from UK - hiring car at WDW

[atc]

Can you tell me how easy it is to hire a car please once you get to WDW? If you are from UK do you have to take out special insurance? Is it very expensive? And which car hire firms are the best to use? I see some cars can be collected from the Car Care Centre which will be the closest place to us.

[Slowhand]

Hiring a car in the US couldn`t be easier.
We always pre-book ours from here in the UK which includes all insurance costs etc.
Many of the car rental companies over there will try to sell you extra insurance but we feel that we are well covered using the all inclusive package we book before we leave and so we politely decline the offer when we collect the car..
Most of the main rental companies are at the airports and the choice of which to use is really down to a personal choice. We normally use Dollar whereas others swear by Alamo, Avis etc. Personally I don`t think that there is much difference between any of them.

[SorcererMickey]

You can pick-up a car at the airport or you can rent it at WDW. The best place at WDW is at the lobby of the Swan, Alamo/National have deals with Disney and as Slowhand said, it could not be easier. There is also a location at the Car Care Center as you exit the Magic Kingdom/TTC (Transportation and Ticker Center).

[tajainaz]

As Slowhand noted, you will need insurance, as you don't have U.S. automobile insurance. Best guess is you will get better pricing by booking it in the UK, as you will know exactly what is covered. Then decline the additional insurance "offered" when you pick up your vehicle.

You might want to price the rental for various period of your visit: the entire time (pick up and return at MCO--or airport of arrival/departure; some days mid-point, and some days toward the end). In addition to a few days, check pricing for a week--sometimes it's a better deal. And check the pricing for the various pick up and return options: airport, Swan/Dolphin, Car Care Center.

It's a bit of work, but you'll know you've selected the best option for you!

[atc]

Thank you - so if i want to book it now for Feb, which is the best websites to book through? I would rather go on personal recommendation than spend hours trawling the net !!!!

[Slowhand]

Thank you - so if i want to book it now for Feb, which is the best websites to book through? I would rather go on personal recommendation than spend hours trawling the net !!!!
As we nearly always fly with Virgin Atlantic, I tend to book my car hire through them.

[clio]

We always use Airline Network and we've never had a problem with them. You book on the internet then print off a voucher which you need to hand in at the Dollar desk.

[Midnight Storm]

www.uscarhire.co.uk gave us the best price this year, the car is from alamo so its on the airport site and they check your paperwork and you pick any car from the lane - so the colour and exact model are your choice, most price bands include 2 or 3 different cars.

Colin

[Gilly]

We also booked with airline network this year and used dollar rental. We didn't have any problem we also had a free upgrade.

[atc]

www.uscarhire.co.uk gave us the best price this year, the car is from alamo so its on the airport site and they check your paperwork and you pick any car from the lane - so the colour and exact model are your choice, most price bands include 2 or 3 different cars.

Colin

Do you know if you can collect these cars from the WDW car care centre?

[Barbeegirl]

I used Holidayautos this year and last. We stayed onsite last year and only wanted the car for 3 days. We picked it up from the WDWCar Care Centre near MK, we arranged for the shuttle bus to pick us up from POR and it couldn't have been easier. When we returned the car, the shuttle took us to epcot where we were spending the evening.

[atc]

I used Holidayautos this year and last. We stayed onsite last year and only wanted the car for 3 days. We picked it up from the WDWCar Care Centre near MK, we arranged for the shuttle bus to pick us up from POR and it couldn't have been easier. When we returned the car, the shuttle took us to epcot where we were spending the evening.

Thanks for that - have just checked on line - it will only be £225 for our whole holiday and that includes the max thing (!?!) This sounds really reasonable, so i think we will go ahead and book

[Vikki]

Thank you - so if i want to book it now for Feb, which is the best websites to book through? I would rather go on personal recommendation than spend hours trawling the net !!!!

We go with Alamo direct on their website, have done it a couple of times now. We always get the car from the Swan/Dolphin as you can access it by Disney transportation, easy peasy :yes: We also go for the full insurance offered, probably don't need to, but better to be safe than sorry when in another country as far as I'm concerned :yes:

[atc]

We go with Alamo direct on their website, have done it a couple of times now. We always get the car from the Swan/Dolphin as you can access it by Disney transportation, easy peasy :yes: We also go for the full insurance offered, probably don't need to, but better to be safe than sorry when in another country as far as I'm concerned :yes:

Thanks Vikki - is it not easy to get to the car care centre then?

[uscwest]

Thanks Vikki - is it not easy to get to the car care centre then?The car care center does not have any direct transportation to it. The Swan/Dolphin are MUCH easier to get to.

[Vikki]

Thanks Vikki - is it not easy to get to the car care centre then?

No idea, we've always picked it up from the Swan/Dolphin. I believe they have a freephone number and they come and pick you up to take you to the car care place, personally we thought this was a bit too much of a faff so picked it up at the Swan/Dolphin instead, so much easier :yes:

[atc]

Thanks - i'll arrange it from there then! Sounds a lot less hastle

[Vikki]

Certainly is :yes: We also use alamo.com rather than alamo.co.uk. If you click on the 'hto deals' tab at the top you often get some good offers as well :yes: You can also subscribe to their newsletter which often has discount codes in.

When it asks for pickup and drop off location, you need
"Orlando-walt Disney Dolphin Resort (ORLR74)".

Hope this helps :)

[atc]

Certainly is :yes: We also use alamo.com rather than alamo.co.uk. If you click on the 'hto deals' tab at the top you often get some good offers as well :yes: You can also subscribe to their newsletter which often has discount codes in.

When it asks for pickup and drop off location, you need
"Orlando-walt Disney Dolphin Resort (ORLR74)".

Hope this helps :)

Thanks Vikki - looked on the site but they didn't have the hto deal tab anywhere. I'll still see what they quote though

[Midnight Storm]

http://www.uscarhire.co.uk offer the option after you enter your dates of picking the supplier of the car and the pick up location, Alamo include the Swan as a pick up point

Uscarhire want $640 for a SUV 14days 1st Jan, Alamo.com want $2094 for the same period. Both picked up from the Swan

Colin

[Vikki]

Thanks Vikki - looked on the site but they didn't have the hto deal tab anywhere. I'll still see what they quote though

Go here (http://www.alamo.com/) then right at the top of the page there is a red tab, which says 'hot deals' :)

[atc]

Thanks Vikki - and what a little cutie your baby is!

[Vikki]

You're welcome, and thanks :blush: