May 2016 Car Rentals

[staceyj2]

Avis pick up. What a mess. First the person didn't check my husband in. We had to go the preferred counter...next they gave us a mini van that was not clean....sorry not taking it...next we got a new assignment. There was a beautiful corvette...hmm 5 people 8 bags...not sure how that was working out. Go to the outside office again....by this time she is just as mad as I am an walked with me and family for another 15 min till we found the minivan....did get upgraded to an 8 passenger

I would have taken the corvette and left the other passengers!! In all seriousness, sorry that you had those struggles. Hope your vacation is going well.

 

[Wanna be Ariel]

Avis is the worst. We had horrible customer service there 2 years ago and will never go back. Spent 2 hours between trying to get the correct car and the try to get the correct price. Then spent another 1 at counter when returning it cause they were trying to charge me for gas when the car was full. Sorry this happened to you. Hope it is magical from this point on.

 

[staceyj2]

Update: arrived at MCO around midnight. Full size aisle had a lot of cars. Quite a few Sonatas, an Elantra, Camry, Altima (what I took), Malibu, Sante Fe SUV, and (2) pickup trucks.

As I was exiting, I asked attendant to check my rate. Told him I had heard there were issues with the coupon not working. He verified and said it indeed had been removed as expired so he had to manually add it back in using the paperwork I brought. Wasn't a big deal since it wasn't busy but might be a different story if it was super busy. So my rate of $120 for full size for a week was honored. Will have to double check that the receipt is correct when I return. Now off to get sleep so I can enjoy magic tomorrow!

 

[BenandMorgsMom]

HOLY COW!!!! I think I did it. I joined the Alamo insiders club, then I plugged in the AS1 product code -- what is that anyway? and I got an economy car for the two of us for 7 nights/8days with a 12 hour late check in for $154!!!!! Thank you disboards!!!

Still curious as to what the $25 coupon is. Wondering why people are saying they are not sure if things will go through? I have a written confirmation, so it feels like they would have to honor that? Thanks guys!

We rent from Alamo every 6 weeks out of MCO...there is a disclaimer on the bottom of your rental agreement that it is an estimated cost. They have the right to change amount based on contributing factors. I am dedicated to coupons but will not use one that raises questions. They will question you at the gate and when you return the car is when you receive your confirmation receipt. Not when you rent/book.

 

[BenandMorgsMom]

Can y'all remind me how the tolls work getting from MCO to WDW and back?

417 2 Tolls $1.50 each back and forth...$6bucks

 

[k9muttlover]

Just an FYI... definitely check your rate as you leave or on your return. I used the $50 code and didn't catch that it wasn't there when we exited (I skipped the counter), but noticed it when we returned the car. I went to the counter after I found my paperwork and was refunded no issue. They are honoring the code, just watch for it.

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

Hi! Just jumping on board and I have browsed through about 5 pages and am trying to figure out which one is the Alamo $50 Coupon code if someone could please help me! Thanks!

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

The $50 coupon no longer works.

 

[quagmire0]

The $50 coupon no longer works.

In person, or online? $50 code hasn't working online for a few weeks now, but people that had made reservations with it previously are getting it applied still.

 

[So_DIS]

417 2 Tolls $1.50 each back and forth...$6bucks

Also if you get off at Osceoa Parkway you'll need exact change if you dont have a sunpass (75 cents there).

 

[keishashadow]

We are not going til Nov, but I have been watching these threads since I am booked with the Costco rate and the $50.00 The problem I have now is that I need to add 1 more day onto my rental and I cant online(saying code is not valid) What are your thoughts on calling the 800 number? I have a full size booked right now for $123 for 6 days, its such a good rate I hate to lose it.

i had to request the gate attendant get an over-ride from her supervisor to accept the $50 coupon rate for rental picked up May 7th

Found a deal on airfare & was able to extend our October trip to allow another day in the parks - yea!

Wasn't able to modify our alamo res. online, received the coupon expiration notice.

don't call, you need a papertrail and a retrieveable copy in hand of revised reservation when picking up vehicle to support your rate (along with any supporting documentation such as proof of eligibility costco, AAA, AARP, etc.)

As i have several times in the past, emailed Alamo last Thursday and explained I was unable to modify my October reservation to reflect the new pickup time. It was still technically the same number of days btw but an early am pickup vs evening.

Received confirmation within 4 hours that they had adjusted it for me = Great Customer Service! imo

 

[ashleyrm]

Any other reports from May Alamo renters who used the $50 off code? Just curious.

 

[staceyj2]

Any other reports from May Alamo renters who used the $50 off code? Just curious.

I previously posted about our experience but here is the info. When we were leaving the garage after picking up the car, I asked the attendant to verify the rate. It was wrong and he was able to fix the rate. I hadn't gotten the chance to update yet to say that when we returned the car, the rate was correct. So it appears that if you get it corrected, it does not revert back.

 

[Day-Day]

Any other reports from May Alamo renters who used the $50 off code? Just curious.

I did online check-in and skip-the-counter and then my credit card company changed my card due to suspected fraudulent activity. The Alamo website stated that I had to use a card with the same number so I emailed to get additional information. I suspected that the person at the exit booth would not care but the email response was that I needed to go to the counter.

I went to the counter after my flight arrived (25-MAY)worker said that I did not need to do that... He also told me that the liability coverage waiver using my Vegas Brazil code was only good for people from outside of the US and the $50 coupon was expired. I ended up with my original quoted rate as he got approval for the coupon. $223 for a minivan for 10 days.

 

[SYDCOLEMOM]

Any other reports from May Alamo renters who used the $50 off code? Just curious.

We arrived 5/18 - I did skip the counter option. Went right out, picked out a mini van. Went to gate to exit and had no problems at all.
I was thru the gate in less then 3 mins. I verified rate at checkout and when we dropped it off and my rates were correct.
Once again, Im very please with Alamo. They are our go to car rental company wherever we are.

 

[quagmire0]

We arrived 5/18 - I did skip the counter option. Went right out, picked out a mini van. Went to gate to exit and had no problems at all.
I was thru the gate in less then 3 mins. I verified rate at checkout and when we dropped it off and my rates were correct.
Once again, Im very please with Alamo. They are our go to car rental company wherever we are.

What minivan choices did you see when you were there? I know when we went 3 years ago, it was mostly Siennas.

 

[MortimerMouse75]

My $50 alamo code worked flawlessly. We did skip the counter and at the exit gate I verified the total with the lady. She replied with"yes Ma'am" and on our way we went. It took us longer to pick out a suv then anything.

 

[twinklebug]

So, our little thread is soon to be expired as everyone returns, I just wanted to add my experience:

Arrived at MCO around 7:30pm on a Monday evening. I had used Skip the line. AS1 code was honored, as was the $50 coupon (with a bit of work from and thanks to the exit gate agent)
Return to Dolphin couldn't have been easier: First filled up at the Speedway just in front of the Boardwalk just around the bend, then pulled into the Dolphin and Valet filed out the paper and took the car.

MCO Full Sized isle at MCO was completely full of vehicles (no minivans, SUVs or trucks). Out of all the cars, I thought it was funny that I saw only one Chrysler 200, the one that is shown as the example car on the website. Fine by me though as I didn't want one. There were two Camry i4s, but one had very high miles (45K!), I can't recall why we didn't take the other, I kept looking. There was an Impala as the last one tucked in on the end with only 5K miles, leather interior, jet black, from PA. Grabbed it, made my Chevy-loving son very happy and it rode like a dream with the nice big engine (Not very economical I know, but it was a treat.)

Other vehicles in the isle were mostly Hyundai, unsure of the model as I know nothing of the brand. There was also one VW Passat.

 

[rlduvall]

Got back yesterday and here is my experience:

Checked in online for May 20th arrival - able to "skip the counter". As mentioned by others, the full size aisle was full of everything imaginable, including multiple pick up trucks. We picked out a very nice Chevy Traverse which is considered a premium crossover. Asked Gate Attendant to check the rate and it did not reflect the $50. discount. She had to spend a bit of time on the phone to get it fixed with cars piling up behind me, but it eventually was - even lowering the price $11. more than I expected. She was very pleasant about it. XM still in effect in the vehicle so that was a bonus.

Now here is where it got a little frustrating [but I can only blame myself]. The Traverse didn't have any key fobs and I asked an attendant about it. "No fob. No fob" is all he said. Thought it wouldn't be a problem and I really wanted that vehicle, plus my son was pushing me to just hurry up and pick out a silly car. BUT, I soon found out that without the fob every time you manually unlocked the door, the alarm would go off until you could get the key in the ignition. After a couple of days I was fed up and still had 8 more days to go. So, I went to the Car Care Center by Magic Kingdom. I didn't even have to finish my sentence about the issue [apparently it is common for people to change out cars due to this] and they gladly traded me out for a different vehicle. They were going to put me in a Traverse comparable which was a Buick Enclave. Since it was only my son and me, I told them I would love to stay in an SUV but if they had anything smaller I wouldn't mind. They put me in a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe which I absolutely loved.

For a full 11 day rental, my rate was only $176. in the end. Fabulous!!!!!

 

[dioxide45]

I did online check-in and skip-the-counter and then my credit card company changed my card due to suspected fraudulent activity. The Alamo website stated that I had to use a card with the same number so I emailed to get additional information. I suspected that the person at the exit booth would not care but the email response was that I needed to go to the counter.

I went to the counter after my flight arrived (25-MAY)worker said that I did not need to do that... He also told me that the liability coverage waiver using my Vegas Brazil code was only good for people from outside of the US and the $50 coupon was expired. I ended up with my original quoted rate as he got approval for the coupon. $223 for a minivan for 10 days.

And I think this is where the one using the VB code may run in to problems if they are relying on their credit card CDW. If the VB code doesn't provide CDW for people living in the US, what happens if you are in an accident. Your credit card likely won't cover you under their CDW because to them it looks like you didn't decline the rental companies CDW. The rental company CDW won't cover you because you live in the US. I guess you would have to fall back to your personal auto insurance coverage and pay any deductible you would have there.

Now that the May trip is over, I am going to have to start following the November car rental thread.