linzjane88
Closet Disneyphile
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2014
Since everyone is always wondering about experiences with different rental car companies I thought I would share mine. We always use Alamo and never have any issues at all--we do online check in so we go straight to the car and get in, showing our drivers license at the gate and we are on the road. I have never had any troubles with them and codes-typically I use Costco codes (I am a member) but I have never been asked for a Costco card or anything (that's off topic but I was throwing it in anyway).
So Alamo rates were horrific for our 11/23-12/4 rental period so we bit the bullet and jumped ship for Dollar who was about $80 cheaper. I don't know that I would do it again but there may be a little extra chaos added in for the simple fact we were travelling on Thanksgiving day. My friend and her family booked with our Dollar Express number so we were hoping we could go straight to the car as with Alamo. That was not the case.
We got to the counter int he parking garage at 6, when we were scheduled, and there was a lineup of about 15 customers all standing around and one employee (and the most empty lineup of cars I have ever seen-each aisle had 2-3 cars to pick from! But again, it was Thanksgiving so I expected fewer options.) The one employee was understandably flustered but she also wasn't being overly friendly. Some names were up on the board with their assigned aisle # but because there was a popup on the screen we couldn't see ours. When we approached the counter we asked where we were to go and she was rather snotty and said "Well is your name on the board?" and so we explained that the info we needed was behind the box so we couldn't see it. She walked all the way out of the booth to double check and when she saw we were telling the truth she somewhat crankily went back into the booth to do our paperwork but also called for backup help from other employees to help with the growing line. While my friend was getting her stuff sorted out I made small talk with the other groups waiting. They were a friendly British family who had apparently booked an SUV and there were none available so they had to wait for one to be returned and cleaned. They had already been there about 30 minutes and were regretting their decision to not stick with Alamo. There were other groups waiting for larger vehicles as also.
Once we were all checked in (again, I don't know what she exactly did because we had entered our information including credit card when we booked. Isn't that the point of Dollar Express?) she directed us towards the cars. We booked economy but there were 3 economy cars and 3 families loading into them so we went to the next aisle (lord knows I was not going back to that chaotic counter to ask). We went with a Hyundai Accent. We got loaded in and headed for the exit. The lady at the exit where you show your ID informed me there was a problem with my credit card because the girl at the counter had not completed the transaction. I go to hand her a credit card and she's like ''oh no, I can't fix that here. She has to do it.''. So, out of the line I went and headed back to the zoo. We updated my friends in the other car and figure 'hey, at least they can head to the rental house first and get it ready'. By this time there were approximately 2 more families who had shown up (along with the groups *still* waiting for their SUV to arrive) and people were losing patience!
Low and behold my friend had the same problem as did another family so we were all back and waiting for a fix. Luckily 2 other employees showed up to help. Unluckily, only 1 of the 3 knew how to fix this credit card issue the first agent had created so we all had to wait for this one agent. Thank goodness she was friendlier than the other lady!
We got a couple 'sorry about the troubles' but that was the extent of it. All in all it took over an hour (and much sweating in the heat) to get the car situation squared away and to be on the road. Our poor British friends we made in line were both there when we got there and when we left. I can't imagine how long they spent on the ordeal. My dad who did rent through Alamo had gotten his rental car (booked an intermediate and got a Nissan Pickup) and made it to the rental house before we were out of the parking garage. Was it worth the $80 more he paid?
. He certainly thought so after hearing of our troubles
So, in my experience of probably 10 rentals in the last few years at MCO Alamo=good and Dollar=bad.
So Alamo rates were horrific for our 11/23-12/4 rental period so we bit the bullet and jumped ship for Dollar who was about $80 cheaper. I don't know that I would do it again but there may be a little extra chaos added in for the simple fact we were travelling on Thanksgiving day. My friend and her family booked with our Dollar Express number so we were hoping we could go straight to the car as with Alamo. That was not the case.
We got to the counter int he parking garage at 6, when we were scheduled, and there was a lineup of about 15 customers all standing around and one employee (and the most empty lineup of cars I have ever seen-each aisle had 2-3 cars to pick from! But again, it was Thanksgiving so I expected fewer options.) The one employee was understandably flustered but she also wasn't being overly friendly. Some names were up on the board with their assigned aisle # but because there was a popup on the screen we couldn't see ours. When we approached the counter we asked where we were to go and she was rather snotty and said "Well is your name on the board?" and so we explained that the info we needed was behind the box so we couldn't see it. She walked all the way out of the booth to double check and when she saw we were telling the truth she somewhat crankily went back into the booth to do our paperwork but also called for backup help from other employees to help with the growing line. While my friend was getting her stuff sorted out I made small talk with the other groups waiting. They were a friendly British family who had apparently booked an SUV and there were none available so they had to wait for one to be returned and cleaned. They had already been there about 30 minutes and were regretting their decision to not stick with Alamo. There were other groups waiting for larger vehicles as also.
Once we were all checked in (again, I don't know what she exactly did because we had entered our information including credit card when we booked. Isn't that the point of Dollar Express?) she directed us towards the cars. We booked economy but there were 3 economy cars and 3 families loading into them so we went to the next aisle (lord knows I was not going back to that chaotic counter to ask). We went with a Hyundai Accent. We got loaded in and headed for the exit. The lady at the exit where you show your ID informed me there was a problem with my credit card because the girl at the counter had not completed the transaction. I go to hand her a credit card and she's like ''oh no, I can't fix that here. She has to do it.''. So, out of the line I went and headed back to the zoo. We updated my friends in the other car and figure 'hey, at least they can head to the rental house first and get it ready'. By this time there were approximately 2 more families who had shown up (along with the groups *still* waiting for their SUV to arrive) and people were losing patience!
Low and behold my friend had the same problem as did another family so we were all back and waiting for a fix. Luckily 2 other employees showed up to help. Unluckily, only 1 of the 3 knew how to fix this credit card issue the first agent had created so we all had to wait for this one agent. Thank goodness she was friendlier than the other lady!
We got a couple 'sorry about the troubles' but that was the extent of it. All in all it took over an hour (and much sweating in the heat) to get the car situation squared away and to be on the road. Our poor British friends we made in line were both there when we got there and when we left. I can't imagine how long they spent on the ordeal. My dad who did rent through Alamo had gotten his rental car (booked an intermediate and got a Nissan Pickup) and made it to the rental house before we were out of the parking garage. Was it worth the $80 more he paid?
. He certainly thought so after hearing of our troublesSo, in my experience of probably 10 rentals in the last few years at MCO Alamo=good and Dollar=bad.
