached link is some old discussion about this same issue. You just never know.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2039926

Didn't think you were against me I could see them having an issue if I was adding time to the reservation and expecting the same cost, but in this situation I would be paying for more time but using less. I understand that they can really do whatever they want if I go in the next day, just hoping for the best.

 

[mickeyinthehouse]

Is there an issue with dropping off the car early? The National code has a 5 day minimum. I looked at renting from SOG and can get a great deal. However, I'm arriving late at night when SOG is not open. If I pick up the car the next morning, my rental time will not span 5 days. Can I rent for 5 days and drop it off early without incurring addt'l fees?

 

[Missyrose]

Is there an issue with dropping off the car early? The National code has a 5 day minimum. I looked at renting from SOG and can get a great deal. However, I'm arriving late at night when SOG is not open. If I pick up the car the next morning, my rental time will not span 5 days. Can I rent for 5 days and drop it off early without incurring addt'l fees?

The fine print of the rental says that if you change any of the terms (in this case the amount of time you're renting), National has the right to change the cost. So if your rental doesn't meet the minimum span, you'd be taking a big risk that you wouldn't be charged the full rate if you returned the car early.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Is there an issue with dropping off the car early? The National code has a 5 day minimum. I looked at renting from SOG and can get a great deal. However, I'm arriving late at night when SOG is not open. If I pick up the car the next morning, my rental time will not span 5 days. Can I rent for 5 days and drop it off early without incurring addt'l fees?

I wouldn't take the chance. If the terms/conditions of your code requires 5 days, and you return it before the 5 day minimum, I would imagine you could end up losing that discounted rate. Sort of like booking a Visa discount code then trying to pay with a Mastercard.

 

[Soon2B4]

Okay, so I just tried a crazy option. I'm flying into Tampa on 5/26. There's 5 of us, so I wanted a minivan, but the prices were pretty steep. However, I just gamed the system:
Rent minivan from National at TPA on Sunday 5/26 when we arrive.
Return minivan to WDW Car Care Center on Thursday 5/30 before we head to Epcot for the day
COST: $158 total including fees and taxes
Walk across to the Alamo counter
Rent minivan from Alamo at Car Care Center at the same time, Thursday 5/30 head to Epcot for the day (my family will already be there on Disney transport so they won't be waiting on me to swap cars)
Return minivan to TPA on Friday 5/31 before flight
COST: $56 total including fees and taxes

TOTAL COST: $214



Renting round trip for some time period at TPA: $538

I checked, and although it is a little more expensive than I'm getting through TPA, similar savings are available from MCO. This does add in the extra step of going to the Car Care Center, but the savings are enormous. Also, I'm attending a convention, so I had convention meetings the morning of the 30th and was heading to Epcot to meet my family so it is convenient for me to make this swap on the way. Thought it pretty ridiculous that the prices were so different. I could have gotten a similar savings doing both "one-ways" either all Alamo or all National (owned by same company and both at the Car Care Center) but just covering myself a bit by doing each way through each company. Just throwing it out there as an option, a bit of extra work, but I really wanted a minivan for the family and really wanted to keep my rental near $200.

Are you a Costco member? I just put your dates in from 5/26-5/31 noon to noon since I wasn't sure of your times on Costcotravel. I got a rate with with Enterprise with all taxes and fees of $266. That lets you keep the van the entire time and you don't have to return and pick up again. Just a thought!

 

[joe-aka-papabear]

We are 11 days out and still no drop in prices. We are picking up @ Mco.(staying at SVR). I am stuck at $203 total thru Budget. Really looking to get the price down, so any help will be appreciated.
P/U @ MCO 5/4 10 a.m. dropoff @ MCO 5/11 3:30 p.m.

 

[n2mm]

We are 11 days out and still no drop in prices. We are picking up @ Mco.(staying at SVR). I am stuck at $203 total thru Budget. Really looking to get the price down, so any help will be appreciated.
P/U @ MCO 5/4 10 a.m. dropoff @ MCO 5/11 3:30 p.m.

I am 7 days out and no drop for me. I went in late January and my rate was double from past years and now with less than a week to go for this trip, it's still double for this trip too. I've booked with National @ $530 total for 18 days. We have accepted that this is what we're paying. I have a backup plan too, so this weekend we will decide which reservation to keep. We may be jumping on the SOG bandwagon also (book with Alamo part week, then turn in the car and pick up at SOG for the remainder of the trip). It's just inconvenient doing it that way. So we have to decide if we want convenience or just pay the extra $100. Hopefully we can decide which way to go this weekend. Today is when they release last minute rates, but so far those have been disappointing with Alamo and National. I've rented with everyone, but now only stick with these two, so I know I've limited myself and accept the price. I've done the Hertz, Dollar, and Budget thing and prefer to not rent with them anymore. Good luck....I'll be watching for any last minute drops from my preferred companies.

 

[nifferearly]

Thanks for posting the SOG deal! I just booked 5/25-5/29 and used a $30 coupon. My rate is $38 TOTAL with tax! We arrive Friday night after they're closed, so I'll have to take DME to our resort, then I'll take a bus to a park on Sat morning and then get on a SOG bus. Not a huge deal because we have friends flying in Sat morning and weren't going to a park until they arrived anyway. I'll keep watching because I'd pay another $40-$50 to not deal with the hassle, but this is over $100 less than my current rate.

 

[Missyrose]

Thanks for posting the SOG deal! I just booked 5/25-5/29 and used a $30 coupon. My rate is $38 TOTAL with tax! We arrive Friday night after they're closed, so I'll have to take DME to our resort, then I'll take a bus to a park on Sat morning and then get on a SOG bus. Not a huge deal because we have friends flying in Sat morning and weren't going to a park until they arrived anyway. I'll keep watching because I'd pay another $40-$50 to not deal with the hassle, but this is over $100 less than my current rate.

The SOG buses run on a different schedule than the Disney buses. To take some of the hassle out of the car pickup, I'd just take a cab from your resort.

 

[nifferearly]

Thanks for the tip about the SOG buses. I didn't know that. Do you know if I could easily walk there from the Grand Floridian?

 

[Missyrose]

Thanks for the tip about the SOG buses. I didn't know that. Do you know if I could easily walk there from the Grand Floridian?

It's across the street from the Poly. According to Google Maps, it's about a half-mile from GCH to SOG.

 

[cmhguy]

I called SOG, and I was told I had to have a military ID to get past the guard shack and on to the property. They gave me the # for the Alamo/National desk. I called, and the man I spoke with said they rent to anyone. I asked him about getting on property with no military ID, and he wasn't really able to address that. He said people not staying at SOG rent from him all the time.

We are staying at US' RPR first, and I am considering taking a shuttle from MCO to SOG first to pick up the car then on to RPR. Hearing this makes me nervous to proceed with this.

The rates have been incredibly high this time, and I keep reading reports of people less than 10 days out still unable to find a decent rental car rate. This isn’t making me feel too hopeful. Costco has always been good to us with rates, but this year, I’m mentally preparing myself to go without a car.

I would love to hear from people who have rented at SOG but are not military. Anyone ???

 

[nifferearly]

I called SOG, and I was told I had to have a military ID to get past the guard shack and on to the property. They gave me the # for the Alamo/National desk. I called, and the man I spoke with said they rent to anyone. I asked him about getting on property with no military ID, and he wasn't really able to address that. He said people not staying at SOG rent from him all the time.

We are staying at US' RPR first, and I am considering taking a shuttle from MCO to SOG first to pick up the car then on to RPR. Hearing this makes me nervous to proceed with this.

The rates have been incredibly high this time, and I keep reading reports of people less than 10 days out still unable to find a decent rental car rate. This isn’t making me feel too hopeful. Costco has always been good to us with rates, but this year, I’m mentally preparing myself to go without a car.

I would love to hear from people who have rented at SOG but are not military. Anyone ???

I totally understand your concern and I also have a car booked there for my trip. I've also called National and was told it was no problem. Common sense tells me that this must be true. It's in National's best interests to be able to rent to anyone, not just millitary guests. Also, there must be people going into SOG without military ID. What if you had a friend staying there and wanted to visit them or just pick them up? Seems like they would let you in based on your explanation that you were renting a car.