TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN ORLANDO
How to save money on car rentals in Orlando. Driving directions to Walt Disney World from the Orlando International. How to handle tolls in Florida with a rental car.
Orlando International Airport is home to the largest rental car market in the world. Renting a car at the airport is often cheaper than renting from an off-airport location.
Rates are highly competitive compared to other cities, so you definitely want to shop around.
A good price for a standard car is about $30 per day but you might be able to do even better. Fun Fact: it usually costs less to rent a car than a stroller at Walt Disney World!
Car rental counters are all on one level at Orlando International Airport
Renting a car saves time getting around Walt Disney World.
Disney transportation is a reliable way to get around Disney, but think of it as public transportation: it will get you there, just not as fast as your own car.
Renting a car also allows you to go between hotels, something Disney transport does not offer.
Often guests need to travel between hotels for dining reservations.
Tip! Book your rental car several weeks in advance but check back often, especially 5 weeks prior to your arrival.
Fare wars are common among rental companies at Orlando International but they can actually increase too, like when a convention comes to town or if it's a holiday weekend.
Avoid pre-pay discounts, if rates go down, you won't be able to rebook!
Many of the car rental companies in Orlando offer an automatic billing option for tolls in Florida. It may not be necessary to stop at a booth.
RENTAL CARS AND FLORIDA TOLLS
Most major rental car companies now offer their customers the option of automatically billing tolls to the credit card they used to rent the vehicle.
You can use the SunPass lanes on 417 (my recommended route) and other toll roads in Florida.
Some rental companies offer SunPass rentals, usually free of charge, other charge an additional fee.
GETTING TO DISNEY FROM ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
There are two main routes you can take: Route 417 or I-4. Avoid I-4, the stretch between the airport and the theme parks is always heavily congested. 417 has a few inexpensive tolls.
To take 417, follow signs for the South Exit of the airport. Then, simply stay on 417 to either exit 6 or 3, depending on where your hotel is located.
Signs on 417 will tell you which exit to take based on theme park and/or resort hotel.
Walt Disney World is about 20 minutes from Orlando International.
When going back to the airport, follow signs in Walt Disney World for Osceola Parkway.
Once on the parkway, follow signs to Route 417 towards the airport. If you follow the airport signs in Walt Disney World, most of them will take you on I-4 which you want to avoid.
Costco Wholesale has consistently offered some of the best rental car rates in Orlando.
They contract exclusively with Alamo, Avis, Enterprise and Budget. Costco's rates usually beat special offers found on the rental agency's official website and the travel websites like Expedia.
A Costco membership starts at $55 but you don't need to be a member to view rates.
If you're not a member, check to see how much you'd save, the savings might actually pay for your membership.
BJ's Wholesale Club is also a good place to check for rental car discounts, though we have found that Costco rates are usually better. A BJ's membership is $50 per year.
BOOKing DIRECT FROM THE RENTAL CAR COMPANIES
This option will almost always cost more than if you book through a third-party unless you have credit card points or other perks to use, this could be a good option.
Alamo Rent A Car is the official rental car agency for Disney with two offices located right on Disney World property.
Offices are located at the Walt Disney World Car Care Center near Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.
Alamo Rent A Car has an Office on Disney World Property
Another office is located at the Walt Disney World Dolphin, near Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts and Epcot.
Alamo operates free shuttles that service the Walt Disney World hotels. If you need to be picked up, or if you’re dropping your car off, you can get a ride!
Check Alamo rates through Costco, they are usually very good.
Alamo has recently reduced the number of online offer codes, opting to post discounts on its Alamo Insiders Club website. Membership to Alamo Insiders Club is free.
Alamo shuttle at Walt Disney World
A great feature that Alamo offers is pre-arrival check in. You can complete all the rental car paperwork online, in advance.
All you need to do at the airport is walk over to the garage, choose a vehicle, then stop drive through window to check out.
Super fast and convenient - plus it's nice to be able to choose your own car. Avis offers a similar program.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is located inside the Orlando International Airport and have a reputation for renting new, high-quality vehicles.
The checkout process is painfully slow compared to the other rental agencies but they offer some of the best customer service in the rental car market.
Someone is going to help you locate your vehicle and go over all its features with you.
Sure it's great service, but not ideal if you just want to get your car and hit the road.
Budget Rent A Car is located at Orlando International Airport with an additional office at the DoubleTree Hotel - Walt Disney World, 2305 Hotel Plaza Blvd, Orlando, FL (just outside of Disney Springs).
Cars tend to be slightly older with higher miles and have a reputation for having poor customer service.
E-Z Car Rental is a smaller company but offers competitive rates.
They are located on airport property - no shuttle bus is required. They are pretty good about offering upgrades at a discounted rate.
Just ask at time of check in. The issue with E-Z is that it's a slow process to rent a car once you arrive at the airport.
First you need to check in at the desk inside the airport. They will spend a lot of time typing on the computer while you stand there and wait.
Then, you walk outside to the garage and stop and another desk for your keys. If they are busy, this can take a long time.
For over 12 years Darren Wittko has been helping people save money at Walt Disney World as both, a travel writer and a travel advisor with Magical Vacations Travel. He’s featured in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World as a Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent. Darren resides in Celebration, FL.
Recent Updates
Service Update: Disney's Magical Express at Walt Disney World Resort
Important operational update beginning July 2020
Disney’s Magical Express - Service Update
Please be aware that while Disney’s Magical Express will continue its service as complimentary airport transportation for guests arriving and departing from Orlando International Airport, beginning Thursday, July 16th, Disney’s Magical Express will no longer provide luggage delivery service.
Luggage assistance will be available at the front of Disney Resort hotels, including luggage storage and/or transport to the room. Upon your departure, you should ensure your luggage is with you and loaded onto the motorcoach so you can check it with your airline once you reach the airport.
The resort airline check-in service will not be offered at this time.
View Current Offers for Walt Disney World Resort
What it’s Like to Fly to/from Orlando International Airport Today
What is it like to fly to/from Orlando International Airport these days? It’s terrific! Yes, i’m actually saying air travel is great. I don’t think I’ve ever said that before. Imagine that the airport exists only for you. It’s truly the best experience I’ve ever had flying.
Here’s a quick photo story from my recent journey on a flight from Orlando International to New Jersey.
Orlando International Airport Security check
On a typical July day here in Orlando, you could expect to see crowds of people and strollers in line waiting for the security screening. Lines average 30-45 minutes. Today, there was no wait. The entire process took less than 5 minutes.
Jetblue terminal at Orlando International Airport
Once again, I just want to reiterate that this is July…in Orlando International Airport! We had the place to ourselves. That’s some carpet, isn’t it? Only a few of the restaurants were opened, Burger King, McDonalds and Starbucks. They were minimally staffed so there were short lines.
Plenty of seating at the Jetblue terminal - Orlando International Airport
The terminal was quiet and relaxing. You could actually hear the music playing. At the gate there was plenty of seating. The entire boarding process took less than 1o minutes we left the gate ahead of schedule. It felt more like a VIP/corporate airport than Orlando International. By the way, did you know there are real fossils imprinted in the floor tile all over the airport? I didn’t either, but a Jetblue employee pointed that out to me. I’m sure it would be cost-prohibitive to do that today.
Onboard one of Jetblue’s newest planes. The blue lighting is a nice touch.
There were only 10 other people on the plane, all distanced appropriately. Not quite 6ft apart, but we were free to move and find an empty row if we wanted once we got in the air. Some passengers took the entire row to lay down. There was all the overhead luggage space you could possibly imagine. Masks are required for the entire flight except for eating. Everyone followed the rules. Jetblue made a point of telling us the air is NOT recirculated on the plane. They have fresh air intakes and they filter the air. Snacks come in a prepackaged bag with a bottle of water.
Deplaning was a breeze. We were off the plane in less than 5 minutes. That’s always the worst part for me, I can’t wait to get off once we land.
If you have any questions about flying to/from Orlando International, use the comments section below. For current Walt Disney World offers, visit the offers page.
Airfare Discontinued as a Walt Disney World Package Component
Today Disney confirmed that airfare will no longer be offered as part of 2021 Walt Disney World Resort Packages. Airfare will still be offered for 2020 packages, however.
In most cases, travelers could save money by booking airfare on their own anyway. Click here for money-saving tips on how to save money on flights into Orlando, Florida.
Walt Disney World Update: The Magic is Returning in Just 4 Weeks
The following is an email from Josh D'Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences & Products:
Walt Disney World will begin reopening on July 11, 2020
With the announcement of the proposed reopening dates for the Disneyland Resort, we are one more exciting step closer to reopening all of our Disney parks and experiences around the world. Throughout the past few weeks, we have reopened Shanghai Disneyland, Disney Springs and several Disney stores, and set dates for both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts, with more announcements coming soon.
We are purposefully taking baby steps during this very intentional phased approach. As one of the first major theme parks to close our operations and the last to reopen, we have been deliberate about keeping the health and safety of our cast, guests and local communities top of mind. And as we look forward to bringing our cast members back to work, and welcoming you back as cherished guests – we know it will take all of us working together responsibly to recapture the magic.
We’re fortunate to be guided by a talented team of professionals who’ve helped us implement a variety of new health and safety measures reflecting the guidance of local health and government authorities. These are designed with both the cast and guests in mind for the unique environments of each of our parks, resorts and stores.
While certain aspects of your visit may change, I assure you the quality of our storytelling, magic of our experiences and the caliber of our cast members has not. We recognize the trust that you have in the Disney brand, and we will continue to earn your trust every day.
My confidence comes in part from all of the hard work our teams have been doing behind the scenes in the past few months… as well as by the early successes we have seen at Shanghai Disneyland, the first of our theme parks to reopen. Guest satisfaction has been extremely high, and we will continue to make sure that as we bring back experiences, our attention to promoting your safety, maintaining your trust and providing unique ways for you to come together with family and friends to create new memories remains high as well.
Walt Disney once said that it takes people to make the dream a reality, and as we prepare ourselves to reopen his original park, I want you to know how eternally grateful I am for all of you who have made Disney parks, stores, hotels, cruise lines, guided tours and vacation properties part of your lives, as well as for the cast members, crew members, Imagineers, and employees who have brought them to life for the past 65 years.
I know this has been a difficult year due to the impacts of COVID-19, but I can’t help but feel a great sense of hope and optimism. And like many of you, I look forward to hearing the laughter and seeing the joy of families making memories together… and I can’t wait to see you when the magic returns to all of our parks and resorts.
Be well,
Josh D'Amaro
Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences & Products
For current offers, visit SaveAtWDW.com/resorts
New Video: Disney Skyliner at Walt Disney World
Disney just unwrapped 55 gondolas for special test runs of the Disney Skyliner system that’ll transport you at Walt Disney World® Resort later this fall.
The Haunted Mansion themed gondola is one of my favorites!
Haunted Mansion themed Disney Skyliner Gondola
The unwrapped cabins, some of which feature stunning graphics based on Disney films, attractions and characters, are now making test runs back-and-forth between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
When fall arrives, Guests staying at the Disney Skyliner Resorts – Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – will be able to enjoy the benefit of traveling between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Check out the Walt Disney World Offers page for fall 2019 offers. There are several offers for Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and for Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, both will be on the Disney Skyliner System. However, just keep in mind that an operation date for Skyliner has not yet been announced. Stay tuned for more information
The best things to eat (and drink) at the Epcot Festival of the Arts