National Emerald Aisle Questions

[seashell724]

Hi guys!
I am new to the Emerald Aisle thing so I'm hoping you can help me! I am reserved in San Diego, not Florida but I am thinking the procedures woudl be the same.

-Reserved a SUV. When we get into the lot does this guarantee us an SUV?

-I have read about people booking cars and then driving away in trucks or SUV's. How does that work?

-I don't know if I'll receive my card in time so will the print out of our ressie be okay?

I am a little nervous about this as I've never done it before and am travelling with a baby. I just want everything to go as smoothly as possible. Thanks guys!

 

[corster]

-Reserved a SUV. When we get into the lot does this guarantee us an SUV?

Yes, you will go straight to the SUV aisle on the lot.

-I have read about people booking cars and then driving away in trucks or SUV's. How does that work?

If you book a Midsize Car, you go to what is called the Emerald Aisle. This aisle generally consists of Standard and Full-Size Cars, but sometimes also has SUVs or Minivans. You can take any vehicle off the Emerald Aisle and pay only the midsize rate. Once in a while, some locations will even give Emerald Aisle customers run of the lot and let them take cars not on the Aisle.

-I don't know if I'll receive my card in time so will the print out of our ressie be okay?

Yes. Just give your Drivers License and Credit Card at the booth, along with your Emerald Club number if they need it.

 

[seashell724]

Thanks! Hmm...I am wondering if I should book a midsize car instead and hope that they have an SUV in stock?

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks! Hmm...I am wondering if I should book a midsize car instead and hope that they have an SUV in stock?

If you NEED an SUV, book the SUV. If you would be happy with a mid-sized vehicle (and once in Phoenix pretty much all they had on their Emerald Aisle were Camrys, as an example of a mid-size...and as an example of other vehicles we saw a lot of in Orlando, there were many Lincoln Towncars...we have a Mercury Grand Marquis, which is nearly the same car, and that is NOT convenient IMO for easy car-seat wrangling, though it has a HUGE trunk!), but happily surprised if you could get something else, take the chance with Emerald Aisle. But it IS a gamble! So if you truly need the bigger car, just keep that booking.

 

[seashell724]

Thanks for the reply. The SUV is just sooo expensive! We are there from a Sat to a Sunday (8 days, not 1) and it is $306!!! I was hoping that we could maybe get something cheaper. You are right though, getting a car seat into a smaller vehicle could be a problem.

I will keep looking for coupons. All of the coupons that may work for us seem to need to be used before Aug and we are leaving at the beginning of Sept.

Thanks for your advice!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Thanks! Hmm...I am wondering if I should book a midsize car instead and hope that they have an SUV in stock?

Only if you can live with the midsize

I don't rent at San Diego, but can tell you that at Los Angeles there are RARELY SUVs on the Emearld Aisle.

Also, I posted a report of the MCO Aisle yesterday where there were several families who attempted this and were not happy to discover only cars.

By the way, the Camry is a FULL size so it's an upgrade. The Corolla is midsize according to National!

 

[dudspizza]

I have rented from San Diego before. You will take a shuttle bus from the terminal to the lot. The driver will ask if anyone is using the Emerald Club and will drop you at the Aisle. Aisle and Executive are right next to each other. I am not sure if you you use Emearld Reserve for the SUV if they will drop you at that aisle, though I assume they would. Everyone else that has to go the counter will be dropped at the building.

There were no SUV's or or minivans on the executive aisle or emerald aisle when we rented. We got a Kia station wagon on executive and my in-laws got a full size Nissan on the aisle.

If you need a SUV, then you should rent that SUV. If you are wilingl to take the chance of an upgrade on the Aisle, then take that chance with the knowledge that you may not get it. I have gotten nice upgrades at MCO (Crossovers, minivan, etc... ), but SAN did not have any at that time.

Here is a link to what they have on the ES and EA at SAN, though the last post is a while back. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/national/849233-cars-san-4.html

Duds

 

[n2mm]

Thanks for the reply. The SUV is just sooo expensive! We are there from a Sat to a Sunday (8 days, not 1) and it is $306!!! I was hoping that we could maybe get something cheaper. You are right though, getting a car seat into a smaller vehicle could be a problem.

I will keep looking for coupons. All of the coupons that may work for us seem to need to be used before Aug and we are leaving at the beginning of Sept.

Thanks for your advice!

I think coupon ND8434DJC is good until 10/31. I think I got it via the Emerald Aisle email message.

I agree with the others. While I've seen SUVs and other larger vehicles at MCO sometimes, we've never seen anything bigger than a full size when using the Executive Aisle at Dulles airport. If you would be happy with a mid-size car, then the EA is the way to go, but if you need something larger, don't chance it.

 

[bumbershoot]

You are right though, getting a car seat into a smaller vehicle could be a problem.

What's funny is that getting the seat into the Camry was just fine. But getting seats into our Grand Marquis, which I imagine is almost the same as getting it into one of the Lincolns that we saw in Orlando, is more difficult.

By the way, the Camry is a FULL size so it's an upgrade. The Corolla is midsize according to National!

Isn't that interesting? I had a Corolla once...was bigger than the Camry I got! The way they grade these things....

 

[seashell724]

Thanks for your help everyone! I will try the coupon code and for sure keep the SUV.
I really hope that we still get dropped at the Emerald Aisle though we are getting an SUV. What is the point otherwise if we have to go with everyone else?!

 

[seashell724]

Thanks for the coupon code but it wouldn't apply to my dates the site says.