Car PickUp At CCC or Swan

[wee-haggis]

Usually pick up at airport but this time it won't be until after Resort arrival. Don't know much about the benefits of one place over the other (Swan or CCC). Do either have the Bypass the counter option ?

 

[SteveH]

Our pick up at the Dolphin was fast, went to the counter got our stuff and the car was pulled up front. I don't think there is a bypass option at the Dolphin but it was plenty fast.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Depends on who has the best price.

 

[n2mm]

We’ve used both dolphin pickup and car care center. Keep in mind their hours are limited. There are no aisles to choose from (like at the airport-national). We’ve found the folks at dolphin to be friendly and helpful. As mentioned, valet will bring the car you reserved to you. We didn’t know that the first time, so scrambled to find some tip money.

 

[writerguyfl]

Depends on who has the best price.

These two locations (plus the Alamo/National counter at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace across the street from the Marketplace at Disney Springs) are all run by the same folks.

I rent one-way ending/starting from Disney World about 3 trips each year. I also price out another 3-5 potential trips each year. In my experience, the prices are always identical.

Our pick up at the Dolphin was fast, went to the counter got our stuff and the car was pulled up front. I don't think there is a bypass option at the Dolphin but it was plenty fast.

With smaller operations like the desk at the Walt Disney World Dolphin, it can be luck as to how quickly the process happens. If no other customers are there, it's quick. If unlucky, you'll arrive just after one or two other customers and have to wait because of limited staffing. If really unlucky, the person in front of you will have a problem with their contract and get stuck waiting 45 minutes. (That happened to me once at the Alamo/National desk at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace.)

To be fair, larger locations like airports of the Car Care Center can still have waits. All it takes is for one employee to call in sick and another to be sent to lunch for a line to form.

 

[Tasscrapper]

I have a rental pick up at the Dolphin in August at 4pm which is there closing time. We are planning on walking from the International Gateway at Epcot to the Dolphin and getting there by 3:30. However we might just want to go back to the park after getting the rental. Will we be able to leave it there until we really want to leave?

 

[Jimsig]

I have rented from the CCC and had no issues, nice thing is there is a gas station right there so you can fill up there if needed depending on the gas option you chose . I am not sure about the Dolphin, but the CCC does offer a free shuttle service to/from your resort, IIRC you call up the day before to arrange the pick up at your resort. It could also depend on where you are staying as to what is easier. If staying near the Dolphin and can walk that could very well be the easiest. If staying say near the MK the CCC would probable be the easiest.

 

[writerguyfl]

I have a rental pick up at the Dolphin in August at 4pm which is there closing time. We are planning on walking from the International Gateway at Epcot to the Dolphin and getting there by 3:30. However we might just want to go back to the park after getting the rental. Will we be able to leave it there until we really want to leave?

At most hotel-based rental desks, doing this is not a problem. In fact, I pretty much do it with every rental I get at the Avis and Alamo/National locations located next to Disney Springs. Doing that saves me from paying for a night of parking at one of the other Disney Springs Hotels. (I usually pick up a car just before the desk closes and then leave early the next morning before any of the rental desks open.)

The Alamo/National desk at the Walt Disney World Dolphin operates a little differently, however. The cars are handled by the Valet staff. Once you complete your contrast at the rental desk, the Valet brings the car to the front entrance of the hotel.

I'm certain you will be able to leave the car and return later to pick it up. The only question is whether the Valet would charge for the hours between the rental pickup and your return. Honestly, I can see it going both ways.

Here's the Alamo webpage for the Walt Disney World Dolphin location. There's a phone number and web form ("Email Us") to submit questions. I have no idea if the phone goes to the location or to Alamo's central reservations. I'm guessing it's the latter, as it's the same number listed for the other area locations like the Disney Car Care Center.

https://www.alamo.com/en_US/car-rental/locations/us/orlr74-walt-disney-dolphin-resort.html

 

[goofy4tink]

I have a rental pick up at the Dolphin in August at 4pm which is there closing time. We are planning on walking from the International Gateway at Epcot to the Dolphin and getting there by 3:30. However we might just want to go back to the park after getting the rental. Will we be able to leave it there until we really want to leave?

Won't be an issue. I've done that same thing before. Gone to the Dolphin around 3, picked up the keys for the car, then back to Epcot for the night. Walked back to the Dolphin at park closing, handed the keys to the valet CM, he brought the car around and off I went.

 

[Tasscrapper]

Thanks guys! Now the question will be if we are to tired to go back to the park. Hopefully not.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

Mousesavers has some good info about the options for renting cars (as a PP said, you can go to one of the non-Disney hotels near Disney Springs in addition to Dolphin and CCC.) It sounds like you're mostly concerned about convenience over cost. I have been focused on pricing everything out and then I'll figure out if the CCC is worth the convenience.

 

[bumbershoot]

I have rented from the CCC and had no issues, nice thing is there is a gas station right there so you can fill up there if needed depending on the gas option you chose

But do make sure that it’s open. In February it was entirely closed for construction. I noticed it several times, I knew it, heck, we ran by it during the Half, and then forgot about it entirely when I returned the car. Thankfully they had forgotten about our pickup the day we got the car, and to offset that 2 hour irritation they comped the fillup.

 

[Tasscrapper]

Cheapest rental I could get was a tie between CCC and the Dolphin and we chose the Dolphin and just planned our first park day at Epcot. Our hotel has a shuttle but it is limited and Epcot is where it will drop off anyhow. If we need to we can Uber to Epcot in the morning. This way we can just walk to the Dolphin to pick up the car and don't have to worry about catching a bus in time for pick up.

 

[jerseygal]

We are dropping of a car at the Dolphin on a Friday for our October F&W trip. Heres what Ive been told. HOurs are 8-4 Monday through Sunday. After hours, there will be a valet to return car. I have been told that we will get a receipt as evidence of car return. I have been told to park in front of lobby, then Valet will take it from there. Will work well for us as we have an ADR for dinner at Trattoria al Forno. CAN'T WAIT for F&W!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

We are dropping of a car at the Dolphin on a Friday for our October F&W trip. Heres what Ive been told. HOurs are 8-4 Monday through Sunday. After hours, there will be a valet to return car. I have been told that we will get a receipt as evidence of car return. I have been told to park in front of lobby, then Valet will take it from there. Will work well for us as we have an ADR for dinner at Trattoria al Forno. CAN'T WAIT for F&W!

The "receipt" is a piece of paper indicating you turned in the car. Nothing about payment etc

 

[Ralph&Pam]

The "receipt" is a piece of paper indicating you turned in the car. Nothing about payment etc

That receipt will note the time when the car was returned, the odometer mileage, and the fuel gauge reading. No later than the next morning, the customer service folks at the Dolphin will process your return and email you a copy of the rental receipt showing the final charges. Sometimes, I have received this email on my phone while walking back to the Boardwalk, so someone from Alamo must have been available when the valet delivered a copy of the receipt to them, but if it is well after the 4 pm closing time, this is much less likely to happen. I have always been charged the amount agreed to in my rental contract.

 

[jerseygal]

That receipt will note the time when the car was returned, the odometer mileage, and the fuel gauge reading. No later than the next morning, the customer service folks at the Dolphin will process your return and email you a copy of the rental receipt showing the final charges. Sometimes, I have received this email on my phone while walking back to the Boardwalk, so someone from Alamo must have been available when the valet delivered a copy of the receipt to them, but if it is well after the 4 pm closing time, this is much less likely to happen. I have always been charged the amount agreed to in my rental contract.

Certainly seems like an easy process and SO CONVENIENT to the boardwalk!
THANKS all!

 

[Tasscrapper]

Certainly seems like an easy process and SO CONVENIENT to the boardwalk!
THANKS all!

I didn't even realize the Boardwalk was near there . . . I plan on walking along that way to get to see it!

 

[gwb]

quick question never been to Dolphin where is the alamo desk located?

 

[Tasscrapper]

I just changed our rental today. We will now be picking up a night earlier at the airport instead of the next day at the Dolphin. Added about $40 to the rental cost and we will now have to pay another day of parking at the parks but won't need to Uber to the hotel. We decided to go with the convenience since the price came down some.