November 2017 Car Rental Watch

[Patsfan13]

I have been searching for a minivan through Alamo for months, and the lowest I had gotten was $874 for 11/9 - 11/21. I called, and they told me that they have a massive shortage of rentals in Florida due to the hurricane, and suggested if I have any flexibility I should look at flying in to another airport and doing a one way rental. Now I have a minivan from Alamo out of Atlanta, return in Orlando, for $472. Much happier with that price, even if it means adding a few extra hours to my travel! I changed my flight to arrive in Atlanta a day early, so assuming I make it to Orlando that day, I'll gain a full day in the parks!

@marymaya Personally, with the prices so high right now, I would use Uber if it was just a case of getting from/to the airport.

 

[twinklebug]

Okay, I'm not buying their "shortage due to the hurricane" line at all. Even if they did move stock over to Texas and Louisiana, a smart company would distribute the remaining vehicles by need in order to best accommodate their customers, not ask the customers to accommodate the company. Or better yet, they'd purchase new vehicles to fill the void left behind. The customer demand for rental vehicles in Orlando has not gone down at all.

 

[keishashadow]

What was the $25 discount you used?

Don't recall, just modified it vs making a new one. Would've been a generic one. Many listed in the threads here or google. Good luck

I'm looking for a rental from mco to the dolphin resort, just for a few hours. Is this cheaper than taking a cab or shuttle?? It's 2 kids and 2 adults. We would need to do it again for a ride back to the airport...any advice for me?

Uber probably half the price of a cab.

Easy to Price out the rental, but you would likely have to pay for parking @ the dolphin

 

[FourBees]

Don't recall, just modified it vs making a new one. Would've been a generic one. Many listed in the threads here or google. Good luck

Thank you. There are many out there but you have to be a member or have an actual coupon. I know many people have had success using them but if I don't qualify I don't think I want to risk it

Uber probably half the price of a cab.

Easy to Price out the rental, but you would likely have to pay for parking @ the dolphin

 

[marymaya]

Uber probably half the price of a cab.

Easy to Price out the rental, but you would likely have to pay for parking @ the dolphin[/QUOTE]

Yes. I priced out the rental and found one on 40 dollars. I only want it for the day, to drive us to the hotel and then i would return it there. The cab was over 40 and the Uber was about the same.

 

[Apopper74]

Okay, I'm not buying their "shortage due to the hurricane" line at all. Even if they did move stock over to Texas and Louisiana, a smart company would distribute the remaining vehicles by need in order to best accommodate their customers, not ask the customers to accommodate the company. Or better yet, they'd purchase new vehicles to fill the void left behind. The customer demand for rental vehicles in Orlando has not gone down at all.

I got the same shortage story from Hertz.

 

[Disney Princess]

Three weeks out, and my daily price drop on Costco ended. Not only did it end, but yesterday's price of $284 is now $1126. Glad I have what I need!

 

[Carla1183]

I booked a dollar rental back in March, thinking it was silly to book so early. My $137 midsize now comes up $395 on same search! Glad i did!

 

[wings91]

Okay, I'm not buying their "shortage due to the hurricane" line at all. Even if they did move stock over to Texas and Louisiana, a smart company would distribute the remaining vehicles by need in order to best accommodate their customers, not ask the customers to accommodate the company. Or better yet, they'd purchase new vehicles to fill the void left behind. The customer demand for rental vehicles in Orlando has not gone down at all.

Exactly! Sure, there may have been a shortage 6 weeks ago, but why would a company keep inventory of cars where they aren't used. So there's a stockpile of cars in Dallas and a shortage in Orlando. Hmmmm, maybe instead of turning customer away (if we are really out of cars at MCO), we would put them on a transport and haul them back to where we can rent them?

I got the same shortage story from Hertz.

They must never plan on adding inventory, I'm getting the same rates for trips in January and April.

 

[Apopper74]

They must never plan on adding inventory, I'm getting the same rates for trips in January and April.

I only know what I have been told. In Mid-August I got a reservation for a full size through Hertz for 11/5-11/11 for $139 total out the door. Being a rate stalker and knowing I have gotten better rates especially in the 3-5 week range, I regularly check. Everything has sky rocketed. It seems all of the MCO car rental agencies have similar pricing. Just to see I started to get rates for different destinations all using the same perimeters as my current trip, in (TPA, MIA, Jax, SFB) and out (LAX, PHL, BWI, ATL) of Florida. Only MCO and SFB, the 2 closest to WDW, had extremely inflated prices. The other FL locations all had similar or lesser rates than the locations I picked not in FL. It appears what was once supply/demand pricing has turned into as high as the market can support or the other FL locations would all have similar inflated pricing.

 

[twinklebug]

It appears what was once supply/demand pricing has turned into as high as the market can support or the other FL locations would all have similar inflated pricing.

I'm curious just how many vehicles Alamo has sitting on the field next to the Car Care Center these days. In the past there have been easily over a hundred just sitting there, not earning their keep.

 

[shannonstar]

Just got a Nissan Rouge from Thrifty out of TPA from 11/17-11/28 for 192.05 from economybookings.com I could have gotten an economy for 150, which is less than 1/2 what I had before. Yay for saving 140!

 

[linzjane88]

Hey--
Dollars City Special rate is $155.27 for my dates of 11/23-12/4 (12 days). Its for a dinky Compact car but hey, it beats my Alamo rate by $80!

 

[keishashadow]

Via carrentalsavers - a 'dinky compact' beginning 11/25 for a week, $103 out the door.

Beats my best rate thus far by $125

I'm seeing their citispecial for another $20 or so for same class BTW.

 

[jadejazzkayla]

Thank you Keisha.

Via dollar.com I’m seeing the same rate for the compact car with the “pay later “ option.

 

[linzjane88]

Depending on how desperate you are for a cheap van, CarRentalSavers is showing Ace with minivan rentals for $244 for my dates of 11/23-12/4. A van would be nice but I don't like the idea of off site car rental places myself.