Best Orlando airport car rental agency for midnight pickup?
 

Our plane gets into Orlando International Airport at midnight on our March trip. I want to rent a car that has onsite pick up (no shuttle buses to the lots), as well as one that is open at midnight. I've scoured the rental car sites and can't find this information.

Does anyone have experience with late night car pick ups onsite?

Where are you going after arrival?
I can't think of an on-dite rental that doesn't require a shuttle bus.
You may come out better by taking a taxi to your hotel and then renting from a nearby location. You can often save a LOT of $$$ by avoiding airport fees.

The major car rental places in Orlando park in the parking structure just outside of the terminals. You can look at the big 5 companies online and easily see their hours.

I agree with starrs, if you can wait until the next day and rent off location, you will save lots.

For good discount codes at orlando, check out mousesavers.com or Southwest airlines [even if you are not flying them, they often have good deals.]

Deb

http://www.orlandoairports.net/ops/rac.htm

Should help you with info needed.

Deb

Unfortunately, waiting until the next day to pick up the car isn't an option. We're going to Florida with my daughter's high school dance team for a competition and need to be up and going fairly early the next morning--we need our wheels :-)

Starrs, we're staying at Staybridge Suites by Universal.

I know we'll probably pay more at the airport but the convenience factor weighs in here, especially since Mr. Tess is staying home this trip so I'm the dd.

I recall picking up our rental car right outside the airport doors a few years ago in Orlando. Think it was Budget but can't remember... I'll check out the links you ladies provided.

Anyone else with late-night car pickup experience in Orlando? Don't know why the midnight thing is freaking me out but it is. I know we'll all be tired and cranky by that point and just want to get to sleep as soon as possible.

Alamo, National, Budget, Avis and Dollar are all on-site at Orlando Airport. I hope you have better luck than I've had with rates in March - they are very high. I've used every code I can find - and the rates are outrageous. Good luck.

Update - rates came down quite a bit this morning. Make sure you check today!

We rented from National in Orlando a few years ago. Were supposed to get in around 10:30 pm but due to many flight delays it ended up being around 2:30 am. The airport was pretty deserted but we were still able to get the car without a problem.

Tess, Avis, Budget, and National (and probably the other on-property rental agencies) are open 24/7.

We had an unfortunate experience with Alamo when our Delta flight from the U.K. was delayed. When we arrived into Atlanta we had missed the last connection but there were over 100 people on our flight going to Orlando and so Delta put on another plane(good old Delta.)
As far as I remember we arrived in Orlando at about 11pm having paid in full for our car rental and upgraded to their Silver service some two months before.
At the Alamo desk we were told they were out of cars and the fact we had paid in advance mattered not one iota.
They told us to come back the next morning when they would have a vehicle.
I was furious about this having by now been in transit about 20 hours but nothing doing. Another passenger was intending to go to the Keys that night.
They did refund the taxi fares.

There are several rental desks within a half mile of your hotel and the Hertz one is open at 8. If you are leaving before then, then the airport is the best option. But, if not, I'd take a cab and get a car near the hotel (cheaper too)

Deb, thanks to your tip, I checked Mousesavers for rental car codes and found a Walmart coupon code for Budget. Mousesavers said the code is for Walmart customers (ie everyone) and didn't list any other stipulations.

Anyhow, without the code, total cost for an intermediate car is $269 (with pickup at the airport). With the Walmart code, the cost is an amazing $155. Can this be legit and has anyone else used the code with success? It seems way too good to be true for a rental of almost 5 days. Whoo hoo!

Those codes are really good; they have them for LA too I think.

Just be sure to print out any coupon or other required doc that the code says is needed.

Glad to have been able to help. Have an adult beverage on me ((D))


Deb

It didn't list any necessary documentation or coupon so will keep my fingers crossed. Sheesh, after this car rental stress, I'll NEED an adult beverage or two :-)

Thanks again!