Has anyone found sensible car hire prices yet?

[Karandak]

Using Andy from the website quoted above he’s got me a standard SUV for two weeks for £500 less than what I’d seen elsewhere. It was with Avis, and was cheaper than anything I could find on their site myself.

I also found that Expedia have really good deals if you’re a member with them, some of the prices with Budget were showing as 50% cheaper than non member prices.

Donn’t get me wrong, the prices are still crazy for what I usually pay (1k vs 250 a few years ago), but we stay offsite in a family villa and I couldn’t cope with relying on taxi’s!

 

[Cheburashka]

Still looking for a sensible car hire price but no joy. Has anyone else had any luck?

Yes, I found great rates through tips I learned about on the March Car Rental thread in the Transportation forum.

 

[Maddiesmum03]

I thought I had found really good rates using U.T and adding Boggy Creek tickets to get the 50% saving everyone has been talking about on the transportation forum. I was really happy for a few seconds before I read the dreaded words “This car rental is available to United States and Canadian Residents Only”

 

[gavvy]

Have you tried Discount car hire florida? If you send them a message they can check offline rates and often get a better deal

 

[Maddiesmum03]

Have you tried Discount car hire florida? If you send them a message they can check offline rates and often get a better deal

I sent Andy a direct message last Sunday, but still waiting on a reply…hopefully I got the email correct!
Hopefully he can come up with something realistic, otherwise the best price I can find is via Virgin and I think it would be better to book for August sooner rather than later in case there is a lack of cars!

 

[Lumpy1106]

Nope, it was crazy in December and again for our Feb trip the prices are so high. If it weren't for the fact that we need a disability scooter with us, we'd be using uber/lyft Disney transport etc because thats probably cheaper.

I would give Mears a call - pretty sure they can accommodate you. When we went in 2020 we came in around 1a and they put us in a van that had the capability to transport scooters. Made more sense then taking us all by our lonesome in a full-sized bus. It's worth a call.

 

[Karandak]

I sent Andy a direct message last Sunday, but still waiting on a reply…hopefully I got the email correct!
Hopefully he can come up with something realistic, otherwise the best price I can find is via Virgin and I think it would be better to book for August sooner rather than later in case there is a lack of cars!

He replied within 2 minutes on a weekend evening about 11pm when I emailed last month, maybe he’s not at work Double check the email ha.
Good luck, it’s a car nightmare!

 

[Maddiesmum03]

He replied within 2 minutes on a weekend evening about 11pm when I emailed last month, maybe he’s not at work Double check the email ha.
Good luck, it’s a car nightmare!

I think it’s the right email, I’ve just resent! Fingers crossed!

 

[tinkerbell1991]

We've got a decent price using https://www.alamo.co.uk/en/car-hire-deals/brits.html which knocks 10% off

 

[cheryl.UK]

Alamo still showing stupid prices for 3 and a half weeks. Double what we paid in 2019 for an on site pick up

 

[Maddiesmum03]

Andy came up trumps for us….. SUV for 6 nights, coming out over £200 cheaper than Virgin for us (which was the cheapest I could find prior to Andy’s quote)
Very happy to know we finally have something sorted, but 6 days was plan B, hiring for last days at WDW and heading to Tampa. The price for the whole 3 weeks is still out of our price range and we will just use Uber to food shop and transfer from MCO to Universal and from Universal to WDW for our split stay. To be honest, having a car that just sits in the hotel parking lot while we do the parks is a bit of a waste, but it always seemed like a good plan when car hire was priced as it used to be!

 

[deno]

We've been hiring a car on our trips since the early 90's and I'm actually warming to the idea of not having one this year.

At £1,600 for 3 weeks + resort parking fees I kinda think it's not really worth it. We always have to get a larger car that we actually need on a daily basis just to get our luggage in. Getting 4 suitcases and hand luggage into a mid-size is always a faff at the airport and just to get around a compact would be ideal. So, to get to the airport and hop on a shuttle or private transfer type thing sounds ideal (any tips on that?)

We're staying on property and traditionally the car is parked up most days, we use Disney Transportation.

So my idea (and the only potential downside) is to rent a car as and when I need it for heading to Tampa or the Space Centre etc. I'm thinking if this car shortage is as severe as they make out I'll have to do this in advance, not just rack up on the day before I need a car. Even those daily prices are crazy though.

Anyway, much to think about on that score. At the moment is the most complicated part of the planning for our trip.

 

[gismo1554]

Andy came up trumps for us….. SUV for 6 nights, coming out over £200 cheaper than Virgin for us (which was the cheapest I could find prior to Andy’s quote)
Very happy to know we finally have something sorted, but 6 days was plan B, hiring for last days at WDW and heading to Tampa. The price for the whole 3 weeks is still out of our price range and we will just use Uber to food shop and transfer from MCO to Universal and from Universal to WDW for our split stay. To be honest, having a car that just sits in the hotel parking lot while we do the parks is a bit of a waste, but it always seemed like a good plan when car hire was priced as it used to be!

We are planning on using a grocery delivery service rather than ubering just to make it a little easier for ours and not renting car. Also means my Dad can drink which makes him happy as he's always designated driver!

 

[Maddiesmum03]

We've been hiring a car on our trips since the early 90's and I'm actually warming to the idea of not having one this year.

At £1,600 for 3 weeks + resort parking fees I kinda think it's not really worth it. We always have to get a larger car that we actually need on a daily basis just to get our luggage in. Getting 4 suitcases and hand luggage into a mid-size is always a faff at the airport and just to get around a compact would be ideal. So, to get to the airport and hop on a shuttle or private transfer type thing sounds ideal (any tips on that?)

We're staying on property and traditionally the car is parked up most days, we use Disney Transportation.

Our dilemma was exactly the same, 4 of us and 4 cases plus hand luggage. It is only the expense this time that brought us to the realisation that actually transfers are the way to go. It was almost a lightbulb moment. The car just sits at the resort apart from shopping trips. Looking at Uber fares (even XL to account for the luggage and all 4 of us) it is a no brainer. MCO to Cabana Bay looks like around $50, same from Cabana Bay to AKL. Food runs look to be around $10 each way. Comparing this to a car that is coming out at £80-100 per day, not to mention paying to park at Universal (not WDW as we are DVC) makes car hire seem like a crazy idea!

 

[Maddiesmum03]

We are planning on using a grocery delivery service rather than ubering just to make it a little easier for ours and not renting car. Also means my Dad can drink which makes him happy as he's always designated driver!

I have looked into that idea too and even opened a publix account! But I love Food shopping in USA! Plus, I have read that you have to be around to accept the delivery and it is usually a 2 hour window. I would rather go and shop myself rather than hanging around the foyer!
I totally agree with the drink thing, it makes such a big difference to the flight over, knowing you can have that included drink because you’re not driving to the resort afterwards. Same for going offsite to restaurants .

 

[gismo1554]

I have looked into that idea too and even opened a publix account! But I love Food shopping in USA! Plus, I have read that you have to be around to accept the delivery and it is usually a 2 hour window. I would rather go and shop myself rather than hanging around the foyer!
I totally agree with the drink thing, it makes such a big difference to the flight over, knowing you can have that included drink because you’re not driving to the resort afterwards. Same for going offsite to restaurants .

Yeah my sister wants to do Wallmart shop too for same reason but the rest of us aren't that fussed on it. I thought Garden Grocer could leave the items with baggage at Disney hotels? Some transfer companies mind do a 30 min free stop at shop on way to hotel which may work. We aren't doing this as think we will be too knackered as will be leaving home around 3/4am to get to airport

 

[deno]

Our dilemma was exactly the same, 4 of us and 4 cases plus hand luggage. It is only the expense this time that brought us to the realisation that actually transfers are the way to go. It was almost a lightbulb moment. The car just sits at the resort apart from shopping trips. Looking at Uber fares (even XL to account for the luggage and all 4 of us) it is a no brainer. MCO to Cabana Bay looks like around $50, same from Cabana Bay to AKL. Food runs look to be around $10 each way. Comparing this to a car that is coming out at £80-100 per day, not to mention paying to park at Universal (not WDW as we are DVC) makes car hire seem like a crazy idea!

Hehee, cramming all the luggage into the car is a pain isn't it? But like you said in another post, also being able to have a little drink on the plane will be nice for a change. With all the money I'm gonna save on car hire I think I'll splurge on some champagne. I mean, if we finally get sat on that plane there is going to be a lot to celebrate.

 

[blakes999]

It's going to be a long time before prices return to that pre covid level. My folks are due to go in September and are being quoted upwards for £1k for 2 weeks..

 

[cheryl.UK]

Yep, like many others, we are thinking of not getting a car or at least not getting a car for the whole time. We are heading over for 23 nights so the potential/probable lack of an AP is stressing me out at the moment.

If we have to get a 14 day pass, we are thinking of hiring a car for a week, hitting malls, Wild Florida, Walmart, Seaworld etc in the first week then returning the car to MCO and getting a shuttle back to OKW. We have no resort parking fees as we're DVC.

 

[Maddiesmum03]

Yeah my sister wants to do Wallmart shop too for same reason but the rest of us aren't that fussed on it. I thought Garden Grocer could leave the items with baggage at Disney hotels? Some transfer companies mind do a 30 min free stop at shop on way to hotel which may work. We aren't doing this as think we will be too knackered as will be leaving home around 3/4am to get to airport

I have read they do accept food orders at WDW guest services, but not Cabana Bay. Stopping on the way from MCO is not an option because we do not land until 10pm!
Call me strange, but I look forward to going to Publix!