December 2014 Car Rental Discount Watch

[robinb]

Car. Rental. Mess. These rates are sickening! I booked WAY back-mid summer-and got some darn good rates for our Dec/Jan trip-(20Days-$316-FullSize...MCO/MCO) BUT NOW...(late breaking family conflict...) We have to delay our check-in date by 48 hours..... new Rates...$1100 & up!!! New dates are: Plan A 19 DEC 10pm 6 JAN 5 AM OR Plan B 21 DEC 10am 6 JAN 5 AM ANY suggestions/advice/sedatives will be appreciated!

what size car?

 

[buckeev]

what size car?

"Full Size" (gonna hafta STUFF that trunk!)

 

[robinb]

Whoops!

 

[nuzmom]

Car. Rental. Mess.
These rates are sickening! I booked WAY back-mid summer-and got some darn good rates for our Dec/Jan trip-(20Days-$316-FullSize...MCO/MCO)
BUT NOW...(late breaking family conflict...)
We have to delay our check-in date by 48 hours.....
new Rates...$1100 & up!!!
New dates are:
Plan A
19 DEC 10pm
6 JAN 5 AM

OR

Plan B
21 DEC 10am
6 JAN 5 AM

ANY suggestions/advice/sedatives will be appreciated!

Who do you have the rental with? I would suggest calling them and seeing if they could keep your rate and just delete the days. Don't know if they will or not, but definitely worth a shot.

 

[buckeev]

Who do you have the rental with? I would suggest calling them and seeing if they could keep your rate and just delete the days. Don't know if they will or not, but definitely worth a shot.

Thanks for input Nuz! I have a couple of different ones...Dollar and Budget...
Dollar gave me the same ridiculous prices as the web,
Budget isn't answering calls today apparently.

 

[robinb]

Car. Rental. Mess.
These rates are sickening! I booked WAY back-mid summer-and got some darn good rates for our Dec/Jan trip-(20Days-$316-FullSize...MCO/MCO)
BUT NOW...(late breaking family conflict...)
We have to delay our check-in date by 48 hours.....
new Rates...$1100 & up!!!
New dates are:
Plan A
19 DEC 10pm
6 JAN 5 AM

OR

Plan B
21 DEC 10am
6 JAN 5 AM

ANY suggestions/advice/sedatives will be appreciated!

Wow! Your rate really rocked.

I can get you down to about $750. Pick up your car at MCO from Dollar, return it to the Lake Buena Vista Holiday Inn on 12/23. That will cost you $186. Pick up a car from the Holiday Inn (they will probably just allow you to keep your car) on 12/23 and return it to MCO on 1/6. That will cost $563. Both are using the "City Special" link once you put in the dates at the Dollar website.

 

[nuzmom]

Thanks for input Nuz! I have a couple of different ones...Dollar and Budget...
Dollar gave me the same ridiculous prices as the web,
Budget isn't answering calls today apparently.

Boy, I be that is super frustrating. I hope Budget answers your calls tomorrow and is able to work something out. I quickly checked Alamo (as I'm sure you did) and I see the $$$.

robinb - you're awesome. I was just going to suggest breaking up the trip, but had no idea if it would help or not. That's so nice of you to run the numbers for buckeev. I hope it work out for them. Their original rate was CRAZY good.

 

[buckeev]

Boy, I be that is super frustrating. I hope Budget answers your calls tomorrow and is able to work something out. I quickly checked Alamo (as I'm sure you did) and I see the $$$.

robinb - you're awesome. I was just going to suggest breaking up the trip, but had no idea if it would help or not. That's so nice of you to run the numbers for buckeev. I hope it work out for them. Their original rate was CRAZY good.

I had tried a few options of splitting it up, but wasn't getting much relief at all...but the one that robin suggested heads in the right direction!
I've even thought about flying there on Weds..(I have an INCREDIBLE rate from SWA on that date), pick up the car...go park it at the "Long Term-Off Site" places, and fly back home. If I do that, I'll save quite a good chunk of change.....

BUT, I like to hoard my SWA Rapid Rewards points...(Long story!)

Does anyone know...How early can I pick up my DOLLAR rental...(scheduled for a 10:00 PM pickup...)...without any "significant" penalty.

 

[robinb]

Does anyone know...How early can I pick up my DOLLAR rental...(scheduled for a 10:00 PM pickup...)...without any "significant" penalty.

You can pick it up earlier in the day without a problem. You just have to swap the car out at the Holiday Inn at or before the time you pick it up at MCO.

 

[ashleyrm]

Just an update. Had to change my trip dates. So now have a full size with Dollar using Dollar express and AAA rate for 12/13 - 12/16 for $83.29.

Same price that was being offered today for compact or Lock, Low and Go.

Not bad.

 

[kevdad]

I just rechecked our AAA rate on a Dollar minivan for 9 days early December and it was about $80 cheaper. It's definitely cheaper to go through the AAA site vs. using a AAA number directly on the Dollar site.

This dropped another $77! Down to $210 for 9 days for a minivan. There were no add-ons for steering wheel, lights or windows, so I'm hoping it's legit!

 

[zilp]

woohoo!! Just checked my dates on carrentalsavers.com and got my minivan for $185 total through Budget . I am arriving in 4 days and I never thought I would get such a good price. It pays to keep checking!!!

 

[zilp]

woohoo!! Just checked my dates on carrentalsavers.com and got my minivan for $185 total through Budget . I am arriving in 4 days and I never thought I would get such a good price. It pays to keep checking!!!

Just checked AAA.com to see if my previous reservation dropped and it did! So now my question is, do I go with the AAA/Thrifty rate ($180) or Carrentalsavers/Budget rate ($185)? Any preference with Budget vs Thrifty?

eta, I have SO many car reservations now because I kept re-booking every time my price dropped. Do I really need to cancel them all?

 

[kevdad]

This dropped another $77! Down to $210 for 9 days for a minivan. There were no add-ons for steering wheel, lights or windows, so I'm hoping it's legit!

Down another $13 to $197 this morning. This is crazy.

 

[ocalla]

Will need a rental Dec. 30 - Jan 3....YIKES the prices!!!!

Has anyone ever used Advantage car rental company? They seem to be the least expensive, but I'm kind of nervous using them.

Thanks in advance

 

[cantwaitfordis]

Just checked AAA.com to see if my previous reservation dropped and it did! So now my question is, do I go with the AAA/Thrifty rate ($180) or Carrentalsavers/Budget rate ($185)? Any preference with Budget vs Thrifty? eta, I have SO many car reservations now because I kept re-booking every time my price dropped. Do I really need to cancel them all?

You really should cancel the reservations you will not be needing. This time of the year is a high demand and there are others who will be needing cars but they are showing up sold out(

 

[nuzmom]

My alamo rates are down a little bit more again this morning. It's becoming a joke to my family that it drops a dollar and I rebook! Technically, I think this one was saving around $3 but every little bit works for me!!!!

Dec 14 (11:30 - Dec 23 (4:30), Costco code 675899 because we have 2 drivers, AD2338FDF coupon code, 7 pass mini-van = $257.34

 

[ashleyrm]

My alamo rates are down a little bit more again this morning. It's becoming a joke to my family that it drops a dollar and I rebook! Technically, I think this one was saving around $3 but every little bit works for me!!!!

Dec 14 (11:30 - Dec 23 (4:30), Costco code 675899 because we have 2 drivers, AD2338FDF coupon code, 7 pass mini-van = $257.34

I do the same thing. Every dollar not spent on a rental can be spent at Disney!

 

[robinb]

Just checked AAA.com to see if my previous reservation dropped and it did! So now my question is, do I go with the AAA/Thrifty rate ($180) or Carrentalsavers/Budget rate ($185)? Any preference with Budget vs Thrifty?

eta, I have SO many car reservations now because I kept re-booking every time my price dropped. Do I really need to cancel them all?

You really should cancel the reservations you will not be needing. This time of the year is a high demand and there are others who will be needing cars but they are showing up sold out(

Yes, I agree. Keep your favorite and cancel the rest. Considering her rates are under $200 there are probably plenty of cars available but I think it's polite to cancel. Plus, if you left a credit card on your reservation they probably reserved the right to charge it if you're a no-show. Will they? Probably not, but I would cancel anyway.

 

[Syndrome]

O.K. , I am officially OUT of the hunt !

We leave in a week, and my rates haven't dropped (or even went up) for a while now.

With Alamo, using the pass holder rate, and the $30. off Visa coupon, we are at ..........

$158.38 ALL IN , for 11 days in a full size at MCO (12/5-12/15). Pretty sure I am not doing better than that with a week to go .

Already did online check-in and "skip the counter / go straight to car" routine.

Thanks all in this thread for keeping it updated !